Open the Book team tread the boards for first time
Children from St Francis School in Falmouth were treated to a performance of the Nativity story this week by members of Churches Together in Falmouth and Penryn. 
The group were treading the boards for the first time as the newest Open the Book team in the Diocese of Truro, which has just celebrated ten years of the initiative.
Individuals from Budock Church, Emmanuel Baptist Church and the Trinity Baptist Church donned traditional clothing, shepherd’s staffs and angel wings to bring the story of Christmas to life for over 60 year 5 and year 6 pupils at St Francis School following an invitation from the Executive head teacher Claire Fortey.
Narrators Monica Hurley and Alan Bell led the children through the story while Annette Bell and Phil Misselbrook took the lead roles of Mary and Joseph. Jan Winslade was a very able Angel and Heather Haden proved a kind innkeeper. Margaret Godley and Marcus Jones ensured the shepherds were well represented in the scene by inviting pupils to join them on stage.
Open The Book is a national initiative which sees teams from local churches go into primary schools to read and perform bible stories. The new team are keen that all churches in Falmouth and Penryn take part and once established would like to offer their services to all schools in the area.
Alan Bell, a member of Budock Church, said: “Open the Book is a good opportunity to assist schools with their religious education and it is a good way of making Bible stories accessible to children.”
And it’s not just the children that get something out of it. Phil Misselbrook said: “I retired but then thought, you don’t retire, you just re-direct. I thought it was a good opportunity to try something different and it’s been good.”
The team will be in action again next week at King Charles School in Falmouth and after that they will run a session per term with the long term aim of having a session a week or month in each school.
