Pastoral Chaplaincy
Chaplaincy
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R. M. Horner |
Miss L. J. Greatwood Assistant Chaplain |
The Chaplains do their best to get to know the boys and girls by sharing meals, visiting the houses and involving themselves with all the school's activities. They also share the teaching of the younger pupils, giving them regular contacts with the entire E and F Blocks.
Morning Prayers
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the school day begins with a ten-minute service in chapel for all - usually a hymn, a prayer and a short talk, sometimes given by members of the school.
Visiting
The Chaplains regularly visit the boarding houses to chat to the boys and girls in their common rooms and studies. 99% of these conversations are purely social, but occasionally the conversation leads to more serious or personal matters.
We are also convinced of the importance of food (and of the family home in which it is served) to teenagers. It is our aim to feed pizza to the entire F Block and Chinese Takeaway to the entire LXX during each year, not to mention countless incidental doughnuts, jaffa cakes, jelly babies and the like.
House prayers
The Chaplains offer short services in the boarding houses, usually at the end of the day. Some houses organise prayers themselves.
Christian Forum
Some pupils want to explore the Christian faith more deeply at a personal level. Junior Christian Forum is for the lower school, meeting at tea-time on a weekday. The senior Christian Forum meets after prep on Fridays, often with a visiting speaker.
Sunday services
Every Sunday there is a chapel service for the whole school, usually in the morning. The aim is to provide an act of Christian worship which allows those attending to move between the roles of observer and participant. Visiting speakers are often invited, having been thoroughly briefed in our requirements for brevity and relevance. Parents are very welcome to come to Sunday services and to join us for coffee afterwards. Special occasions such as the Service of Remembrance and the Carol Services provide life-long memories for some.
Communion services
There is a weekly optional service of Holy Communion in the beautiful Memorial Chapel. Twenty or thirty pupils and teachers usually attend.
Confirmation
We do not see Confirmation as a conveyor belt onto which pupils should be pushed. Boys and girls wishing to be confirmed must affirm that it is their own decision, and must be prepared to take part in a lengthy process of preparation. The result of this is that the 20 or so who are confirmed each year find it a genuine and deeply significant step.
Roman Catholics
We enjoy friendly relationships with St Marie's parish, whose church is adjacent to the school. Roman Catholics may choose to attend Sunday mass instead of the school service, and a few are prepared for confirmation each year. Each term Fr Sainter, the parish priest of St Marie's celebrates mass in the School.
Other faiths
Members of faiths other than Christian are encouraged to attend worship and instruction within their own faith. This can be arranged for those who require it.
