Thursday 13th May 2021 marked the 127th birthday of Queen Anne's School which each year coincides with Ascension Day. Reverend Rachel Ross-Smith led a morning assembly in the Chapel, where she used the theme of ascending, citing balloons to illustrate the Christian celebration of Ascension Day.
She told the story of her experience in a hot air balloon, where she ascended high above the Namib Desert in Namibia as the sun began to rise.
She said, "Travelling to dizzying heights is not only for leisure purposes, the exceptional heights that the NASA high altitude balloons ascend to allows for scientific research to take place. The idea of 'going up' is not just a modern invention. Ascension Day recognises the perplexing story in the Bible where Jesus ascended to heaven. Jesus took his disciples to a high place, where he commissioned them to share what he had taught. After Jesus had finished speaking, the disciples watched as he was lifted up, and a cloud received him".
The symbol of a cloud often refers to the glory of God and the story is another way of saying that Jesus is 'called up' to be with God. Reverend Ross-Smith talked about how being 'called up' is still something experienced today and invited the girls to think about the similarities of the end of the school year when someone can be 'called up' to receive a prize. "It is a demonstration of what has been achieved, much like Jesus who was awarded the highest honour for spreading God's word", she said.
The birthday celebrations continued at tea time in the houses with birthday cake!
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