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open the book

Children love stories – especially interactive, engaging and fun Bible stories.

Open the Book began in 1999 and since then thousands of school children have discovered Bible stories, during assembly and collective worship.

Today, so many children could miss out on the great classic stories from the Bible – Noah, Daniel and the life of Jesus could be closed chapters if youngsters don’t get an opportunity to engage with the Bible.

Dramatised story-telling

Open the Book is designed to be a three-year rolling programme of themed and dramatised storytelling at no charge to primary schools. Teams of volunteers throughout the country use drama, mime, props, costume – and even the children and staff themselves – to present the Bible stories in lively and informative ways.

Co-ordinator Leigh Smith from Bourne Baptist Church said: “We set up an Open the Book team here in Bourne last year, and started telling Bible stories to the children in years Reception, 1 and 2 at Bourne Westfield Primary Academy in September.

We have a strong team of 16 members from all six churches in Bourne and Morton New Day. We meet each week at a member’s house for a rehearsal, collection of props and costumes; marching off swiftly to the school, to give our assembly.

The children love Open the Book assemblies and sing along to our ‘theme’ tune (an old song from Ishmael) ‘as I sit quietly’.

It has gone especially well this year, so much so, we’ve been invited back next year! This year we have told a range of Bible stories starting at the beginning with creation, through the old testament, Jesus’ birth and life, and finally ending our year’s programme on Monday 4th July with the story of the ascension; ‘Goodbye at last’.

Leigh, who is children and youth worker at Bourne Baptist Church, added : “Do continue to pray for us through the summer as we get to grips with year 2’s programme of stories. What a privilege to pioneer something so wonderful and work together as a united church body in schools.”

The churches involved in Open The Book in Bourne are: Bourne Baptist Church, Bourne Abbey Church, Bourne United Reformed Church, Bourne Methodist Church, St Gilbert’s Roman Catholic Church, Morton New Day Baptist Church and Bourne Salvation Army.