Christian Union
The group share friendship and fellowship and welcome any member of the school community. Students and staff meet on Mondays (for Y7, Y9 and Y11) and Tuesdays (for Y8, Y10 and 6th Form) during breaktime in HU1. All students are welcome and do not need to have a faith or to attend Church or another place of worship. Miss Taylor organises the group, with support from a local church. Students can come along to Christian Union to find out what goes on and to decide if they want to attend more regularly or go along every week. Christian Union are responsible for driving the concept of the ‘Act of Random Kindness’ (ARK) that we aspire to be a feature of our school community. Christian Union members are also called upon to help out with special school services or with events that support the Christian ethos of the school. Students who are members of the Christian Union will have the opportunity to meet with Governors and members of the local Clergy Team to discuss the Christian ethos of the school and to work with them to develop ideas for maintaining and improving further the Christian ethos of the school. Students who want to find out more information about Christian Union should see Miss Taylor who will be happy to respond to questions. Christian Union Activities Christian Union Members have been involved as part of Student Voice, in the development of the Prayer Box that is now in use and which contributes to Collective Acts of Worship. The group also regularly organise and support charity appeals and events within the school community. For example they organise the appeal for children and adults in Sierra Leone and the Harvest foodbank appeal. They have also volunteered their time within the local community at the Broxbourne foodbank and the Christmas shoebox warehouse in Harlow. Every Easter the group organises activities for the school community to take part in, for example – Easter prayer spaces, Easter egg hunts, cookie decorating, poster competitions and quizzes. St Mary’s Prayer Box A Prayer Box is now available and ready to be used. It has been set up by Christian Union and Miss Taylor following a request from Student Voice. The box can be found to the left of the entrance to the main hall. It is for the whole community to use as and when anyone wishes. A note pad and pen have been left by the box so that students, staff and visitors to the school can write their prayers onto the note paper and then place them into the box. The prayers will then be blessed during collective worship by the clergy.Christian Union is a group for students and staff who share an interest in faith to meet to discuss topical issues such as items that are in the news, debate aspects of Christian and other faiths and to share in worship.