Chaplain

One of the great strengths of Redlands is that we value students reflecting on the bigger issues of life. This is one of the reasons we provide time for Chapel each week, so that students have space and opportunity to reflect. I welcome all our students to Chapel and encourage those who would like to participate in the music or any other aspect of Chapel to come and see me (in H.2.4) as this is a valuable way to serve the school community. 

I have been researching wellbeing and the factors that enable young people to grow in resilience. The research of Cotton et al (2005) and Raftopoulos et al (2011) has identified that religiosity and spirituality are significant protective factors for adolescents. These terms are defined by psychologists as broad categories, however, as you read the more detailed description they relate to such things as sense of a higher power who loves and cares for them, a sense of purpose, a relationship with others, a sense of the sacredness of life and nature and the universe.

These are fundamental aspects of our understanding at Redlands, which we connect to God as Father and creator. We encourage students to consider faith as a relationship with God and others. Jesus said love the Lord God with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself. Not only do we reflect on the sacredness of nature and the universe but also, God as creator of the universe and that humanity, as his representative, caretakers of these. This provides a connectedness and a rationale for an understanding of sacredness of nature as the Christian faith approaches a personal God and honours his perspective of the world.

Another area where we encourage our students to reflect on this connection between themselves and nature is in our Outdoor Education program. Students do not only experience new contexts and challenges but they reflect on these as well. So on camp, students are required to journal with some guidance. Over the years in Secondary School they will develop the skills and habit of reflection to gain the most from any experience and become reflective and centred individuals.

Parents who Pray

Each term a group of parents and community members gather to pray for Redlands. They pray for the students, staff and the broader school community. The group comes from various Christian traditions and all are welcome. This year the meetings will be on Wednesday mornings 8.30 – 9.15am. Note Day will have reminders and the specific venue for each meeting, however, the dates are listed here so you can mark them in your diary: 20 February, 20 March, 15 May, 12 June, 14 August, 11 September, 23 October, 13 November.

Cotton et al,  ‘The impact of adolescent spirituality on depressive symptoms and health risk behaviors’, Journal of Adolescent Health 36 (2005) 529.e7–529.e14

Mary Raftopoulos & Glen Bates (2011) ‘It’s that knowing that you are not alone’: the role of spirituality in adolescent resilience, International Journal of Children’s Spirituality, 16:2, 151-167, DOI: 10.1080/1364436X.2011.580729

Ms Bronwyn Lihou
Senior Campus Chaplain
blihou@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9830