Spreading our Wings

“…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles…" Isaiah 40:31 NIV

It is so nice after over two years of having our wings clipped, to feel like we can finally spread our wings and start flying again.

My heart was filled to the brim to read an unexpected email from Mrs Wildman last week who wanted to share some photos of her secondary students in action. They were meeting with, and sewing costumes for our Junior Primary students. It makes my heart sing when I see the interaction across the year levels and sub-schools. This is us, this is Emmaus, an inclusive community that has a heart to facilitate continuity of learning and belonging from ELC to Year 12. Thank you to Mrs Wildman, the senior students and all the staff and parent volunteers for working so closely with Mrs Meinel and Mrs Butler, to sew costumes for our upcoming Musical Mary Poppins Junior.

I have also heard plans to resume reading buddies between Junior School students and our Year 9 Rite Journey students at the end of the term. Fantastic!

And… who would have thought the Nature Playground would be so popular in both the F-6 and 7-12 recess and lunch breaks as an inclusive space for all.

Further to this, our Foundation to Year 6 Parent Reps at South Plympton have just received all the contact details for their families to facilitate non-school event class get togethers. When we sent this permission link to families, we received a 50% response rate within one hour of the email, and 95% response by the due date. 91% of families wanted their personal details shared within class groups for the purpose of building community. Wow! There wouldn’t be many schools that could share that high statistic! This is so wonderful. Thank you! God made us to be in relationship with Him and each other, and having had our wings clipped for so long we crave this interaction with each other.

All of these things are what shape the culture of our Christian community where relationships and service are valued as a priority.

The Lord tells us to be hospitable, to help each other, to care for each other.

May the Lord bless all your endeavours to foster community and build relationships, within your own sphere of influence.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2 NIV

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9 NIV