This week we recognise National Reconciliation Week. This event was originally initiated and supported by major religious groups in Australia in 1993 as a week of ‘Prayer for Reconciliation’. This year, we have held a range of activities such as creating a giant chalk stencil in the heart of the school in which students could write their understanding of what reconciliation means. We have also held assemblies for Primary and High School students. Our guest speaker for the assemblies was Uncle Col Watego.
Uncle Col is a proud Bundjalung (Northern Rivers of NSW), Torres Strait Islander, and South Pacific Islander Man. His family initially lived in Byron Bay – where Wategos Beach is named after his ancestors. Uncle Col served with distinction with the ADF in East Timor. In 2016, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, “For meritorious service to Indigenous Affairs in the Australian Defence Force”.
Uncle Col now runs TRYP Consultancy (To Reach Your Potential), which conducts youth leadership and team-building programs that empower First Nations youth to contribute positively to their communities.
As a Christian Bundjalung man, Uncle Col spoke on what reconciliation means from a biblical perspective and what it means for young people. His talks were based on the following Bible passages:
Our school captains Sofia and Elijah, Principal McMullen and guest speaker, ‘Uncle Col’.
Uncle Col is a proud Bundjalung (Northern Rivers of NSW), Torres Strait Island and South Pacific Island Man. His family initially lived in Byron Bay – where Wategos Beach is named after his ancestors. He grew up in the southern suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland. Uncle Col served with distinction with the ADF in East Timor. In 2016, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, “For meritorious service to Indigenous Affairs in the Australian Defence Force”. Uncle Col now runs TRYP Consultancy (To Reach Your Potential), which conducts youth leadership and teambuilding programs that empower First nations youth to contribute positively to their communities. Uncle Col’s motto: To live is to serve.
Reconciliation is about rebuilding or restoring friendly relations. At its heart, National Reconciliation Week is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians.
The concept of reconciliation can be found throughout the Bible. The clearest example of reconciliation is Jesus’ sacrifice, dying on the cross, to restore our relationship with God. Jesus’ death on the cross is God’s ultimate expression of love and has made it possible for us to move from being enemies of God to having a fully restored relationship with Him.
For those who have a reconciled relationship with God, there is an understanding that God is calling us to go and bring others into that same relationship.
If you would like to read and think further about the differences between secular and biblical reconciliation, I recommend this article from TEARfund Australia: Uncle Neville Naden on Reconciliation. Uncle Neville writes that sometimes our efforts of reconciliation with First Peoples can be a response out of guilt due to all the atrocities that have happened to Aboriginal people since colonization. He suggests that we should never do things out of guilt; otherwise, it just becomes another activity. We should do it because of what God has done for us in Christ, and therefore, we should do our best to proclaim the good news of the Bible. So guilt has no part to play when it comes to reconciliation with God and His people.
This is an excellent way to consider engaging in reconciliation so that all Australians can benefit.
Celebrating 40 Years of WCCS
William Carey Christian School is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year, and one of our key points of celebration is fast approaching—the 40th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service on Thursday, 20th June. This event is open to all past, current, and future members of the William Carey community. The evening will be a great celebration, sharing recollections and giving thanks for God’s goodness and provision of Christian education in South-West Sydney. A feature of the evening will be a series of short films tracing the development and growth of the school, featuring many past and current community members. I’ve had a sneak peek, and it’s shaping up to be a wonderful record of the school’s history. Be sure to RSVP and join us for this very special evening. Register for the event here.
Staffing Update
A sad reality for a school of many years is that we must semi-regularly say farewell to longstanding staff. This year, we will be saying farewell to Mrs. Belling (Director of Early Learning) and Mr. Nightingale (Director of Teaching and Learning). It has been a privilege to work alongside such passionate educators who hold a strong commitment to Christian education. They have announced their retirement at the end of the year. To ensure we can recruit well for the future of the school, advertising for their positions will commence in the coming weeks.
God bless,
Keith McMullen
Principal
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3
