The Church on Oakwood

David & GoliathDaniel in the Lion's Den A team of seven people, Sheila Harper, Margaret Hughes, Rachel Marshall, Gwynne & Brian Shaw, David Wright and Elizabeth Embley, started to prepare for 'Open the Book' in March 2008. Park View School had agreed that we could tell a Bible story each week. We have used narration, drama and puppets.

We had an excellent response from the Church to requests for materials and props, and teams from other Churches have been most helpful in their advice and have even lent us some of the more complicated props. During Summer 2008, the scheme went 'national' because of its importance and the way in which it was growing. We now belong to a huge family of volunteers who present Bible stories to thousands of children each week all over the country.

Three more people joined us in December 2008, David Bell, Judith Charles and Sister Catherine, taking us to a team of ten. Our different strengths enable us to present these stories to the children in an interesting and exciting way.The welcome from the school each week is wonderful and we have many rewards when we see the children growing in confidence by wanting to help in the presentations of the stories. Some weeks they are so engrossed in the Bible story you can hear a pin drop, and then at other times there is a buzz of excitement. I am not sure who enjoys it the most...the children or members of the Open the Book team.

We just thank God for this opportunity of OUTREACH to our young community on Oakwood.

Elizabeth Embley (March 2009)