Let your light shine

For July and August, I'm on placement with the church of St Mary and St Nicholas in Littlemore. This church has a long-standing connection with the University Church, having been built by John Henry Newman while he was vicar of the University Church. More recently, our own Revd Hannah Cartwright served her curacy there before becoming Associate Vicar of the University Church. I have been enjoying seeing a different perspective both on ministry and on the city of Oxford itself. One of the many strong community links that has been fostered by the church in Littlemore is the connection with the local primary school, the John Henry Newman Academy. Clergy from the church provide a weekly act of Collective Worship in the school during term time, and are invited along to major events in the school's calendar. Which is how, yesterday, I came to be sitting in the chapel of Exeter College on Tuesday afternoon, listening to 60 ten- and eleven-year-olds, singing 'We're all in this together' from High School Musical!

This event, the Year 6 Graduation Celebration, was remarkable. There was communal singing (undertaken with great gusto), speeches by teachers, and presentation of prizes. On top of this, every student was invited (as one of a small group) to present a talent. These varied from cheerleading to magic tricks, from extra hard maths on a whiteboard to a mini competition to see who could jump the furthest. On display were not just the skills in question, but deep friendships, and gifts of collaboration and creativity. The school's motto is 'Let your light shine', and yesterday every one of those students not only shone, but knew that they were shining.

One message that we (hopefully) hear regularly in childhood is that we are special, that each and every person is individually loved and valued. As we grow up, that message is much harder to hear, as our value becomes increasingly attached to external achievements: grades, wealth, promotions, and other markers of status. As I watched those shining Year 6 students yesterday, I was reminded of another motto: the motto of the University of Oxford, 'Dominus illuminatio mea', 'The Lord is my light'. The light that shines from those children is not just the light of their talents or gifts, but quite simply the light of God's image in each of them. Even as they grow older and that wonderful awareness of their gifts begins to fade, that inalienable light will continue to shine. As it does in me. As it does in you.