“What a joyful service” was just one comment made about the television service on RTE on Sunday 23rd November. The service was organised by the Sunday School Society and was watched by young and old from both North and South of Ireland. Over 60 children and leaders gathered from eight Sunday Schools from Dublin & Glendalough Dioceses, along with members of St. Catherine’s / Zion Girl’s Brigade.The theme of the service was based on a rainbow. The theme emphasised that just as we need all the different colours to make up the rainbow so we need all the different children and adults, with their unique personalities, to make up God’s family. All the children took part in relaying this message to those at home by reading and singing. All did wonderfully well especially as this was ‘live’ Television! The Sunday Schools each created their own rainbow banner and wore brightly coloured t-shirts to cheer up the studio.Ron Buckland, from Melbourne, Australia, gave the address and told us about an imaginary community of wooden people called wemmicks. Each wemmick was caught up with judging others to make themselves feel better and they had forgotten how God cares for us all equally. Ron concluded his address by saying that to God each of us is special in our own unique way and that should be treasured. Ron was the keynote speaker at the Children’s Ministry Conference the previous day.After Ron’s address members of the Girl’s Brigade performed a special rainbow dance giving us the chance to reflect on Ron’s message. Our thanks to the girls and their leader Gillian Lesware. Also thank you to David Wilkinson, our musical director, for his enthusiasm and time.On behalf of the Sunday School Society we say a big thank you to the children and their leaders who came along to two rehearsals and arrived at 9am on a Sunday morning at the RTE studios. The Sunday Schools who took part were Athy, Dalkey, Greystones, Rathfarnham, Swords, Tallght, Tullow and Whitechurch.
