We recently had the great privilege and opportunity to donate a gift of a whole Bible to a Year 4 class at a local Farnham school . The children had been working through a series of lessons entitled “The Bible as a sacred text” and FAST had been asked to present a lesson as a finale. Maggie produced a wonderful powerpoint which took the children through the Bible in pictures and we quizzed them as to which stories they recognised.

We had already asked permission from the school and each child’s parents about giving out a Bible and so the children were expectant and really looking forward to their free gift. We explained what a special and sacred book the Bible is, and a few tips on how to read it! The version we had chosen was a Good News with lots of pictures so very child friendly.

It was with tremendous joy that we handed out a Bible to the children – they were asked to write their names and date inside and then we gave a time of quiet for them to look through. To see all heads down flicking through pages, finding well known stories, asking us “Where are the Ten Commandments?” “Where’s the story of Daniel? Jonah? Christmas? Lord’s Prayer?”

Joan had made some beautiful bookmarks with ribbons – some with the Lord’s Prayer and some with pictures for the children to decorate which the children loved. Most of them placed the bookmark where the New Testament starts as they found it hard to find otherwise!

Two of our regular volunteers at this school run the local church youth group and they said to us that only two of the children went to the local church. Of course some of the children may go elsewhere. Even though some of the children may already have a Bible of their home at home, perhaps given at their baptism, I felt that these Bibles given out at school at this stage in a child’s life was particularly beneficial.

If this article has touched your heart and you would like to be involved by donating a little money to F.C.C.T. so that we can supply more Bibles into schools, please contact us and we will ensure your donation is put towards this cause. Thanks so much                                                   Linda Daruvala

On Wednesday 7th November the FAST ladies helped William Cobbett School to organise another church trail, similar to the trail of last year but with the added bonus of St Joan’s and the Methodist Church being included in the churches to visit.

The children were very good and had a really interesting visit to each of the churches, the children went in their form groups about 30 to each church at a time then at 12.30 the whole year group of 90 children met at the United Reformed Church for their packed lunch and the visitors to the Spire Coffee Bar were agog at the number of children in the sanctuary!

Although some thought the numbers were 200 there really were only 90 children with the 12 helpers!

What a joy to have all those children packed in the Church! All of them full of what they had seen and heard at the various churches and looking forward to the last visit of the day after lunch!

I stayed behind at the URC to tidy up (hardly any mess) and each group walked back to the school tired but full of what they had seen and heard, and been allowed to touch!!

We were delighted to lead a lesson on the symbol of the Dove of Peace to a Year 6 class at a local school. Joan had the inspiration for the content of this lesson following the school’s request. We explained, using a powerpoint presentation, how the symbol of the flying Dove of Peace with an olive leaf in its beak comes from the story in Genesis 8 of Noah’s ark.

We asked the children what their definition of peace would be and here are some of their answers:

• no war and happiness
• where everybody is happy; somewhere it is very quiet where you’re happy and there is love
• silent happiness, joy, relaxation
• no one worrying about things
• no wars or any battles or bad things happening
• a feeling that is happiness, joy, hope and calm all mixed together to create a feeling and event so powerful that it can destroy wickedness
• when all wars are gone and all creatures are free and happy
• a time when wars are non-exciting, happiness is a non-stop feeling and diseases and death are rare

We shared some famous quotes about Peace eg. “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will know peace” (Jimi Hendrix) and showed images of some of Picasso’s well known paintings of the Dove of Peace. We also talked about inner peace and reflected that Peace is a very active, strong and powerful emotion rather than meek passivity.

We then provided a wide assortment of craft materials for the children to create an individual card or a poster of Peace and the results were intricate and beautiful. We have shown a few below. At this time of year we are all very conscious of our volatile world as in November we have remembered friends and family involved in conflicts overseas and this Christmas many local families will be preparing to welcome home soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq. It was good to share the hope of Peace with these 10 year old children.

The team at FAST wish you all a very happy Christmas and peaceful New Year, and we pray that the Lord may indeed grant you His Peace, the Peace which passes all understanding.