Logo

 

Banner Image:   Baptist-Times-banner-2000x370-
Template Mode:   Baptist Times
Icon
    Post     Tweet

What to keep - and what to throw away?

It's time to tackle the cupboard again, writes Sally Claydon 


Sally ClaydonI’ve previously written about the Girls’ Brigade (GB) cupboard and the highs and lows of its generally unloved and uncared for state. The trouble was that it was shared between various different ministries of the church – GB, toddler group and youth club - all vying for storage space and access to shared resources. Added to this was the unexpected ‘joy’ of various items generously donated ‘in case they come in handy’. 

But something’s happened… a brand new set of storage units has been installed along one side of our main hall and the best news is that each ministry is to have its own cupboard.

Hooray - our GB group gets its very own space to store everything. It’s fabulous - floor to ceiling shelves, nice and deep, plenty of room for all our bits and bobs.

Except now, of course, we have the dreaded task of transferring everything from the old shared cupboard to the new one. It’s a good opportunity to have a clear out and instigate a new system. Except therein lies the problem - what to keep and what to throw away. 

We have a ‘history’ box full of memories. Photographs, certificates and trophies proudly won. As we celebrate 120 years of GB around the world this year it’s been good to have access to old uniforms and badges and to remember we’re part of a great story.

Then we have a box full of resources relating to GB’s old badge system. Tried and tested methods, ideas and photocopiable sheets. We have a brilliant new badge programme now though, with a week to week guide for leaders covering a wide range of topics. We don’t really need the old stuff anymore. It served its purpose well, but we’ve modernised and moved on, we could probably throw away the whole box and not really miss a thing.

Our library of books is surely worth keeping? I hate throwing books away. However on closer inspection I realise a number of the books haven’t been referred to for years. With the internet we have ideas for games, crafts and visual aids at the touch of a button. Maybe we’ll just weed them and keep a few.

The uniform box needs a sort out now that we have our lovely new kitwear – and maybe we’ll try out a new system where the parents order what they need direct from GB.

The week to week resources like sports equipment and craft supplies will move to the new cupboard too – it’ll be good to sort through everything, throwing away old felt-tips and repairing leaky beanbags.

It’s made me think that every day of our lives we have the opportunity to decide what to keep and what to throw away. Precious memories and positive legacies from our past are worth hanging on to, while hurts, habits and negative labels can, and should, be dealt with and discarded. 


Sally Claydon is Girls’ Brigade team leader at 1st Hawkwell group and a GB Development Worker in London, based at Hawkwell Baptist Church, Rochford, Essex. She is writing a regular column about the Girls’ Brigade for The Baptist Times

    Post     Tweet
Collaboration, and our worship of Jesus
Notes from the two keynote addresses from Dave Ferguson and Alex Harris at the first Everyone Everywhere national conference on 8 October
Israel-Palestine: I can’t keep up
Baptist church member David Nelson has travelled to Israel and the West Bank on three occasions in the past 24 months. He offers this reflection on events in the region
Dwelling in scripture
Anne Le Tissier outlines the practice of remaining in just one or a few Bible verses for an entire week or more, which is explored more fully in her new book 'Dwell – Inviting God’s Word to make a home in our lives, one day at a time'
Protests or race riots?
Justice enabler Wale Hudson Roberts reflects on this summer's race riots. In doing so, he asks: what role can Baptists Together play in addressing the voice of the far right, Islamophobia, and racism in church and society?
Should your faith rely solely on the Bible?
For many of us, the Bible is by far and away the book that has most influenced our lives. But as Baptists, Jesus is our number one authority, writes Chris Goswami
The Church, the far right, and the claim to Christianity
The far right has grown in prominence in recent years - with some cynically employing Christian-sounding language. Helen Paynter highlights the current context - and how the Church can respond
     The Baptist Times 
    Posted: 14/10/2024
    Posted: 02/10/2024
    Posted: 22/07/2024
    Posted: 07/05/2024
    Posted: 12/02/2024
    Posted: 22/12/2023
    Posted: 16/12/2023