13.12.2024 Senior Bulletin

Whilst the stable is now within sight, the journey through Advent can feel long and tiring for many. Mary and Joseph travelled around 90 miles and it took them several long days to get to Bethlehem that first Christmas. They must have been exhausted when they finally arrived.

At this time of year, many people can be overwhelmed with all the preparations needing to be done, so we’ve been encouraging our school community to consider how we might find time to stop, wait and prepare ourselves inside so that we can receive the gift of Christmas when it comes (and not be fast asleep with exhaustion!). This is a time of year when all who wish can enter into the Christmas Spirit, but first, we must pause and prepare. Advent encourages us to be mindful, to take our time and not rush to get to Christmas before we are ready.

As School Chaplain, one of my roles is to offer and encourage pastoral care of ourselves and others. Our Senior School boarding community enjoyed an evening of Advent Wellbeing where they created around 70 stars to hang in their rooms through Advent: creations made from nails, twigs and some yarn. The simplicity of the season shone bright that evening.

As we began our journey through Advent, the Prep school began ‘counting UP to Christmas’ with a special Advent Calendar that tells the Christmas story winding its way up the staircase through 24 days of readings and pictures to reflect on.

In chapel, every child from 3 to 18 years shared in the lighting of our first Advent candle for ‘HOPE’; something we need all year round. My time in hospital chaplaincy taught me how to help others seek a deeper hope than just ‘hoping that’ something would happen. Advent encourages us to consider in what or with whom might we put our hope IN and how we might practice finding ‘hope-in-the-present-moment’. Celebrating blessings received each day can be a strength to many at this time.

Our second Advent candle was lit for JOY as staff were offered some mindful time in their breaks to create a ‘Jar of Joy’, supporting them through this very busy season. There was much joy in Pre-Prep with the wonderful Christmas plays to get us all into the Christmas spirit, alongside a glorious Celtic Christmas Concert at TMC performed by our Prep children last week and a Snow Ball for our Sixth Formers.

Our third Advent candle was lit for PEACE, remembering those for whom Christmas can be a difficult time and recognising there can be mixed emotions for some in our community at this time of year. Pupils were invited to make baubles with Bumble, our Senior School on-site dog and a key member of our SEND and wellbeing team. It is true that his presence really does offer us ‘comfort and joy’.

Our Community Action Team led morning chapels at Seniors, encouraging support for the important work of charities St Petrocs and Link to Hope, who reach out to some of the most vulnerable communities here in Cornwall and around the world. We are reminded this week of the first visitors to the stable being the ordinary shepherds, revealing to us that God’s love is for the whole world. Our prayers are with those needing food and shelter this Christmas and for those living in places where peace is much needed at this time.

We are now entering the last week of term and of Advent here in school, lighting our final candle for LOVE as we consider the heart of the Christmas message – Immanuel (God with us). Our Prep and Pre-Prep created Christingles this week to celebrate the Light of the World born for all that first Christmas. Twenty of our Sixth Form joined in to help the youngest pupils make their Christingles, sharing in this special celebration service where there was much love and joy in everyone’s faces. Pre-prep has created a ‘nativity-in-a-box’ to take home to retell this wonder-filled story across the holidays. When asked what is the best part of the Christmas story, one of our younger pupils said ‘everything’. Well, there you have it!

We travel on with the TMC Seniors Christmas Concert this evening, our Choristers at the Cathedral Christmas Concert tomorrow and our Nine Lessons and Carols Service on Monday 16th December, 7pm at the Cathedral. You are very welcome to come along to any or all of these celebrations of the season. Come and share in the Spirit of Christmas that is very much at the heart of our community here at Truro School.

Our term will come to a close for Seniors at Truro Methodist Church (TMC) on Wednesday as we sing our new carol ‘The King is Born Tonight’ written by three of our 2nd Years. We will then conclude the year singing Charles Wesley’s classic carol, ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’.

May the joy of your angels bless you and yours this Christmastime and may we each prepare our hearts to make room for the best gift of all this Christmas. May hope, joy, peace, love and light be yours this Christmas,

Blessings to you all,

Rev Helen