Volunteering Experiences: Meet Sarah
Sarah volunteers across some of St John's most loved community spaces, Messy Church, PlayTime!, and The Hub. For her, showing up isn't just about helping out. It's about belonging, rebuilding neighbourhood, and honouring the people she loves. Here's what she had to say…
1. What do you do as a volunteer at St John’s?
I help at Messy Church, and in the past, at PlayTime and The Hub.
Messy Church involves helping with a meaningful activity which engages children and families in a refreshing way with the Christian faith. Typically, there is a meaningful question which the helper can ask, but if not, the craft and worship session later will reveal more. Recently, for Messy Pentecost, we made wind chimes and got to ask the children to describe the wind and in what ways this could help us think about the Holy Spirit. One of the children said you cannot see the wind and that sometimes it's gentle, and many of them said the wind is powerful but invisible. Many of the parents at church are the same age as me, so I find it natural to speak to them about the question, and typically, they pass on the theme to their child!
For PlayTime!, there are tonnes of toys, with activity stations shaped around a Christian theme. Typically, as a helper, you can serve tea, coffee, and oodles of homemade cake. Afterwards, there is storytime led by the clergy, and because I love a good story (and learning to write for children), from time to time, I help with the nursery rhyme actions.
At The Hub, you spend time with our local community, share a meal, and have a sing-along with a live pianist called "Big Dave"! Typically, it's a senior citizens crowd, building friendship and increasingly including young people with learning disabilities and others with special needs. I help with serving lunch and/or washing up after the meal. I have helped with the "craft of the day" and also joined in the community sing-along, which often features tunes from the Golden Age of Cinema!
2. Why do you enjoy volunteering?
I volunteer because I want to do something meaningful on my doorstep, in my community. I love London, but sometimes it can be lonely and individualistic. Being part of something that brings us together, with the invitation extended to everyone, makes me feel like I'm contributing to the rebuilding of my neighbourhood. I don't want to be passive to pain, distress, or other problems I see around me, but dealing with that as a lone warrior is overwhelming.
I think SJUN is a special place where everyone is welcome into the family of God.
I enjoy helping with my friends – I find I learn things about myself, and when you help others, you learn how to be a better person too.
I had a big brother whom we lost in distressing circumstances during the pandemic. In the last few months of his life, he stopped and took a picture of SJUN (which I am sharing here above), yet he didn't darken its doorway alive. We held his funeral at SJUN during the pandemic. He wasn't a Christian, but he stopped to ponder and enjoy the building from the outside on one of his last lockdown walks. So now it is deeply meaningful to me to take part in helping people cross that threshold and discover what – or should I say who – is inside whilst they still have breath.
3. What’s one memorable moment or highlight from volunteering this past year?
Once at The Hub, Sarah I. Francis and I, along with "Big Dave," the pianist, led the jazz age/wartime songs with gusto. Normally, we do not do this, but dearest Danny, The Hub captain, invited us to cover for him. The Hub faithfuls requested a special number which yours truly, in this emergency trio, didn't know. Yet we sang those songs as if we had been there when they were first released. We got to a verse and made eye contact when we thought the chorus would go a certain way, but it didn't! Yet we just sang on anyway – there was a twinkle in the eye from the more experienced one of us. I wanted to burst with laughter, but hopefully only we and God noticed!
At PlayTime!, once during Black History Month (BHM), we sang "This Little Light of Mine" with sparklers. It was on repeat in my head as we got ready to pack up at the end. When the crowds had gone and it was quiet, I passed a young father cradling his newborn baby, singing the song to them so tenderly as the last ones left in the queue for the loo! It made me think of how God our Father delights in us before we even understand.
Also, at the closing prayer at the BHM Variety night 2025, we had the organising committee come up, and it was truly a diverse makeup. I liked that Fr. John remarked something to the effect that our community and this event stood in defiance of division, distrust, and demonisation between communities that populists have ignited in our nation today. It did feel like a countercultural moment that lingered with me.
Finally, at Messy Church, it feels like we feed the five thousand - Messy Christmas was immensely fun. Many of us volunteers wore Christmas jumpers and reindeer ears. I think there was even a real donkey! I took a step back and felt like it was a 3D biblical scene where you enter and take part, but actually it is Upper Norwood, here and now.
Feeling inspired?
There’s a place for you at St John’s.
Whether you love crafts, conversation, or can't resist a sing-along, there's something here for you. Drop us a line at office@sjun.org.uk or come along one Sunday. We'd love to meet you.
