On Sunday, 14 September, churches across the country celebrated Education Sunday. In the Diocese, Bishop Neil visited Christ Church Downend, where he spoke about what it means for there to be abundant life in our schools.
Bishop Neil began his sermon by expressing gratitude to the teachers and staff in the congregation for all they do in local schools. He then spoke about how we can be ‘radiators of joy’, highlighting Jesus’ love for those on the margins, and how this shapes our approach to pastoral care. As he finished his talk, he reminded the congregation that ‘the Good Shepherd’s promise of abundant life gives us a vision of education that goes beyond exam results or league tables. It is about helping each child to discover their God-given dignity and potential, and to live in the security of being known and loved.’
We spoke with Revd Dan Watts, Vicar of Christ Church, to learn about the Church’s relationship and engagement with education in its parish.
Why should education matter to followers of Christ?
Dan: “Education is important to Christians because good education enables social mobility and alleviates both spiritual and material poverty. The Church of England's vision for education is based on John 10:10 and says that education and school should bring life ‘in all its fullness’ for families, children and staff. Our schools are now the focus of our communities, so it is important that we support school leaders in the increasing burden of meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the families in our parishes.”
How does Christ Church engage with schools in the parish?
Dan: “We have close working relationships with Christ Church Infant and Junior Schools, with members of the church leadership involved both as Governors and in providing pastoral and spiritual support for pupils and staff. We are also continuing to strengthen our relationships with the primary schools in our parish without religious affiliation by offering support with collective worship and reflection spaces. We also invite all the local schools to come to our church for events at Harvest, Christmas and Easter.”
In what ways does Christ Church help children learn about the Christian faith?
Dan: “The team at Christ Church is committed to nurturing children's spiritual development and does so through a variety of ways. Our school's chaplaincy lead, Julie, runs creative and interactive prayer and reflection spaces, which enable children to think and reflect on big questions around faith, life, identity and belonging. We also host a ‘Tea and Toast’ club on a Tuesday after school, where local families can drop in to play or talk to someone about anything they would like. In addition to these regular activities, our harvest, Christmas and Easter events are interactive and help children to understand the biblical stories and spiritual significance behind each event.”
Christ Church Downend is a wonderful example of the work that churches in the Diocese do in partnership with local schools. Across the Diocese, there are 71 Church of England schools, 68 primary and three secondary, all of which have relationships with local churches. These schools are overseen by the diocesan Education team, who provide support including chaplaincy, training, and governance advice. The Education team work to the direction of the Board of Education, who partner with schools to develop a capacity strategy which ensures sustainability, increased pupil numbers and partnerships to avoid isolation, for example through rurality or small size.
If you would like to learn more about education in the Diocese, please click here.