Betty Baines: A Legacy of Faith through SRE.

29/7/24

Betty Baines has been an SRE teacher since 1981 and is currently teaching at four schools. For over 40 years she has seen the impact of how Special Religious Education (SRE) is nurturing young people in their faith.

When Betty is in the classroom, her desire is to provide foundational knowledge about Jesus and God, which is crucial in an era where fewer children attend traditional Sunday schools. She believes SRE equips children to navigate life's questions with understanding and confidence. She notes,

“SRE is about providing background knowledge about Jesus and God. Unlike the past, where most kids attended Sunday school, now it's mostly Christian families. It's important to give kids the groundwork so they can face future questions with some background knowledge."

Betty fosters curiosity through storytelling in her SRE classes. Her approach creates a supportive environment where even disinterested students like one young girl, who initially didn’t want to be involved in the lessons, began to participate actively and share insightful answers. She says,

“There was a kid in the class that had her headphones on... I never pressure kids to be part of the lesson, but they need to be respectful to those who want to learn. The funny thing about this particular kid, is that she came up to me at the beginning of the year and said, ‘I don't believe in this stuff, and I don't want to have any part of it.’ So I said, ‘That’s fine’… But then in that lesson, she was putting her hand up and giving a whole lot of information because she knows a bit about Jesus and God, a lot of her answers were right. She's paying attention and now wanting to answer.”

Betty's dedication to SRE extends beyond teaching; she meets up with two prayer partners, who help her take time to stop and pray for her students, while also getting that extra support. She says,

“Every single one of us should have a prayer partner. We should be meeting with them, supporting each other, and taking the work seriously. We’re telling people about God and Jesus. It's encouraging and not just about doing the work, but also praying for God to work in the kids’ lives.”

Betty believes in the long-term impact of SRE, she says, "What you do may not show immediate results, but it’s a valuable contribution to the community and everyone needs to hear about God’s gift of eternal life."

Through her decades of service, Betty has nurtured thousands of young people in their faith. Her story inspires appreciation for SRE teachers like her, who patiently sow seeds of faith and understanding, ensuring a legacy of guidance for generations to come.

Pictured: Betty Baines