day four...the end?

Our little prayer room beside the car park was brought to a moving close yesterday evening. Once again, the day had been packed with load of students and staff coming into pray, chat and chill out. We probably had the most people through, and walking round the different stations at the end of the day, it was simply staggering reading the honesty and openness in the prayers, and moving to say amen to them. ‘May these prayers be like sweet smelling incense to your heart, O God’

We started the day in the staff room today, chatting with staff and looking back over the week. We were so excited about what the day had in store. An excellent chat with the Head master, he just blew me away with his enthusiasm for what we were doing and the difference that he could see in the school already. He said it was the “archetypal multi sensory experience”. Ha ha. Hearing his passion to ground faith in the students’ lives was inspiring though, and we were soon talking about plans to build another meeting room elsewhere in the school, so that the room we’d been using could stay as a permanent ‘chapel’ or ‘prayer room’…it was one of those jaw dropping moments to hear this come from the head himself.

Rushing back we opened the prayer room for the 8.30am tutor group slot for the day. About 15 students and their tutor came in, and after a quick tour and welcome, we all got praying. “Do I just take a bit of bread then?” one boy had moved away from the class and was asking Chris about our communion table. The two of them talked about it, prayed and had communion together. A really peaceful time. God was in our midst.

Break time came and so did Bishop John, he’d come to show support from the diocese to the school what with all the negative press of recent weeks. It was so good to have him along and enjoy the prayer room, have some photos taken with the students and chat about what was happening. This guy is so crazily busy but always gives his utmost support for things we’re trying to do. Three girls were sat in our (one-at-a-time) 'mirror' zone so Chris hurried over to call them out and to stop messing around. he was about to speak when he heard them quietly praying together and all saying a long aaaamen. we let them carry on.

And, we felt the Lord inspired us concerning the recent articles in the local newspaper. ‘What would be the best response to such things?’ well, invite them to prayer room of course! And so we did! And so they came! Many of the staff didn’t think they’d turn up, but amazingly they turned up during lunch. We welcomed them, took them round the prayer room and introduced them to some of our regulars. They took photos, took quotes from some awesome prayers and went away thanking us for the invitation!

For me, and for the school, the significance of this is huge. The upside down ways of the kingdom of heaven were truly revealed. Where else would a school, victim to an almost systematic receipt of negative press actually invite the same paper to bless them with a prayer? So incredible! The story gets printed tomorrow, so I’ll paste a link all being well.

The lunch session was amazing for many reasons. With various visitors throughout the day, we were most nervous about how hectic it might get, especially because it was the last opportunity for most students to come in and use the prayer room. We were concerned about a few individuals who may come just to mess things up, but the last thing we wanted to do was to say to ‘you’re unwelcome’. We committed to welcome everybody, no matter what. So, we prayed about it. We prayed the Lord would only bring those who were really up for encountering him, and if any kids came to mess around then they would have a miraculous encounter with him. And, to our huge surprise, none of them came. We still had loads of kids come through, but it was the most peaceful time we’ve had. It was great to have Clare with us today as well, who had some brilliant conversations; replying to things like “so why did Jesus come”. The student who’d had communion in the morning came back, and I had a long conversation with him outside about his sister who’d run away this week. I won’t go into it here, but I don’t think I’ll ever forget that kids face. His story was really moving, and one of many that the students go through here – stuff that no young person should have to face.

This prayer room has had an impact on many of those kids. And time and time again, both students and staff kept saying that they didn’t want the room to close. By the end of the day we’d had the Head, both deputy heads and the finance officer come in to the room and say “you need a permanent space for this”, and “this is the best room in the school, and I like having meetings in here – but I prefer it like this”. I’ve just heard on the phone that even today they’re dreaming up ways to see this continue.

Chris the chaplain said to me “God has blessed us so richly this week that we can bearly begin to count the blessings. This week has revolutionised and redefined where we are at as a Church of England school”…

Once school had ended, we threw a big children’s party for the staff. Iced ring biscuits, pink panther wafers, fairy cakes, pop, balloons; the lot. Many came in and read the prayers of the week, some added prayers. I was surprised at how thankful everyone was for putting up a simple prayer room. Lots of laughs and celebration, many people amazed at the prayers they read, amazed at the difference in particular students.

And so, we come to the end of an amazing week, but definitely not the end of the prayer room at the school. On Monday, I had no idea what the week would be like, I didn’t even know how our assembly would go. And now, looking forward, I have no idea how it will continue. Having had at least half of the whole school through the prayer room, I’m staggered at how this has been welcomed. But hearing what the students and staff are saying, something will certainly emerge. Something to nurture prayer at the heart of the school community, at the heart of students living life in and out of school, something of the heart of God for these people.

I’m really excited for this place. Thank you Lord for what you are doing. May your Kingdom come, and will be done.

Amen.