Happy Pentecost!

This term we also celebrated Pentecost - the time when we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit, who helped a group of discouraged disciples find renewed direction and courage, forming the beginnings of the church. 

Pentecost is a joyful time, a celebration of the church’s birthday - so it was a great pleasure to share birthday cake with secondary students and icy poles with primary! Pentecost is also a time of reflecting on our own sense of purpose and calling, and giving thanks for the many opportunities we have to live into God’s vision for us.

This term, secondary students have met (via recorded interview!) some inspiring local ‘Hope Heroes’, who are living into their faith by helping those in need, caring for the environment, and working for reconciliation. These interviews allowed us to think on how we can each use our own gifts, experiences, and passions, to bring God’s hope and love to the places where it is most needed.

Primary enjoyed visiting our Holy Spirit themed Prayer Spaces in Week 7. Designed to offer students a range of ways to come close to God, our prayer spaces included building the church of the future from lego, listening to Christian prayers and music from around the world, viewing Indigenous artwork and creating our own paintings of the stories of Jesus, and making gifts of love to share with people going through tough times.

HOPE25

How can we share hope with others? This has been a key question for our students this term, as we continue working with the HOPE25 initiative of the Anglican Church. Running from Easter to Pentecost this year, HOPE25 has brought together schools, parishes, welfare agencies, and hospital and prison chaplaincies, all with one goal - to share hope in the name of Jesus. Our BDC community has really taken up this challenge and it has been amazing to see students and staff having important conversations and working towards a more hopeful future for our world. HOPE25 has given us a renewed commitment to living into our motto ‘Faithfulness in Service’.

At our Foundation Day assembly, we will have the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate all these efforts. Our whole community is welcome and I hope you can join us. But I would also like to use this opportunity to extend a heartfelt thanks to all who helped make BDC’s participation in HOPE25 happen. Our staff, who are always busy doing their absolute best for our students, took on extra tasks and gave their time and energy generously. Our students came up with some great ideas, and gave of their own time and creativity, amongst all their other school, work, and extra-curricula commitments. And of course families - all those who baked cakes for bake sales, provided art materials, donated books, shopped for cleaning supplies. Your generosity and kindness is part of what makes BDC such an amazing community to be part of. Thank you!!!

Rev’d Lisa Williamson
Chaplain, Bishop Druitt College