Thursday 18th January 2018 – Pause Day
On Thursday everyone gathered together in their houses to Pause and think about how they could develop the garden at the front of the school in to an area of quiet
reflection. The garden was initially developed a couple of years ago in memory of governor Marion Jackson who was an enthusiastic gardener. The garden has been used to plant herbs and vegetables and Wildlife Explorers have also used it to spot and encourage wildlife. 2018 is the Diocese’s year of prayer and so we decided that the garden would be a wonderful place in which children could quietly reflect. Working in their houses the children produced banners in their house colours and thought about difference areas that their houses could pray for. The brightly coloured banners boldly declare the children’s faith and hopes for the future to anyone approaching the school. The garden is at the front of the school and accessible to anyone in the village who would like to enjoy a quiet area.
The children also developed an area where they could remember anyone close to them by
placing coloured stones in the flower bed. Finally everyone decorated some glass jars and wrote very special prayers which were carefully placed inside. The jars have solar candles which light up in the evening to remind everyone to keep three faith even in the darkest times.
At the back of the school the children planted a Twigloo during the autumn term. The children identified this as a fantastic private space for them to use as a prayer den. The children wrote some prayers on the back of cds and dvds and have hung these in the den.
Monday 22nd January 2018
This morning Tim Jackson came with Rev Julie to officially open our Prayer Garden. Tim spoke about his wife Marion and how much she had loved helping and supporting the school, from the time when their grown-up daughters came to Hartfield, right up to a few years ago. Rev Julie than said a prayer blessing the garden and everyone in St Mary’s school and church community. Mr Jackson placed the first coloured stone in memory of Marion and then some children also placed coloured stones in memory of people they loved. Thank you to Rev Julie and Mr Jackson for coming to open our special garden.
