St John’s CE Primary School Canterbury had a memorable day in London meeting leaders from politics and the church. The pupils were invited to sing at 10 Downing Street for an Easter reception in March, with special guests including the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London.
The day started with a formal welcome from the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace, where he met the children, and they asked him questions and sang ‘Amazing Grace’.
One pupil said: “It was amazing to sing in front of special guests such as the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London”, whilst another said “The Archbishop spoke to us about when he crowned King Charles. After listening to us sing, he explained what grace is (God’s riches at Christ’s expense). It helped me to understand what we’re singing about when we sing This is Amazing Grace”.
During the afternoon, the children had a tour of the Houses of Parliament. They learnt that the chimes of Big Ben ring out a prayer across London as the bell rings to the lyrics of ‘All through this hour, Lord be my guide, that by thy power, no foot shall slide’.
In Westminster Hall, they paused to pay their respects where Queen Elizabeth II lay in state.
After the tour, the children went to 10 Downing Street, where they had to wait as Barack Obama had been visiting the Prime Minister. They waved to Obama as he got into his car.
Inside 10 Downing Street, Michael Gove gave a short speech about the meaning of Easter and introduced the school, before the children sang three songs:
- This is Amazing Grace
- The Lord Bless You and Keep You
- Mighty to Save
The children also told the Easter story and prayed that they would remember the meaning of Easter.