Highbury Home - 9 - Reports 2008

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We recognize that worship is a time for God’s people

· To come together in praise and offer thanks for God’s goodness

· To absorb the reality of His presence and saving grace

· To acknowledge our need of forgiveness and His help

· To hear His Word and receive His enabling power to spread the Good News.

· We regard worship as human activity at its loftiest.

In our services we seek a spirit of participation, joy and reverence, enabling people who value different styles of worship to come together as one. We want to learn to appreciate what other people appreciate.

Baptismal Roll

There were three baptisms at Highbury in 2008. Six year old Tabitha Wallington asked to be baptised, and the service was followed by a ‘bring and share’ lunch for all the church family. Nia and Bob Seymour brought their youngest daughter, Sarah; and Karen and Richard Lewis brought Maycie for Infant Baptism.

Angela Pickles

Junior Church

There are 26 children from 3 to 11 years old on our Junior Church list but we only have about half that number most Sunday mornings. Due to the wider age range, in September we welcomed Judi Marsh to lead our new Xstream group, catering for KS2 (or Juniors as they used to be called).

Helen Roberts and Louise Middleton continue to share leadership of Splash! for 5 to 7s and it is good to have Laura MacLeod back to help me with the 3 to 5s in Bubbles.

Our sessions always start with everyone together in the hall for an action song or game before we split into our three groups. Although we all use the appropriate Scripture Union teaching material, each leader has their own approach and I sometimes wonder what is going on in the other rooms. Thank you to all the volunteers who join us each week, without whom we would not be able to function; they never know what is in store for them, but we hope they enjoy their time with the children.

Angela Pickles

Sunday Special

This has been a ‘new’ group in the church, for those aged 3 and above and meets once a month. It has been very rewarding to see the children turn up for 9.00am breakfast once a month, full of conversation and excitement. It has also been great to have different people involved in all that is happening.

We have covered various topics including Christmas, New Beginnings and Remembrance. Through these different subjects we have tried to have singing, games and craft times as well as teaching about new and different topics.

The leaders have been a really important part of all that happens at Sunday Special, with Lorraine Gasside on breakfast, Jean Gregory and others