Holiday Bible Club 2013

After three action-packed mornings of Bible teaching, craft activities and exploding water balloons, Buckingham’s Holiday Bible Club of 2013 finally drew to a close.

The culmination of months of planning and prayer, this year’s theme was “knights of the king”. Andrew Tancell, who gave each of the morning’s talks, wore his royal crown and robe with an easy grace as he acted out various aspects of the Bible’s teaching.  Assisted by Darryl Knights as his newly-appointed yet slightly hapless knight, all the while contrasted with Peter Christopher as Sir Archibald the Magnificent (or Humble) (or plain Sir Archibald, if the mood took him), themes included the need for the king to equip a knight if he is to be effective in service, the king’s provision of the necessary armour for battle, and then finally three crucial things to remember if one is to live victoriously. And the spiritual parallels were clear to all.

The children, divided into three teams, then hotly contested a quiz on the lessons learnt, before traipsing outside for the morning’s games. These passed in a blur of hurled bean bags, smashed water balloons and generally frantic activity, accompanied by many-decibeled shouts and cheers (a good number of them, it must be admitted, coming from the adults).

Sir Archibald the Injuring almost did a re-enactment of the battle of Hastings on the final morning when his water balloon took out the contact lens of Simon Benham during one of the games. Some (including the offending knight himself) suggested that Sir Archibald forfeit his place on the sidelines for this, and become the target for the next few throws, but Simon very sportingly continued, and the lost lens was soon recovered.

The craft activities of each morning once again revealed how much thought had gone into the week. The children took their creative abilities to the design of team banners, cardboard weaponry and then, on the final morning, articulated knights. Results were often impressive, perhaps especially the makeshift weapons, and put on display accordingly.

And then, following three very enjoyable and, for the adults, equally tiring days, everything drew to a close. The green team, having set much of the early pace, held on for a comfortable victory. Dear me, did they celebrate!

And yet, behind it all, the clear spiritual lessons of the week were not to be forgotten. Especially memorable was the use of the “shield of faith” to deflect the arrows of doubt and discouragement. Our eyes look to the Lord for day by day grace in His service, and we trust the Club will have been of spiritual benefit to all youngsters in attendance.