St John's Church Birkdale News: Little Fishes

Showing posts with label Little Fishes. Show all posts

Little Fishes say "Good bye" to Joyce

On Tuesday 16^th July 2013, Joyce retired from Little Fishes. Joyce started the group for parents, grandparents and carers with their babies and toddlers, from scratch, 14 years ago. She has inspired a loyal group of helpers, most of whom have been with her from the start. None of us is getting any younger and, as anyone who has had anything to do with babies and young children will know, dealing with them requires a great deal of energy. So, sadly, contrary to appearances, Joyce feels that the time is now right for her to move on from Little Fishes. I am sure that many people will miss her and be sorry to see her go and, undoubtedly she will miss all those Little Fishes.

Jean, grandmother of Daniel and Sam, writes: -

“Today was a sad day for many of us at Little Fishes as we said goodbye to Joyce Hunt. Joyce is retiring after running the group for the past fourteen years.

She has faithfully turned up week after week, with her team of helpers .....

..... setting out the hall with bikes, prams, slides, climbing equipment, play doh, duplo, jigsaws –

indeed everything to keep children from birth to school age happily occupied.

Joyce has also got to know all the mums, dads, grand-parents and carers who turn up.

Indeed, during her fourteen years she has got to know many siblings.

We marked Joyce's retirement from Little Fishes with a short service in church, led by Jeremy (and his friendly furry friend). Children who are starting school in September each received a book to mark the occasion.

After singing some of our favourite songs .....

..... the children presented Joyce with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a token to mark our appreciation of her dedication to Little Fishes over the last fourteen years.

The morning concluded with a lovely teddy bears' picnic outside in the church grounds.

Thank you Joyce for all you have done to make Little Fishes such a happy toddler group.”

I am sure that everybody at St. John’s and everyone, past and present, who has attended Little Fishes will join Jean in that “Thank You”.

May I say "thank you" too, to Jean, for writing this for our blog and also for the photos!

Please Note:Little Fishes will continue to happen in September, led by Cathy Leffler. The first session is on Tuesday 10th September, at the NEW TIME of 10.00 am to 12.00 noon. We look forward to seeing all continuing members, and some new ones, on that date.

End of term for Little Fishes

Little Fishes met for the last time before the summer break on July 10^th.

Thirty children took part in a mini “Moving On” service which was held in church. The children, mums dads and grannies heard Joyce tell the story of Jesus blessing the children. Those moving on to nursery were presented with a special “Moving On” pack by our new vicar, Jeremy. It contained a booklet about starting school for the children and also a book for parents about “Letting Go” with an invitation to take their little ones along to GAP (God and Play) on a Friday or Sunday.

The service was followed by lots of refreshments and a time to play.

Little Fishes starts again on 11^th September from 9am when we look forward to seeing some new “Fishes” as well as welcoming back those who haven’t gone off to “big school”.

[Thank you Joyce for sending in this report!]

Little Fishes Moving On Service 2011

It's that time of year again when the oldest Little Fishes, some of whom have been coming virtually since birth, have to leave and move on to nursery at "BIG" school. (Some parents and grandparents have been coming for even longer with a succession of children!)

It is a bitter-sweet time for both children and adults, many of whom have made strong bonds whilst coming along to Little Fishes.

The final session of the year is marked by a short, service at which children who are leaving are presented with a "Moving-On" pack to help to prepare them for the next phase in their lives.

We pray that all those moving on, and their families, will be blessed and that they keep in touch. We hope that we'll see some of the children here at GAP!

Once more we must extend our thanks to Joyce and her team of helpers, without whom there would be no Little Fishes!

To find out more about Little Fishes contact Joyce on 562 741. If you are interested in GAP (which stands for God And Play and is for primary aged children) please contact Christine on 560 518, for Friday sessions, or Sally on 553 977), for Sunday sessions, or see the Groups section of this website and just turn up.

Little Fishes leaver service 2010

The last Little Fishes meeting of the school year took place Friday 9th July 2010. The oldest children will be moving to nursery at “Big School” next term so this was their last session with Joyce.

Some of the parents and grandparents have been coming for a number of years with a succession of children and were equally sad that this phase of their lives was coming to an end.

The session finished with a short service in church where the Vicar presented all the children who were leaving with “a moving on pack”.
The service was followed by a celebratory party!
Of course “good byes are always sad but “moving on” is exciting and full of opportunity.

At St. John’s we pray that the families will be blessed as the children move on to their new lives and we hope that they will keep in touch with us and let us know how they are getting on!

I am sure everyone who has ever had anything to do with “Little Fishes” will join me in thanking Joyce, and her helpers, for all their hard, but enthusiastic, work!

Little Fishes Celebrate Christmas (Friday 18th December 2009)

Little Fishes, our group for parents/carers with babies and toddlers had their Christmas celebrations recently. Baby Jack, aged 10 weeks, came dressed for the occasion.
After a time playing, we gathered in church for our mini carol service. 37 mums,dads, grannies piled into the choir stalls with 42 babies and toddlers.

Our vicar, Philip, welcomed everyone. Then we sang Away in a manger, accompanied by Val our organist. Joyce, the Little Fishes leader, told the Christmas story (with one of the little ones sitting on her knee).
Then we sang Little Jesus, sweetly sleep, Philip said a prayer, we sang our own Little Fishes song and ended with Philip giving a special Christmas Blessing.

The mums and little ones had time to lokk round the church at all the trees before going back into the hall where a team of helpers had prepared something to eat. Just look how they are tucking in!.

Finally Father Christmas paid us a visit and all the children received a book "My first story of Christmas". Scarlett was very pleased to see Santa and not put off at all by his beard.

Thanks to Joyce for submitting this to me.

Little Fishes - 10th birthday and Moving on Service

To celebrate the end of their 10th year, Little Fishes had a party but, before that, they had a moving on service in church. Parents, carers and children sat in the choir stalls for the short sevice.

Children that were "moving on" to nursery were presented with specail moving on packs by the vicar, Philip.

Everybody then moved into the hall where, as you can see, they thoroughly enjoyed the party food!

[For those of you that don't know Little Fishes is a group for pre-school children and babies with their parents, grandparents or carers. They meet twice a week in term time (on Tuesday and Friday mornings).]