Today we celebrate the wonderful contribution of the #WindrushGeneration to life in Britain, and particularly to the @churchofengland and vibrant expressions of faith and worship across the country.
I continue to pray for justice and healing for those impacted by the Windrush scandal, who were made to feel unsafe in the communities they had built and supported.
🎉We are delighted to announce that Abbey Grange has been awarded School of Sanctuary status ✨ This recognises Abbey Grange as welcoming to all. Thank you to the students who volunteered in the school's welcoming team 👏#SchoolsofSanctuary#FaithSchools#AbbeyGrangeAcademy
The charity @tenderuk have been visiting over the last couple of days, teaching students about domestic abuse through the mediums of drama, discussion, and education🎭Thank you to everyone at Tender for a deeply important, eye-opening and educational workshop for our students🙏
Some of the donations we were able to deliver to the food bank following our Lent appeal. Thank you to everyone for their generosity #benevolence@abgacademy @TrussellTrust
Students from our sustainability group attended the first secondary school eco conference for Leeds, held at Civic Hall. They made This tiktok style video in response #EcoYouthLeeds#hilarious@abgacademy@DECLeeds
A great day of activities building friendship and character, beautiful worship led by students and superb reflections led by the chaplaincy team. Marrick at its best! #character#faith@abgacademy
Today we welcomed Roger Hazenby from Leeds North and West Foodbank to talk to some of our Chaplaincy reps about the world of foodbanks and the relief they offer. We are collecting donations in school as part of our Lent focus. #leedsfoodbank#abbeygrangeacademy@chaplaincyabbey
So great to welcome Good News for Everyone to Year 7 assembly today. Students heard about the Bible and were offered their own copy of the New Testament, which almost 200 students accepted. May it be a light to guide them! @abgacademy @goodnewsforeveryone
We had a lovely Y11 Lent Communion today as Ash Wednesday fell in the Half Term break. Students burned regrets to ash as part of the service. A really meaningful service and students were fab as they prepare for their final weeks of KS4 before the exams #benevolence#worship
Lent is a journey, and the first stop is the desert. In Lent we confront barrenness and fear, and acknowledge our vulnerability in a world that is dangerous and unpredictable. We journey into the desert, because that is where Jesus started, too.
The ministry of Jesus starts with two events: the height of his baptism, with God affirming ‘this is my Beloved, in him I am well pleased’, and then he is immediately led to the desert. Somehow, these two things need to go together.
An awareness of our belovedness in God matters. But on its own, without an acknowledgement of our frailty, of temptations before us, it can become skewed, lead us to arrogance or a lack of compassion. The desert on its own, on the other hand, can be crushing and hopeless.
Life in God is life lived in full awareness of who we are as human beings: made from dust and the breath of God, loved and cherished, yet fallible, vulnerable, and tempted down the wrong path.
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.” — Matthew 4:1:2
Over the weekend, students heard from an inspiring 19-year-old asylum seeker at the @LeedsCityofSanc and Abbey Grange training. They then volunteered, sorting and distributing clothes to men in need seeking asylum, housed in hotels in Leeds. @chaplaincyabbey@LCILeeds
Another great set of Carol Services with students really engaged with the contemporary message of Christmas. Thanks to all our visitors from St G’s and St Matt’s and a wonderful Christmas time! @abgacademy@stgeorgesleeds@stmattsleeds