AT Andover Baptist Church we are currently in the middle of a big project to renovate our building on Charlton Road.

We have had to move out and we are grateful to various organisations around the town who have allowed us to use their premises for all the different things that we do. One of those organisations is John Hanson Community School where we are currently meeting for our Sunday morning services.

Every Sunday when we are there, I am reminded of the hundreds of children who are there during the week learning, playing, eating and growing. As I am reminded I am also very thankful. Thankful to the staff and teachers at the school who invest so much in our children. Thankful for the wonderful facilities that they have to use and thankful for all that they are learning.

It is very easy to take all of that for granted. I have had the opportunity to visit countries around the world where education is not available to everyone, where the facilities are truly awful and the conditions for learning appalling.

There is a proverb in the Old Testament part of the Bible which says, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” That is my responsibility as a parent, but I am so grateful to those that help me with that responsibility. My own daughter attends John Hanson Community School and I want to make sure I say, ‘thank you’ when I get to see the staff and teachers. Perhaps it is a challenge we should all respond to.

Chris Porter, Senior Minister, Andover Baptist Church.