Anglican Schools Commission
Chapel and Chaplaincy
The Revd Peter Laurence OAM CEO, Anglican Schools Commission
One of the marks of an Anglican school is ‘Chapel’. I say Chapel and not The Chapel, as not every school has a beautiful building dedicated to worship. That said, all but one of our Western Australian schools have truly wonderful Chapels on their site, or a Cathedral down the road!
A number of the Chapels at ASC schools have been built in partnership with the Diocese of Perth, who generously contributed some funds towards their construction. Whilst these heady days may be over for now, the legacy of dedicated places for our students, families and staff to worship God at school, lives on. Most of these buildings are both school chapels and parish churches, ensuring maximum use of such spaces each week. How blessed we are when we can worship our Triune God in lovely surroundings.
Whether or not school worship takes place in a dedicated building, set aside for such holy purposes, ‘Chapel’ is one of the key ingredients of our Anglican Identity. You cannot be an Anglican school if you don’t join in worship regularly.
Last month, I spoke of the six defining markers of an Anglican school’s identity. Worship is one. Some might say it should be number one. It’s through worship that students and others learn about the Christian faith, and in some cases have opportunities to learn about other faiths. Through worship students learn to appreciate something larger and older than themselves, opening them to the possibility of engaging with God on God’s terms, while having the chance to learn of the value of stillness, silence, and reverence in a well-balanced life.
‘Chapel’ is not an optional extra in an ASC school. It’s a vital part of a week; for as with those who worship in parishes on a Sunday, most students in ASC schools worship weekly in Chapel.
Just as we face a critical teacher shortage across Australia right now, we are also finding it increasingly challenging to engage Anglican priests, deacons and lay people who see their vocation as being one called to School Chaplaincy. There are schools in
Western Australia and right across Australia who have no ordained Chaplain on staff. School ministry is a particular calling, and it would be true to say that it’s not for most clergy or lay Anglicans. That’s a fact. But Chaplaincy is ministry at the coalface, or ‘chalkboard’ as we used to say! Just as Jesus went out to meet people where they lived, worked and went to school, so our Chaplains are meeting students, families and staff ‘where they are’.
Chapel and Chaplaincy are core to the Anglican Identity of our schools. Our Chaplains are engaged in some of the most extraordinary ministry, with daily opportunities not afforded to many in other parts of the church. They are special people, doing extra special things. Please continue to pray for them, and for all they serve in our schools.
