Following on from last year's very successful Go M.A.D. at Upton we returned once more to Ashley Road Methodist Church in Poole (home of the original Hands On Praise event) for Go M.A.D. 2. This year the M.A.D. stood not for 'Make And Do' but 'Make A Difference'.
Go M.A.D. 2 (Make A Difference) was a children's craft and activity workshop (for 5-11 years) organised by the Circuit Youth Team. 46 children attended from across the Circuit - the majority coming from Upton, Ashley Road and Hamworthy with a handful from Wareham and Broadstone. This was obviously a lot less than last year but many of the children who came last year were contacts through our children's holiday club in Upton: contacts that, in the main, that don't travel very well! Most people outside Methodism have little understanding of the concept of a Circuit and so we lost out a bit (numerically speaking) by virtue of the change of location. However, it did mean that Ashley Road could invite some of their Brownies who don't normally come to Church.
The event seemed to be enjoyed by the children who came. They had a go at a number of craft activities including:
Giant Collage
Junk Modelling
Christmas Crackers for the homeless
Christmas cards & boxes
I wrote a theme song for Go M.A.D. this year and we sang it together with some of the tried and tested children's songs that I use in the schools including another of my own creation called 'You're My Greatest Star'.
The three workshops functioned very well:
The dancers performed an excellent routine to the No.1 song by the Black Eyed Peas - 'Where Is The Love?'
The creative music group used handbells, musical stepping stones and even performed a rap!
The drama group presented a series of short cameos that explored practical ways that children could Make A Difference in the world today. It was challenging stuff!
The shared tea was remarkably civilized and I don't think anyone went hungry! We then pulled it all together in a packed evening service which included many parents as well as supporters from around the circuit. I received a lot of positive feedback at the end from parents as well as children so I felt we achieved what we set out to do.
As for next year ... we've got to think of something else that M.A.D. can stand for!!!