Just before Easter, Holy Trinity and St Matthew’s Church in Ronkswood gave gifts to the children in Years 2 & 3 at Perry Wood Primary School. Year 2 received a Palm Cross with a laminated sheet explaining the Palm Sunday story and information about the crosses and pupils in Year 3 each received a Real Easter Egg.
The Church puts money aside to give gifts to each school year group at some point during the year. Year 1 receive a Real Advent Calendar, Year 4 receive a prayer book created by the church, Year 5 receive a copy of the Gospel of Luke and Year 6 receive a ‘moving on’ book as they leave for Secondary School.
Vicar Rob Farmer said: “It’s really important for us to link with our local community school. We have a great relationship and I go in to take assembly every fortnight as well as help with teaching if they’re looking at a particular faith subject. We have also invited the headteacher to be part of the task team to look at what the future for our church might be. Giving gifts each year provides us with other opportunities to go into school and share the Christian story and God’s love with the pupils and staff there.”
Rob has received some brilliant feedback from the children and their families, with one family referencing how they were using the prayer book after the death of a grandfather. “The children all engage with the Christian message – the Real Easter Egg comes with a booklet telling the Easter story and they all come up to me afterwards to say that they’ve read it!” said Rob.