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An All-School assembly (including Early Childhood), with a more secular focus, is held in the gym on Fridays in lieu of chapel. Weekly Middle School Community Meetings are held on a variety of topics, often reinforcing both spiritual and moral development. Divinity. In addition to attending chapel and community meeting, Middle School students attend one Divinity class each week. These classes, taught by the School Chaplain and sometimes by the staff of the School or Trinity Church cover topics related to Hebrew and Christian scripture, church history, world religions, and religious ethics. Eucharist. About five times each year, during Wednesday All-School Chapel, we celebrate Eucharist, or Holy Communion. The Episcopal Church welcomes all Christians to partake of the elements of bread and wine in Holy Communion service. Again, the level of participation by individual students is optional according to their own faith traditions and family preferences. Students may partake of one or both communion elements (bread and wine), they may come forward only for a blessing by the clergy (crossing their arms across their chests to indicate their desire for blessing only), or they may remain seated in the pew during this part of service. This aspect of the life in the School should be discussed in advance by each family, thereby letting children know what their level of participation should be according to family preferences.
Community service is a way of life for St. Richard’s students and faculty members. Students learn the importance of giving their time, efforts, and gifts to others at an early age and continue to practice these lessons throughout their time at SRS. Learning to Give Learning to Give Mission Statement:: Aside from Learning to Give, the school and church work as a community to embrace several school-wide service projects. Each year students participate in several food-drives for local pantries and organizations, and they also have a collaborative effort in providing Christmas presents to needy families. Several classrooms visit local community centers and develop relationships with the children they sponsor during the holidays. St. Richard's School also responds in timely ways to needs in the community and nation-wide. It is common for students to focus on other children in need by collecting school supplies or books for them. Student Council members often brainstorm and respond to local and nation-wide disasters and take ownership in putting their efforts to work. In addition, individual classrooms often choose to focus their efforts based on student interest and curricular connections. New this year, St. Richard’s School will be scheduling various “Good Sam” projects for parents and their children to participate in together as a community. |
Chapel. One of the most defining aspects of an Episcopal School is the expression of its life of faith in worship. Since Episcopal faith allows for a wide range of individual beliefs, not being defined by a core dogma or set of confessional statements, the liturgy or structure of worship becomes a central focus of faith. Chapel, therefore, is supremely important to our Episcopal identity for St. Richard’s School. Early Childhood classes do not attend formal chapel services in Trinity Church; rather they hold more informal services in their own classrooms, often facilitated by the School’s chaplain. Lower School students attend daily chapel on Mondays through Thursdays. Middle School students attend Wednesday chapel. Attendance is mandatory for chapel, but a student’s level of participation (kneeling, recitation of prayers, etc.) is a matter of individual faith and religious preference. Students are often asked to participate in various aspects of chapel planning and liturgy.
Community Service