Shiplake College was pleased to welcome the Bishop of Dorchester, Rt Revd Colin Fletcher OBE, to commission and bless this academic year’s Chapel Wardens and Prefects on Friday.
The Bishop comes to the College to perform this role every year, and is a great friend of the school. Chapel Wardens and Prefects are commissioned and blessed at the start of the year as they begin work to support pupils in the school and act as leaders in the community.
This year was particularly poignant, as it was the Bishop’s last blessing at Shiplake before his retirement. The Headmaster, Mr Howe presented the Bishop with some gifts from the College to mark his retirement.
The service last Friday included a reading by Head Chapel Warden, Christa Scott with prayers led by the Chapel Wardens.
Mr Brown presented the prefects to the Bishop and the Chaplain, Revd Briggs, presented the Chapel Wardens.
The Bishop in his talk encouraged pupils to look not only to their own needs but those of others as they fulfil their responsibilities.
Welcome to the College’s First Lay Chaplain
In addition to commissioning the Chapel Wardens and Prefects, The Bishop also commissioned Mr Alcock as the College’s new Lay Chaplain.
A familiar face around College, Mr Alcock has been an English teacher for 23 years, but also runs The Hub, a group which meets up to explore faith, God, prayer and the bible. He also helps with the Chapel Service on Mondays and Thursdays and supports confirmation and the Carol Service at Christmas.
Mr Alcock will be the College’s first Lay Chaplain, an appointment which recognises the huge amount of support he has given and continues to provide to the chaplaincy.
He said: “I was delighted to be commissioned by The Bishop of Dorchester as the College’s Lay Chaplain on Friday, and I look forward to continuing my support and collaboration with the Rev.
“I would also love to see more of a growing interest in faith and encourage pupils to get involved in The Hub. It would be great to explore the bigger questions and have time to talk as a group about what they mean.
“I am currently looking at how we can meet up, which most likely will be online. I am grateful to Mr Parker for offering his support for The Hub this year.”
