Our Christian Vision
“Life in all its fullness” John 10:10
Love of Learning, Love of Life, Love of One Another
Ashlands is a happy and welcoming community where everyone is included, valued and supported to reach their potential as we learn, live and love together. Through God’s teachings as our guide, we aspire to achieve ‘Life in all its fullness’ for all, where everyone flourishes and where community is celebrated. Through an embedded love of learning, love of life and love of one another’ we strive to give our community the confidence to make this possible.
Love of Learning; shares our school’s commitment to giving children a firm grounding and education in wisdom. The Bible is over brimming with parables and verses from God that encourage us to ‘apply our knowledge and skills and delight in seeking wisdom and knowledge, developing talents in all areas of life’ (Church of England’s Vision for Education).
Love of Life shares our commitment to valuing our children’s emotional and social development. We have a strong focus on love and well-being in our school community. This reflects Christ’s commitment and call to love God and our neighbours. “Life in all its fullness” John 10:10
Love of One Another shares our commitment to building strong relationships and fostering hospitality, kindness and respect for our community and beyond. In the words of the Bible, we are ‘all God’s children’. God’s teachings in our school parable of The Good Samaritan strengthens our aspiration to be kind to everyone and count everyone as our neighbour, including those of different beliefs or background to us.
The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
This parable really helps us to understand and live out our school vision and values – it should inspire you to be a valued part of our school community and the wider Crewkerne and world community!
This parable started with a man asking Jesus a question. He asked who his ‘neighbour’ was. God encourages us to be compassionate and kind to our neighbour – but who are they and how can we show compassion?
Jesus decided to answer this question with a parable to help everyone who was listening understand. Jesus said:
“There once was a Jewish man walking along a road. He was coming from Jerusalem and was heading to Jericho, which was a full day or two of walking.
The road was rocky and there were small hills all around. The man was just humming to himself and enjoying the nice day when suddenly a group of men jumped out from behind a hill. They took all his belongings and tore off most of his clothes. They didn’t want him to follow them so they beat him up very badly, and left him lying and bleeding on the side of the road.
A few minutes later, a priest was walking down the same path and noticed the man lying on the side of the road. Do you know what he did? You’d think he would run over and help the man. Instead he crossed the road and walked on the other side and acted like he didn’t see the man.
About an hour or so later, another man, called a Levite, was walking down the road. Levites were people who assisted priests with their work. He would probably help the man. But you know what he did? He slowed down and walked a little closer to the man, but then kept walking without helping him at all.
You might be thinking that maybe the man lying by the side of the road looked like he was resting or something and that is why the priest and the Levite didn’t stop to help. The trouble is, it was easy to tell he was badly hurt. The man was bleeding, had most of his clothes ripped off him, and he was bruised and hardly breathing.
Just a few minutes later, another man came walking. He was a Samaritan. One thing you should know about Samaritans is that Jews didn’t like them. Jews usually didn’t treat Samaritans very well, so they never got along. The man who was dying on the road was a Jew. So what do you think the Samaritan did? You would think he would walk by and maybe even laugh at the man.
But as soon as
he saw the man, he went over to him and felt compassion for him. He put bandages on his sores and poured oil and wine (which were quite expensive) on the sores to prevent them from getting worse. Then he lifted the man on his own donkey and took him to a hotel to take care of him.
The next day the Samaritan took out enough money so the man could stay at the hotel until he was well enough to leave. He paid the man at the front desk and asked him to take care of the man. If he wasn’t better after about two months the Samaritan would come back and pay for any extra cost.”
After Jesus finished the story, he asked, “Which of the three men do you think was a neighbour to the man who was left beaten on the side of the road?”
The man who asked him the question at the beginning replied, “The one who had compassion and helped him.”
Jesus told him, “that is right.”
And Jesus said to him: ‘Go and live your life as a good neighbour like the Samaritan.’
Anyone and everyone is our neighbour, and we show compassion by living it through our actions.
When he had finished the story, Jesus turned to the young man who had asked him the question and said ‘Now – who do you think was the good neighbour? The priest, the important businessman or the Samaritan?’
The young man replied ‘The Samaritan, of course!’ And Jesus said to him: ‘Go and live your life as a good neighbour like the Samaritan.’