Big Church Day Together: A Big Success - By Andrew Barkley

On 28th June, members and friends of St Paul’s joined together for a day of worship, fellowship, service and laughter. The day started at 9.30 am with a time of prayer. Following this, over 75 people came to enjoy breakfast together. There was also excitement among some of the younger members of our church family as they decided which activities they wanted to do in the afternoon and signed up for them.

The morning continued with worship as both congregations joined together for one service. It was lovely to see people of all ages and backgrounds worshipping together.

Over 100 people stayed for the bring-and-share lunch, and so much delicious food was brought. As it was a lovely sunny day, everyone sat outside to eat. Conversations took place around the tables, discussing the parish of St Paul’s—what people liked and what could be improved. These conversations are part of the work being done by Claire, our Community Worker here at St Paul’s. We are called to serve our community, and through Claire's work we are able to assess how we can best do that.

After lunch, there was time dedicated to helping out in the church and community. Some people sat and polished silver, others attempted to change light bulbs, and rooms were cleaned. However, the highlight was seeing so many people grab a litter picker and a bin bag, head out into the streets, and return with bags full of litter! In just 90 minutes, numerous bags were filled and left ready for the council to collect. There were well-deserved ice lollies available for everyone who had worked hard before the day continued.

Next came "Big Fun". The first hour gave people the opportunity to play board games, including an incredibly intense game of chess. Some members of the church also gave short talks on various subjects. Dr Nick Fry spoke about his work with robots, and Dr Sara Woodward told us about the history of Harewood House. Both talks were fascinating and informative. The final talk was by me (not a doctor!), sharing some of my experiences of when things went wrong while working with animals. After two sensible talks, mine certainly lowered the tone!

In the hall, Ollie, the Children’s and Youth Team Leader, had organised a game of human "Hungry Hungry Hippos". It involved people lying on dolly trolleys, being pushed out to grab balls, and then being pulled back in by a rope. It was utter chaos—but brilliant fun.

The second hour of "Big Fun" offered even more activities for people to try. There was the chance to try cross-stitch, with some people creating beautifully patterned bookmarks. A silent disco took place in the hall and was a hit with all ages. Headphones were donned, and three different music channels were available. At one point, some people were boogying to ABBA, others were rocking out to AC/DC, while the rest were singing along to Disney songs. There was also the opportunity to have your face painted. Lots of children—and even a few adults—left with works of art on their faces.

If you ventured up to the church, you would have seen what could only be described as carnage! A Nerf gun battle took place, involving people shooting each other with foam darts. I believe the game started with a few rules, but it quickly descended into chaos. Everyone who took part seemed to enjoy it, which is the most important thing!

After all the fun, people had worked up an appetite, so it was time for a barbecue. Over 75 people stayed and enjoyed a meal together as the laughter and fellowship continued. To end the evening, there was a time of worship to reflect on the day and pray for one another.

Overall, it was a brilliant day that was enjoyed by all. I would just like to say thank you to everyone who helped in any way. It was wonderful to see so many people getting stuck in and helping, whether by running activities or washing up. Thank you all for your support and hard work.