| -
Benefits
to a School of the SRE Program |
Both
are good-value research.
Go
here for an interesting Critical Update - mid-2012 - by a
non-Christian who has published on the benefits of SRE as against the as-yet
untested fruit of the Ethics' program.
Changing
the Guard...
The role of school SRE cooridnator has been
very stable in recent years. Chris
Forder resigned at the end of 2009 and was replaced at Pendle Hill HS by
Kat Harris - also a member of the ministry team at Toongabbie Anglican
Church. Dave Morgan handed over to Kim
Smith (not real name for privacy reasons) at Merrylands HS at the end of
2010. Dave has continued his involvement and support while he also continues to
minister at Merrylands Anglican church.
PRIMARY
SCHOOLS
We
have expanded the combined churches' SRE to include elements
of the primary school SRE ministry. In 2011, Gai Campbell,
long-standing supporter of SRE in our district, has taken over the role of Holroyd Primary Schools' representative, with a mandate to
ensure that in the future, every one of our 23 primary schools has operating a
viable RE ministry. Gai liaises with the schools and with
contributing local churches to identify places that have limited (or, no) SRE
program, and then "plugging the gaps". Gai is seen here
leading prayer for the PS volunteer teachers at the 2011 SRE Commissioing
Service (click on it for bigger view).
If
you can volunteer to help broaden the work of Religious Education so that every
primary school student hears about Jesus Christ, please contact Gai at the
numbers below.
HIGH
SCHOOLS
Holroyd
SRE has operated as a combined churches ministry under Holroyd Christian
Ministers' Fellowship since 1990. Several local churches regularly
financially contribute to support Coordinators in five local State high
schools. The five schools are covered by - Boyette Zapata (Girraween
HS), Kefas Makava (Greystanes HS), Kat Harris (Pendle Hill HS), Dave Morgan (Merrylands HS), and Michelle Burns (Holroyd HS).
You can contact them through the contacts below.
| By
law, every student in NSW has the opportunity to receive a period of
religious instruction every week. The Coordinators oversee a network
of volunteer teachers who assist them in covering all students. This
covers students Years 7 to 10. |
|
Further
to this, every school has a program of lunchtime and personal contact
groups. These are done in accordance with the school authorities'
knowledge. Some schools have involved our people in additional pastoral
care of students, something we take as evidence of the positive light the
ministry is viewed with regarding school morale and personal development of
students. |
|
Seminars
are conducted for senior school students (Years 11 & 12), utilising
teams from Auslife, YWAM, Trojan, etc. These effectively fit into the senior
school PD study program. |
|
Some
students, with parental approval, go on to attend church youth activities,
where they mix with other young people not attending their own school, and
become involved in camps, outings, study groups, etc. |
|
The
youth leaders of the district combine with the SRE Coordinators and teachers
to put on a series of youth events during the school year. |
A
continual stream of students have been involved in youth
activities, Bible study, camps, and Sunday meetings in local churches. The majority are from
unchurched homes. Our discipling program covers not only Bible teaching
foundations, but also lifestyle skills. Some of these young people have brought
much chaos with them! But also much life and joy to our churches! The slow process
continues - of changing the mindset so they begin to think and act (and react)
as a Christian. We pray the change in their lives will speak, not only to their
school friends (and teachers and staff!), but to their families
too.
What
can you do? You can...
|
Pray
regularly for the ministry. Prayer letters are available on request
from our office. Holroyd New Life Church conducts a prayer meeting at
the high school sites once a term. These are open to all who wish to
pray together for the schools. See "coming events" webpage
for details of the next one. |
|
Give.
Finances are always close to breakeven. All funds go into the ministry
direct. Seminars, coordinators' support are the major costs.
All
gifts are tax deductible. |
|
Volunteer
teach. To get involved, contact one of the coordinators. Their
details follow..
. |
|
|
Kat Harris
Dave
Morgan 
 Boyette
Zapata
|
Dave Morgan
Commissioning service
coordinators |
|
Kefas Makava
|
Michelle Burns
|
|
Gai Campbell |
Board Chairman (Brian Rensford) interviews Gai
Campbell
at 2011 Commissioning Service |
We
have expanded the combined churches' SRE to include elements
of the primary school SRE ministry. In 2011, Gai Campbell,
long-standing supporter of SRE in our district, has taken over the role of Holroyd Primary Schools' representative, with a mandate to
ensure that in the future, every one of our 23 primary schools has operating a
viable RE ministry. Gai liaises with the schools and with
contributing local churches to identify places that have limited (or, no) SRE
program, and then "plugging the gaps". Gai is seen here
leading prayer for the PS volunteer teachers at the 2011 SRE Commissioing
Service (click on it for bigger view).
