Hope 25

What do you hope for? What gives you hope when the going gets tough? And, what places or situations in the world do you feel could really use some hope?

These are the questions at the core of the Anglican Church’s HOPE25 initiative. In churches and schools, across hospitals, prisons, and military chaplaincies, Anglicans are finding ways to rekindle the hope we have in Jesus, and then share that hope with others.

At BDC, this has been a great reminder to reconnect with our Anglican identity and purpose. In chapel last term, students learned about 5 ways Anglicans share hope with those around us - by telling the story of Jesus, growing in faith, serving those in need, working for justice, and safeguarding creation. Of course, this is work for us to do as a community! As individual people, we all have our own gifts and passions, and not every point on this list will inspire every person. It’s all about knowing where we fit into the bigger picture. To help us reflect on this, students completed surveys that invited them to identify the things that gave them hope, and the things that caused them worry or uncertainty. Results were shared with students, leadership and wellbeing staff, and with our community on social media.

This term, we shift from learning and reflection, to a call to action. From Kindergarten to Year 12, students will be working to share hope with our community and our world. Secondary students are getting started on ‘Hope Projects’, identifying a situation that concerns them, and a concrete way they can bring hope. Students are collecting books to support a school in Ukraine, fundraising to support accessible sporting activities for disabled people, and creating opportunities for people to connect with nature. Along the way, they are not only serving their community in meaningful ways, but also building their resilience and responsibility as they are empowered to make positive change in our world.

Students in Years 3-6 have just been invited to enter an Art and Poetry competition on the theme of Hope. This is an exciting opportunity for students to use their creativity to express what hope means to them, either in words or in images. I am looking forward to seeing their inspiring and thought-provoking work, and sharing it with you. Entries close on 20th June, and there are great prizes to be won, so please encourage your Year 3-6 students to enter.

Students in K-2 will be bringing the joy and fun to our Hope25 celebrations, learning a special song with some very exuberant dance moves, which they’ll share with us all at the Foundation Day assembly at the end of term. This is also where we’ll report back on those Hope Projects and announce winners of the Art & Poetry Competition, so I hope you can join us!

Blessings,
Rev Lisa