Middle School visit

Who is this?

Monday 17th October 2011
      Years 5 and 6 of Bellingham Middle School came to St Cuthbert's church as part of their cross-curricular programme.  I had been asked if I could explain something of the origin of the Church of England, the history of St Cuthbert's church and the charactieristics of different parts of the building  --  in a little over half an hour!  Though neither an artist nor a geographer, I drew a map to show where missionaries (beginning with St Paul and other contemporaries of Jesus) travelled from the Holy Land to Athens, Rome, Ireland, Scotland and England, arriving in Northumberland from the south and from the north.  They came to bring the Good News ("Gospel" in Old English) of God's love for everyone as we have been shown it through Jesus's life, death and resurrection.  I'm not sure that this is what the teachers expected when they mentioned the origin of the Church of England, but I think it sets all the developments in their proper historical and geographical perspective (though that's not exactly what I said to the ten-year-olds).
      St Cuthbert, of course, was one of the missionaries who in a later century came here.  He followed the example of St Aidan,  who in turn had been appointed bishop by the king, St Oswald.  All these real people of our own area!  The church building reflects some of this history. If anyone can help me by identifying the figure in he stained glass window (to be pictured above), I'd be grateful.