This video and the accompanying webpage from Bond University is challenging the pity approach that is often used in engaging with people in developing nations. What messages does your school communicate to students about developing nations and the people that live within in? Even the idea of service trips communicates a particular idea about the capabilities of people overseas.
Engage Worship is a great site for resources for worship and prayer. The worship ideas section is particularly useful. It has prayers, dramatic activities and all kinds of creative ways to engage people with prayer and worship. There are also videos...like the one below.
What do Australian's really believe? What do they think about Christianity and Christians? How open are Australian's to changing their views. All this and more can be found in the latest McCrindle Research publication Faith and Belief in Australia. This is essential reading for anyone working in the mission space of the school. One of the great bits of the report is the answers to the question: How would you describe the Christians you know? The top five are very positive. What do you think might be high up on the list?
Looking for prayer resources for your school. Brisbane Catholic Education has an excellent Daily Prayer Calendar developed for their schools. Apart from the amazing creativity of some of the suggestions, one of the really great things about this calendar is that it provides prayers for days such as Sorry Day and International Children's Day. It also reflects the seasons of the church's calendar. You should just go there now. Here is the link again.
2017 is a significant year in Australian reconciliation history. It marks 50 years since the 1967 Referendum and 25 years since the Mabo Decision. Reconciliation Week starts each year on the anniversary of the first event (27 May) and finishes on the anniversary of the second (3 June).
The theme for 2017 is: Let's take the next steps.
So here's the big question: How is your school participating and marking this important week in our national calendar?
Reconciliation Australia's YouTube channel has some wonderful videos of exceptional young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. There are edits for both Primary and Secondary. These are a great way of sharing the stories of young ATSI people with your students.
Information on current trends in youth culture is always valuable for chaplains. The Youtube clips in this playlist provides some useful insights. Here is one of the short clips below.
If you haven't heard of Prayer Spaces in Schools, now is the time to find out! One great place to start is the Prayer Spaces in School website or you could check out the video in the bottom of this post. The most important thing to know is that Phil Togwell from Prayer Spaces in Schools (UK) is coming to Australia in August. Find out more about the tour here.
Brisbane - Wed 9th August - St John's Anglican College
Canberra - Mon 14th August - Radford College
Sydney - Tuesday 15th August - Ravenswood School for Girls Adelaide - Thursday 17th August - St Peter's College
Melbourne - Friday 18th August - Caulfield Grammar School
If you want to find out how amazing Prayer Spaces are and learn how you might use them in your school come and join in. The tour is being organised by the Anglican Schools Commission in Southern Queensland but all are welcome.
