Editorial

Michelle Dempsey - Principal

Hope!

This year, our staff are unpacking a devotional book on Hope, by Paul David Tripp. You might not be aware, but on Monday – Fridays, our staff meet together in intentional groups, in a time of devotion. This looks different on different days. Mondays is dedicated to section groups (Primary, Secondary and Admin meet in groups separately), Tuesdays we get to hear the faith story of a particular staff member, Wednesdays and Thursdays is focused devotional time (this year it is the Paul Tripp book) and Fridays is a combination of meeting in small pastoral care groups, praying together and we’ve now introduced an opportunity for staff to sing together, on the occasional Friday morning.

Paul Tripp suggests that hope has three elements; desire, object and expectation. Let’s think about this. We all know what it is like to want something. We hope that we might be able to have a holiday, or land that big fish, or have the car we’ve been dreaming of, or that we would do well in an exam, or get the job we’ve hoped for. On top of that, we have a natural desire to be loved, seen, supported and encouraged.

We then look to something or someone, an object, to satisfy that desire.

This is bound by expectation and let’s face it, our expectations are usually bound by a time frame that is often pretty short and we get pretty impatient while we wait for our hopes to be met.

Tripp suggests that “Everyone gets up in the morning motivated by hope of some kind or paralysed by hopelessness of some kind”. It’s true, isn’t it? If I’m feeling excited and hopeful for the day to come, I’m naturally motivated. I can also relate to the sense of paralysis or hopelessness that a tough situation can lead to.

When it comes to our hopes being truly met, Tripp suggests that there are only 2 places to look – we can look at created things, or we can actually look to the creator.

I personally find it easier to look to created things – the stuff that satisfies for a moment. The new rug or the new dress or the new dinner set or new stove. I have experienced though, that looking to the creator, and stopping to drink from the well of Christ, is far more satisfying.

As you familiarise yourself with MECS over this new year, you might notice that a lot of staff like to share their deep hopes for their classes or subject areas. You might see them on display, or they might turn up in a note home. MECS is a hope that is motivated by hope in Jesus. It oozes out of staff, it’s something that we turn to constantly, it’s the driver for our planning, policies and practices. It’s my hope, that you and your family would have a fantastic year ahead as you partner with us, in digging deeper into the hope that is only found in Jesus.