Finish well!

Ushering in the ‘New’ With Courage and an Unwavering Trust in the Lord

Sometimes… God is wanting us to do something “new” and yet we’re still stuck in the “old.”  It’s hard at times—to let go—of what’s familiar, and what we know. It seems easier to stay “comfortable,” to just keep going with the flow, not to mess anything up. But then “new” happens, and it often sends us spiraling on one big, long loop.

After all, whoever would have thought that we would be living through a pandemic of such magnitude? What teacher woke up and decided—“I think I will deliver all of my learning online today. That sounds like fun!”  Which parent ever contemplated working from home full time, teaching their children, managing multiple Zoom class meetings, while keeping the household running?

These are not decisions any of us thought we would be embracing, but we did.

For those who like change—”new” is mostly exciting. For those who don’t like change—”new” is mostly stressful. Change can be confronting, worrisome, scary, exciting and exhausting. All of these emotions are valid to the one who is experiencing them.

I never thought that I would be farewelling Prince of Peace in 2021. After all, it is like a home to me—a safe, inclusive, caring home filled with people I love. It is like a daily warm hug!  But sometimes God prods you—really hard. He speaks to you through opportunities, emails, letters, conversations, meet ups and his Word, saying things like, ‘Hey there! I’ve been thinking about you and I really want you to serve me over here for a bit.’

Now I would be lying if I said that I didn’t wrestle with God. We argued and I stomped off to my room. He waited patiently outside my door waiting to give me a hug. I told Him I couldn’t do it, and he said ‘Trust in me, I have a plan.’ I cried, and he wiped my tears away. Finally, we sat together and I listened to His plan. I asked questions, I felt frustrated and angry, worried and scared. And then he said to me, ‘When have I ever let you down or left your side?’ And I knew what I had to do.

So here’s what I love about God. He thinks and works outside our own box of thinking. He doesn’t always work in the ways that we would have chosen for our “new.” If we had to have a new “new.”

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19

He sees the big picture. He knows what He’s doing. He works behind the scenes of life that unfold our every day, in the places where we can’t always see or understand all the “why’s” of life.

So we can trust… that He has our best in mind, that He’s got our back, that He’s with us right now and that He has secured our future too. It is this firm belief that allows me to step into my new ‘new’. It is the same belief that prompted Mrs Schmidt to step into her new ‘new’ and it is that same belief that can guide each and every step of your life too.

Our future awaits, and there’s still so much good around the bend, for God has got this! He has got you, He has got me and he has planned the most amazing life for us all to thrive, grow and celebrate within.

God has more in store. So rest in his Peace.

Thank You!

On a personal note, it has been my absolute privilege to serve as Head of Junior Campus for the past 8 years. During this time Prince of Peace has grown, matured and changed but at its core it remains a place of relationships, community and love.

In any change there will always be growing pains. Things will feel different and sometimes different can feel scary. It is also important to remember that change brings new beginnings, new opportunities, new things to learn and new adventures to undertake.

Prince of Peace is indeed a special place and I will forever carry it and you in my heart. Thank you for your love, support and prayers during my time.

All of my love, Always!

Mrs V xoxo
Head of Junior Campus

Date Holder—Junior Campus Meet & Greet

On Thursday 20 January 2022 the Junior Campus is holding a Meet & Greet at 9:00-10:30am, where all families will have the opportunity to meet their children’s 2022 teacher, visit classrooms and collect their books for the year.

Wear Your Mo To School Day—Monday 29 November

Have you noticed some staff on the Junior Campus have been supporting Movember?  As a team, we’ve been gathering and enjoying fruit and raisin toast each Wednesday and have raised nearly $400 for this cause.

As we finish the month, students are invited to ‘Wear Your Mo to School Day’ on Monday 29 and bring a gold coin donation in support of men’s health, and highlight the importance to be proactive when seeking health care.

This is an important fundraiser to support Men’s Health Awareness as men are still less likely to seek help with mental and physical health as well as take steps to prevent health issues occurring—basically, men need help and Movember puts the spotlight on men and their health.

Wear a Mo and be a bro!

Junior Campus Awards Recipients

Class of 2021

Our Year 12’s enjoyed their celebration week, with opportunities to catch up with their Year 7 Buddies and Pastoral Care classes. A highlight was the GR8 Race, which they had missed out on in Year 8 due to poor weather.  The students were asked to donate items for Christmas hampers for Helping Hands and include in the photos at each of the destinations. Additionally, they were given $2 to spend on lunch—so they could have a sense of how life on the streets can be challenging. We congratulate them on their willingness to be outward looking as one chapter closes.

The Valedictory and the Farewell Service were opportunities for us to honour the Class of 2021 and to acknowledge their contribution to the College. Each of our Year 12 students have developed their strengths and capabilities and are well prepared to take their next step into life beyond school.

We thank their families for the important role they have played as partners in their learning journey and for their support of this community and of their children. We congratulate each Year 12 student for what you have achieved and who you have become. We thank you for what you have given to our College community and wish you every blessing as you step forward into your next adventure. Wishing you love and blessings for the next chapter of your story. Be brave and fly high, the future is yours.

Thank you

Thank you to our staff for everything you have done in 2021 to support our students and parents. We are so blessed to have a dedicated team who are prepared to walk alongside our students and their families. It has been my privilege to lead you. Thank you for your support.

We acknowledge the teachers who are moving on to new opportunities in 2022.  We thank Ms Samantha Davids, Mrs Kim Bonello, Mrs Grace Gillions, and Mrs Claire Schultz for their dedication and service to community. We wish them God’s richest blessings for their next chapter.

Celebration of Excellence through Honour

This week we have continued to honour our students who have demonstrated excellence through honour with the Awards Service on Tuesday. 2021 has been characterised by uncertainty, but it has also been an opportunity to reflect and pivot. My father died the year before I came to PoP and he was keen gardener. At the time his gerbera were transported to a secondary location. Last year my sisters and I were gifted with some of dad’s original gerbera. I felt a great deal of responsibility to keep dad’s gerbera alive. I don’t have a great track record with plants. I enlisted my resident landscaper (Brendan) to help with the re-planting. In the first couple of weeks, I regularly watered them and tended them. Then I got busy, I only watered them when I noticed them looking very thirsty, and mostly relied on the rain. Gerbera are seasonal, and I was genuinely worried I had killed them. But spring has sprung and those gerbera have bloomed and produced some flowers (my sisters are a little jealous). It has made me reflect on the best conditions for growth and the importance of time. We are very lucky here at Prince of Peace that we have created an environment where students can flourish and grow. It is also place where you are prepared to give your best, which was acknowledged this week.

There is a story about Mother Teresa of Calcutta walking down the street one day when she was approached by a poor beggar. The beggar requested that she accept the gift of his meagre takings for the day, amounting to about 30 cents, as a donation to her cause. He had sat in the hot sun all day to make 30 cents, yet he was prepared to give it away. Mother Teresa was taken aback and was conflicted by her options, his generosity to gift all he had to live on. Choosing to accept to avoid offence to the man’s dignity, she witnessed his pride when a smile broke over his face because he too—poor as he was—had been able to donate to Mother Teresa. While 2021 has been a little tricky to see those smiles of pride, they have been there when students have received a grade they were proud of, scored the goal, starred in the production, solved the maths problem, completed the coffee table, made a delicious meal. When we give our best, when nothing is left in the tank there is a wonderful feeling of satisfaction that can be experienced. When our Year 12 students rang the bell to signal the completion of their exams, there was that sense of satisfaction and relief. And it made my heart burst with pride, and the rest of the teachers and students acknowledged their efforts by bursting into applause.

On Tuesday in our awards ceremony we acknowledged students that have given their best, who have lived out “excellence through honour”.

I was listening to the ABC recently when they were chatting about the fifty dollar bill. The banknote celebrates Edith Cowan, the first female member of an Australian parliament and David Unaipon, an inventor and Australia’s first published Aboriginal author. David has been described as Australia’s Leonardo da Vinci, one of our nation’s finest thinkers. A man curious about the world in all its physical and spiritual wonders. A man whose engineering genius was matched only by his gift for skillful prose.

Unaipon is a Ngarrindjeri man from South Australia born in the late 1870’s. During his life he would take out provisional patents for 19 inventions. Sadly, he was never able to afford to take out a full patent on any of them. Decades later his sheep shearing design would be inscribed on the $50 note. He is celebrated as the first Australian Aboriginal author to be published in English.

Unaipon was undoubtedly a brilliant Australian. His flashes of brightness flicker long after his passing. His wisdom and passion to educate himself and others was profound. He was a thinker, driven to make a difference to the lives of Aboriginal people. Unaipon was before his time. Despite the challenges he faced, he was committed to pursuing personal excellence. He is an example to us all of how to live a life of purpose,

So pulling together these concepts of time and giving your best, I remind you of one of my favourite verses: “For I know the plans that I have for you, says the LORD, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Hold on to this, it will give you comfort when you are challenged, as we have at times during 2021. As a Christian community we are called to be optimistic and hopeful as we approach the future. We know that God is good and that he loves us unconditionally and has a dream for us. I leave you with this analogy.

Popcorn is prepared in the same pot, in the same heat, in the same oil, yet the kernels do not pop at the same time. Don’t compare yourself to others. Your turn to pop will come and then continue to pop.

My Top 10 Things I Will Miss About Prince of Peace

• The natural environment
• Before and after school bus duty (an opportunity to greet students and check how their day was)
• That I was allowed to laugh out loud
• The heart of our community—the generosity of spirit and warmth
• Students responding to messages on TEAMS—giving me a thumbs up or heart
• End of term Worship
• Our willingness to grow together
• The Pavilion (even though I did 7000 steps prior to the service on Tuesday—it has transformed our ability to celebrate as a community)
• The support I have received from students, staff and families
• Our heart for students and their spiritual, personal and academic growth

It has been my privilege to share our students’ learning journey with them; thank you for the support you have all offered over my eleven years in this very special community. God Bless.

May the feet of God walk with you, and his hand hold you tight.
May the eye of God rest on you, and his ear hear your cry.
May the smile of God be for you, and his breath give you life.

Michelle Nisbet
Head of Senior Campus

Senior Campus Awards Recipients

Prince of Peace Church Carols and Christmas Services

POPOSHC Vacation Care Programme

Please download the Vacation Care Programme for the 5 weeks school holiday period over December and January.

LYQ Summer Camps