064 - Chapter 64

(Illustration: Some of our holiday club themes)

I must mention the holiday clubs at St John’s, Kingston Park, for they played a large part of life and witness there with young families; and they came to mean such a lot to me too. These holiday clubs were top rate, and run each year in summer, by two excellent leaders Hannah and Ruth, who organised everything, and had led these clubs most efficiently for many years, putting in a lot of time and effort. These clubs were crammed with activities, craft, games, music and refreshments and at the end of the week, there was a special Sunday service to show parents what the children had achieved, with grand displays too, of all the children’s work.

I volunteered as a helper that first summer we were there, and I was asked to join a group where infants were making percussion instruments, but as I was working with them, I noticed some teenagers who were there either because they had brought their younger brothers and sisters to the club, or because their parents were helpers, and they were simply killing time. The club was really for younger children. So after making enquiries, I was given the go ahead by our leaders, to try and do a constructive creative activity with them to fill their time.

The theme for that week was do with environmental issues and called ‘Waste watchers’, so next day, to fit in with the theme, I took some sheets of newspaper along, which I had covered with a light laminated covering, and we all started cutting and creating things to wear. These youngsters made the most elaborate creations,  that I could never have thought up. They were so willing to take part and so very talented, so chatty and friendly, and at the end of the week we put on a fashion show.

In successive holiday clubs, my role was to work with the same small group again, and we added drama and art to our activities.

What amazed me yet again was the way in which God provided the right young people, the right materials, who had all the right skills for what we planned to do, and he provided our holiday club with new songs, year after year. 

Over the years, our leaders came up with some very lively themes; including Paintbox, Pirates, Puppets and Parables). Our own grandchildren came along to the club and loved being there.

I wrote some songs for one holiday club on the theme of the Olympics, when it was Olympic year 2012. I used drawings in water-colour to make up videos, and drama ideas came to mind too. I so much enjoyed painting these water colours , copying them from newspaper photographs. One of these, was Oscar Pistorius, (see illustration) the first double-amputee to race at the Olympics when he took part in the London 2012 Games. He competed on prosthetic blades – a feat that had earned him the nickname the ‘Blade Runner’, and yet, how the mighty are fallen? He was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend two years later.

I wrote to a singer/songwriter called Bryn Haworth, before our Olympic sessions for permission to use his instrumental ‘Salima’ for one of my Olympic songs ‘God looks at the heart’ all about David being anointed by Samuel, and Bryn graciously allowed me to use his tune. I love that recording, and I really appreciated and respected him for being so generous.

So our Olympic songs were:-

God looks at the heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk_wHSJ2FFQ

Seize the day: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dcgf_H30mLU

Go for Gold

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS0O_uFr754

Oh to win a gold

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghY-r1PB3bo

I also had the words ready for another song just for that week with a great message which spoke for itself called ‘Seize the Day’. It fitted perfectly to a simple tune so many children play on the piano today, a tune by Hoagy Carmichael, called ‘Heart and Soul’. The piano chords are rather special and very well known. I didn’t dare use the tune without permission, so I wrote away to the copyright company, and left my details. My request was turned down. Hoagy Carmichael’s son phoned me himself, to let me know it was completely out of order to take his father’s precious song and change it in any way! He sounded horrified, that anyone should want to do that. I apologised sincerely and profusely, and I learned from that, to curb my enthusiasm. Just because I wanted children to enjoy a tune, didn’t mean that it was mine to use. But I was brought up with the Geordie phrase ‘Shy bairms get nowt’, and I had thought, no harm in asking, but he made it quite clear that I had totally overstepped the mark. So I composed my own tune instead.

At another one of our holiday clubs, I had hoped to find a dancer to take up the challenge of liturgical dancing. The song I had in mind was ‘The Light of the World’ by Stuart Townend, which Bob and I had seen performed at the Keswick Convention. (Part of this song would eventually become the initial theme music for my radio shows of the future).

I wondered who would be willing to give dance a try in my small group of teenagers? At the Church of the Good Shepherd, we already had a girls' dance team who loved to do this, but I couldn’t look to them now.

On the first day of the club, I played the music, looking at the few girls in our group with hopes high, but none of them seemed interested, in fact they all seemed quite reserved and shy; but then a young lad, new to our group, stepped forward. His name was Lewis, and he said he would have a go. I thought he was joking, and thought to myself. “A boy interested in dance and confident enough to perform in front of the others? This will be interesting,” 

I went along with his suggestion, and put the music on for a second time. He strode confidently onto the floor, and danced to the Irish melody beautifully! He was upright and graceful, athletic and strong. I could not believe it! He was magnificent, none of his friends knew he attended Irish dance classes! The young people looked at each other in amazement at his skill, their mouths open. 

See how God provides for us when we’re about his business! Half way through the week, two others, Tommi and Keiran actually joined in with his dance, and later on Todd another young lad, did too. It was wonderful seeing their concentration and their joy as Lewis taught them his dance.

Up until that point, as a teacher, I always thought my preferred age group was up to the age of 13, but this week showed me the child lurking in every teenager, all the way up to eighteen, and the fact that they like to surprise you from time to time. Perhaps there's a child in each one of us wanting to break free.

Our theme the following year was 'Pirates'. and I wrote three dramas and also four songs, which could be set to well known sea shanty tunes, one of these was a short theme song to the traditional tune, ‘John Brown’s body’ and we called it 'Pete the Potty Pirate.' I used as many words beginning with the letter P as possible in that one short song, just like Peter Piper picked a piece of pickled pepper, and it really took off. Parents and teachers were complaining that they couldn’t get that song out of their minds; as their children couldn’t stop singing it at home. Of course, we sang it throughout the entire holiday week, so there was no let up for them! No mercy shown. The children were hurrying in eager to sing the song when they were altogether again. Andrew Ridgwick recorded all the songs for me, and added his skilful keyboard gifts in the process. but my favourite was 'Pete the Potty Pirate' . It reminded me of songs we used to listen to when we were children, like Sparky and his magic piano, the Runaway train or How much is that doggy in the window.

My 'computer' artwork however was pathetic as I tried to make a video of this song. It was my first attempt at using a paint app, but then I learnt how to scan my paintings straight on to the app, and simply use the computer to enhance them. I’ve brought the artwork of this video up to date and the link is below, if you’d like to listen to it.

Pete the Potty Pirate

https://drive.google.com/.../1rUszF.../view

St John’s, it turned out, was indeed a launch pad for further outreach, just as I had hoped it would be. I had very few responsibilities there, and could get as creative as I liked whenever and wherever I wanted to. I do believe that this was when I began thinking about writing even more parable songs for children.

So thank you St John’s folk, the whole ethos of your church inspired me, encouraged me, and challenged me.