Sunday Club News
Savio '11
On Friday 18th March 34 members of Sunday Club and Pathfinders set off on their long awaited weekend away to Savio House in Bollington. This was our fifth visit to Savio and the children (and leaders) were just as excited as always. As it was Red Nose Day on the Friday our theme for the weekend was ‘Red Nose and the Monsters in our lives’ as Comic Relief was having a monster theme. We, though, were working on the principle that we all have monsters and worries in our lives but God is there to help us through these problems.
The leaders this year were Jimmy Downs (Head Chef), Neal Preston, Donna Robinson, Lesley Short, Jenny Gumbrill and Cath Palmer, with lots of others coming to help over the weekend (thank goodness).
After all the children and teens had unpacked, we sat down for our welcome session and then a chip-barm supper and the DVD of Despicable Me - our movie night!!
Then, supposedly, it was bedtime for the younger children, soon followed by the older ones with the teens following later but by the time they all settled they might as well have all gone up at the same time. It was one o’clock in the morning before Cath ascended the stairs for the last time to settle them down. They were up again at 6am on Saturday morning but banned from coming down before 8.30am and that worked.
After a breakfast of cereal, eggy bread, bacon and toast the day began with outdoor games and craft activities. It also gave us time to chat and get to know each other better. We made: wooden spoon models of monsters and caricatures of Cath, Donna and Lesley (the Pathfinders are very cheeky); woolly pompoms (these should have been turned into monsters but the children loved just playing with them); dove wreaths and lots of individual creations. Hannah Fryman set to on her project to make a hand print poster and woe betide you if you wouldn’t do as you were told!!
Lunchtime soon arrived with chicken fajitas, cake and ice cream, then it was ‘all change’ for our walk up White Nancy, a nearby hill with a white monument on the top. It was a beautiful day for a walk, in fact the best weather we have ever had for this walk. The views at the top were amazing, though perhaps other people who had gone for a quiet walk were not too impressed when 44 of us and 2 dogs appeared at the top. We were well behaved but there were a lot of us.
Once back at Savio it was time for a drink and a rest before getting ready for the evening’s party. The girls’ dorm was transformed into a beauty parlour with everyone helping each other to get ready.
After a tea of jacket potatoes with various fillings the party began. The idea was to emulate the television series Let’s Dance for Comic Relief so a lot of the youngsters had been practising dances to pop songs. The proceedings were opened with Donna, Jimmy, Neal and Cath (wearing crazy wigs) ‘for one night only’ dancing to a Spice Girls hit - the problem was we hadn’t practised. We were followed by much better performances from many of the children. Then more food was ready in the form of cakes, crisps and a chocolate fountain with fruit and marshmallows to dip in it.
By bedtime everyone was tired and soon they all dropped off to sleep. This time Cath didn’t have to go up once to quieten them down.
Sunday dawned bright and early again but this time we were met with rain. After a breakfast of cereal, sausage, scrambled egg and toast all the dorms were tidied and bags packed. The teenagers managed to go outside for a game of football but the youngsters remained inside to chat and finish their crafts. Late morning, we had a short service where we learned how God can help us and how fortunate we are. We soon got on to the subjects of Japan, radiation, and its long term effects. Everyone wrote a prayer to go on our ‘Savio Prayers’ board. We have some very caring and concerned children and teens at Norbury and we should all be proud of them.
Then came lunch: a full roast dinner followed by cake. I have finally decided that Norbury and cake go hand in hand. A chat and finishing session followed this and then it was time to go home, at least for the youngsters. The leaders left a while later.
A fantastic weekend was had by all. I must give a great big ‘thank you’ to all those who helped over the weekend: those already mentioned plus Carol Jones, Mo Hughes, Ann Smith Rob Green, Jenny Mayo-Lythall, Andrew Lythall, Jo Whinder, Vicky Barrett, Brenda Harkin, Maureen Davies and Di Moore. The biggest ‘thank you’ goes to the children and teenagers. You were all wonderful and I was proud to tell people that we were all from Norbury. I learnt so much from you but I know from our chats that you learnt from me too. Thanks also go to the parents for trusting us with their children.
Norbury has a fantastic group of children and teenagers and we need to nurture and cherish them. They are so eager to learn and work together; they know what they would like to receive from church and have so much to give as well.
I am so proud of each and every one of them and challenge you all to get to know them better, work with them and see what you can gain from knowing them.
Here’s to Savio 2012!
Cath Palmer (Children’s Worker)
