Sunday School 3

A crèche has existed “as required” since the later sixties and both that and the primary department have profited from the services of our older young folk in the years between their being fifth formers and entering further education establishments. Such service had never been more devoted than at the present.

It is a sad reflection that the Sunday School has never been able to support a training class. Attempts were made in the early days when Lilly Boughton, encouraged by “the Super”, endeavoured to instigate fortnightly such meetings for her band of young teachers. The idea never became really established. St. Ninian’s did, however, for a few years manage to send delegates to Barnes Close Training Week—ends under the auspices of the Birmingham Councils for Christian Education. We have not been represented since 1972. Business meetings have been far more successful and were started on a bi-monthly basis when Mr. Forsyth was acting as Superintendent. There were held first at Thornby Avenue and then at Woodfield Road, perhaps it was Mrs. Forsyth’s ginger cookies that were the attraction, but it was rare indeed if all departments were not represented at such meetings. After Mr. Forsyth’s retirement and, in the case of the Sunday School, that was not until Mr. Mackie’s appointment, we met at the Nunn’s - now attracted by Joyce’s chocolate fudge cake! When Joyce resigned from the Primary rota, the venue changed again. We now form a baby-sitting group at the Manse.

We have always been very fortunate in enlisting extremely good and efficient office bearers for our business meetings. Mrs. Susan Smith, the ubiquitous Anne Hamill, Jane Wilkie, Fiona Wilkie and now lain Stark have all served very enthusiastically as secretaries.

Mrs. Anne MacGregor has served as Treasurer for the last fifteen years, but that might just be that she feels that she cannot retire as she has never been able to find a missing entry of 1 penny! She works extremely efficiently distributing our funds. Each week’s income is allocated on a monthly basis, for different purposes. One week is for general running expenses, another for giving to local charities of the children’s choice (in theory) and so on. One week’s income goes to the upkeep of our Bible Lands child - a scheme Mr. Forsyth had us support as long ago as 1966.

Over the years, the Sunday School has contributed a little to the wider church life. Talent shows always carried a good contingent from the Sunday School, in their early, less regular days. The Primary Department, occasionally Juniors (and even Seniors have been known to be involved!) provides a nativity play of some kind each year for the congregation. In the mid—seventies, the Junior and Senior Departments were called upon to produce a playlet each year for Mothering Sunday. Other occasions have been so marked also - the bi-centenary of Robert Raikes (founder of the Sunday School movement), for example. In the years when Mr. Stevenson was Superintendent, a regular function for the Sunday School on the Sunday before Christmas was to take a small gift from each child to the old folk at the Old People’s Home (now Solihull Hospital). After the children had distributed the gifts, they would gather in the wards and sing requested carols for the patients. This service was extended once we had the use of a kitchen at Caldwell Grove and the Sunday School became responsible for providing a hot turkey dinner on New Year’s Day for these same folk.