Theme: Supporting our students to become global citizens

Our Assembly and Chapel Programme commenced with Mr Sheldon stating that although we live in a competitive world, we ought to use our competitive advantage wisely by giving the next person a helping hand. Mr Sheldon stated that the kind of human we become is of paramount importance, that we can make the choice to be kind or not. If we get that choice wrong, we need to put it right. Furthermore, we may believe different things or behave in different ways but we are bound together by inhabiting an insignificant speck of rock, orbiting an every-day star, in the incalculable vastness of the universe. This makes us far more dependent on each other than perhaps we allow ourselves to believe.

The theme of community was continued in assembly by Mrs Stokes who shared her personal experience of bullying and reminded students that bullying is not tolerated at Queenswood. Mrs Stokes referred to last year’s ‘upstander’ campaign in which students talked about how to step in and support each other and she celebrated positive examples of students helping each other.

Miss Cronin, Q Anti-Bullying Ambassador, spoke of the reality of bullying, saying that none of us are perfect and each one of us could engage in behaviour that may be labelled as bullying. She encouraged us to show up each day with the goal of being as kind and understanding as we can be.

In our services, Chapel Stewards Constantina M-K and Rebekah W read from the New Testament – John 1:1-5, 9-14 – which tells us about Jesus’ incarnation and his identity and role in God’s plan for humanity. The Chaplain drew our attention to the different roles Jesus had on earth – provider, comforter, healer and saviour – and stated that it is Jesus’ role as teacher that is most helpful in understanding how to learn, live and work in community together: Love God and love each other is the lesson from Jesus (Matthew 22:36-40).

The Chaplain explained that in the original Greek of the New Testament the word for love is agape; a word that is not a feeling so much as a choice and an action to do or say something for the wellbeing of someone else, with no expectation of anything in return. The Chaplain explained that how we show agape to each other is entirely for us to decide but that if we get it wrong, then God will forgive us if we acknowledge our mistake and say we are sorry. The Chaplain concluded by saying that God’s model for living in community is Love, Repent, Forgive... then repeat. We should follow this model for the wellbeing of others and the benefit of our Q community.

Please join us in prayer this week for:

• Our community as we challenge ourselves to learn, live and work together in kindness, honesty, integrity and accountability.