Friday 21st March
“Over Wyre Benefice…Are you ready?”
Duggie Dug Dug…Are you ready?”
Three, two one…
Primary aged children across the Over Wyre Benefice could wait no longer to meet the legend known to them only as Duggie Dug Dug. Following months of planning meetings, communications, email flurries and countless phone calls between organisers and volunteers, schools and parents, day one of the much-anticipated Mission weekend finally arrived.
St. Aidan’s Church of England High School kindly hosted the first Crazy Science show for all pupils from Fleetwood’s Charity CE School and
St. John’s Primary School Pilling. The welcome at the main entrance was warm and the growing excitement of the youngsters was palpable.
It was clear that a unique kind of day was about to unfold.
Once all the pupils were seated, the spectacle began. Duggie Dug Dug and his comical assistant Professor Poop worked their way through a humorous, well-practised routine. It was a heady mix of ‘crazy’ science experiments with high visual impact, energetic action songs and reflective links to chunks of Bible text. It was safe to say the youngsters (and adults) loved it. They were fully engaged, involved at every stage, entertained and educated all at once. Ministry in schools had taken on a delightful twist, where science, fun and faith went hand-in-hand and were inextricably connected.
The afternoon brought the same show to a different venue – a couple of villages away in Hambleton Primary Academy School. Pupils there were already in party mode, sporting the most weird and wonderful, off-the-scale hairstyles in aid of Comic Relief. The school hall was filled to capacity and the youngsters were more than willing to immerse themselves in the theatrics. Bubbling liquids, dry ice, slapstick comedy and praise were seamlessly blended throughout the one-hour show.
At the end of this fun-filled and fulfilling day, when parents and carers asked the routine question, “How was school today?”, it’s almost certain that the answer would be, “BRILLIANT!”
Who is Duggie Dug Dug?
Doug (Duggie Dug Dug) Horley and his wife Belinda live in Shepperton in the UK and they have two grown up children, Jamie and Luke.
Doug has a national and international ministry working with children and song writing. Some years ago his song, “We want to see Jesus lifted high”, was chosen as the theme song for the Global March for Jesus event and sung by some 25 million people in 176 countries.
Doug is a recording artist signed to Capitol Records/Integrity and Elevation and he has written many other songs that have become children’s favourites in churches across the planet. With his team he travels widely putting on family praise parties, seminars and “adult” celebrations.
His work has included events for the Luis Palau, Billy Graham and Reinhardt Bonnke organisations, Spring Harvest, Urban Saints, The Salvation Army and countless concerts and family services for churches across the UK, Canada, South Africa and other countries.
His heart is simply to see children meet with Jesus in a real and profound way and to have a bunch of fun en route!
Doug loves playing tennis and snowboarding and he particularly likes liquorice allsorts and white chocolate!
https://www.duggiedugdug.org/copy-of-about
Saturday 22nd March
Family Praise Party
The promise of a family ‘Praise Party’ with thousands of bubbles had proved irresistible. All tickets sold almost immediately and a waiting list was swiftly created. It seemed to be the star attraction of the year so far for the Over Wyre community!
Duggie Dug Dug’s advertising described the event as ‘spectacular’, and it most certainly was. He promised ‘smoke-filled bubbles, soaring helium bubbles, bubble sculptures, bubbles in bubbles and even children in bubbles’. He delivered the lot – and much more besides.
The Parish Hall at St. Oswald’s Preesall was filled to capacity with youngsters as young as four weeks’ old right through to teenagers and adults. Families came together to enjoy a rare opportunity to watch a mesmerizing spectacle unfold before their eyes.
The floor space in front of the stage naturally drew the youngsters, keen to be close to the action. Sitting on the floor, with parents and carers ensured a ring-side ‘seat’ and offered the chance to take an active role when invited.
Duggie Dug Dug’s easy-going, natural way of interacting with his audience ensured engagement with and focus on proceedings from the very start. This, interspersed with high-energy action-songs and references to small, accessible chunks of Bible text proved to be accessible for all. Audience participation was sought at every opportunity, from drawing gasps as bubbles of all shapes and sizes emerged from a range of hand-held bubble-blowing instruments to joining him on stage and modelling carefully sculptured bubble crowns. At one stage, he launched a ‘rocket’ into space, complete with sound effects! The pièce-de-résistance was putting children inside bubbles. It was a spectacle not to be missed! The iridescent globes of light charmed everyone as they ballooned and drifted upwards.
Rev. Naomi and her team intermittently jumped on the stage and helped Duggie Dug Dug to lead the singing complete with actions, often using British sign language to communicate meaning. No-one could resist the invitation to dance and have fun.
Of course, the ‘team’ was much broader than just dancers. There were car-park assistants, welcomers on the doors, people manning a ‘Quiet Room’ for anyone needing a bit of ‘shush’ time, away from the main hall, a catering team who put together a magnificent spread of refreshments to be shared at the close of the show, a set-up and set-down team, health and safety personnel, party-box givers, accommodation hosts, prayers, chefs and bakers, to mention but a few. It may take a ‘village to raise a child’, but it certainly took a few ‘villages’ to bring together this occasion.
It was phenomenal!
Had the Bubble Show been the event of dreams? It had been better than that…it had been an exceptional, REAL and PROFOUND experience, one that will be talked about for a very long time to come.
Sunday 23rd March 2025
All Together Service
The Mission Weekend ended as it had begun…joyously and energetically with an All Together service in St. Oswald’s Parish Hall Preesall.
Doug Horley and his assistant Jon led the contemporary service, bringing smiles to people’s faces from start to finish as they worked through a skillful blend of engaging songs, dramatic role play, relatable chat, in addition to much active congregational participation from the very young to the not so young.
The invitation to dance along to some action songs proved irresistible, whether that was on the stage with Doug or in the aisle. As the lyrics rolled on the screen, the accompanying actions were simple to pick-up. It seemed the entire hall was moving to the beat.
The parable which narrates how Jesus reached out and cured a man suffering from leprosy was a focal point. The underlying message was a serious one, but the delivery of it caused significant amusement. Appealing to adults and youngsters alike, Duggie Dug Dug spoke of how reaching out to others, or enacting the smallest kindness can have a hugely beneficial outcome.
Praise filled the worship space throughout the service, audibly, visually and physically. Songs of praise, prayerful praise and reflective moments of quiet praise were all very much in evidence.
In keeping with the previous two mission days, there were moments of calm and quiet, interwoven with some vibrant razzmatazz. The congregation very much pulled together to celebrate the occasion.
As the service came to a close, thanks were given – to the all the ministry teams – Doug, Jon, Rev. Naomi and Fr. Peter, in addition all those who have worked in many different ways to bring the weekend to fruition. A phenomenal feat had been pulled off, but more importantly, the weekend had touched schools, families and communities across Over Wyre in imaginative and truly engaging ways.
Without doubt, the Holy Spirit is moving in this place.
