News and Events
Chaplaincy Blog: 3rd May 2024
Monday was International Dance Day, a day that was created by the United Nations to celebrate dance and to encourage participation and education in dance. We had our third annual danceathon with the children in Sierra Leone who are cared for by Laughter Africa. Laughter Africa works with street children in Africa to help them fulfil their aspirations and bring about positive change in their lives. This involves social workers meeting the children living on the streets. Whatever they need, Laughter Africa is willing to provide. It was wonderful to see the children helped by Laughter Africa dancing with us via a live link! The money raised directly helped the children who were dancing with us.
Dance is important because it uses and strengthens our emotions, thinking skills, physical abilities and ability to connect with people, all of which are vital for daily life. Research also suggests that dancing has a range of benefits for our mental health and well-being, making us feel happier and worry less. But dance is not only for our own well-being, but it is also a way of expressing our beliefs.
Dance and religion have been connected for a long time. Some religious traditions recognize dance as a form of expression and of prayer. In the Bible, Psalm 149 includes the verse, ‘Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.’ In this way, dance is understood to be one way in which people can praise God and express their love for him.
Lord God,
We thank you for the fun that dancing brings. Thank you that you have given us the gift of music, and the ability to express ourselves through dance.
We thank you for the ways in which humans around the world have been creative, finding ways to communicate through various dance forms.
We pray that we can find many ways to successfully express ourselves. We thank you for the gift of dance as one of these ways.
Amen.
The Mount Church Easter Escape Room! (Article from 19th April 2024)
Over 100 students from Y7 and Y8 were able to experience an Escape Room Challenge in the chapel this week (WB 15th April 2024)!
On Wednesday and Thursday, students were invited down to try and solve the puzzle of the stolen ruby heart! It involved a family of 13 siblings in a French Mansion. They were guided round by one of the siblings, and they had to work out through a variety of clues which of the other twelve siblings betrayed them!
The adventure activity linked to the 
Easter, as we saw how Jesus was betrayed by one of his disciples.
All students got involved, using their imagination and detective skills, and lots of fun was had in the process!
A big thank you to Rev. Brenda, Kirsty and Tim from The Mount, who led the sessions throughout the day.
Student Voice Podcast with Kasia
We are very pleased to share our Easter Student Voice Service podcast with you. This podcast is about Easter, and we were delighted to interview our wonderful chaplain Kasia on this topic.Please listen to our podcast made by students for students and aimed to be accessible to everyone:SV-Service-Easter-with-Kasia-2024.mp3
Easter Service at St. Mary's Church for Year 7 (26th March)
On Tuesday 26th March, our Year 7 students walked to St. Mary’s Church to celebrate Holy Week! The Service was in three parts, which looked at Reflections on Lent, The Palm Sunday Gospel, and the Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross are stages in the events of what we call the Passion, the last events in Jesus’ life from his condemnation, to his crucifixion, to the placing of his body in the tomb before he rose again three days later on Easter Sunday.
Our Year 7 Readers were excellent in conveying the story and leading us in prayer. All students were wonderfully behaved and respectful whilst in the Service. Our first service was led by Fr. Bernard, and Fr. Benedict led our second service; thank you to both priests for their time, prayers and kind words. It was fantastic to be able to celebrate the season at Church!
We also added another 852km to the Cafod Big Lent Walk, as 284 students and staff walked a total of 3km to and from Hope Academy to Church! Well done!
Lent Primary Workshops - WB 18th March 2024
Pillars of Lent - Primary Workshops
During the week of the 18th March, twelve of our Year 7 Ambassadors led workshops with our local primary schools, which reflected on the Three Pillars of Lent. These are Fasting, Giving and Praying.
We looked at why they are important to the season of Lent, how they link to Jesus’ life, and how they bring us closer to God.
For the ‘Fasting’ station, students had to imagine they had been stranded in the desert with only a rucksack full of 12 provisions. They had to order them from the most to least important for survival! After they had discovered the ‘expert’s opinion’, we reflected on how Jesus was in the desert for 40 days and nights with nothing, being tempted by the devil.
For the ‘Giving’ station, student had to divide money between themselves. Everyone gave each other the same amount. Then we divided the money in the way it is split across the world, where 10% of people have over 50% of the wealth, and 50% on the people have less than 10% between them. We reflected on why this wasn’t fair and why we should give to those in need by using Matthew 25:34-40, where Jesus teaches us that “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
In the ‘Praying’ station, we looked at the words to the Lord’s Prayer, and the four main reasons Jesus prayed: when he needed God’s help, to ask for help, to thank God, and to talk to God. Students then prayed themselves, and wrote a prayer which fitted into one of these categories.
At the end of the sessions, students had a card that they had filled in, to see how they could carry out ways to pray, fast and give in the final few days of Lent.
Our Year 7 Ambassadors were excellent leaders and role models for the students who attended! They were polite, knowledgeable, helpful and approachable! They lived out our vision of serving through love. A wonderful week getting closer to the God through the season of Lent!
Prayer Stations at All Saints Church (27th March 2024)
On Wednesday afternoon (27th March) three of our Faith in Action Gold students went to All Saints Church to set up prayer stations! The stations are:
The All Saints Jigsaw - parishoners are invited to design a jigsaw piece to create a unique and wonderful jigsaw that represents the community of All Saints church!
Worry Stones - People are invited to take a worry stone for those moments of anxiiety. Squeeze it in your hand whenever you feel you need God’s help. The stone won’t break, just as God’s love will never fail.
Chenille Stick Cross - Make a cross from a chenille stick ([pipe cleaner). Keep it in your pocket to remind you that God is always nearby.
Why Do We Pray? - Parishoners are invited to pray like Jesus did - for others, to talk to God, to ask for help, when we need God's support.
Our students can't wait to hear what the parishoners think! Thank you to Rev. Chris Stafford who invited us to his church to set up and create the prayer stations.
Tackling Racism Award Programme (Article from 24th January 2024)
Our Y8 Ambassadors were at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool on Tuesday 23rd January 2024 for a fuul day's workshop with the Anthony Walker Foundation. They learned how to talk about racism with their peers, and what we can do to report it and stop it happening. All the students were honest, thoughtful and enthusiastic. They can't wait to begin their new roles!
We are one of nine schools to have committed to being part of the Anthony Walker Foundation’s Tackling Racism Award Programme. The programme will help us in our aim to promote anti-racist practices, whilst fostering harmony through the power of education in our schools. We hope this will become a movement which creates a larger regional network of Anti-racism Ambassadors. Our ambassadros even got to spend time with Dr. Gee Walker.
Year 7 Advent Workshops: 27th November - 8th December 2023
Year 7 have been visiting the chapel to take part in Advent Prayer Stations with Kasia our chaplain! Pupils have heard the Christmas story, then looked at different aspects of it in detail over 6 work stations. Pupils have thought and prayed about those born into poverty, refugees, and for people suffering on the margins around the world, as well as putting themselves in the shoes of the Holy Family on that first Christmas night. Pupils have also, like the three kings, shared the priceless gifts we can all give to others, and created images for their RE classroom showing how they can bring light into the lives of others!.
Christian Worship in the Chapel Twice a Month: Catholic Mass and Anglican Holy Communion (Article from the 4th October 2023)
On Wednesday 4th October we had our first Catholic Mass in the chapel! As a Joint Denominational Academy we want to give space to staff and students to celebrate their faith as well as respecting each others. Fr. Benedict from the parish of St. Mary and St. John came to celebrate Mass with us, where we celebrated the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. We will be having an Anglican Communion Service on the 18th October with Rev. Chris from All Saints church. All are welcome to both services regardless of faith. It is a beautiful way to get to understand the different Christian denominations that our community serves, and to start a conversation about it.
Faith in Action at Wargrave! (article from 3rd October 2023)
On Tuesday 3rd October, six of our Year 10 Faith in Action Gold group led a Whole School Collective Worship at Wargrave Primary school!
Pupils had planned the worship session on the theme ‘I am The Vine’, which is one of Jesus’ ‘I Am’ statements. They included grape tasting and dramatic re-enactments with audience participation, so that pupils could understand the message that we need to stay connected to Jesus in order to be the best version of ourselves!
Pupils at Wargrave loved the Collective Worship session, and headteacher Mrs Epstein thought the Year 10s did a wonderful job to speak and lead a session in front of the whole school. Pupils were also overwhelmingly positive about the worship and their behaviour in the hall reflected this. Well done!
St. Paul of the Cross Feast Day 19th October 2023
On Thursday 19th October we celebrated the feast of St. Paul of the Cross with students who went to St. Paul of the Cross Primary school! Students had a feast during Inspire of croissants, pan au chocolat, and hot chocolate!
We look forward to celebrating the feast days of our other primary schools in the future.
Welcome Revd. James Taylor! (article from 7th September 2023)
Mrs Adams and Kasia our Chaplain were invited to the Licensing Service of Revd James Taylor on Thursday evening at St. Peter’s Church. He will now be part of the Newton Team Vicars, ready to serve our community through his ministry. It was a joyous event and the church was full with well wishers from the congregation, the local council, schools, and local scouting groups. The service was led by the Rt. Revd John Perumbalath, Bishop of Liverpool, and the Venerable Simon Fisher, Archdeacon of St. Helens and Warrington.
Revd James will be a welcome guest to Hope Academy, sharing his wisdom and worship with us as often as he can. He is delighted to be able to work with us, and looks forward to visiting Hope Academy and getting to know our students and staff!
Welcome Revd. James – we wish you all the best as you start your new ministry here in the Newton Community!
