Ann Street Presbyterian church in the heart of Brisbane’s CBD draws a mainly older demographic. There aren’t many kids about; few attend the church’s Sunday School. But one in its congregation, 75 year old Peter Houghton says teaching the next generation of children about Jesus was very much on their hearts.

“There’s a whole generation of children out there that don’t even know the name of the Lord, let alone his saving grace. We knew that it was about time we made a contribution to do something about it.”

The church hasn’t had a full time minister since their minister passed away in 2011. The assistant minister is 79 and works three days a week. However, they do have access to a brand new building right next door to their church, provided by a developer who proposed a new use for church land.

“We’d been thinking for the last couple of years that we need to do some inner city mission of some sort. So I suggested we do a holiday kids program,” says Houghton.

“Of course, having made the suggestion, you know who got picked to run it – me! I’m 75 years old and I didn’t know how it would work. But we gave it a go and decided to see what would happen.”

Peter and his wife Frances said they knew “a little bit” about how a kids club operated. They began looking researching how to start, with Presbyterian churches from around the area helping with their planning. Members of Ann Street went to watch a kids club in operation at another Presbyterian church. Houghton says, “After a lot of hard work and help from other churches we got ourselves in a position where we could put on the holiday program Knights of the King in January this year.”

Volunteers from the congregation put their hands up to be leaders, with Peter Houghton heading the team as director. The average age of the leaders was about 45, with 75 being the oldest, with some in their 60s, and also three teenagers. There were nineteen volunteers – although none with any real experience in kids clubs – yet Houghton said he wasn’t going to knock anyone back. “We integrated everyone who volunteered.”

“I wanted to encourage them to get more committed to making a difference in the city, go ahead in God’s strength, for his name and his glory. I knew God’s strength would take us through. We were a group that had never done a kids club before and didn’t have the faintest idea of how it would work. But we were a group that worked together and prayed together.”

When it came time to advertise the kids club, Houghton recalls, “We didn’t know where the kids were going to come from, or if we’d get anybody; we’re in the middle of the city!”

“We contacted schools and school chaplains in the area and put up an A-frame sign outside the church. With one week before the holiday club was to start we had five children signed up, with only one little boy. We asked the congregation to pray, especially for another boy to attend!”

In that final week God answered the prayers of the congregation, and by the time the club was running, they had 17 children attend – including six boys.
“We put on a show with props and puppets which was absolutely spectacular. Our assistant minister (who works 3 days a week) is 79 years old and an illusionist (magician); he put on a half hour show, connected with biblical truth” said Houghton.

“ The program went like a rocket! And it was mainly because of the dedication and work of the leaders, who were not working for their own glory, but for God’s glory. Everyone got in and did what was needed.”

The children came from surrounding city buildings, most with parents who saw the A-Frame sign outside the church. Houghton says most of the parents who sent their children had an interest in church, although they didn’t attend. “It’s great because we now have contact with people in those buildings around us,” he says.
The kids’ holiday camp rounded off with a cake and coffee afternoon for their parents, which was also a great success. “We didn’t think they were going to leave! They all had good talks with the leaders while the kids ignored them, playing games.”

Already looking ahead and planning for another opportunity to run a kids holiday camp and train more people at Ann Street Presbyterian, Peter Houghton concludes, “It’s important that we take these things on in God’s strength. If you do that, you’ll find that you last the distance, and it will be ok.”