CRU Groups go online in COVID

In the first few months of 2020, Australians were grappling with the concept of a global pandemic and teachers anxiously watched the news, wondering when and if schools might close.

Karen Falconer, a Junior School teacher at Roseville College, found herself in this exact situation. When the Premier announced that students would need to learn from home, she and her team quickly had to pivot into online learning.

The weeks of lockdown that followed brought challenges for everyone. Teachers like Karen worked long hours to facilitate learning in new ways. Students found themselves at home with their families, unable to engage in person with their friends and normal groups.

In second term, Karen received an email from the CRU Schools Ministry team, advising her that CRU was distributing some new online resources for CRU Groups and leaders.

“Honestly, they were invaluable,” she said. “They allowed us to meet online in a virtual sense. The girls could tune in and we could engage with them.”

On top of her concerns about transforming classroom learning, Karen had something else to think about. COVID meant that the Roseville Junior School CRU Group could no longer meet as it usually did, in person, during lunch. As the facilitator of the group, she wanted to find a way to help students continue gathering and learning about God, but the task seemed difficult.

While other co-curricular programs had to be shut down, CRU Groups were able to continue. “The wonderful programs were all done for us,” Karen explained. “The CRU team put together some fantastic resources.”

With a five-minute talk that engaged the students, the online CRU programs also included a memory verse, links to songs, games, and activities that encouraged the students to interact with their families at home.

The concept of ‘wellbeing’ was something that the school was paying particular attention to during the COVID lockdown period and the CRU programs were “perfectly selected” for the shut down and isolation. “The two themes were ‘Stand Firm’ from 1 Peter, and ‘Friends with God’ from 1 John, both wonderfully supportive units,” Karen said.

When students eventually returned to classes in person, the continuing COVID safety measures meant that the primary CRU Group, with students from Years 3-6, was unable to meet in one big gathering.

Karen worked with the Roseville chaplain to keep the CRU students meeting in year groups. Once again, the CRU resources were helpful, no matter which group was meeting. Rather than prepare and present several different programs for each group, she could literally press ‘play’ and run the CRU program from a screen at the front.

“The beauty of the resources was that the message was consistent,” she said. “Whichever year group we took we had the same resource, and that consistency of message was followed through on.”

Roseville College’s vision is underpinned by the qualities of Christian faith, character, leadership and community. CRU gives students opportunities to engage in each of those areas, particularly the Junior School CRU leaders who come from Years 5 and 6.

“We give them opportunities to show agency and take responsibility for some of the teaching,” Karen said. Having CRU as a training ground has led to some school leaders coming from the CRU Group.

Roseville College students in Years 3 to 6 also have the opportunity every year to be part of CRU Educational Camps.

COVID restrictions in 2020 meant that Roseville College missed its usual CRU Educational Camp in Term 1 but a quick reschedule meant that they were able to experience the new Lake Mac site later in the year.

The Roseville girls “had a wonderful experience” using the abseiling tower and enjoying the water activities as well as the additional activities and new accommodation. And the teachers enjoyed themselves too.

Pictured: Canoeing at Lake Mac

“Honestly, I wish I could go back and be a kid all over again,” Karen said. “The facilities were amazing.”

CRU Educational Camps develop leadership skills and give girls a chance to ask questions about the Christian faith. When students come back from camp, many of them are excited about coming to CRU at school.

“It’s amazing to see students who have no Christian background at all, engaging with the Christian faith, asking those burning questions and then sometimes committing their lives to Christ.”

Pictured: Sailing at Lake Mac

Zoom in: CRU School Visits

• CRU Schools Ministry Worker, Anna Owen, visits and seeks to support 28 different schools each term. Her aim is to support the schools’ CRU Groups and where possible, the chapel programs, as well as the staff and teachers who run them.

• ⁃Anna always looks forward to her visits to the Roseville Junior School CRU Group and even though she wasn’t able to go in person during 2020 due to COVID, she was so glad to hear that CRU’s online resources provided great support during a very challenging year.

• A typical visit to the CRU Group involves Anna preparing the talk and the games for the meeting in partnership with the teacher, Karen Falconer, and the student leaders. The student leaders get involved in helping with setting up the room, welcoming the girls, giving the Bible reading and prayers, and helping Anna hand out information about the upcoming CRU Holiday Camps which many Roseville College students regularly attend.

• The CRU Schools Ministry Team’s aim is to support teachers and help students grow and share the good news of the gospel in schools, especially through CRU Groups.