The Hallifordian - 2016-2017

29 Year 10 visit to St Nicholas Church, Shepperton Is Islam a threat to Christianity? How much does a vicar get paid? What do vicars do in their spare time? These were a few of the questions posed to our local vicar, Reverend Swift, by the GCSEYear 10 students during an informative trip to St Nicholas Church at the end of January. Reverend Swift The new GCSE Religious Studies syllabus requires students to fully understand the role of the vicar in the parish church and within the wider com- munity. What better way to find out about this than to interview someone who ministers to the spiritual needs of the local area? Here at Halliford we are fortunate to have Reverend Swift as our link-vicar. He regularly visits us for assemblies and other spe- cial occasions. We were delighted when he agreed to play host to our GCSE RS students and they came away knowing a little more of what it means to de- vote your life to working in the Anglican Church. Thus, on a breezy January morning we walked down to Shepperton Square where Reverend Swift met us with a warm smile. After a brief tour of the 17th Century church itself and a short history of the building, Reverend Swift brought the students into the chancel where he happily fielded a range of penetrating questions. We were all interested to hear about the efforts of the Shepperton parishioners to assist in the building of a school in Mozambique not to mention the moving reason why Reverent Swift decided to give his life to God’s service. Oliver Bradshaw: ‘I’ve been studying GCSE RS now since September. We are doing Christianity this year and Islam in Year 11. So far, it’s been really interesting. Far better than I thought! However, when you get the opportunity to chat to someone like Reverent Swift you really appreciate that being a vicar isn’t just a job you can leave be- hind every day. It’s a job for life. I’m not sure if I’d ever have the patience to enter the clergy myself but at least I have a more positive idea of what goes on when you become a vicar.’ Brian Okwaisie: ‘I am a Seventh Day Ad- ventist Christian. I wouldn’t normally worship in a place like St Nicholas. And yet, it was fascinating to learn about the significance of the decorations like the stained glass and the 19th century rood screen. It was a surprise to me to find out that not so very long ago the Eucharist was delivered by the minister standing with his back to the congregation, far away on the high altar. In the old days it really was a case of ‘them and us’ – even in a place of worship!’ Tom Boynton: ‘I was actually baptised by Reverend Swift in St Nicholas Church so it was quite poignant for me to be there again. When I told him he said, “Gosh! You’ve changed a bit since then!” I’m keen to go back another day and find the record of my baptism in the parish register. Maybe one day my great grandchildren will look me up in there too?’ Sam Morse, Oliver Bradshaw, Jack Palmer, Sean Denton, Rev. Swift, Tom Boynton, Brian Okwaisie, Sam Murray-Smith and Huw Morely Mr Cunningham, Head of Religious Studies