News from our Voluntary & Part-Time Chaplains
Revd David Beazley
Chaplain to Steyning Grammar School
Thank you for your prayers for the work of the Chaplaincy in Steyning Grammar School. This is a very large Co-educational Comprehensive Church of England school and sixth-form college on three separate sites (plus a boarding house), serving a very wide area of West Sussex.
The Chaplaincy consists of one part-time employed Chaplain, Revd Neill Stannard, and a number of Chaplaincy team volunteers, of whom I am one.
We have much to be thankful for! The main cause for celebration and praise to God is that in November last year, there was a week-long, very ‘full-on’ mission across the school. The main energy and volunteers for this came from the Chanctonbury group of churches, with other local church fellowships involved. There were break and lunchtime outreach activities, with involvement in RS lessons, collective worship and evening events. The mission included the band, ‘LZ7’, who performed in the schools and in evening events. School-based Alpha courses and a temporary Sunday afternoon church followed on, with the aim of bringing youngsters to faith and grafting them into local churches. During the week New Testaments and wrist-bands were given out. Christianity Magazine reported that “Steyning Grammar School in West Sussex gave out 800 Bibles during a mission week. Students were seen reading and discussing scripture during break times”. Senior staff at the school reported a change in atmosphere in the school during the week, and it is planned to hold another ‘mini-mission’ early next academic year. We thank God for the openness of the school to this, and the transformative effects in the life of the school community and individuals within it, both pupils and staff.
During the November mission my role was in support of the mission-volunteers running break-time craft activities, with playground outreach and conversations. My ongoing role consists of leading a weekly Christian Union for Years 7 and 8 in one of the two lower schools, in Upper Beeding, the other being in Storrington. Currently this comprises 10 or 12 faithful attenders, with others dropping in. We are very constrained by the short lunch time in the school’s timetable, so meetings tend to go with eating! This group has been a joy, with deepening commitment and growing interest. There is also a well-attended weekly lunch time ‘quiet space’ in the school chapel hosted by another of the volunteer Chaplaincy team.
For your prayers:
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We give thanks for November’s mission and the school’s willingness to facilitate Chaplaincy work and mission activities. Pray for those who were touched by God during that time, and for the ongoing work of the Chaplaincy, for Revd. Neill Stannard, and for the Christian elements of school life for both young people and staff.
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Please pray for the Year 8 children in ‘my’ little Christian Union as they move to the huge upper school campus in Steyning; pray for their ongoing walk with God, and that they will be able to engage with Christian activities in the upper school, and at home. I will give each of them a copy of Scripture Union’s ‘So What Next?’ booklet as they leave. And please pray also that next year’s Year 8 group, and Year 7 newcomers from Primary Schools, will come along to those weekly lunchtime opportunities.
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Please pray for the planned rebuilding of the school, bringing all three sites onto one; pray that planning will include space for the Chaplaincy, and will reflect the school’s Christian roots and ethos.Thankyou.
Here are some websites for further interest: