Junior Church, April 1972

The new name ‘Junior Church’ was adopted last September (it was previously called Sunday School) and with it, we hope, has come a new out-look.
At a meeting of the Pastoral Committee last year, we discussed the new arrangements for the children in our Parish. Those children who come with their parents to the Family Communion service, now have their own special time during the first part of the service.
Junior Church can never be the substitute for children coming to church with their parents. For this reason the purpose of Junior Church is to act as a bridge between the children whose parents do not come to church, and our Family Communion service. It has therefore being our target (and duty) since September to encourage the 33 children on our register to become members of the church.
One of the ways in which Junior Church has tried to fulfil this purpose was through a series of lessons held in November. We devoted this time to the teaching of the sacraments of Holy Communion.
Special services such as Harvest Festival, the lighting of the Christmas Tree service, and Mothering Sunday, have been well attended. The children have taken part in these services, especially at Christmas with the performance of a short Nativity play.
One of our problems is children at Landport. It is felt that many more would come if only we had some form of transport to pick them up at various points, and we should be pleased to have any ideas which would help in this matter.

(Extract from Annual Parochial Church Meeting, 6th of April 1972)