June 2014

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“I JUST THANK YOU FATHER FOR MAKING ME, ME!”

It was difficult to find a seat in St Giles’ Church on 4th May for the exuberant Family Service, planned and led by Simon White (Youth Worker), Chris Thompson (Children’s Champion), Holly Blackman and Chris Turner.  The children and young people of the Church played a major part in the service with the hymns and worship songs led by the worship band and, for the final hymn, also accompanied by the young children playing a range of percussion instruments.

The joyous opening hymn “If I were a butterfly”, ever popular with children, listed many creatures.  The children (pictured) had produced colourful drawings of many of them, which they confidently held up to the congregation as they sang about each in turn.  However, the focal point of the service was the talk given by Simon which took its theme from this hymn and particularly the ending chorus line “I just thank you Father for making me, me.”  He emphasised that although we all look different on the outside, have different talents, imaginations and thoughts, we all come together in one family, the Church family.  We all use our different gifts and talents to serve Him and to serve other people in different ways.

In the Bible readings, read by the young Church members and reflecting the words of the hymn, Jesus says that we should use our hearts to love God and to love each other.  Simon said “God gave us a smile to use to let other people know we care for them and want to be their friends.  He gave us Jesus to teach us about Him, to save us and to be our friend.  He made us His children, which means God is literally ‘Daddy’ ”.  We all came away buoyed up by the joy and enthusiasm of the young people and the children.
Keith Arnold