Last year I recall some online discussions where people speculated that online learning could be the way of the future. I beg to differ. While introverts like myself sometimes appreciate being left alone to read, think and complete tasks, it is important to remember that God created us to be in relationship with himself and each other. Connecting with people through Zoom or social media is a poor substitute for personal interaction.

Shire Christian School, until the beginning of the pandemic, has been a wonderful place for our students to interact. I think of dynamic group work in the classroom, self-directed play at lunchtime, sport, musicals, excursions and camps. Students learn a great deal about themselves and others through the many interactions that are a part of normal school life.

Despite the obvious shortcomings of remote learning, it is important to be thankful to God in all circumstances, including the difficulties we all experienced over the last 3 months. Despite the shortcomings and risks of communicating and learning using a device, praise God for computers and the internet. If NSW went into an extended lockdown 15 or more years ago this technology would not have been available and student learning would have been substantially worse.

After acknowledging and reflecting on the struggles we have all experienced since the beginning of the pandemic and celebrating the return to regular on-site school, I encourage our community to look forward to what The Lord will provide in the future. God has blessed the Shire Christian School community in so many ways since we humbly started with a handful of students in a church hall in Sutherland in the 1970s and I have no doubt He will continue to do so.

Mr Brett Hartley
Principal

I am sure that we all are experiencing some anxiety in varying degrees about COVID and returning to school after lockdown. This is normal. 

Some may be feeling excited about returning to school, others may be quite concerned or worried. No matter how we feel, let’s make sure that we trust in God, for His provision, His wisdom His love and protection.

We are ready to welcome students back to school beginning with Prep, Kindergarten and Year 1 next Monday. Children have been seperated from one another, their teachers and the school for a long period of time. As a priority, we will be giving time for children to reconnect with their friends, supporting those who need reassurance, reflecting on our period of remote learning and continuing to learn new things. We are confident that it won’t take too long for everyone to settle back into school life again, because of the strong connection that many have to our school, to one another and the love and care that teachers have for the their students. We have been planning and praying for this moment. 

I encourage you to help prepare your child for returning to school. Speak positively about the return to school, help prepare them for some of the changes and re-establish routines such as bed time, getting ready and eating at designated times. Please have a look at the helpful videos in this newsletter.

Additional helpful information can be found here.

Mr Paul Carter
Head of Junior School

Other Scriptures remind me that this purpose is to ‘make all things new’ (e.g. Revelation 21:5), when the One who died on the cross for my sins as my Saviour will return in power as my Lord and King, when ‘every knee will bow’ and ‘every tongue confess’ his rightful reign (Philippians 2:10), confirming that the fulfilment of all God’s purposes in human history is complete. Ezekiel was commissioned by God to tell his people that God’s Plan was never ‘out of control’, even if it included the destruction of the Temple and the Holy City that were symbols of his power and presence among them, as well as their deportation to Babylon under the rule of wicked King Nebuchadnezzar.

While I was processing all this, and grappling with God’s strange providence in achieving his ultimate purpose, Brett was reminding me each Sunday of how to live in Babylon! Daniel and his three friends are an excellent, inspired and inspiring, example of what it means to do what Jeremiah commanded in his Prophecy: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which i have carried you into exile. Pray to the lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:5-7)!

The older I get, the more of a struggle I have in coming to grips with the fact that I am living in a ‘foreign’ and ‘hostile’, God-denying, world - the 21st Century version of ‘Babylon’ - and my Pastor is challenging me each week to have a more positive and optimistic attitude towards it, to PRAY for its PROSPERITY! Please pray for ME! At least I’m starting to get a better appreciation for what it would have been like to be a Judean in 696 BC, and what it means to keep on trusting in my God and Saviour, even, and especially, in the dark!

“The Lord is King! Lift up your voice, O earth and all you heavens, rejoice!  From world to world the joy shall ring, ‘The Lord Omnipotent is King!’ The Lord is King! Who then shall dare resist his will, distrust his care; or murmur at his wise decrees, or doubt his royal promises? The Lord is King! Child of the dust, the Judge of all the earth is just; holy and true are all his ways: Let every creature sing his praise. He reigns! You saints, exalt your strains; your God is King, your Father reigns, and he is at the Father’s side, the Man of Love, the Crucified.” (Josiah Conder).

Rev Bruce Christian

This will ensure that schools can endorse applications and current entitlements are updated and remain valid. School Opal card holders will have the changes applied to their existing card.

Edstart helps make it easy for you to manage school fees by providing flexible payment plans. You can reduce your annual school fee spend by extending payments over a longer period.

With Edstart, you can fund tuition fees, additional charges such as uniforms, extra-curricular activities as well as amounts in arrears.

To find out more, visit edstart.com.au/shirechristian.

Please note that in providing information about Edstart, the school is not providing any recommendation, brokering or advice services. The school does not receive referral fees, commissions or any other remuneration from Edstart.