GIFT Team
The GIFT Team are a variety of pupils from Years 7 - 11. They have a very important job to spread the Word of God throughout our school and the school community.
It is our mission to interpret scripture so that children can better understand stories from the Bible and relate them to their own lives.
You will see them around school leading prayer and worship, partaking in meditation and discussing current issues involving people around the world.
They meet on a weekly basis to share ideas on how they can share the Word of God with their fellow pupils. Ideas vary from an 'Advent Jigsaw' in Year 8 which is then presented at the whole school Christmas Mass; a 'New Year's Resolutions' prayer and form visit with the Year 9s and money raising ideas with the Year 7s for our school charity 'Wil's Wishes'.
Commissioning of the Year 7 Pupil Chaplains
On 13 October 2016 Mr Barden and Mrs Addington took 15 Year 7 pupils to Blessed Trinity in Burnley to be commissioned as Pupil Chaplains. Every Catholic school in East Lancashire was represented, primary and secondary. The morning was spent meeting one another and sharing our experiences of leading collective worship in our schools. Each school planned and delivered a short presentation to illustrate the kinds of things that the chaplains have been involved with. We all ate lunch together and in the afternoon we celebrated a special mass with Bishop John Arnold.
Each of our 15 Year 7 pupils were commissioned and now join our existing GIFT team.
This stands for Growing in Faith Together.
Presentation of Gift Team Ties
The Year 7, 8 and 9 Gift Teams were presented with their new ties by Ms Hayes in the newly decorated Chapel.
They took part in a liturgy organised by Mrs. Sweeney, before Ms Hayes individually presented a tie to each pupil.
Members of the Gift Team read some reflective passages from the Bible before a final piece of poetry.
Ms Hayes presenting the ties to the different Gift Teams
Our Gifts Are For Encouraging
Help us, Lord, to see ourselves
Through your loving eyes,
To see what you see in us
And to come to realise.
That everything that we possess
Comes directly from you,
The gifts, the talents you've placed within
Are there for us to use.
To reach with hope to those that hurt,
To those who've lost their way
It's your gifts, Lord, they're not our own,
So take them, Lord, we pray.
And use them for your glory,
So others may be blessed
And have their spirits lifted
And their souls also refreshed
So they can then be challenged
To seek more after you,
To be much more empowered
For whatever they may do
For each of us have talents
That God has placed within
So we can encourage others
To have a closer walk with Him
And as we encourage another,
We can be encouraged ourselves,
For there needs to be a continual flow
And a continual pouring out
And as we do this, we will find
Insecurities will disappear
And we’ll be strengthened in His love
To overcome our fears.
© By M.S.Lowndes