New Year's Party 1955
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New Year's Party 1955 |
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I remember my first Sunday School teachers were Miss Rapp and Mrs Howlett. At morning Sunday
School the leader was Miss Winifred Cole with her Assistant, Miss Winifred Green. I always
enjoyed the choruses we sang each week. The afternoon Sunday School was run by Mr Alan Sykes.
Every summer we had the Sunday School Anniversary where, for many weeks before, we would practise new hymns to sing. All the children took part on that special day. We had Sunday School outings and went to either Wicksteed Park, Bognor or Littlehampton.
With the YPF we went to BMS Summer Schools at Bexhill. We joined up with the young people of the Old Amersham Baptist Church (now King's Church).
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Once we reached the age of 14 (and not before) we could join the YPF which met on Monday
evenings for games, table tennis, snooker etc and on Friday evenings for a devotional meeting.
The leaders were Norman and Muriel Renshaw. In summer we played tennis most evenings on the
courts where the present Church now stands. There was also a Bowling Green on the site. On
Wednesday evenings it was Christian Endeavour.
After the Sunday evening service, the YPF stayed for a sing-song of favourite hymns followed
by tea and cakes provided by Mr Alan Sykes. He owned 'Emma' a classic Austin and at weekends he
took the boys from the Sunday School and YPF swimming, to football or on an outing but we girls
were not allowed to go! Emma, Mr Sykes' faithful car, was restored by Malcolm Pontin, a member
of the YPF at one time.
Every New Year's Eve the Church held a party and we always sang Happy Birthday to Tom Collins,
the Church Treasurer, on 1st January. There were a few young people who were bank clerks and it
was always a race to see who could get to the party first, as we all had to balance the books at
work first!
We had Missionary Garden Parties every year, held at the home of Mr & Mrs Eric Wilkins, Greenhaven,
Chesham Bois, where we had various stalls, cakes, bric a brac and handicrafts to raise money for
the BMS. Mrs Townsend involved members of the Church, encouraging them to make cushions, scarfs,
toys etc for sale. To round off the afternoon we had a Missionary Play acted by Church members,
produced by Vi Cole, I think. In later years Mrs Monzani brought her dancers to entertain us.
There was always a skittle alley using heavy wooden skittles.
Miss Vi Cole ran the Sisterhood, which was for the ladies of the Church, and met on Sunday
afternoons, along with the Brotherhood.