Christian Service Christian Service
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Mrs Marya Stewart Director of Christian Service
hristian Service at Trinity College has an impact on the life of every student at the College. There are opportunities to serve others through many different aspects of College life and so many of our students volunteer with generous and open hearts. It is the defining characteristic of a “Trinity man” – to put others first.
On almost any day of the school year you will find students doing things to serve others, whether it is helping out with a school event, taking time to assist a fellow student or engaging in a more formal aspect of the Christian Service program offered at the College. The school year officially ended for our senior students in week six of Term Four but since then many of them have been involved in programs leading or preparing for Retreats which will be held in 2007. Early in December 2006 nine boys will be accompanied by Mr Leo Murray, Mr Michael Slack-Smith and Br Rob Callen for a five week pilgrimage to India where they will immerse themselves in the world of the poorest and most disadvantaged people. There will be a farewell Mass, a gathering of students, parents, teachers, friends and past pilgrims whose love and prayers will sustain and nurture their experience. Christian Service is not just about doing things. It is primarily about developing relationships which respect the dignity and worth of every person and recognising Christ in them and ourselves through this. The formal Christian Service program aims to help students reflect on all their experiences in the light of the gospel values which we are called to live out as members of the Christian community.
Our Neighbour It begins in Year 8 with the Quest Retreat where every student participates in a canned food drive for St Vincent de Paul. As Patrick Philpott said in his journal “I learnt that many people are willing to give if they know where the food is going and I learnt that you get a great reward from serving your neighbour”.
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Every Year 8 student is required to do fifteen hours of Christian service in the communities where they live, for their families, in their local neighbourhoods and parishes or in their school. Some students commit to caring for elderly neighbours and Michael Hart wrote in his journal about his experience – “when I delivered the groceries for my elderly Italian neighbour, she had a huge smile on her face and I realised that I didn’t need to be shy. I helped someone do something they had trouble with and I know Jesus would enjoy seeing a smile on an elderly lady’s face too”.
Restoring Relationships Year 9 students were involved with a variety of projects focusing on building healing and restorative relationships with God’s creation in its many forms. Working on environmental projects at Cityfarm and the Christian Centre for Social Action raised students’ awareness about how people can live in harmony with the natural world. Rory Pilgrim commented that his experience at Cityfarm taught him that some people have a very different understanding of the connection between the environment and us and that these people don’t see money as the most important facet of their lives. Students who participated in the Breakfast Club at Embleton and Tranby Primary Schools discovered how simple things in life, like a morning meal and a safe and welcoming place, are so important to young children. Dylan Caddy said that he learnt that no matter what school or heritage people come from they deserve a good chance in life. Michael Kirk’s comment was I have learnt not to take what I have and what I can get, for granted; that I am lucky to be born into my family. Tom Lillywhite’s reflection was “I learnt about a new part of me which was waiting for the best time to come out. This was rewarding as I now respect myself more as a caring person. James Hunt summed up the effect of the experience on him – from here on in I am going to attempt to be a more generous and giving person. Outfitting teddy bears in Trinity colours was a challenge for many students who took it on, but the thought of who these bears would go to was enough to inspire them to keep trying. Andrew Phillips felt that the most enjoyable part of the experience was participating in an activity with his friends, and feeling proud that he was helping someone in the community. A special thank you to Mrs Patsy Colan who so generously assisted with the “Bears With a Mission” Project and to Ms Kellie Carnaby who helped at Tranby Primary Breakfast Club.
Sharing Gifts Four days in an unfamiliar environment working with people who you have never even contemplated having contact with before, can be quite a daunting experience. It can be very difficult to communicate with people whose abilities are limited because of age or mental or physical impairment. It is even more difficult if these people are not appealing physically. Many of the Year 11 students who participate in the Christian Service Program in the final week of Term One have to cope with these challenges. Overwhelmingly their response is positive and sensitive to the needs of the people they are working with. Whether it is a small child struggling to understand a simple concept at school, or an elderly person having difficulty making sense of the environment in which they live, our students respond with generous hearts and open hands. They are rewarded with the gratitude of those they serve and by the awakening knowledge
