St Mary's Primary School, Cushendall

                                                          A Rainbow Of Remembrance

The staff and pupils of St. Mary's Primary School, Cushendall, organised a special prayer service to  remember, in faith, members of their families who have died.

                                        
 
A few days before the prayer service the children drew around their left hand . Each class then coloured in the hand to correspond to the colours of the rainbow. They took them home and parents were asked to write the name of a family member who had died. Families were invited, if they wished, to place a photo of their loved one onto the coloured hand.
 
On the morning of the  prayer service the children came class by class and put their hand memorial on the floor in the shape of a rainbow. They then returned to class.

At ten o'clock all the classes came in silent reverence into the hall. The school community assembled, with children sitting in a  a semi-circle , surrounded by the adult members of the school staff.

Together they sang, read and listened to the word of God, offered up the prayers of the faithful and partook in a special reflection.

Staff lit candles and the lights of the hall were turned out. A silent ,still, atmosphere of quiet contemplation was created. In this moment of sacred space the staff and pupils shared a quiet time of special devotion, remembrance and reflection.

At this point in the ceremony an image of a rainbow was beamed onto the ceiling.
 
After the final hymn the children left  the hall in dignified silence.

                                                                                             
In the afternoon all the memorial hands were displayed in a rainbow shape on the school notice board in the main corridor.  This will remain as a special focus during the month of November, a time of special prayer for the faithful departed.