Hello,
How are you? I hope that you are all trekking along ok. Once again, this term is looking to be an action packed eventful one. The FOG group have a few things planned to bring our community together. They have already held a Uniform Pop-up Shop, a Mother’s Day Stall, a Pancake Breakfast and next week we have a coffee and chat morning on Thursday at 9am. There will also be a family night that is being planned on June 21st. This group of volunteers have been very busy and are always looking for other people to join their group. This group is a great way to get to know others, make friends and as a team help our community. There is always something going on around our school which is great, so hang on and enjoy the ride!
Last week I attended my annual Schools Ministry Group Conference. It was a real blessing to get together with over 250 other Pastoral Care Workers from across the state, who are like minded and share the passion to serve their communities. We spent 2 days learning, gathering resources, sharing stories, looking at the importance of community connection and also being spiritually filled. When we are all together it uplifts us and encourages us in our work. This gig can get pretty overwhelming at times and there has also been quite a bit of change within our roles that has unsettled some, so it was great to get together and share time.
I know I often speak about community, but it is so important for our children to have a village around them as they grow. Who is in your village? Is it your family? Is it your friends? Is it your workplace? Is it your school? Do you have positive role models and mentors within your village for yourself and your children? When I was raising my family, my village was so important to me and it still is. My children have many memories that they have shared with their family, mentors and friends. These people have helped shape them to be the confident people that they are today. As I shared my experiences last week with my peers, we came across a pattern. Since COVID the sense of community and connection among families has taken a hit and there are many who don’t see the importance of being part of a village or don’t have a village. Even though there are less villages, the need is still great and people are hungry for connection with others. We were not made to live solitary lives, we need others. For some this can be daunting, to establish a village can be a real challenge. We need to invite others into safe worlds, to step out of comfort zones and meet others, to be vulnerable and share stories. It can be so much easier to do this online, that way we can give what we want and only share what we want of ourselves to be seen. But the friendships that are created by being raw and honest are lifelong ones. These connections build so much more for your families. More than you could ever imagine. Due to COVID, we have spent the past couple of years protecting ourselves from others. We have been asked to stay away from crowds. We have been isolating ourselves from others, but now is the time to rebuild and reconnect. Here at school, as I mentioned earlier, we have a FOG group who are planning events for our community to help create opportunities for you to build your village. Why not start now? Who knows you may be blessed as much as I have.
Have a great couple of weeks and know I am here for you.
Cheers Jo.
