3 minute read
From the Chaplain
Kingswood’s Chapel is a beautiful sacred space, a place of calm that can be accessed by staff or students at any point in a busy day. Whether you seek warmth and shelter on a wet and windy break time or a cool retreat on a hot summer’s day, it has been a place of solace, decision making or personal prayer. It is also where we gather the community for refl ection, worship and celebration.
It was a joy to celebrate the Chapel’s Centenary this year joined by former students, Governors, and staff, some of whom travelled a distance to be there. Many alumni responded to the invitation to write about the Chapel and, amongst the mix of funny and poignant memories, one thing that stood out was the love of music that began there. At the service we were treated to uplifting songs by KPS Singers as well as a beautiful piano duet performed by Alyssa Chu and Gordon Tse (Year 10).
When Reverend Marshall Harvey spoke at the opening service and Dedication of the Chapel on 16 June 1922, he said, “The Chapel would be the Lord’s classroom; worship was the gathering ground of grace, spirit and strength, in which their daily life should be lived.” Although students no longer go to Chapel every morning or on a Sunday,100 years later, I believe that the Chapel continues to be a gathering ground of ‘grace, spirit and strength’ that sustains the ethos of the Kingswood Community, rooting young people with a deep sense of love, kindness and service.
The Chapel is an inclusive place where all are welcome and simply invited to come with openness and curiosity to reflect on the Gospel values of Kingswood and our founder John Wesley. This year in addition to Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Pentecost, we explored themes of Trade Justice, Homelessness, Sustainable Eco Fashion, Refugee Week, the life of Desmond Tutu, the Queen’s Jubilee alongside messages of Hope, Peace, Forgiveness and Grace. During Lent, the whole school was challenged to express 40 days of Gratitude, something that was not only good for others and the whole community but also for our own wellbeing.
The Chapel is also a Grade ll listed War Memorial having been built in memory of the 116 old boys and three former staff who died in the Great War. The vestibule contains several moving war memorials including one for Hardy Falconer Parsons, awarded the Victoria Cross. He left Kingswood in 1915 but died in 1917 protecting his comrades. The family of Hardy attended the opening service where Buglers of the Somerset Light Infantry sounded the Last Post. The most poignant service of our year is Remembrance Day when the whole of the Senior School gathers below the Chapel accompanied by members of the Royal Forces, where a cross is placed for each of the students and teachers lost in conflicts to this day.
One of the most special times of year in Chapel is Christmas. Unable to invite families to St Stephen’s due to Covid, we had a smaller Candlelit Carol Service for Westwood in addition to the annual Candlelit Advent Service for Boarders in the Chapel. There were lots of KPS Carol services too and Reception children sang their hearts out to teary eyed parents! It is lovely that the Chapel is very much a focal point for the whole Foundation. Even the nursery children came in during the year and were so excited to talk about weddings!
Finally, the Year 6 and Year 13 Leavers’ Services were both moving and joyous, celebrating all that has been achieved but marking those moments of significant transition. Mr Opie, who was also leaving, spoke to Year 13 of what he had learned at Kingswood both as a student and as a teacher. He said that the Chapel had been a significant place and encouraged us to live our lives being open to a spiritual journey.
