Good afternoon dear Friends of The Valley on this May Day!
I do hope that your Bank Holiday weekend is going well and that you are safe and well whatever your plans may be. As I sit writing looking out from the Vicarage window, signs of a beautiful morning here in the Valley are evident as not only the stable strings are out and about but also the ponies and their riders trotting by!
That reminds me of our younger residents, a good number of whom love to chat about their own ponies and their great love for them. I meet one or two on their way to school while I’m on my way to Morning Prayer in church and quite often stop for an update!
Throughout the pandemic it has been a great joy to have been alongside the school in person, masked and ‘laterally flow tested’ as are all the teachers and assistants at Lambourn Church of England Primary school. Just prior to the pandemic the children with the guidance of Mrs Rachel Perkins, the new Principal were invited to design a new school logo. It had to incorporate a link with the church, light and a reminder of Lambourn being the centre of the race horsing industry (after Newmarket)
Once all the entries from the children were collected, they were displayed and the one pictured here was chosen and is now proudly displayed on school note paper and website that you’ll find here https://lambourn.excalibur.org.uk/
Do take a look and find out more about our school You may even like to think about being involved in some way with the school. Perhaps you’d like to offer volunteer help (once this is possible) or support the school by becoming a governor. Our ‘new’ Principal, Rachel Perkins came to Lambourn not long before the lockdown. It has been a great pleasure to get to know her and work alongside her as we visit classes for collective worship (assembly) each day.
Knock, knock Who’s There
Recently, upon hearing about the school I was approached by Suzi Cairns who interviews locals for her Knock, knock Who’s there radio recordings regarding her wanting to interview the ‘new’ Principal of Lambourn CE Primary school. The rest, as they say is history and – here is the result with Rachel telling a wonderful story of how she came to be amidst us here in The Lambourn Valley !
Welcome and thank you Rachel! You are a star and we are blessed to have you in our midst. If you would like to hear Rachel share a little of her story and her passion go here
https://tinyurl.com/4vz5wmy2
Let Your Light Shine
Let Your Light Shine is the vision statement of the school and is taken from Matthew chapter 5 verse 14 and how very apt it is as we think about the school as a beacon on the hill, the light of God’s love for all, lighting the way into the great adventure of life.
Each collective worship begins as a candle is lit – as they are in church, ready for worship to signify the presence of God.
And the vision statement is not a dusty idea on a shelf – not at all! It’s one that permeates the whole school, it is truly lived out in the relationships, the ethos, the language and even the very youngest children know all about what LIGHT stands for at Lambourn CE Primary! Just in case you are wondering here are the Christian values!
- L – ove
- I – ntegrity
- G – rit
- H – ope
- T – rust
And there’re no prizes for guessing the school song! In an exclusive I’m able to share that at one time it was Bishop Stephen’s (now Archbishop of York) favourite song!
Shine Jesus shine
Shine Jesus shine … and what joy as the children, class by class and physically distanced have gone outside to sing it for the first time!! Listen out carefully next week and if the wind is in the right direction you may hear it.
As a footnote to this piece … I am unable to comment upon Bishop Stephen’s favourite song at this present time!
Looking ahead …
Services continuing the season of Easter during May will be following the usual pattern.
May 9th All Saints 9am Holy Communion
St Michael & All Angels 10.30am Eucharist
May 13th St Michael & All Angels Ascension Day 7.30pm Eucharist
May 16th St Michael & All Angels 8am BCP Holy Communion
St James 9.30am Family Communion
St Michael & All Angels 11 am All Together Eucharist
May 23rd All Saints 9am Holy Communion
St Michael & All Angels 10.30am Eucharist
If you haven’t come back to Church in person yet, and would like someone to talk you through what it feels like and how it works then do let either myself or Christine know.
We’d be very pleased to listen to your concerns and chat it through.
With continued joyful Easter greetings
Julie