Schools are an important part of our communities. They are hubs in supporting families, particularly those in most need. Often they have a real passion for transforming the community around them. As churches and God's people, it is our role to notice God at work in our communities, even when the church has little or no involvement. God's Spirit is present, working for good and transforming lives, and it is our role to join in and be part of that work for good. Following on from this understanding of God's mission, it seems apparent that churches should be working with schools to help all people to flourish. This can seem daunting for many of our churches, especially when we believe we're limited in what we can do. However, we'd like to encourage every church to think about what they might be able to offer - however small it might seem - and build positive relationships with others in our communities.
The Flourish Schools project hopes to encourage people and offer some practical steps in working with schools. You can find out more about the aims of the project here.
"Do it...it's where the majority of children and young people are 5 days a week, 39 weeks a year. But take your time; focus on building relationships with the schools; say thank you as often as you can, both verbally and through gifts and other means." Emmanuel Waterthorpe LEP
"Do it, it's the most incredible opportunity of privilege to be able to serve in a community who needs you." Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust
'Prayer Spaces in Schools have offered so many examples of God at work, particularly in conversations with pupils. One that sticks in my mind is with a class where, simultaneously, two pupils who had a bad start to the relationship, both forgave and said sorry. It was completely mind blowing and a real WOW moment.' Hinton Methodist Church