Monthly Archives: October 2019

On Wednesday 9th October 2019, our primary school went to Castlewellan Forest Park for their annual Autumn Walk. This year the challenge was to be M.I.C.S Detectives and to solve the ‘Case of the Castle’ in their house teams – Tyndale, Wycliffe and Knox.

Using the only evidence found so far – the culprit’s sketched map – to guide their investigation, the teams had to collaborate to discover the culprit [from a list of suspects], the culprit’s secret hideaway and the code to crack the Castle’s safe. They had to use cross-curricular skills – orienteering, communication, using maths and geographical knowledge – to close the case! Congratulations to each team for their perseverance and impressive inferring skills!

A team following the map carefully to guide their investigation!

Counting the number of stones to find out one of the co-ordinates for the location of the secret hideaway!

Reading an OS map to discover the height of Slievenaslat [another number for our safe’s code!]

Discovering one of the numbers for the safe’s code

Working together!

Case solved – and we still had energy left!

We enjoyed our active, experiential exploring and learning in God’s beautiful creation!

Then – as is our tradition – we enjoyed free play time at Newcastle play park and bought goodies in the local shop.

We thank the Lord for safety, sunshine and such amiable socialisation on our trip!

Mrs Cherith Gardiner called in to see us at Morning Worship today.
She lives in Perth, Australia, where her husband Rev. Philip Gardiner is minister of the church.
Cherith told us about the Sunday meetings, youth fellowship, children’s meeting and the open air witness in Perth.

We even learnt about Kangaroo soup!

Cherith (right) with Mrs G Graham (Free Presbyterian Mission Board office)