Qui diligit Deum

‘Wow!’ First impressions are really important even when it comes to major decisions; many of us will decide whether to buy a house within the first five seconds of walking through the door!

I am delighted to have joined Lancing at the beginning of September as your chaplain and thought I’d take this opportunity to reflect on some of my first impressions of our community. One of my predecessors wrote to me recently, ‘Some schools have a chapel, Lancing is a Chapel that has a school.’ You can’t help but be struck by the Chapel as you approach the College and as you stand beneath the vaults of the nave drawing your eye and spirit heavenward.

For me, it is what the Chapel symbolises and facilitates that have been truly awe-inspiring. We have a fantastic team of pupils and staff who bring their skills and energy to our worshipping life. In particular, the choristers and sacristans are among the most skilled and dedicated I have had the pleasure to work with. A visiting preacher commented recently how very impressive the service had been and, whilst part of that is about the building, the greater part is about the way in which our community engages in Eucharistic worship.

We have something very precious at Lancing in the way in which Christian faith is encouraged and supported. Each week the majority of our pupils make their communion or come forward for a blessing. It is a profound witness to the important role that Christian faith has in shaping our community. This is supported by the whole community who, whatever their faith, recognise the potential the Chapel has for spiritual enrichment and community building. It is clear to see by the way pupils behave in Chapel.

Staff and pupils alike have a real desire to engage, helping to shape our Chapel provision, and more widely reflecting our Christian values into the wider world. This term has seen a wide range of events from supporting Worthing Foodbank at Harvest to lighting the Chapel pink and blue for Baby Loss Awareness Week.

So, yes we have the most amazing school chapel in the world, but much more wonderful is the way in which our school community is responding to our Christian heritage, bringing it alive in this generation.

FR JUSTIN POTTINGER Chaplain