17.10.2019
Giving Thanks for the Bare Necessities – Diocesan Service for Primary and Junior Schools
Young people from all over Dublin & Glendalough gave thanks for the Bare Necessities of Life at the Diocesan Service for Primary and Junior Schools this morning (Thursday October 17). Pupils and their teachers and rectors, filled Christ Church Cathedral as they thanked God for what they have, remembered those who don’t have the necessities for life and sought to share with all and safeguard of the wonder of creation.
Archbishop Michael Jackson presided at the service and Dean Dermot Dunne welcomed everyone to the cathedral including guests who represented the Department of Education and Skills, the INTO, the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association, the Church of Ireland Centre at DCU, Educate Together and the Muslim Primary Education Board.
The service was led by the Revd Ross Styles and the Revd Nigel Pierpoint, who entered into the spirit by dressing up as bears for their address and had the entire congregation singing along at the top of their voices to the Jungle Book classic song, the Bare Necessities.
The Revd Ross Styles said that, according to science, the bare necessities for life were food, water, air and shelter. After gathering suggestions from the pupils, Nigel added family, friendships and community to that list.
“We have all these gifts through the gift of creation,” Ross explained. “We are fortunate that when we go home we can turn on the tap and get water, we can go to the supermarket for food and we have a roof over our heads.”
Nigel reminded the children that in other parts of the world families have to walk for a day to get water and when they return to their village they share it with their community. He said that there had been marches recently and people were highlighting the fact that we have to look after our earth better because we have no Planet B.
“We are given one world and one chance to look after it. We are given the bare necessities of life which we should share with those less fortunate,” he said.
During the service readings and prayers were read by pupils from a number of diocesan schools.
The collection was taken in aid of the Peter McVerry Trust, Alice Leahy Trust and Eco–Congregation Ireland.
