All Souls Chapel

The All Souls Chapel stands in the centre of our school, both physically and spiritually. The School Values – Learning, Respect, Integrity, Courage, and Optimism – are all values upheld by Christianity, reflected in the spiritual dimensions of faith, worship, and service within the daily activities of school life. This year in the Chapel, Senior students reflected on the value of Respect. Using the words and actions of Jesus and the examples of other people of faith, students have been encouraged to reflect upon their own worldview, examine what respect looks like through their lens, and be challenged as to how they extend respect to others, particularly those on the fringes of society. We have heard from organisations such as HoMie, Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, Indigenous Literacy Foundation, and Operation Toilets Australia, who are all working to bring about dignity and respect to people in our own community as well as those overseas.

The weekly Middle School Chapel services have been well attended and it is most encouraging to hear the buzz of the students arriving each Friday morning. Through word, song, media, and inclusive dialogue, we have been tackling issues together in order to make sense of this complex and sometimes confusing world and to assist the students in critically assessing the values that compete for their attention. As an alternative to the noise of the world, these weekly Chapel services seek to facilitate a sense of connectedness with God and each other, a commitment to the service of others, and a responsibility to care for the environment. Middle School contributed offerings during Chapel services to support the rebuilding of the Lismore Library and bags of groceries for Anglicare’s ‘Bring a Bag’ appeal.

Throughout the year, there have been many moments of celebration, particularly as we come together physically after the two previous years of lockdowns. We have also mourned the death of people within, as well as those known, to the community, and also remembered with great sorrow those who lost their lives in recent years. At such times, the All Souls Chapel becomes a focal point for reflection, prayer, and support. This has been a great privilege.

It has been a great pleasure and honour to join the Camberwell Grammar community as Chaplain this year. I have been most warmly welcomed and have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know students, staff, and families. I have been overwhelmed by the incredible sense of community that exists within the School and I look forward to this journey continuing. I have been most grateful for the diligence of the prayer warriors in the Parent Prayer group, who meet on a regular basis to pray earnestly for our school and all who belong to it. Their faithfulness and support have been so appreciated.

May His grace, love, and peace be with you and yours.

Mrs Janine de Paiva

Chaplain

Junior Chapel

Beginning Term 2 and 3 with a service in the All Souls Chapel is a highlight for Junior School staff and students. You can’t help but appreciate the wonders of creation as you are soaking in the light coming through the stained-glass windows in this wonderful contemplative space.

Our Term 2 Chapel service looked at the reconciliation theme of ‘Be brave. Make change’, where we learnt that it is about strengthening relationships, acknowledging mistakes, learning from our past, and being brave enough to make the changes we need to move forward.

In Term 3, we looked at the God of possibilities, where with God’s help all things are possible. Inspired by the different characters in the Bible who God used to do extraordinary things, and a visit from Alex, from ‘Alex Makes Meals,’ an organisation providing free meals for those in need in Melbourne, students and staff were encouraged to consider that if they could do anything for the greater good of the world, what would they do? It has been wonderful to see the response. The students raised a significant amount of money through a book and toy fair, which went to Alex Makes Meals, the whole of Junior School is now recycling soft plastics, and many families have been packing Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes for children in need in our neighbouring third world countries.

It is wonderful to see the impact the Junior School is having on helping our caring for each other and those in our wider community.

Mrs Natalie Rice

Junior School Chaplain