Well, although the schools are all closed to most pupils, our work in them still goes on! We do not go in physically, but we are there virtually and in spirit!

Each week we still make Open the Book assemblies for both Oulton and Christ Church First School. These are made by all the team recording the audio of all the various parts, which I then edit together to make a consistent video! I also edit in images taken from a website with free Bible images. These videos have been fun to make, and the teachers tell me that the children enjoy them very much. We have been going through characters in the Old testament, and we will soon move on to Jesus life in preparation for Easter!

Also happening each week is the assemblies for the Academy. Last term we looked at faith in the Old Testament, and this term we have gone back to looking at Jesus’ ministry in Mark’s gospel. Feedback from the schoolteachers has also been positive, and these videos can be used with pupils who are either in school or at home.

Although it is sad to not be able to run all the clubs in the schools like we used to, we are thankful for these opportunities to still connect with them virtually. Do be praying for the schools and the assemblies – pray that the teachers would engage with the videos too, and that the children would keep wanting to know and hear more about stories from the Bible!

Aside from the schools’ work, Ebenezer is continuing! We have done 68 episodes now, and we are still going strong! You can find them on our YouTube channel if you would like to see them or share them with others, and we have just got to the part of Luke’s gospel where Jesus enters Jerusalem! Our Ebenezer extension episodes have continued too – these release at 9.30 on a Sunday along with a worksheet that is posted to Facebook, so do look out for them. Do pray that all these videos would be used to further show children about Jesus and his love for them! Pray that they would be a helpful resource to draw upon in the future as well as now!

Peter Cuthbert