From the Principal

Dear Friends,

The final weeks of the College year hold many blessings for our community. Among others, I refer to major events like our final Assemblies, the Year 6 Graduation Dinner and ceremony, the Prep Nativity concert and Senior School Presentation Evening. Although these events are remarkable for their quality alone, they are so much more special because of our community’s attendance and involvement. There is a lovely ambience around these public events as families and friends remain on site for conversations and catch ups, and to farewell the staff retiring from College life. 

Indeed, in gratitude for their service to Oxley, we acknowledge with deep affection our long-standing colleagues who are resigning or retiring. They are Greg Barker, Tim Eddy, Ros Skurrie, Ann and Ric Gaschk, Margaret Signorini, Teresa Berry, Lisa Heckathorn, Barb Hopwood and Sue Dickson. In addition, Mrs Robyn Liney, will be on leave in Semester 1 with a potential plan for retirement later in the year. Each person has made a special contribution to Oxley, and we prayerfully commended them to the new season of their life journey.

I make special mention of Greg Barker who has given 18 years of Service to the Oxley community from 2005, following some 16 years in project and managerial roles in industry. When it comes to acknowledge Greg’s contribution to the Oxley Christian College community, words simply cannot convey everything that we feel and appreciate about that experience. But we warmly congratulate him for having shared his life and love of learning with students across the Senior School over the last 18 years. We will all miss Mr Barker, but his legacy will be honoured for many years to come, and I know his family will certainly appreciate having more time with him. 

It will be a great pleasure to welcome the new student leadership teams for next year and to single out for special recognition the College Captains and Vice Captains. I congratulate our new College Captains, Alicia Barker and Thomas Steuart, alongside Vice Captains, Tahlia Watt and Max Peacock. All our student leadership roles have been filled by students receiving the greatest support from staff and students, so we anticipate a high level of community support among the Oxley community. 

We also take delight in the completion of the College building projects. Staff and students will appreciate these magnificent facilities in the years ahead. I thank our architects, builders and Ps Graham Nelson, as project manager, for their efforts amid the post-pandemic difficulties in the building industry. It has been a remarkable couple of years for Oxley that will be complemented by new landscaping in the new year.

There are many acknowledgements we could and should make among Oxley families and staff. Everyone has their own experience and offering to make towards the common good. The biblical perspective of a body with all its parts working in harmony comes to mind, and we are thankful for each area of our organisation that makes the success of the whole possible. We are thankful for the recognition each area rightfully receives from inside and outside the College. But at Christmas time we are also reminded of a much bigger picture involving the acts of grace and love by God that see us celebrating the birth of the Christ child. In this event, we are compellingly reminded of who has made the cosmos and therefore who owns it. We are brought to our senses about to whom our worship and gratitude is rightfully directed. 

The story of the Christ child is the account of God’s love for us. God doing for us what we could not do for ourselves in reconciling the creation to Himself, which is the whole reason we celebrate Christmas.

I encourage us to set apart time from the distractions of this season to spend time with God, to come into His Sabbath rest, to a place where one can ponder the words whispered to the world for some 2000 years, that:

God so loved the world that He gave His only Son …

That act of love is one that offers healing, holiness and peace to the world. May Christmas provide such a time for every family represented at Oxley. 

Warm regards,

Dr Douglas Peck