North End church reaches out to community with free music lessons
WINNIPEG, MB—A church in Winnipeg’s North End is reaching out to its community by offering free music lessons.
This past September, St. John’s Presbyterian Church started its Little Miracles music program for children under the age of five. The classes take place each week for an hour-and-a-half and include lessons for children on the xylophone, glockenspiel, various percussion instruments, along with singing and dancing lessons.
Ann Brough, who coordinates the program, says St. John’s started Little Miracles after elders in the church were brainstorming ways to use the church more often and also do more community outreach.
At the same time, unaware of the conversation, veteran music teacher Joanne Diplock shared with Brough that her dream was to start a music program for children at St. John’s.
“This has got to be God-led,” Brough says of the coincidence. “We thought it was a real sign that this is what we should be doing. We were really excited that the same idea came from two different people.”
The classes take place each Monday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and are aimed at children under the age of 10, each of whom must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Diplock, who has taught music professionally for 40 years, teaches the Baby Suzuki method—a unique, multi-age class that uses percussive instruments, movement, songs and rhymes to give children a solid musical foundation.
“It’s all based on teaching the children rhythms and sounds, so if they want to move on [to further music lessons], they can,” Brough says.
Only one family from St. John’s is part of the music program—all of the other participants are from the surrounding community. On the last Monday of each month, the church brings in a speaker to talk to the adults about things like food and nutrition.
“We want to reach out and benefit our neighbours,” says Brough, adding that the church also hosts barbeques in the summer, a Christmas breakfast and family nights that are open to the community.
“We would like [St. John’s] to be noticed and we want people to come in.”
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