Children's Service: The Little Boy Bell Ringer: As the children begin to arrive at the Porish Church, St. Paul's ~ray, for the afternoon children's Service, young Pat Kerry, tells the bell. He wears a black ~sscok, and later signs in the choir. The ~~rson Takes A Back Seat While These Children C~nduct Their Own Church Services On Sunday: Sunday afternoon provides a brief respite for the hard-worked parson of the Parish Church, Sta Paul's Cray (Kent), Between his busy morning and evening's services, formerly he used to conduct the usual Children's Service. Today he can sit back and confidently watch while his little parishioners run the service themselves. So po~ular has the idea become that more and more children are coming along, and feeling that they are really part of the Church,, join in with a devoted will, benefiting in in all ways from this novel idea. Five-year-old hand out the hymn books, teenagers tug at the bell rope, and the chair is well-filled. older boys or girls take it in turns actually to conduct the service by reading the prayers and lessons. Only the Parson delivers the address - this is by general consent. But other children act as sidemen, do the Collection and offertory, as well as pump the organ. Thus has an enterprising clergyman stopped the rot of ever-decreasing congregations of Sunday School or Children's service run on the old style and has turned into a bright, new , refreshing and spiritually valuable experience.
Photo measures 10.25 x 8 inches.
Photo is dated --none.
Photo back:
