The children came back to Harmony club today for the first session of the new school year. Here’s what we got up to.

By Jo Saward, Harmony Leader

It was very strange for them when they arrived… sure they had the usual visitor passport to make ready for the new term, and they had to stamp it with their favourite motif to show they had attended today.

But there were two new helpers. “Where are Martin and Linda?” they asked. “Replaced by Malcolm & Della!” they were answered.

And Jo was there.. but she wasn’t speaking to them – how odd? Instead, she had red and yellow flags and was making strange gestures with them – they knew she was potty but had she completely lost the plot?
Then the children worked out there was a pattern to her gesturing and the key to her movements was waiting for them – she was doing semaphore! And all she was trying to say was “Hello”! Followed by something like, “His name is John”.

Anyway, then she found her voice and explained that the reason she wasn’t talking was because the “Brilliant Bit from the Bible” today was about a man called Zechariah, who also lost his voice for a short time. Here is the story she told.

Zechariah was a Jewish priest. He worked in God’s temple. His wife was called Elizabeth. Elizabeth and Zechariah were very old. They had no children. This made them very sad.

One day Zechariah went to work at the temple. It was his turn to burn incense on the altar. So he went into the temple. While he was there God sent an angel to give him a message. When Zechariah saw the angel he was very frightened.

The angel said to him “Don’t be afraid. God has heard your prayers. Elizabeth will have a little boy. You must call him John. When John grows up he will be a special messenger for God”.

Zechariah said to the angel “How can I be sure this will happen?”

The angel said “You will not be able to speak until the promise comes true.”

Zechariah had stayed a long time in the temple. The people wondered what had happened. When Zechariah came out he could not speak.

Later on, Elizabeth had a baby boy. Her family and friends was so happy about this. When the baby was a week old he was given a name. Zechariah still couldn’t speak, so he wrote down the name. Zechariah wrote “His name is John.”

Then Zechariah was able to speak again. And everyone praised God. And when John grew up he was a special messenger for God, just as the angel had said.

After this, we did some craft. The children were given the shapes needed to make Zechariah, in a cone shape, complete with turban and feet.

This is a picture of what he should’ve looked like! And then if they wanted to they could also colour in a picture showing Zechariah and Elizabeth looking very happy with their baby boy John.

Have a great week. See you next Tuesday for another fabulous harmony.