Representations of "The Holy Trinity", 2013

Sunday 26^th May was Trinity Sunday and so it was not surprising that at all services, and both Friday and Sunday GAP, we were discussing, the not very easy, but fundamental concept of "The Holy Trinity".

The Holy Trinity can be defined as “The Union of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit in One Godhead.”

“Three in one and one in three”!

To try and demonstrate how something can be one thing, and yet have three parts, we used a variety of different symbols.

At Friday GAP, the children discussed a number of things such as water – which can be solid (ice), liquid (water) or gas (steam) and yet is still, all the same substance.

 

They thought about pretzels and looked at the classic symbol of the Holy Trinity.  Then they tried to make a representation out of clay.  This proved to be easier said than done.  Nevertheless, Mollie managed remarkably well!

At Sunday GAP, the children used the representation of an egg – The shell, the white and the yolk all perform different functions but are all parts of one egg.  To demonstrate this Sally shelled an egg and cut the egg in half so that the children could see all the 3 parts.  Unfortunately, the first egg she used for this demonstration, which she thought had been hard boiled, turned out to be a raw egg!!  Yuk!!!  What a mess!  However, the GAP children will probably not forget the egg symbol!

Geoffrey also used the egg at 4U2 – but wisely did not use a real egg – just a picture!  Geoffrey also used a picture of half an apple (core, flesh and skin all having different function but making the whole), and a picture of a clover leaf.

Whichever symbol works best for you, why not use it to contemplate the wonders of

the marvellous Godhead.

If you don't know about GAP, the word stands for God And Play.  Gap is for Primary school aged children.  There are two different groups one on Fridays, from 3.30 p.m. until 5.00 p.m. and one on Sundays, from 10.30 a.m. until 11.45 a.m. (This session runs parallel to the 10.30 a.m. service.)  

For more information about GAP please phone Christine on 560518 or Sally on 553977)

National Doodle Day 2013

On Friday 8^th February Friday GAP celebrated National Doodle Day.

Eleven adults and fourteen children attended the usual session of Friday GAP and enjoyed tea, coffee, biscuits, squash, sweets and crisps whilst doodling to their hearts’ content!

Just whiling away the time?  

Certainly not!

Every participant paid £1 for the privilege of doing a doodle, 

and all the doodles will be entered in the National Doodle Day competition which raises money for the charity Epilepsy Action.

We also had a draw for ‘Which Celebrity’s Doodle is the Winner’ and had two lucky winners – Hannah Ritchie and Kieran Govan - who each went home with a lovely tin of biscuits.

All together the event raised £41 for Epilepsy Action.  Thank you to everyone who came and contributed.

We also ran our usual Friday GAP session including the bible story of Jesus healing an epileptic boy, had our prayer time with all the good and bad news supplied by the children, played a couple of games and sang some lively action songs (the adults were quite surprised at what we usually do at Friday GAP and how much energy is expended!)

So all in all a successful time!

Thank you to Christine and her team for running this event and to all the children and adults of all ages for taking part so enthusiastically.

Thank you also to Christine for the words and photos for this blog.  Don't forget if you are doing or have done anything for St. John's that you think everyone should know about let me know and I'll do my best to get it up here on the blog!

S-A.T.

Christmas Parties 2012

On Friday 14^th December Friday GAP joined with Sunday Gap for their Christmas Party at Pizza Hut!  

The children could choose their food and then use the leaflets provided to colour in and solve the puzzles. 

After the salads and main courses, the ice creams that the children decorated were very popular!  

Everybody went home with a goody bag.  All the helpers were very impressed by how well all the children behaved.

A good time was had by one and all.

Then,the following evening, The Eagles had their party in the church hall.

Rachel reported,

“We enjoyed Andy's wonderful Christmas dinner followed by our own ice cream factory.

We started the evening by trying to complete jigsaws of famous buildings. There were hundreds of pieces and the Eagles had to find the pieces they needed from a large selection. Only Abbie and Emma were able to complete two jigsaws so they won the prize. Next we played pin the tail on the donkey, pass the parcel and the hat game.

Who would believe a group of teenagers would enjoy a game of pass the parcel so much. We finished with our secret santa presents and our traditional game of Charades.”

[I have to comment that, in our family, “pass the parcel” is enjoyed by people well into their 60s!]

Joseph at Friday GAP

Since returning to Friday GAP after the summer holidays, the children have been learning all about Joseph.  (That's Joseph the dreamer, not the Joseph we read about in the Christmas story!)  Over four Friday sessions the children watched the DVD ‘Joseph King of Dreams’ and learnt how Joseph was a ‘miracle’ baby who developed into a special young man with the power to interpret dreams. However this made him unpopular with his brothers who sold him into slavery. The children learnt how after spending time in prison Joseph was summoned before Pharaoh to interpret his dreams, and this led to Joseph being placed in charge of all Egypt.

Eventually his brothers had to come to Egypt to buy grain because of the famine and in the end this led to Joseph revealing to them who he was. Eventually all of Joseph’s family came to live in Egypt (which is how the Israelites came to be there at the time of Moses…. But that’s another story.)

The children painted pictures of different scenes from Joseph’s life and made a life-size painting of Joseph in his special coat. Why not call in to the church and see their handiwork for yourself?

(Thank you for this, Christine!)

GAP Sunflowers - 2011

Earlier in the year children and adults at Friday GAP planted sunflower seeds. Many of the children have grown lovely sunflowers by looking after their seeds and ensuring they have enough water.

Look what has happened to one of Cath's seeds! How did it manage not to fall over? I presume Cath does not stand there, holding it up, all the time!?!

David, Goliath, Ethan and Jim at 4U2 (26/06/2011)

On Sunday 26th June the story of David and Goliath was discussed at both 4U2 and Sunday GAP!

So it was not only fun but also appropriate that the GAP children should sing "Super Heroes" to the rest of us when they joined 4U2 at the end of the sessions!

We also celebrated the birthdays of one of the youngest and one of the oldest GAP children - Ethan and Jim!

Red Nose David!

Remember Goliath!

Well today the Friday GAP children created David to sort him out.

The children arrived from school in their pyjamas - as can happen on Red Nose Day!

We drew round Francesca to create David and then put him up in church next to Goliath who went up last week.

If you like Red Nose David please give generously to the Red Nose Day appeal. If you don't like him please give generously anyway!

And for you serious people - don't worry - David will be taking off his Red Nose soon!

Goliath at Friday GAP

Wow!
















Who's that ?

Goliath!

Molly and Abigail, with help from Hannah, created Goliath and learned all about him.

Hopefully Friday GAP children will create David next week - to keep Goliath under control!

(GAP is for primary school age children. Friday GAP runs from 3.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. and Sunday GAP from 10.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. in the church hall.
For more information contact Christine Baker on 560 518 or Sally Wright on 553 997)

Carol singing 2010

On Saturday 18th December, the morning after 12 inches of snow had fallen on Birkdale, intrepid members of St. John's joined others from Churches Together in Birkdale to sing carols in "The Village". They sang from 10.45 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. after which Jennings greengrocer kindly supplied them with much needed hot drinks!

Sunday afternoon provided yet another opportunity for singing carols at the St. John's carol service. This was a delight with narrations of the Christmas Story being interspersed with songs from the choir, GAP children and of course congregational carols. The service was particularly evocative in the light of the Christmas trees.

Unfortunately, due to the weather conditions, the planned carol singing in the streets had to be cancelled.

However, all is not lost! There will be another chance to sing carols, by the light of the trees, at the 11.00 p.m. Communion Service on Christmas Eve.

This is the last blog of the year so, may I wish you peace and goodwill this Christmas and throughout 2011!

Thank you to Iain for the photo!

Friday GAP get ready for Easter

Children who attend Friday GAP have been learning about what Jesus was doing in the days before his crucifixion. They have also been making a large picture of Jesus on the cross with their helpers. They have managed to get it up in church just in time for Holy Week. If you are around over Easter look out for their picture when you are in church.

Note: Holy Week services are as follows:-

Thursday 1st April - Maundy Thursday Service (7.30 p.m.)

Friday 2nd April - Music and Meditation for Good Friday 10.30 a.m.

Saturday 3rd April - Praise and Prayer [a short service in church followed by breakfast, or a cup of coffee, in the hall if you wish] (10.30 a.m.)

EASTER SUNDAY 4th April - Holy Communion (9.00 a.m.)

Holy Communion & GAP (10.30 a.m.)

P.S. GAP stands for God And Play. It is for primary school aged children. There are two GAP sessions a week during term time - Fridays at 3.30 p.m. and Sundays at 10.30 p.m.

Church Anniversary and GAP Birthday

On Sunday 29th June we celebrated the Church Anniversary with a special service at the 10.30 a.m. service. The theme of the service was St. John's church - the past, the present and the future. We also took the opportunity to celebrate GAP's birthday. GAP stands for God And Play. It is for young people aged under 12 and takes place at 3.30 p.m. on Fridays and 10.30 a.m. on Sundays. Children from GAP sang beautifully at our service, as they often do, and were presented with a magnificent birthday cake (see photos) which we all enjoyed in the hall after the service.