Chaplain

Welcome to the New Year 2021. Reflecting on the strengths of our Redlands community, I am thankful. One of the distinctive features of our school is the opportunity that the students have to explore faith and have time in Chapel to engage with a sense of the transcendent yet immanent God. (The bible presents a God who is all powerful and good yet close to us and active in the world.) This reflection is the ancient Christian form of mindfulness: stilling the mind and focusing on the grandeur of God and a life well-lived. Prayer particularly helps in this, as each aspect of life with its stress and burden, is shared with the God who is near to us. Students are given the opportunity to explore these practices and adapt to their own inner faith system. These aspects of Christian practice have been shown in many psychological studies to be protective factors to student wellbeing.

It is natural for students during the adolescent years to engage with working out their own belief system. At Redlands, students are provided with information and skills to understand the Christian faith as expressed in the bible. They are challenged to think, question, probe and reflect as this is the only way to effectively engage with the bible. The bible has been a rich source of inspiration, encouragement, correction and innovation throughout the centuries. It has profoundly shaped our art, music, literature, science, history and values. This alone is good reason to engage with it in an intelligent, thinking manner, but there is more. The disciples responded to Jesus, ‘You have the words of eternal life, where else would we go?’ and this is what I hope our students discover as they explore; words that bring life, hope and peace.

This term Ms McKenzie, the Junior Campus Chaplain, is on Long Service Leave. During this time Ms Lihou, Chaplain of the Senior Campus, will be leading Chapels on the Junior and Prep Schools on Wednesdays. If parents or carers would like to discuss any aspect of the Chapel and its role in the school or if they would just like to chat, I am available so feel free to email me on the contact below.

God bless you in the coming year.

Ms Bronwyn Lihou
Senior Campus Chaplain
blihou@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9909 3133

Ms Fiona McKenzie
Junior Campus Chaplain
fmckenzie@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022