Each half-term holiday Aylesford Church holds a one day Holiday Club for primary school children. It lasts from 10am until 3pm, and takes place in the Brassey Centre, Station Road. The club in October was typical: 20 children piling in with their lunch boxes, some timid because it was their first time, some marching in confidently, ready to play dodgeball; we usually begin with that!

We sang, did craftwork, made bread and talked about being good seeds for God (thinking about Jesus’ parable of the sower). About 20 adults and secondary school children helped run the club, so we were well able to take care of the children. Sometimes we have children at the club who don’t go to school at all, so the club is a good time for them to mix with other children and adults, and to join in group activities.

After lunch, it was games! In the Summer we have water games, but in October that’s not so popular. Instead, we had a shoe-kicking competition (one shoe ended up on the roof!), various ball games and a new game which required children to bend down and pick up a cardboard tube with their teeth. I kept cutting more off the tube until it was only about 4 inches tall, but still most of them managed to contort themselves low enough to reach it. The adults didn’t even try, and the teenagers found it particularly difficult!

It was a very happy time; the children went home tired, with homemade bread, boats and other craftwork. We hope – and pray – that they also took home Jesus’ words.

Thank you to Jenny Relf, Janet Holdstock and all the other helpers for the huge amount of effort that they put into these clubs.

Chris van Straaten

We had a great time in Aylesford Church recently: 100 excited children from Aylesford Primary School arrived on a Monday morning for a pretend wedding. The children were all dressed up for the occasion: smart party dresses for the girls, suits, waistcoats and bow ties for the boys and all the teachers wore rosettes – one even wore a hat!

We sorted out who everybody was – bridal couple, parents, Best Man, ushers, numerous bridesmaids and page boys, guests, official photographer – and then they all went out ready to go for it real. I wanted the children to experience what a real wedding felt like as much as possible, so we lit candles, put ribbons on the pew ends and prepared the wedding music on the CD system. I put on my robes for the wedding.

We were ready to start. To the strains of Lohengrin, the bride walked down the aisle accompanied by her “father”; she was all in white, with a veil, and holding a posy of yellow carnations. We all sang a verse of “All things bright and beautiful”, and then we were off. The bride and groom, Amy and Harrison, made their promises very clearly and well, and the Best Man, Connor, produced the ring. Everyone applauded, but I didn’t invite the bride and groom to kiss! After prayers and a pretend signing of the registers, the bridal party trooped out into the sun, followed by the 100 guests who were given confetti to throw at the bridal party, and photos were taken. Afterwards it was back into the church to toast the bride and groom with squash, and then we talked it through.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and I hope the pupils did too. One boy said to me, “I am going to my Aunt’s wedding soon. But now I know how to do weddings!”

Chris van Straaten