Emscote Infants & All Saints Juniors
We are fortunate to have very close links with our two parish schools, All Saints Juniors and Emscote Infants. The two schools are federated.
Both schools attend church for their end of term assemblies at Christmas, Easter and Harvest, raising the roof with their singing. They enjoy coming for other events too – examples of some of these are detailed below:
This project began in Spring 2017. All Saints Kings Heath (Birmingham Diocese) donated their Big Tree frame to us. Then began the knitting of the green squares (all shades) and copious decorations. Adults and children were all involved and the 20ft tree was put together by engineers from Jaguar Landrover and was unveiled at a packed Community Carols in 2018. What a wonderful backdrop to the Advent and Christmas services!
We housed a large art installation by artist Jake Lever, named, ‘The Blue and the Dim and the Gold’. The artwork was with us from beginning of Lent to Easter 2. The children’s reflections were collated and shared with the All Saints’ congregation during this period. At Sunday Mass Easter 2 – the artist himself (Jake Lever) came to talk about his work and share in/respond to some of the responses from school and church.
The congregation had journeyed with and reflected on the artwork over this time through the help of various guests: (eg poet/liturgist Revd. Canon Mark Pryce, B’ham Diocese led a Poetry Mass; at Wednesday evening masses through Lent).
The children were also invited to an exploration of other sensory symbols from the church’s sacramental spiritual style
- Altar party there to show and explain what happens in the church’s sanctuary during worship through the set up for the eucharist – incense also used.
- Priestly vestments (from the old, new churches of All Saints Emscote.
The children explored these first hand, by dressing up in and investigating some highly adorned examples, especially from old church.
Due to Covid restrictions, Christmas 2020 took place outside the church. All Saints Juniors wrote their own prayers which were hung on the 16ft outdoor Christmas Tree. Emscote Infants wrote their hopes for Christmas on coloured ribbons which were displayed around the tree.
All the Emscote Infants & Year 4 from All Saints Juniors came to church to participate in a journey to the Bethlehem stable, let by Mary and Joseph’s carrot-loving donkey! There was also a Christingle service around the crib.
A booklet entitled, “Prayers for Love, Joy and Peace” was made from a selection of the children’s prayers & hopes by associate headteacher Sandra Sutherland and theological student Sarah Cushing. This booklet was sent to all the classes and to church & community members.
We acquired funding from Henry VIII Endowed Fund to commission artist Jake Lever to come and work with both schools on an exciting art/environmental project. Jake came to work with staff and then children in September, using various techniques to make a Tree of Life. It linked with the community Tree planting which happened in March.
Members of church worked with Jake to erect the Tree ready for unveiling at the Tree of Life community open day on Saturday 16th October. Poetry on trees was also on display from the children of All Saints Juniors. The Open Day was extremely well supported by families, staff from both schools and church members, and Jake Lever attended. There were refreshments, bouncy castle (a real novelty, after Covid, for many children). The juniors also came in their separate classes to see the Tree in November before it was taken down.
It was in church for All Saints Day when Bishop Christopher came to dedicate new Book of Remembrance. Again, the children of All Saints Juniors were present through a video showing them at work on the project. There were also beautiful photos of trees as part of this.
Revd. Diane gave an assembly prior to All Saints day, linking with trees and the need to care for the earth as modern day saints.
Families from both schools were invited, and a very good number of families linked to both schools attended our three Messy Church events. Stories, crafts, food, celebration and singing all took place and the children had a wonderful, craft-filled time learning about various biblical stories or themes, including Jesus the Good Shepherd, God’s Wonderful World and Jesus Calms the Storm.
Year 6 classes came to visit the Message Bus – Warwick Churches’ new project of mission to young people. Bus manager Gary Matthews was there to show them the bus and its hi-tech resources, all of which was very well received.
James Yates (Thrive youth Leader) led 25 min session in the Coffee Room on ‘Moving On’ with an opportunity to introduce the new Lounge @All Saints project, which is open to year 7+ from September. The Lounge is a chance to chill and chat after school (3.30pm to 5pm fortnightly) in All Saints Church Coffee Room.
Comminity tree planting on St Edith’s Green, Monday 8th March 2021
Warwick schools celebrate kindness and support shown by the community during the pandemic.
From the Leamington Courier, Wednesday, 10th March 2021:
“The trees were selected by members of the public in an online poll, which received more than 170 votes from a shortlist provided by Warwickshire Forestry.
Emscote Infant School and All Saints’ C of E Junior School, representatives of Churches Together in Warwick and members of the local community came together to plant four new trees outside the Infant School this week.
The tree planting was a celebration of the many acts of kindness that residents and key workers have bestowed upon each other over a very challenging year, from making a shopping delivery for someone shielding, displaying a rainbow in a window in support of care workers or just staying in to protect the NHS.”
“To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.”
The 5th Mark of Mission (Church of England)
A very vibrant, action-packed, fun day.
Beginning in the vicarage garden, the children and congregation members imagined they were in Jerusalem, gathering from the four corners of the Jewish world
They told the story of Pentecost using a parachute and coloured balls, and the children had learned to say hello in a different language of their choice.
The overflowing of the Holy Spirit was demonstrated through a science experiment.
Over in church there was artwork with Hayley Hindle, with stained glass designs, fridge magnet doves embellished with words about the fruit of the Spirit.
The children then performed a traditional Jewish dance, remembering that Pentecost was at harvest time and a celebratory festival.
Finally, the children were given samples of Jewish fruits of the harvest, and Bishop David Evans gave the final blessing in Spanish.
Year 6 also created Pentecost designs for banners which were placed around church.
Our outdoor Stations of the Cross were devised by a congregation member, using the exterior of the church. The church’s caretaker made a large wooden cross for the main lawn and another cross out of bound branches from the vicarage garden, which was placed out on the grass by the Contact Centre. Children from both schools engaged with the Stations, following around the outside of the building until they met on the main lawn of the church for the final station.
