|
We
started with coffee and the floor game, which drew some thoughtful remarks
from the parents. There was face painting for the children and when they got
restless, the dads took them over to the park for some strenuous football
before lunch. We had asked each parish in South Gloucestershire to sponsor
at least one family so each family was treated for the day. After a tasty
Esporta buffet lunch the children went off to a party organised by the
Esporta KidsZone and paid for by the diocese.
The parents
sat down with a drink and we had an Any Questions session. On the panel was
our chaplain who is a young dad too, a GP and a primary school deputy head
so the questions were wide-ranging, from Communion before confirmation to
preparing children for school and bed-wetting
.
We
had a marketing table, our MU display boards and a Traidcraft stall and
heard many comments that, I never realised MU does so much.’ Of course we
had some Diocesan membership forms on hand and at the end of a very happy
day; five families had signed up for membership and have duly entered our
Group Email so that they keep up with future events.
We
meet for lunch about once a month at Esporta when I bring them up to date
with MU affairs and we have just finished a Storybag about Noah which we
hope to take to Playgroups and schools. Esporta was so helpful, even letting
the families use the swimming pool at a much reduced rate and our members
rallied round and helped with the display and the marketing and just
generally chatting to the families. We in Bristol hope it may give other
dioceses some ideas. We think we were thinking outside the box! |
