Pupils at St Francis School had the opportunity to engage in a new experience this week when a team from the churches in Great Aycliffe Parish set up some Prayer Spaces in the school.
Revd Elizabeth Bland, Revd Debbie Loughran and members of their congregations set up five different activities in two areas of the school and the children visited the Prayer Spaces in small groups.
There was “Be Still”, where the children could crawl into a small tent set up in the School Library area and spend a few minutes being still, lying on cushions and watching a lava lamp while gentle music played. “Fizzy Forgiveness” was a chance to reflect on the importance of forgiving people who hurt us, letting go of those hurts, and moving on: “I had a big hurt, and now it’s a small one,” one boy said, after watching his vitamin pill dissolve away in a jug of water.
“Saying Sorry” was a reminder that there are times when we hurt people too, and that we need to acknowledge when that has happened and be prepared to apologise.
In “Big Questions” the children were asked to think what they would like to ask God, to write their questions on a scrap of cardboard and peg those on to some strings hanging from the ceiling: “What does your voice sound like?” one child wrote on her cardboard; while another asked plaintively, “Why do we need school?”
There were lots of questions relating to matters of creation and existence. And finally, in “Bubble Tube” there was a chance to write ideas or prayers on post-it labels and stick them on the bubble tube, imagining that just as the bubbles always float upwards, so our thoughts always fly to God.
“Life is so busy and noisy for children these days that it’s quite rare for them to get a chance to just stop and be quiet and reflect,” Revd Elizabeth said. “The children engaged really well, and the staff commented on how chilled the children were after they’d been round the spaces.”
More information about setting up Prayer Spaces can be found at prayerspacesinschools.com.
