A18-Suinday News, October 12, 1980 | x

community round-u

A THOUGHT TO GO WITH THE TURKEY

My Thanksgiving Pot

By ESTHER McIL VEEN

I was dusting a piece of
pottery the other day and
happened to look inside —
there were 12 bits of paper
with thank-you notes
scribbled on each one from a
family with two adults and
two teenagers.

The pot had been a gift
and along with the gift came
the notes of appreciation of
us — a family of five. Ob-
viously the notes had been
treasured, for they had never
been tossed out.

The fragrance that these
notes brought to me meant
even more now than they
had six years ago; “Thank
you for all your = en-
couragement. which has
made this pot possible (and
the lid fits well!)” “Thank
you for the strength of your
characters.” “Thank you for
providing a cosy place for
the teens to meet.” “Thank
you for the firmness of your
handshake.” “Thank you for
the stimulating teaching.”
“Thank you for being there
when help was needed.” I
labelled the pot my

‘Sooty Alley school’ now

By DOUGLAS KNOLL

The year 1980 should be
highlighted as the “Year of
the Sunday School” since it
is 200 years ago this fall that
Robert Raikes started his
soon - to - become - famous
Church-School Movement in
Gloucester, England.

Raikes, who became
editor and proprictor of the
Gloucester Journal at the age
of 21, was active as a layman
to bring reform to the prison
system io England.
However, after spending
almost thirty years trymg to

reform lawbreakers§ he
decided it was better to
spend time with = these

cnminals when they were
children to prevent them
from cnoding up in prison

Since there were no pubhc
schools in England Ratkes
began to imvestigate§ and
study the possibilty 9 of
educating children to teach
them spimitual truths.

This was a herculcan tash,
especially sance the church
strongly opposed his cffons
of trying to teach = these
ragged, darty strect urchins
But Raskes was convinced
that wickedness was the
result of idleness caused by
ignorance

So Rashes, who himsclif
had been cducated at Nt
Mary De Crypt
School, where such men as
George Whaithield the great
preacher, and John Moorc
Archbishop of Canterbury
were cducated) started a
small Sunday School for
children and proved that
“the lithe vermins could be
madc to learn ~

Perhaps the cnthusiastn
support of John Weslcy.
founder of the Methodast
Church, did much to change
the Church's opposition to
Raikes’ school

Gsrammar

Wesley

Thanksgiving Pot.

Thanksgiving Day is more
than just a bit of historical
evidence “originated by the
Plymouth colony in Dec.
1621.” It should be more
than family reunions, turkey
and pumpkin pies.

One of the social graces
we initially imstruct our
young children in is to say
“thank-you”. We all ap
preciate and notice children
and young people who,
without coaxing, will
spontaneously express their
thank-you.

I had never heard young
people exit a bus with a
“thank you” to the driver
until I came to West Van. I
followed suit, but it also
made me more conscious of
how humdrum and irksome
driving a bus can be.
Something happens to us
when we open our hearts
and mouths and convey
appreciation and gratitude.
Something adverse also
takes place in us when we
have extended help and
assistance to someone who
has then walked away in-
differently.

caught the vision and would
establish a church school
whereever possible. He was
reported to have said: “The
church-school will be one

great means of reviving
religion throughout the
nation.”

Certainly, this concept

caught on all over England.
The Queen and others, such
as the Earls of Ducie and
Salisbury, John Newton,
William Cowper and
Thomas Scott, all endorsed
Robert Raikes school.

When he died m 181!
church schools were widely
established in England with
over 400,000 pupils at
tending. In less than 20 years
ont thousand church schools
were in operation there and
by 1820 over one and a half
milhon children were at
tending the Church School
Movement.

Since Robert Ratkes first
class in “Sooty Alley.” the
Sunday School has become
an intogral part of the
church an its efforts to teach
children

Chnsnan Lile Magazine
published a list of 12 Sunday
Schools in Amenca in 196K
that averaged attendances of
2,000 of more cach week

Thas list was increased to 3)
wn 1975

reported

there 1s
100

and now

over such

EES a
We ha):
If you just sit

You won't quit
Being unfit.

One way I have been able
to deal with this is to ask
God to show me if and when
I have been guilty of the
same actions, and then seek
to remedy the situation.

I recall at the age of three,
our first child, when asked to
say grace at the table,
thanked God for “mudpies
and peanut butter”. As
parents, we were delighted,
but I think the One to whom
the prayer was directed was
even more touched, for He
knew that a child sent on a
right course to acknowledge
the author of all gifts will
remain open to Him in
adulthood.

I thought of the hist of
those who have served me
and needed my “thank you”
— the garbage men topped
my hst for I have never
stepped outside to say a
word of thanks to them.
There were many others:
shopkeepers, teachers,
police, mailmen, doctors,
dentists, ministers, the paper
boy, parents, children and
those who have prayed for
me (but perhaps Ill never
know) my hist seemed

Sunday Schools

The most
these growing
Schools 1s First

famous of
Sunday

LY 100 Bre yotes
table TV

Clarnernas

ALL ITEMS SOLD
SALES FINAL

TERMS OF SALE

Gay

UNRESERVED PUBLIC AUCTION
POLICE RECOVERED PROPERTY
AND OTHER SURPLUS ITEMS
at
NORTH VANCOUVER RECREATION CENTRE
Lower Capilano Room
23°08 St George's, North Vancouver
on
SATURDAY, October 14

PREVIEW. 9 OO 9 454m
SALE STARTS: 9 45 a1

JOINER COMMERCIAL
LTD., ON BEHALF OF THE CITY & DISTRICT OF
NORTH VANCOUVER, SCHOOL DISTRICT #44
(NORTH VANCOUVER), CAPILANO COLLEGE,
B.C.L.T., and 6.C. RAIL, SHALL SELL BY AUC.
TION MANY ITEMS INCLUDING APPROXIMATE.
Typewnters

Music al dosteoments
1964 Willys Jeep 4WO and other arte bes

“AS IS,

Poul poayrre nit try caasth coe
proved ¢ Percnae: Oo clay Of saahe

ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATION from the controversial book “Timmy the West Coast
Tug” is shown by author Jeremy Moray (left) to Jonathan Carline, 5, little brother
Gareth and mother Nadene during a recent reading of the work by Moray at North
Vancouver City library. The book was banned by Vancouver City library which
alleged it was “sexist”. (lan Smith photo)

endless.

A kernel of truth we gleam
from the book of Romans is
the fact that when people
know God but do not honour
or give thanks to Him, they

become futile in their
thinking and their minds
become’ senseless and
darkened. Acknowledging

God for who He is and giving

Baptist Church in Ham-
mond, Indiana, where Jack
Hyles is the pastor, with an
average attendance increase
each year of 2,000.

Obviously the methods
used today in our present
Sunday Schools are much
different than that used by
Robert Raikes 200 years ago
But it 1s interesting to note
that the same objective is
used today. to each children
of all ages with the gospel of
Jesus Chnist

At the beginning
church = considered
Sunday School
tume = but
churches

the
the
a waste ol
now in
not

many
the

only

1OBO

INDUSTRIAL SALES

Jewetlery Por

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WHERE (S ALL

“ago

Paesntyoveal Sane

Him thanks can counteract
futility and confusion.

A balanced Thanksgiving
Day is saying thanks to the
people around us (family.
friends and strangers) and
also to God. David, Israel's
songwriter and poet (of
whom God exclaimed: “He’s
a man after my own heart!”)
has this truth to share with

chidren are learning Bible
truths but adults as well.
Today the Sunday School
and the church are one. The
Sunday School needs the

Yur, vt sete

et deot cal

us:

“He who brings thanksgiving
as his sacrifice honours Me:
to him who orders his way

aright I will show the
salvation of God.”

(Esther Mcliveen its a
freelance writer living in

Horseshoe Bay.)

00 years old

church and the church needs
the Sunday School.

(Rev Douglas Knoll ts
pastor of Canyon Heights
Chapel, North Vancouver)

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