Editorial

At the end of each year, schools go through the process of selecting leaders for the upcoming year. MECS recently went through this and in the primary school almost 30 Year 5 students put themselves forward to receive a formal leadership position in 2026. I have been part of similar processes for many years, in both government and Christian schools. This year, however, something remarkable stood out. 

Throughout the speeches, in addition to sharing their highlights and strengths, students also shared their imperfections, their challenges, and their struggles. Rather than hiding these away, they spoke of how their difficult moments had shaped them, how their weaknesses could become places of service, and how their own experiences might help them walk alongside others who may be facing tricky times. 

These speeches left me incredibly hopeful for the young leaders emerging at MECS. Hopeful that in front of around 150 students, teachers and parents, many students felt safe enough to share part of their story, not to draw attention to themselves, but in the hope that their honesty might encourage others, and in turn give others permission to share their own stories. 

Their courage reminded me of what Danielle Strickland writes in, ‘The Other Side of Hope’, where she speaks of authentic hope in Christian community:  

“Hope does not live in the absence of doubt or fear or brokenness or complexity. Hope        is right in the middle. The joy is found in the pain, the faith in the middle of the doubt,           the love in the power to confront the fear… Hope is not a thing to acquire, but a Person to know.”  

This echoes a deep biblical truth, that God meets us not in our polished perfection but in our honest weakness. As Paul writes, “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

These Year 5s set a powerful example for the MECS community, one that all adults can take to heart. Vulnerability and sharing our stories are the most powerful catalysts for genuine connection. When we show our children what authenticity looks like, when we admit our mistakes, share our fears, talk openly about where God is growing us, we teach them that faith is not flawless, but real. Deuteronomy 6 calls parents to talk about faith “when you sit at home and when you walk along the road,” a picture of everyday, real-life discipleship. That includes the moments when we don’t have the answers and when we need God’s help just as much as our children do. 

As parents, our willingness to be open not only strengthens family relationships but also builds faith. It shows our children that following Jesus is not about having everything together but about trusting Him with everything, with our hopes, our doubts, our joys, and our struggles. In communities where people feel safe to be real, courage is shared, compassion deepens, and connection becomes the thread that holds people together. In this, we embody the kind of Christ-centred community where hope truly takes root and grows. 

These Year 5s set a powerful example for the MECS community, one that all adults can take to heart. Our authenticity shows our children that following Jesus is not about having everything together but about trusting Him with everything.

Danny Gamble

Deputy Head of Primary/Primary Student Wellbeing Coordinator