Local ministry Caring & Sharing in Unity marked a milestone last week, celebrating the 5th birthday of its main program which it calls Tuesday School. This is a combination Sunday School-Vacation Bible School with the mission of teaching children in our community about Jesus Christ. The program officially kicked off on May 4, 2019, and the birthday was celebrated on May 7, 2024, at First Assembly of God on Highway on Hwy 167 N.
The celebration included a program in which the kids showed off their drill skills and the Bible verses they have memorized through this medium. The youngest children in the program led the opening prayer by using American Sign Language to recite the Lord’s Prayer with their leader, Diane Holeman.
The program concluded with Ms. Mary Lou Blackley, the current coordinator of the program, briefly remembering the program’s history, beginning with the idea formed by Jane Purser and Annette Skains, and carried forward by Shelia Mitchell’s enlisting children to attend the program. After the kickoff party in 2019, the program met every Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church. The First Assembly of God volunteered to provide everything needed one Tuesday a month. Then the following March, although COVID stopped the meetings in-person, the members of Caring & Sharing prepared a written Bible lesson along with a care package which they delivered to all of the children who had attended Tuesday School at least twice in-person.
Then in January 2022, First Assembly’s pastor, Rev. Shaun Garner, offered use of their facilities to begin meeting again. In February, the First Assembly vans began picking up children for Tuesday School, and the program has been able to continue and thrive ever since. Indeed, Ms. Blackley said the program has grown so that a third van or bus is needed to pick up children each Tuesday. East Winnfield Baptist Church drives an extra van on the second Tuesday of the month, First United Methodist drives its bus to pick on the third Tuesday, and First Baptist provides the extra bus and driver on the fourth Tuesday of each month.
Last week’s celebration concluded with the presentation of T-shirts commemorating the 5th birthday to each of the 17 teachers, assistants and helpers in the program, followed by a pizza party generously donated by Winnfield native Emma Jean Bush and her brother, Charles Williams, who delivered the pizza. Sheriff Cranford Jordan, who has supported Tuesday School since its beginning, attended the celebration and provided gifts to all in attendance to mark the occasion. Organizers thanked all who have participated in and donated to it for the past five years.
