CE Spotlights Betty Griffin, WPC Sunday School Teacher
As we near the end of the Sunday school year, the Christian Education Committee would like to express appreciation for all faithful volunteers who have been active in the educational ministry of WPC. We would like to give special recognition to Betty Griffin, one of our longest-serving Sunday school teachers. We sat down with Betty recently to talk with her about why Sunday school teaching is such an important part of her life.
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHING: A LABOR OF LOVE
Betty and Gene Griffin have a long history with Williamsburg and Williamsburg Presbyterian Church. A William and Mary graduate, Betty settled in Williamsburg in 1970. She is a life-long Presbyterian, and she and Gene joined WPC more than 45 years ago.
Betty was asked to teach a Sunday school class when her daughter was in college, so she calculates she has been teaching “somewhere close to 30 years.” She has always taught 3rd grade, her favorite age level, and this year, she has students from 3rd through 5th grade in her classroom. She loves this age group, the interactions with her students, the games they play, the moments “when the light bulb goes off,” and the laughter and enthusiasm that comes when children are enjoying themselves.” In short, she teaches because she loves doing so, and she feels she is using her gifts to serve the Lord and WPC. She looks forward to Sunday mornings and enjoys keeping her pulse on the interests and activities of this particular age group, especially now that she has grandchildren close to the same age.
Annual Food Collection for Grove
One of the projects of which Betty is most proud is the annual food collection her class sponsors for Grove Christian Outreach Center. Each year since 2016, the class has solicited donations from mid-January through mid-March. The children take ownership of this service project, going from classroom to classroom on Sunday mornings to collect items, watching the piles of food grow, sorting canned goods, and bagging the donations for delivery to Grove Christian Outreach Center. Betty and her helpers deliver the food, take photos of the delivery, and then report back to the class. Each student receives a copy of the pictures, and the photos from each year are displayed on posters in the classroom.
Perhaps you might visit on Pentecost Sunday, when the children will enter their classroom through bright red and orange streamers representing the tongues of fire.
Teaching Sunday school is a commitment that is not for everyone. However, you will find Betty Griffin in her classroom at the end of the education hallway almost every Sunday between September and early June, and she would not have it any other way. Please join the Christian Education Committee and countless children and families in thanking her for her many years of volunteering and doing what she loves. She is a blessing, and we are grateful she chose to share her gifts so many years ago. Well done, good and faithful servant!
