Chaplaincy
Welcome to the Chaplaincy page of the Ardingly College website. As a school of the Woodard Corporation, founded to teach the Christian Faith within the Catholic Tradition of the Church of England, the Chapel and all it symbolises are at the heart of the life of the College. We actually have two chapels: the Chapel of St Saviour and the Crypt Chapel of the Ascension. The former is used for the major services for both the Senior and the Prep Schools, and for various assemblies during the week; the latter is used for the quieter daily services and for house assemblies on a regular rota.
The celebration of the Holy Eucharist (also called the Mass and the Holy Communion) is at the heart of the worshipping life of the College. On Wednesdays at 4.45pm during term time the Senior School assembles in the Chapel of St Saviour for the College Mass; the Prep School similarly on Fridays at 3.40pm. On other days the Eucharist is celebrated in the Crypt Chapel. Times of the daily services are listed elsewhere on the Chaplaincy page. Any member of the College community (pupils, staff, parents, friends) is welcome at any of the services. On Sundays the Eucharist is usually celebrated at 6.30pm in the evening in the Crypt Chapel (with the rare exception for events such as Old Ardinians’ Day), and this provides an opportunity for quiet reflection at the beginning of the week. Morning and Evening Prayer is said Monday to Friday, and Holy Hour following the Eucharist on Thursday evenings provides an oasis of calm and meditation towards the end of a busy week. A Sacristy team of pupils provides readers and servers at all celebrations, led by the Senior Sacristans, two Upper Sixth pupils who are senior members of the Prefectorial body.
The College Chaplain is Father David Lawrence-March. After reading Theology at university he trained for the Priesthood at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield. He was ordained deacon in 1985 and priest the following year and, after serving four years in the Parish of Peterborough St Jude, moved into school chaplaincy, firstly as Chaplain to St Augustine’s Secondary School in the Diocese of London. Since then he has been Chaplain and Head of Divinity at Bearwood College, a return to parish ministry as Rector of Holt in the Diocese of Norwich, and Senior Chaplain at Bedford School, from where he moved to Ardingly in April 2009. He lives on site in the Chaplain’s house, Standgrove Cottage, and, as the parish priest to the College community, is available to see any member of the College (pupils, staff, parents, friends) at any time when he is in residence. His email address is Father.David@ardingly.com and his home telephone number is 01444 892656. During term time he is also contactable on his office number, 01444 893006.
Ardingly College, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 6SQ
