Communion at Boutcher

To Boutcher Church of England Primary School in our neighbouring parish of St Mary's, Bermondsey, for the weekly service of Holy Communion for Key Stage 2 ( the juniors, in old money).

Every year those children in year 5 who would like to be admitted to communion, following participating in a course led by Charlie, the rector, are admitted to communion by the bishop at a special service, so that week by week as the school celebrates communion, children from years 5 and 6, together with the teachers can receive the bread and the wine.

It was a very moving event - good simple, child-friendly liturgy, a dramatised bible reading brilliantly presented by year 5, lively singing, prayers led by the children, communion distributed by Charlie and two of the teachers to the children who filed up to receive.

The service finished with 'birthday blessings.' Those celebrating birthdays during the week came forward and everybody sung to them: 'happy birthday to you, to Jesus be true..'

Afterwards two year 6 children came up to me and said 'would you like a tour of our school?' and then showed me around all the classrooms, the playground, and their beautifully tranquil 'peace garden'.

I was impressed that there was a prayer corner in every classroom, and lots of references to the Christian character of the school in the displays in classrooms and corridors.

'We are a Christian school', one of my year 6 guides told me, by way of explanation.