Jesus taught his friends many things by telling stories. Jesus' stories had special messages. These stories are called parables.  Year 4 have been learning about two parables in particular, the Good Samaritan and The Sower.

In the Good Samaritan, Jesus' point was clear. We have to be kind to everyone. Even those we don't like! This means that we need to feel sorry when we see people hurting. It means that we care about them and help them.  The Samaritan didn't know the injured man. But he treated the injured man with respect, kindness and love. That is how we should treat everyone we meet. Everyone is our neighbour.

Do you know who the seeds that fell on good soil in the parable of The Sower are? They are the people who hear God's Word and keep it! Jesus wanted all his friends to hear his teaching. And he wanted them to live in the way he taught them.  Jesus tells us that our faith is like the seeds. If we pray to Jesus, and live good and holy lives then our seed of faith will grow into rich grain. On the other hand, if we forget about Jesus and are mean and selfish, then our seed of faith will wither away, be scorched or choked to death.

Yesterday, Fr Chung visited Year 4 to get to know them and discuss what they have been learning about.

This week we celebrated Trinity Sunday.  The Trinity is the deepest mystery of faith.  People have tried to explain it with elements found in nature such as an atom with proton, neutron and electron or and egg with shell, white and yolk. 

What is the Trinity?  There is only one God, but he is three Persons, an eternal exchange of love between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  The Trinity is a relationship of love, God invites us into this loving relationship and urges us to share this message with others.

Sitting in Church, gazing on this representation of the Trinity, I can’t help but feel an awesome and intense energy of love from the Father and Son through the Holy Spirit being poured over me, completely consuming me with the powerful sense of being loved and in a personal relationship with God.  ❤

Sacred Heart Day

Through Global School Partners, our school community supports another school, StGeorge’s Academy in Kenya. Our students have been able to see in a very real and tangible way, how their fund-raising projects have made a difference to the lives of other children who are disadvantaged.

As of this year, schools in Kenya are following a new system.  In addition to being a primary school, St George's Academy now offers Junior Secondary education - it goes up to Year 9.  There are new requirements they need to fulfill such as a new textbooks, Science lab equipment, boarding facilities and a computer lab.  We have chosen to assist with the computer lab. They currently have five computers, and the system requirement is 1:2 between 40 students at any one time.

A new computer will cost about $500 with all the accessories (screen, mouse, keyboard etc) but they may opt to buy second hand ones that are about half the price to be able to get more.  Our school goal is to raise $1000 on Sacred Heart Day.  We have already pre-raised $270.  We have sold 100 x $1 student tickets in the ‘Assistant Principal for a Day’ raffle and raised $170 in the teacher wear ‘Jeans for Jesus’ fundraiser.  We are a quarter of the way to our goal!

Well done, SJAPs!!!

Rebecca Stevenson