World’s longest-serving Sunday School teacher organizes 75th Christmas nativity
[Church of England] When teenager Pam Knowles first started teaching Bible stories to children at her beloved church in Liverpool in 1951, a post-war Britain was still rationing food and Winston Churchill was re-elected as prime minster.
75 years later, the country may have moved on in terms of rationing and prime ministers, but the dedicated volunteer is still teaching Sunday School at the same church in Aigburth, Liverpool, and this weekend she organized her 75th Christmas nativity at St. Anne’s.
Now 87-years-old, Knowles has been recognized by Guinness World Records as “the world’s longest serving Sunday School teacher.”
In response, Knowles shared her most memorable moments over the decades and explained why St. Anne’s Church is so special to her.
“St. Anne’s Church means the world to me. I was baptized, confirmed and married there and celebrated my 60th wedding anniversary with my late husband at St. Anne’s. My calling has and always will be to St Anne’s. I just love the church!
“I first started going to St, Anne’s as a child with my parents, and when I turned 13, I was asked by the superintendent at the church to help at the Sunday School. Back then, the Diocese of Liverpool set a test before allowing you to run a children’s group, and with the help of my friend I passed this.
“Over the years, the format of the Sunday School hasn’t really changed – we offer play, craft, songs and Bible stories for 3-7 year-olds. Each generation has enjoyed the same format and Bible stories. Favorites have been the birth of Jesus, Jonah and the whale, and the garden of Eden. I think little children can relate to these stories, and they often bring their own innocent take on the Bible, which is just wonderful.
“I’ve noticed children aren’t quite so well behaved as they used to be – they run around a bit more now. I guess it’s a bit more relaxed.
“My most memorable moment was probably back in the 1980s, when we took a big group of young children to the panto (a Christmastime pantomime theatre) on a big double decker bus we hired. There was a great sense of family and belonging.
“I do get letters from past Sunday School children, now of course grown up with their own families. Not that long ago, I met triplets who I taught many years ago, who were having their babies christened at St. Anne’s Church. People come up to me and say they remember me. I must confess I don’t always remember them, as they look so different.
“It doesn’t feel like I’ve been doing this for 74 years — some days I feel like I’m only just starting, as there’s new children all the time. It was great to be recognized by the Guinness Book of Records – my son has hung the certificate near the front door in the hall for visitors to see. He’s very proud!
“At the moment, I don’t intend to stop doing this. I still have a lot of energy, and I’m just as enthusiastic about it now as when I started!”
