BLESSing

Last night we welcomed Calderstones School to All Hallows for their carol service. These are always great occasions: a combination of amazing performance by young people and the telling of the Christmas story. It was good to reunite with staff members and governors past and present, some of whom I have not seen for some years. The school is clearly in good heart, under new leadership since Brian Davies retired in the summer. Liz Russell, the new head, was very proud of her new school last night, with good reason.

I'm very aware on these occasions that we are welcoming a number of people for whom this is a rare visit to church. We hope that something of the presence of God touches them, and I pray at the end of these services for the blessing of God to be upon each one. Here is the prayer I used last night:

May God the Father keep you in all your days.
May God the Son shield you in all your ways.
May God the Spirit bring you healing and peace.
May God the Holy Trinity drive all darkness from you
and pour upon you blessing and light. Amen.
 

I am more and more convinced that 'Community of Blessing' is such an apt description for church in our own day. Our values are formed from the word BLESS:

• Being Family
• Learning and Growing
• Encountering God
• Sharing Christ
• Serving God and Neighbour

I long to see us translating these values from words into actions.

For example, how can we bless Calderstones School?