11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 

 

Dear Colleagues and Friends, 

Doesn’t the summer holiday feel a long time ago? And the half-term break is still three weeks away! 

It is a busy time in schools and at this point I think we are all beginning to feel a bit tired – adults and children. 

For some, autumn is not the easiest of seasons. Yes – the trees can be beautiful; the crisp mornings rejuvenating and there are some good new dramas on the TV.  However, the shortening of the days and the dropping of the temperatures tells us that winter is ahead.  

When times are tough, I look for symbols of positivity, hope and God’s love. I often find these symbols in nature as I walk around my village. In the village, we have a large horse chestnut tree laden with conkers. I love conkers. 

As a child, I remember going with my friends on our bikes to collect conkers. We would return home with carrier bags brimming with spikey green conkers. I loved discovering the beautiful deep-brown colour and smooth shapes within the spikey shells. I loved polishing them and I must admit I had lots of fun testing the strength of them in conker fights with friends.

I have fond memories of conkers and they make me smile. 

Thinking more deeply about conkers in adult life, I see them as a symbol of hope and God’s love for us, especially at times when we are feeling tired or challenged in some way. 

Consider the contrast between the spikey shell and the smooth conker to reflect on God’s transforming work. You may ask children and adults in collective worship to hold a green spikey shell and ask them to think about something that is ‘spikey’ in their life at the moment.  

It might be that they have a friend or family member who is unwell, or it might be that they’ve had a disagreement with someone. It could be anything that they consider is not very nice; and they may choose to pray to God for his love and support. This could be done privately in the form of quiet reflection and prayer. 

At this point, we may consider the verse Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” 

We could then carefully break open the shells and hold the conkers for a minute, reflecting on how something so lovely comes from something spikey, a picture of how God can transform people and situations. 

You may also choose to leave a conker unopened somewhere everyone will see it. We could then pray the same prayer each time until the spikey shell opens to release the beautiful glossy brown seed of a conker. 

From these conkers if planted rightly, would come a tiny shoot that would grow into a little sapling, that over time would grow into a wonderful tree, producing fresh horse chestnuts of its own.  

As a seed, the conker represents potential. Let us think about our own potential and the potential we have in our school communities. For this conker to grow into a tree and produce other conkers, it needs the right soil, rain, and sun.  

What conditions do we need for us and our school communities to grow and flourish? 

We all know that we flourish when we are valued and feel included. We all thrive when there is justice and equity. We grow when we have the support of one another. 

If you are feeling a little jaded or ‘spikey’ at this time, I ask you to hold a conker in your hand and think how you can break free from those spikey feelings or situations. Always remember that the diocesan education team is always here to work with you and alongside you. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch. 

I wish you all the best for the rest of this term. 

Best wishes 

Canon Paul Thompson