Hello Everybody,
Can’t believe it’s summer already! Another year gone by and just wanted to get you all up to speed with what has been going on with the Lambeth and Southwark Hub.
Thinking about how the year started, We can say there has been some real progress and some truly awesome things have been taking place. I started with year with just me, but now I have not just one volunteer but two! So, we are beginning to feel like a team. Clare has done many assemblies by herself and is set to take responsibility for a school and Sijbrigje has done her first assembly and really enjoyed doing it. This is fantastic news.
We have been visiting an average of 7-8 schools per week and have had some amazing feedback. One school described our assemblies as ‘excellent’ and went on to say, 'Children enjoy the stories and this has made an impact on how they grow as individuals'. We know that Jesus’ stories can change lives. Children commenting on the assemblies said…..
'I liked that everyone could listen, and it was a good and calm story about Jesus.’
‘I liked the game.’
‘I liked how even the poor were invited to the party.’ (We have been hearing the story of the ‘Great Banquet from Luke 14)
At a school in Peckham a little boy threw his arms around me and said, ‘I love your assemblies.’ His Teaching Assistant said that he only liked my assemblies!
Two schools have visited different churches with me. Church leaders have been very generous with their time and the children have learned a lot. I, personally, have been teaching a bit more RE this term and it is not only the children that learn from these lessons! I have also continued with the faith leaders club at one of my church schools and we led our own Collective Worship on the theme of Joseph. The children were excited to do this. One of the children performed a Christian rap for the school.
In September, we are starting a new series of Collective Worship. It is entitled ‘Beyond belief’ and is based around ‘values’ like courage, compassion and goodness. Schools often talk about ‘values, and these value assemblies will be centred on the Bible; including the Old Testament this time. It is all very exciting, and we have lovely new artwork to go with it. Click here or the image below to learn some more about 'Beyond Belief'.
Thank you for your prayers. More volunteers and more schools to visit (particularly in Southwark) would be fantastic so I would appreciate prayers about this. The schools in the area need your prayers too. The numbers of children are dropping, one of my schools is sadly closing and others are under threat of merger. It says somewhere that the prayer of a righteous person can achieve much; so please pray. We appreciate any support that you can give with time, money, skills and prayer.
It just remains for us to wish you all a wonderful summer. Thank you for your support.
Wishing you every blessing.
Heather, Clare and Sijbrigje