First, a confession.
I'm not a massive football fan. I know enough to get by, I enjoy watching Match Of The Day, and can hold a conversation on the latest issues. But it's not number one in my life.
This is in quite contrast to lots of the students I work with!
A few weeks ago I was part of the Diocesan Synod where the aim was to change the conversation about children and young people. All the details can be found here www.wholechurch.org
There were nine 6min 40sec talks about a variety of topics- but one really grabbed my attention. It was about chaplaincy with Air Cadets. The speaker hadn't started off an expert but had seen a need and was fulfilling it, partly by showing up.
And this brings me back to football.
Last Monday in staff briefing it was announced that the Year 8 football team would be playing in the district final on Wednesday evening. I looked in my calendar and saw a free evening. As the time approached and I realised it would be played under floodlights and it was turning into quite a cold day I talked myself out of attending until I managed to somehow tell a PE teacher I would be there!
So here I was; 6pm, standing in the cold and dark, at the Julie Rose Stadium watching year 8 play football. We ended up winning 2-1 and took home the shield, but thats not the point.
As I stood there having conversations with some of the parents watching I realised that this is what chaplaincy is about: showing up, supporting our students, helping them fulfil their potential whether that be in a classroom, on a football pitch, in the kitchen, on the stage or wherever
I tell this story not to 'big up' myself but to show that chaplaincy really does come in all shapes and sizes.
This Wednesday Yr10 are playing, guess where I will be.
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