R
ev David White, Rector, Carlow Union of Parishes sent ECI this report:
The Junior All-Ireland Pollinator Plan has been the inspiration for so much good work here in the Parish. Over the past two years or so the children have been working hard at creating habitats and raising awareness around our need to help pollinators. Last year our Sunday Club Leader Carolyn Good put together a report on their activities. Here is a redacted version which only includes their eco-work. I find it so encouraging that the children see working for the good of Creation as an integral part of their lived faith experience. Carolyn Good wrote:
“Is it Biscuit Sunday?” my 10 year old nephew asks. What he means is “Is it a Sunday Club Sunday?” I know exactly what he’s asking. Is it going to be a child-friendly service? Is it going to be fun? Will I be welcome? Can I do a job? Will there be nice biscuits?
Children’s ministry in Carlow Union of Parishes involves Sunday Club and a number of other children’s events during the year. Sunday Club Sundays are once a month in St. Mary’s Church. As time has gone on the children come from across the Union and not from a particular church. This once a month arrangement gives us time to plan in between meetings and we try to plan a mixture of events. Sometimes it’s “Biscuit Sunday”. Sometimes it’s “Wear your Wellies to Church Sunday”. Sometimes it’s “Kids Take Over Church Sunday”. Sometimes it’s “Party Sunday”. We have had many opportunities in the 2017-2018 Sunday Club year for fun. Our smallest attendance was three children and our biggest was twenty-five children. We start in church, as part of the congregation and just after the Gospel reading, we leave for other activities.
In September we opened our Sunday Club year in St. Mary’s with wellington boots for church. Eleven children and five adults worked in the garden planting our Climber’s Wall. This was part of our God’s Welcoming Church gardening project. The children had a fantastic day and learned how to plant and care for new plants. This work continues our connection with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan.
In October the children from the Sunday Club met at the Dolmen Hotel for a very special prize-giving. Our “God’s Welcoming Church” Project had won an Eco Award at the Diocesan Synod for Cashel, Ferns and Ossory! The children were delighted with their beautiful wooden plaque and a new Buddleia for the garden. Once the Bishop heard about their plans for a celebratory trip to McDonald’s he took out his cheque book and paid for tea for the children. A kind gesture from our Bishop and an important message to the children that the church wanted them to celebrate!
In November ten children (and a couple of determined adults) tried something new – “Kids Take Over Church”! It was a service of Holy Communion and the children did everything, the readings, the prayers, the collection and the Eucharistic prayer. They acted as church wardens, they gave out the books, children carried up the bread and the wine, and we sang child-friendly songs. All was done by, and for the children. Rev. David’s sermon was on the floor, sitting on the steps at the front of the church surrounded by children as he spoke about St. Francis of Assisi and animals.
In February five children and three adults were gardening again. This time it was roses, rosemary, forsythia and some wildflower seeds that were on the plan for the day. The pollinators were on our minds again! In mid-March we had to cancel Sunday Club as the Beast from the East met Storm Emma.
Following the children asking for more fun in church the adults felt we had to do something really special to finish our Sunday Club year in June. We wanted to respond to their request for more fun, to mark the departure of a Sunday Club family to lands afar, and also to mark the hard work that the children did in the garden during the year. We ordered a bouncy castle, the parents brought food and we had a party. There was a lot of bouncing, a lot of cake and even a Rector sliding down a large bouncy slide!
We have great plans for next year. We want to expand our “God’s Welcoming Church” project. The children plan to do more gardening. We plan to develop the woodland area. We plan to move Sunday Club around the three churches in our parish. We want to encourage more children.”
As Rector, all I can say is “So onwards and upwards.” I’m so proud of all that they have achieved in such a relatively short period of time. Carolyn and the leaders have worked so hard to make all this happen. The other adults are now working on projects in each of the churches too. This will eventually lead in time to accreditation as an Eco-Congregation. As I conclude I can hear Haydn’s beautiful hymn:
The heavens are telling the glory of God,
the wonder of his work displays the firmament.
To-day that is coming, speaks it the day,
the night that is gone, to following night.
The heavens are telling the glory of God,
the wonder of his work displays the firmament.
In all the lands resounds the word,
never unperceived, ever understood.
The heavens are telling the glory of God,
the wonder of his work displays the firmament.
