Please note that the Naidoc Assembly commencement time has changed to 9.50am. Please sign in at the school office before going to Assembly.
We look forward to seeing you.
As we draw near to the conclusion of Semester 1 2023, I would like to share with you my thoughts presented to our Association at our AGM a few weeks ago. It is important that even though we are busy and always doing hard things that we take a moment to look up and out, to look forward with hope at what God is doing for us.
I am aware I do not usually move in this arena, nor argue this way, I am also aware there is a time for everything, and we must continue a conversation that seeks to protect what we believe to be essential for our kids. I trust you will enjoy and consider.
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I would like to take a moment, if I may, to suggest that 2022 and its surrounding experiences and subsequent ‘grey spaces’ (where we are not sure how to act or react, or what rules to live by) form the experiential foundations for truths that I believe we will need to have to stand firm as we continue. Going forward not only as providers of Christian education to a community and a nation that is ever-secularising but also as Christian educators who believe foundations of faith are critical to our students’ success in life.
Therefore, whole-of-life Christian Education and the right to employ whole-of-life Christians, is worth fighting for. One of RCC's most precious resources is its Christian staff and we don’t want to risk losing this distinctive. We believe that full-faith living impacts all that we believe and all that we do.
The CEN principal network was informed that the new Minister for Education, Prue Carr, refuses to meet with Christian schools. The Governor General, Margaret Beasley, also withdrew from the Christian Schools Australia conference for reasons not given. Whilst I am aware her reasons could be personal, in conjunction with other state’s education and employment reforms it is appearing like government investment in the right for Christian education and Christian schools is waning.
As a result we were told to begin to future proof our schools, as whilst they do not believe that NSW will got the way of NT, that is no legal right whatsoever to discriminate in employment according to faith, there is the feeling that we will proceed in Victoria’s footsteps. Daniel Anderson’s government has implemented law that states to be able to discriminate on grounds of faith a school must prove that the faith is inherent to practice.
The precedent in Victoria as outlined in the NSW Law Reform Commission’s proposal is essentially that the right to discriminate on the grounds of faith (of any religion) in employment and in school practice be removed and replaced by an employee’s nominal dedication to adherence to faith or a test developed by lawyers and politicians, not faith-based educators, to determine the validity of the need for whole-of-life faith-based employees.
It is my opinion that the impending law reform will forfeit the opportunity for Christian schools (or any faith-based schools for that matter) to employ authentic, committed Christian staff. Subsequently, it will undermine the authenticity and integrity that is foundational to RCC’s caring and safe environment and the relationships between RCC students and parents and RCC staff. Furthermore, it will have a critical impact on our ability to authentically teach rigorously from a biblical perspective.
I tell you this not to scare you, but to build on the truth articulated in my report. None of this should be unexpected, in fact, a fight for the right to have and live by faith is guaranteed. In John 16, Jesus outlines a promise and lays down a responsive command for us to live according to. He says, “In this world we will have trouble (promise). But take heart! He has overcome the world (command).” And Jesus always keeps his promises.
How we respond to the difficulty is not different to how we navigated covid or floods or trauma and loss. We must first take heart in the greatness and victory of not just our great God, but our good and great God. We must live, work, play in this knowledge. And we must pray that God grants our leaders and advocates the wisdom on how to live in this ‘Babylon’ moment.
To finish I want to encourage you with these thoughts from Tim Keller. Before his recent passing, Tim Keller left this message for the pastors of Redeemer Presbyterian Church of New York City (https://www.christianpost.com/news/tim-keller-gave-church-leaders-these-three-pieces-of-advice-before-his-death.html). He challenged them to:
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So, my encouragement this year is to have faith and not fear. Take heart. Bless. Invest. Lift up. Kneel Down. His Kingdom come. His will be done. Let’s join together, not just as staff, but as members of His body for our kids. Keep working hard, and it is hard, but we do hard things to build lasting, faithful foundations of identity, purpose and hope for our community.
Good Tidings
Jonno
