Hey everyone! We wanted to share with you a new initiative we have begun at RCC to support our Stage 6 students and hopefully to encourage you also as members of our community to support and pray for them as they navigate their HSC.
As you know, HSC is a unique and amazing time, but it can also be stressful. So, to provide prayer, support and encouragement, our Chappy, T, has decided to run a pancake breakfast and Bible study every Friday for our HSC class. The meeting not only includes unbelievable food and fellowship but the study of the book of Colossians.
We are into the second week, and we wanted to share what the Stage 6 students are learning with our community, because we believe it is important for everyone to hear. The first week was an overview of the book of Colossians, encouraging students to understand it through the lens of Paul’s intention to encourage the Colossian church to not dilute the Truths of Jesus based on personal opinion or the cultures of the times, as they are all we need to have fullness of life.
Paul encourages the Colossians to apply God’s truth to their lives and not let the circumstances overwhelm them. It is our hope to use this time to encourage our students to understand that the same Truth holds for them in this time. God is enough to get them through and we should love people like he loves us.
This week, we looked at Paul’s earnest prayer for the Colossians, “So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual understanding.” His prayer is for them to understand God’s will for them and to live in it so they can flourish.
T then shared how he has often contemplated how he has had different seasons where he has been good at praying for his friends and seasons where he has not been as good. He shared how he was convicted by Paul's words that, “We have not stopped praying for you.”
I am sure it is a little hyperbolic, but still the point is clear and Jesus said it first when he challenged his disciples to “love their neighbor as ourselves” (Mark 12:31) and “love our enemies, and to pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44).
T then asked the class to consider how often they ask God for His help for themselves, their friends and those they may not always be friendly with.
The challenge also lands on us. How often are we praying for our friends and family or anybody for that matter, that they would not only have a complete understanding of God’s will but be able to live in the fullness of this to make the most of the opportunities He is giving them.
At RCC we believe that prayer, that is walking and talking with God about Him, us, others and this life, is so important that that is how we start each and every school day and why a dedicated group meets at school each Monday to pray. Please join us in praying for our students, our school, our community, our nation and world. God is listening.
T - Matthias Stickl (School Chaplain) and Mr Simmo (School Principal)
