IN ASSEMBLY

After singing the Christmas song students voted number 2 in the Q hit parade – Last Christmas (Wham) – Ms Stewart spoke to us about International Day of Persons with a Disability; here is a summary of her speech:

This week we celebrate the International Day of Persons with a Disability; this day has been recognised by the UN since 1992 and its aims are to:
Advance disability rights and protect the well-being of those with disabilities.
Promote equality for people with disabilities in all areas of society.
Spread awareness of the many positive effects of integrating persons with disabilities into society.

According to the World Health Organisation, around 15% of the world’s population is considered to have some form of disability yet…

One of the biggest issues facing those with disabilities in today’s society is marginalisation and exclusion.
For a myriad of reasons, those with disabilities are often shut off from key aspects of society, in terms of social circles, workplaces, cultural life and more.

In recent months wheelchair user, Paralympian Tanni Gray-Thompson, made news headlines as she shared her experience of having to crawl off a train as no-one came to help her disembark. This apparently, is an all-too-common experience for wheelchair users when using trains and planes.

This photograph is a clear representation of the difficulty that some disabled people face on a daily basis. How easy it would be to feel isolated from the world around you.

Showing a video of a baby being fitted with a hearing aid for the first time, Ms Stewart said that you may have seen videos like this one, which wonderfully express the joy felt when a way is found to overcome a disability…

Disabilities come in all shapes and forms. Some forms of disability are obvious, some cannot be seen. But just because something is not visible, does not mean that it’s not important or impactful. It is the significant and long-term impact on someone’s life that makes a condition a disability. Some people may have a condition but do not consider themselves disabled.

What does this mean for our community at Q?
Remember the UN aims from the start of this presentation…
‘…protect the well-being of those with disabilities’ (visible or not)
‘…be aware of the many positive effects of having disabled people as part of our society’

But how can we do that at Q?
Look out for each other (you may not always be aware of who is or is not disabled) – be aware that some people may need extra support sometimes.
Be patient. Be kind.
Celebrate the wonderful diversity of our community.
Recognise the value of each person you encounter: their life and yours will be much richer for it.

To finish Ms Stewart read a reflective poem by John Roedel. John is spiritual, he is a father and one of his son’s is autistic. John processes life through words on paper. He often writes poems which are conversations with God. They are always thought provoking, sometimes challenging…

Nothing to Cure:

Me: Hey God.
God: Hey John.
Me: Cure autism.
God: No.
Me: Why?
God: There is nothing to cure.
Me: Huh?
God: Autistic people aren’t broken. They aren’t sick. They are just people singing a beautiful song with lyrics that are foreign to you.
Me: But sometimes I don’t understand what song my son is singing…
God: That’s OK. Forget the lyrics and just sit back and enjoy the melody.
Me: I don’t like to see him struggle.
God: All flowers struggle just before they blossom.
Me: if you won’t cure autism, what will you do?
God: I’ll have you help me cure something else.
Me: What’s that?
God: Ignorance.

In closing, Ms Stewart asked us to remember to:

Look out for each other.
Be patient. Be kind.
Celebrate the wonderful diversity of our community.
Recognise the value of each person you encounter: their life and yours will be much richer for it.

ACT OF WORSHIP: The power of God’s love can shape the way we treat ourselves

For our Act of Worship, we sang the Christmas Carol voted by students to be number 1 in our Christmas Carol hit parade: Silent Night. Following this, Mr Sheldon read from John’s Gospel, chapter 3, verses 16-21.

Reverend Kate asked us if love can sometimes feel like something we have to earn? Perhaps by looking perfect all the time, staying quiet when our boundaries are crossed or doing things which leave us feeling uncomfortable. Today, Reverend Kate said she wanted to tell us about a love that does not have to be earned.
Our reading this morning speaks of this powerful love; verse 16 reads:
‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’. John 3:16

Reverend Kate then took us through each element of this verse:
‘For God so loved the world…..’ means that God’s love is for everyone. Not just for perfect people but also for messy, broken and hurting people including those with anxieties, fears or insecurities. In a world which judges by appearances, achievements and possessions, God’s love embraces each person unconditionally, regardless of status, success or outwards traits.
‘…..that he gave his one and only Son’ means that God’s love is sacrificial. God didn’t just say ‘I love you’ and leave it at that. God demonstrated love by giving Jesus to save us; not because we do anything to earn it, but because God cannot bear to see us lost or hurting. Think of a lifeguard jumping into the water to save someone from drowning; it’s dangerous and costly, but they do it because the person’s life is worth it. That’s how God loves us.
‘…..that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’ means that God’s love is forever; unlike social media likes and certain friendships, God’s love never ends. But this verse isn’t just about the future, it’s also about the present; the here and now in which God’s love gives us a firm foundation for our life and the opportunity to learn from our mistakes and live a life without regrets.
Reverend Kate then gave us three ways in which the power of God’s love enables us to love ourselves:
The first way is, when we face pressures, we are to remember that God’s love doesn’t depend on us pretending or performing so that we can fit in or belong. So, in the power of God’s love, we are to speak up for ourselves.
The second way is, when we feel unloved or unlovable, we are to remember that God’s love doesn’t depend on us doing anything to deserve it. So, in the power of God’s love, we are to make choices that are in our best interests.
The third way is, when we are struggling with mistakes we’ve made, we are to remember that God’s love offers us a fresh start today and every day. So, in the power of God’s love, we are to be kind and forgiving to ourselves.

Reverend Kate said that God’s love is transformative, healing and empowering and so she asked us to let it shape the way we treat ourselves so that we can live with confidence, purpose and joy, embracing the life God has lovingly designed for each of us.

Reverend Kate then prayed:
Loving God,
Thank you for loving every one of us and every part of us.
Thank you for loving us in spite of ourselves.
Thank you for loving us for all time and in the here and now.
We pray that in our daily lives, we may be reminded of the power of your love so that we may live with purpose, confidence and joy.
Amen.