This term, Peter Carnley Anglican Community School Junior School students are taking part in afternoon Bush Chapel services. These services blend the beauty of outdoors with a worship to God. The special initiative encourages students to connect with nature in the Junior School Nature Play area, a beautiful, peaceful setting to explore our Anglican identity.
With open discussions as a part of each service, students are encouraged to share their thoughts and deepen their understanding of faith in a natural setting. Bush Chapel continues to be a meaningful way for students to connect their hearts with the world around them.
Each Bush Chapel service focuses on a different theme, with the most recent service centred on beauty. Students were invited to be still and take a moment to listen and admire the beauty around them - the towering trees, the delicate insects, the vast open sky. It was a moment for everyone to pause, listen and appreciate the intricate details of God’s creation. Students shared what they observed such as the patterns in the bark, the rustling of the leaves beneath their feet and the varying shapes and sizes of rocks surrounding them.
Bush Chapel takes place in the Junior School’s Nature Play area: an area usually filled with activity, noise and play. In Bush Chapel, students recognise the importance of slowing down, listening and taking time to be still and pray. They actively responded to the reflective atmosphere, understanding that Chapel is different from playtime - it is a sacred moment to connect with faith and be closer to God.