Chaplain's Chat
Lifting Aspiration Through Service As Action
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10
Fiji Service Tour 2026 - Bula Vinaka!
Our trip to Fiji was truly a journey of action, where a team of 22 students and five staff members were immersed in Fijian culture and contributed through meaningful service. This was not only a journey of giving, but also one of receiving. We experienced the warmth and joy of the Fijian people as they shared their singing, dancing, food and homes with us.
Our motivation for providing experiences such as this is to develop in our students an attitude of service and create practical opportunities for service in action. These experiences are an important part of living meaningful lives inspired by the example of Jesus serving others.
It is true that genuine service can lift students' academic and career aspirations, along with many other important measures of wellbeing and engagement. More importantly, acts of service are central to what we aspire to do as a school as we develop hearts for serving others and live out our core value of compassion.
Appreciating Culture: Experiencing a sevusevu and kava ceremony, language learning, pottery lessons and a traditional lovo feast.
Working for Others: Supporting food security through Shani's Kitchen, environmental action through dune restoration, and assisting a local pineapple farmer.
Working with Others: Meeting community identified infrastructure needs through the construction of community paths, toilet blocks and church repairs.
Being with Others: Service is most meaningful when experienced through genuine connection with people. Students encountered this through local leadership, village immersion and shared experiences. The people we met were truly God's gift to us throughout this journey.
Operation Christmas Child
Our Primary Religious and Values Education classes will be preparing a Christmas shoebox gift as an act of service for others. We begin early so that students have time to learn about the project, donate the required items and allow the shoeboxes to be shipped to the Asia Pacific region before Christmas. A communication outlining the requirements for each year level will be distributed shortly. In a wonderful example of God's providence, many of our gifts from last year were delivered to communities in Fiji.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse. It provides a practical way for students to demonstrate God's love to children in need around the world by filling shoeboxes with toys, hygiene items, school supplies and special gifts. The shoeboxes are collected and distributed in the name of Jesus Christ to children living in vulnerable circumstances.
Families who would like to prepare a shoebox together are also encouraged to get involved. Further information can be found at: https://occ.samaritanspurse.org.au/home/pack-a-shoebox/
Riverina Diocesan Synod
At the end of Term 2, we were privileged to host Bishop Donald and members of the Riverina Diocesan Synod.
A synod is a governing body within the Anglican Church, comprising elected representatives from both clergy and laity, who come together annually to discuss and make decisions regarding their faith and practice.
Student and staff service was on display in the Eucharist service through the Junior Singers performing two items, Ava Whitbourn as the gospel herald, Lucas Weiser as crucifer and Rev. Dr Van der Nest as intercessor.
Kind regards,
Rev. Tim Bowles
Chaplain