November is a time of Remembrance. It is also the time when Sheffield Diocese engages in “Wear Your Faith Fortnight”, encouraging the wearing of badges and stickers that identify our Christian faith, over a two week period that includes All Hallows and All Saints (31st October and 1st November). The badges can include ones designed by children in Church schools.
Schools
Schools can mark particular saints and explain and explore the reasons the Church remembers certain people as lights for Christ in the world.
To align with ‘Wear Your Faith’ fortnight, schools could consider the ways in which we symbolise the faith and explore some of the different symbols around school. This could tie in with art work to create symbolism of various varieties, expressing religious themes or human values.
The Feast of Francis of Assisi (4th October) could involve a time of giving thanks for animals. Could this also be a time when school animals, such as the various calming dogs in our schools, are photographed and shared via the Diocesan Comms network with the wider Diocese?
Remembrance
This season incorporates All Saints Day and All Souls Day – times when the church supports the remembering of those who have died, whether recently or in the more distant past. In schools this can include the opportunity for children to remember those who have died in their own family and community. One activity can be to have a Remembrance Tree – a large branch in with children offered the chance to write names of loved ones on tagged cards and tie them to branches. It provides a practical way for children to name those loved ones who have died and hold their memory.
School Identity
To tie in with “Wear Your Faith” fortnight, schools could take time to reflect on their distinctive Christian vision and the faith it embodies in the work of the school.
Families and Homes
The take home question is “Who has inspired us?”
Families can take time to think of the people who have inspired what we think and how we live our lives. They may be religious or not. They may include the famous and the personal connections.
Families can also work together sharing the names of those to be remembered at this time.
Families could also look at and share back into school and church the various badges and other identifying logos special to them e.g. football scarves, CND badges, service ties.
Engaging the Church
If the Church is engaging in activities to support and enable remembrance these can be opened to families in the school.
There is also the possibility of a more specific, child-friendly time.
Diocesan
Senior staff could take a look at the web sites of selected schools, possibly contacting to respond to stand-out lines from their vision statement.
Visits by senior staff could focus on the identity of the school, asking “What good about your school?”.
A possible video could be around Remembrance, possibly from the Dean or a minister at one of our Minsters
Dates to note
All Saints Day is on November 1st is a day that marks the work of all the saints, including the Christians who make up the church today. It can be a time to remind ourselves of any saint or inspirational person who has shaped and guided our lives, church and world.
Remembrance Day (11th November) and Remembrance Sunday, including the minute of silence to remember those who lost their lives in military conflict.
September 3rd is St Gregory’s Day. As a great teacher and leader, he is the patron saint of teachers and students.
Inter Faith Week
The season of faith includes Inter Faith week. This usually takes place in the week following Remembrance Sunday and aims to strengthen good inter faith relationships and awareness of the different faith communities in the UK.
Schools and Churches may want to consider activities such as celebrations of faith diversity in the school and community, or a Q& A with a panel of members of different religious communities.
Anti-Bullying Week
This takes place in during the third week in November and aims to raise awareness and take a stand against bullying of children and young people.
Understanding Christianity
This time can be resourced and connected to the concept of the People of God, and the way in which Christianity believes God uses people to reveal teachings and inspiration to humanity.