Donkeys'n'Drama covid-friendly school project
Webmaster • November 21, 2020
Dear Friends and Supporters,
THE BAD NEWS...
...Last year was our tenth year at Tabernacle on the Hayes... Fantastic - and such a tribute to all of you who have given, in so many different ways. (Especially Tab!)
However, I probably don't need to tell you that we can't be there as usual this year. ... And nor can our puppet Nativity project go ahead.
THE GOOD NEWS...
Instead, we are taking our project out to the schools....
DONKEYS'N'DRAMA is a Covid-friendly project which can happen in school halls or in the playgrounds -- much needed and very welcome.
We're taking Toby and Thomas, and their pen to primary schools for three weeks in December.
We'll also be taking a giant and very beautiful crib scene... using the puppets we have had made for the venture at Eglwys Dewi Sant.
There'll be a soundtrack with music and a simple retelling of the story.
We'll also be taking along some costumes to add to the school's own nativity hoard, so that each child can have a Christmas photo to take home.
We've been working like crazy to make sure it can happen. For a start we've made replicas of eight puppets so that we don't have to worry about them getting damaged as they get moved from school to school over three weeks. We've had music composed for the soundtrack, and a fresh re-telling of the story scripted and narrated - in both languages, of course. And we're videoing it (the puppets will perform limited movements of their heads and hands, to bring the scene to life.)
Skills have been given freely to enable all this to happen - and that's not all that's been given.
We'd love the entire project to be free to schools - as it has always been - but without a presence in the city centre to enable us to attract donations, that isn't possible. We will have to charge the schools for this (£175 for half a day) because our donkeys need proper transportation, insurance and supervision. This meant that schools serving the very poorest areas of our city would struggle - until a friend, who for many years had been a single parent, surviving on her wages as a shop assistant, heard about it and handed me £500 to help subsidise schools in deprived areas. Since then another £250 has been added to that pot by a variety of generous souls. Every pound given is a pound off the amount that these schools will have to pay. What a blessing...
Oh, and in addition, a church school has offered us the use of a large people-carrier to move our kit around!
Our video of the crib scene will be available for all churches to use this Christmas. Any church that would like to put display a crib - using existing figures or making their own - outside their own church building, can use our soundtrack to go with it.
We'll send you more details, and lots of pictures, as all this unfolds over the next couple of weeks.
And with the vaccine in sight, we can look forward to next year... This new project has re-energised us - demonstrated that there are all sorts of ways we can get this wonderful story out into our city at Christmas - even when ther are trillions of viruses rtying to stop us!
If you've got a sewing machine and you'd like to help sew costumes for the younger children in schools... get in touch. We're only doing Mary and Joseph costumes - and they'll be easy peasy - I promise.!!
God bless you all. This is a Christmas like no other... I cannot tell you how much your loyalty and support has meant over the past decade...
May God be with you all,
Love Sally
Holy Family's Humility & Meekness (3a) Jesus as our Teacher, His Incarnation is already a clear evidence of profound humility. As I AM WHO I AM, who could possibly compare to that? Who could make oneself a god and then humble oneself to a creation? Jesus not only took our human nature, being true-God and true human, and dwell amongst us for 33 long years. He did not wish to enter into the world with riches and royal majesty, because He did not come from heaven for such vanities. He came to redeem the world and to guide men on the path of eternal life; and this was done through humility and poverty; thus in these He was born, live and die, in order to destroy in the human hearts the fetters of covetousness and pride, which keep us from blessedness. Thus He was born in a cave, slept in a manger, being a poor immigrant in Egypt, being the son of a poor carpenter, relied on the food and support from some pious women and followers during His Mission, enter Jerusalem on a donkey, being buried in a borrowed tomb. ‘Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.’(Matt 11:29) When Jesus was a child, even He is the incarnated Word, He called Mary and Joseph as His mother and father, and subjected to them as a child to his parents. Because of His parents’ sorrows of finding Him for 3 days, He obediently and humbly hid His Wisdom and Divinity for 18 more years and did not resume His public mission until then. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, His gentleness is a mark aspect for his character. Although his own disciples unendingly accompanied Him during the preaching in different towns and villages, saw him perform miracles, and were being instructed and explained everything by Him privately, they still misunderstood and failed often. To these, Jesus only said: “Unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?” (Mk 9:19) Another time, when the crowd wanted to bring their babies to Jesus but the disciples told them off, but Jesus said them: “Allow the little children to come to me, and don’t forbid them…”(Lk 18:16) Also, when a Samaritan village did not receive them and his disciples asked Jesus whether He wants them to command fire to come down from the sky and destroy those people, Jesus rebuked them, “You don’t know of what kind of spirit you are. For the Son of Man didn’t come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”(Lk 9:55-6) Reference: The Mystical City of God, Ven Mary of Agreda
Almighty ever-living God, grant that we may always conform our will to yours and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Your donations help build the Church, support vocations and enable missionaries to carry out their mission in often dangerous and remote places.
Holy Rosary will be held in Our Lady’s Garden at St Peter’s every Sunday in October at 10:45am Week 3 (18 October) The Sorrowful Mysteries For the most forgotten Holy Souls & our deceased family members Week 4 (25 October) The Glorious Mysteries For the universal Church, Priests & Religious All are welcome to join the full Holy Rosary in the October month of the Rosary!
Organ Music for the Bell Tower As part of our fundraising for the Church Bell Tower, there will be three organ recitals taking place between now and Christmas. They are: 12th November – Tim Lyons All recitals start at 7.00pm and there will be a retiring collection in aid of the Bell Tower fund. Please come and support the music, the organists, and your Parish.
Journey in Faith Becoming a Catholic — RCIA The Parish welcomes enquirers for this new group. Please take a leaflet and speak to one of the Priests. Meetings will take place at 7pm on Wednesdays in the Presbytery, starting on Wednesday 21 October.
Volunteers are needed to help run the Parish night shelter for rough sleepers which is due to open on Friday 4th December. The shelter opens each Friday until the end of March 2027. If you wish to volunteer, or want more information, please contact Peter Sullivan on 07906 10 10 15 or petersullivan46@btinternet.com
Sunday 18th October at 11am Meet Angelo & colleague at the Museum The tour will take about 2 hours. Tickets £10.00 (Please pay on booking) available this weekend from Church porch. Only 15 places available so sign up quickly. If more people interested then another date could be available
The Council confirm that the new restrictions are not currently active – as the zone is still being delivered. Their contractors are anticipated to be on-site until approximately the end of November. The Council will be sending out a letter closer to the time to all properties advising of a “go-live” date for the zone when enforcement will begin, and will put something on social media. This will be done in advance to provide people with enough time to obtain the relevant permits, and will contain more information on how to obtain permits. Until the new restrictions are in place the current restrictions apply – weekdays 'two hours free parking’ – Sunday no restrictions in parking areas.
Bell Tower Fundraising - Autumn Fayre Saturday 10th October 11am-3pm St Peter’s Hall (behind Church) Free Entry. All are welcome. We need donations of the following: Raffle prizes; Bottles (alcohol, soft drinks); new/nearly new Toys; Jewellery. Please leave them in the Church porch before Friday 9th October. On Friday 9th October, the Hall will be open from 10.30am to 12noon, and 4pm to 7pm when you can directly bring in your donations and set up your stalls. Home-made Cakes to the Hall from 10am on the 10th October. Thank you for your support.