2016 Archbishop of Canterbury's New Year Message

CHATTER

Marsh Academy is a school in my own diocese of Canterbury.

'Today I've been meeting and chatting to some of the students,

'an experience I found very uplifting.'

Sodium hydroxide...

It is amazing, isn't it?

Yeah. The water turns... It just stays the same.

Just stays... Just gets more diluted.

Diluted, yeah.

I had the honour to meet privately

an inspiring boy, who at just 14,

fled his homeland in North Africa

after soldiers stormed his school

and attempted to abduct him.

He was saved by a courageous teacher, but was

so terrified that it would happen again, he decided to escape.

This is just one example of the many desperate journeys

children are making on their own to save their lives.

This school represents the best of what we can do in this country.

It welcomes. It loves. It serves.

It teaches and equips people

and demonstrates our ability to live up to our long-established

tradition of warmth and hospitality.

We've got ham and turkey. Would you like some of each?

-Yeah, that'd be lovely.

-Or this is the vegetarian.

No, I'll stick with ham and turkey.

Thank you very, very much, Debbie. That's really kind of you.

You're more than welcome.

The leisure centre next door, is that for the whole community's use?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-This is my lovely Year H class.

-It's very nice to see you.

What we're going to be doing today is we're going to be making some

indicator using poinsettia.

-You've put the water in.

-Yeah. We've put a little bit in...

CHATTER

'It's not a rich school.'

Many families in the area are struggling on a day-to-day basis

and yet this school and surrounding community are astonishingly generous.

If they can do it, so can we all.

Visiting here brings to mind a chapel in Canterbury Cathedral that

was set aside in the 16th century for refugees fleeing

persecution in France.

An inscription outside the chapel calls it

a "testimony alike to the large and liberal spirit of the English Church

"and the glorious asylum which England has in all times given to

"foreigners flying for refuge against oppression and tyranny."

Jesus was a refugee.

Fleeing as a baby with his parents,

returning years later to a strange new home.

He tells us to be those who welcome the alien and stranger,

the poor and weak. As a nation we have always done so.

In today's world, hospitality

and love are our most formidable weapons against hatred and extremism.

I have met some extraordinary people today,

from this area and those who have risked their lives to find safety.

The hospitality of people here brings love, hope and joy.

If we imitate them, society becomes a far better place.

I wish you all a happy New Year filled with hope.