A Way of Being: Faith and Belonging at St Mary’s DSG in 2025
Belonging at St Mary’s DSG is shaped through shared practices of prayer, reflection, and community. The Chapel stands at the centre of our grounds, and its influence is felt across school life. Our Anglican rhythm gathers a diverse community to pray, sing, question, and grow, from Grade 00 wonder to Grade 12 philosophers, from joyful Sunday worship with boarders to quiet early-morning Eucharists. We honour tradition without hiding behind formality: solemn liturgy stands alongside vibrant music, each revealing how God meets us, how we belong, and how faith grows here.
Our identity is lived, not merely stated. We open meetings in prayer, pause at the midday bell, welcome our youngest girls with a “Little Light” candle service, and bless our Matrics as they leave carrying their light into the lives they are building. We teach a faith that welcomes curiosity and forms young women who can hold tension with grace. Spiritual life is shared work, strengthened by chaplains whose ministry deepens connection across the whole school community. This leadership is echoed by our sacristans and Grade 7 chapel ambassadors, who serve with discipline and pride, reflecting the ethos at the heart of our school.
We offer the sacraments of Baptism, admission to Communion, and Confirmation as invitations for growth rather than achievement. Forming the whole person is a spiritual commitment. We do not rush it; we tend it. As we look toward 2026, we hope to deepen this rhythm, welcome more voices, and nurture a community where grace is practised and unity strengthened one small gesture at a time.
This year was marked by joyful worship, meaningful learning, and growing leadership in our Chapel and Divinity life. We celebrated the licensing of Mr Evans as Assistant Chaplain, the installation of Mrs Mngambi as Head of Junior School, and the school’s 146th Birthday Eucharist, led by the Vicar General, Dean Moses Thabethe. We rejoiced as thirteen Grade 5s were admitted to Communion by Archdeacon Jerry Ntlatleng and eleven Grade 10s were confirmed by Bishop Anthony Mdletshe in a joint service with St Alban’s College, while Archdeacon Garfield Jacobs led a memorable Term 3 Community Prayers service. Worship expanded outdoors through the Confirmation retreat, Stations of the Cross, and an All Souls remembrance service. The Divinity curriculum continued to grow, from Godly Play in Grade 00 to thoughtful enquiry in senior classes. The Moms Who Care prayed for the community each week and visited the Grade 12s and 7s with prayers and encouragement before final exams .
The Grade 12 Valedictory ended with a powerful praise poem, a developing tradition that celebrates dignity and joy. The Grade 7s marked the close of their chapter with a Farewell Eucharist that was both solemn and celebratory. These events stood alongside many smaller practices and commitments that sustained our identity as a faith-shaped school. Together, they marked a year where faith was lived with creativity, reverence, and community.
They remind us that Chapel life is not an event, but a way of being.
