Brentwood School - Brentwoodian 2020

86 The Chapel remains at the very heart of school life and this has been made more physically clear with the opening of the new Reception area and the impressive foyer which draws the eye towards the stained glass of the Chapel East window. This year, most particularly perhaps with the arrival of a global pandemic, we have all had to adjust to new ways of working and most of us have found ourselves reflecting, in one way or another, about the concept of community and the importance of this shared life. In his most recent book, entitled Morality , the former Chief Rabbi, Lord Sacks, speaks powerfully about the many ways in which we may be experiencing what he describes as a ‘cultural climate change’ with a discernible move from ‘we’ to ‘I.’ The society we shape together may be more important than ever and for this reason, our school vision, underpinned with Virtue, Learning and Manners , is perhaps more relevant than ever before. In these three words we encapsulate, not only the development of the inner life, but a recognition that this is a life that seeks knowledge and understanding and one that thrives only in relation to others. Chapel provides just one important moment together for us to pause and to consider this common life and how we might discern a shape for today’s world that is welcoming and respectful to all regardless of faith perspectives. This year, among other things, we reflected upon our ‘learner profile’ and considered some important attributes to help us recognise the call to be a life-long learner. During our period of ‘remote learning’, we have examined the concept of ‘life’ - both as a journey of discovery and one where we are invited to use the gifts we have for the common good. VsA There have been fewer Chapel services for the wider school community this year but it was wonderful to be able to gather with around 150 people in Chapel on Christmas Eve and celebrate the birth of Jesus. Our ‘remote learning’ has encouraged many of us to look to being more creative with technology and I am delighted to have been able to work with colleagues and many pupils to offer services for Easter Sunday and Pentecost together with a Choral Evensong for Ascension Day which may even have been a first. I can now also claim to have a more regular Chaplain’s Blog! The Chapel remains a place of welcome and a space open to all. It is a privilege to be Chaplain at this School and to share in the wide variety of activities that take place here and to walk with others on the journey of life. Please be assured of a warm welcome when you are able to visit us. By the Revd Dr AWMcConnaughie Up till the very day I joined VSA, I thought that it was only about ‘picking up litter’. I could not have been more wrong nor delusional. During the past three years as a member, my view on life changed. Through activities such as visiting care homes, taking a first aid course and helping out in charity shops such as St Francis Hospice, not only my respect for the elderly has increased, but my understanding of helping our society and environment has improved as well. I have become more aware of the cultural pressures around the world, and oppressed groups of people both locally and internationally, such as the homeless, and my awareness of environmental issues has grown dramatically too. Being a member of the VSA has shaped me into a more thoughtful, considerate and emotionally intelligent person. Moreover, it has built my empathy towards the challenges some people face throughout their journey of life and, what I, as a fellow human being, can do to help, and ease the pain which they are facing. This year, the VSA began a new chapter which has included the new community garden, random acts of kindness and many other endeavours to help both the School and the local and international community around us. The changes implemented in this school year also enabled the students to gain, not only more knowledge, but also experience and understanding within certain aspects of helping the community. At the beginning of the year, we had several external speakers come in, such as WilEd, with whom we did a project about improving the School’s environmental community. We also had National Citizen Service (NCS) and Dementia UK amongst many others. We did random acts of kindness within the School itself, such as leaving positive notes around the School and creating small ‘pass it on’ opportunities for the entire school body. At Christmas, as well as our annual Christmas dinner for the elderly, we made Christmas cards for those of them living in the area and also donated shoeboxes to children in developing countries. We also created food boxes for local charities. This term, despite the turn in events caused by the virus, the VSA senior leaders have been not only organising and creating but also giving lessons across the groups, both physically and virtually. They have covered a variety of topics such as poverty and discrimination, homelessness, volunteering globally, sustainability and global education. As once stated by Steve Maraboli, “A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal,” and there is no better way to sum up the VSA. By Inger Hansen Chapel