Reflections from the Chair - June

22nd June 2021

You can watch this reflection here: https://bit.ly/ReflectYouTubeJune21

Following the National Conference for School and College Chaplains - People of Hope in Times of Change - Mike reflects on the meetings he has had with Chaplains since the conference and how he is hopeful that CCE's vision to see a Chaplain in Every School and College by 2030 is becoming a reality - one school and college at a time.

People of hope - in a time of change...

The day after our amazing conference, I was privileged to listen to students, a chaplain and the CEO of the MAT. What I heard was that Chaplaincy has helped students who have been ‘all over the place’ to ‘calm down and be more at peace’.

The school has found that the chaplain is ‘more relatable’ than other support services. As a result the chaplain’s hours have been doubled from two days to four days a week and the head teacher describes the post as ‘irreplaceable’.

The day after that I heard that, due to the amazing work of the chaplain and the generosity of the local village churches, we had been able to re-finance a part time school chaplain. Then I met with someone who wants to set up a chaplaincy to a primary school. And I heard confirmation that another primary school chaplaincy will start in September, and funding is now almost confirmed for a University chaplaincy and an FE college chaplaincy I’m working with.

I’m recording this today from an FE College where they have exciting plans for chaplaincy for the next year. When CCE first articulated our vision as ‘a chaplaincy in every school and college by 2030’ even I, as a hopeful optimist (most of the time) felt that it was aspirational rather than realistic. Yet I see the vision becoming a reality one school and college at a time.

There were so many chaplains at the conference who could and did tell similar stories. It was a joy to gather and listen to so many amazing stories of faith, hope and love lived our in our schools and colleges. There was also vision, inspiration and challenge… on the environment, sexuality and identity, diversity and inclusion, mental ill-health and digital and the divine.

What did you hear?

What did you take away?

What is still echoing around in your head?

What is changing as a result?

Amidst all of the vulnerability within us and around us in our schools and colleges, how can we be people of hope in times of change?

You can watch this reflection here: https://bit.ly/ReflectYouTubeJune21