Back for the third year in a row, the interactive Prayer Space has become a popular part of the calendar with staff and students alike.
The historic interior of Gresham’s Chapel was transformed with immersive light and sound. The space was filled with creative, tactile prayer ‘stations’ which gave students an opportunity to develop skills of personal reflection and spirituality in a fun and creative way.
In addition to regular service and lesson time, the Prayer Space was also open to all staff and students every evening, providing an important space for stillness, quiet, and reflection in the busy day of a boarding school student’s life. The initiative has proved to be very popular with hundreds of students choosing to take part.
One year 9 student said: “Soul Space is incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
A year 11 student commented: “I was so pleased to see that Soul Space is back. It is one of the highlights of life at school.”
A Sixth Form student said: “I loved it. I can’t explain the way it made me feel but it was an amazing feeling. I left Chapel feeling like a new person.”
The Revd Jack Branford, School Chaplain said: “It has been another very successful week. Chapel is at the heart of school life here but there is no doubt that this is the Chapel highlight of the year for many of our students. The positive feedback we get from staff and students is really quite overwhelming. Young people have an innate sense of spirituality and I love the way Prayer Spaces in Schools provides a safe and inclusive place for this to flourish.
This is the third year of ‘Soul Space’ at Gresham’s, and my sixth year facilitating Prayer Spaces in Norfolk schools. I would strongly encourage others to give it a go. There are lots of resources and help locally which you can draw upon and you could make a huge difference to young lives.”
The Children, Youth & Families department has a great selection of prayer space resources available to borrow. Browse here, or if you would like to get in touch, please contact cyf@dioceseofnrowich.org