Restorative Living
Mr. Matt Duggan, Principal September 2008
A new school year is upon us, a time that we can all look for ward to a fresh start and new challenges ahead. …….As I write this I wonder why it is that I feel like I sound like a broken record. This is my first year writing as administrator and I have not been in a full time teaching position for a couple of years now. So why do I feel like I say this so often?
I guess we all think of September or even late August as being a time of transition and transformation. In eager anticipation we prepare and hope for a school year that brings blessings and growth for our children and families. Romans 12:1-2 speaks about transformation: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good pleasing and perfect will.”
The picture we get in this passage should be a challenge to us all as we enter this new school year and beyond. The word used for describing the transformation that must take place in our lives is “renewing”, not “renewal”. This implies that we are in a continuous process, rather than a single experience. As we look toward this new year we should look at it not as a transformation that takes place in September, but a transformation that begins now and continues throughout the school year and beyond.
How then can we be “transformed by a renewing of our minds”? As a Christian school we strive to transform minds so that our children might be able to have discernment when faced with the challenges of life. We also strive to enable them to see God’s transforming power in creation. Though we see what has happened to our world as a result of sin, this passage shows us that we can have hope as God is continuously working at renewing His creation.
There is another very important way that we might be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Our vision statement says that we are “Equipping Children for Christ-like Service in Community”. As a staff we have been working hard to ensure that we can do this well. Together we eagerly anticipate the launch of a school wide project called “Restorative Living”. As it’s name suggests the Restorative Living project is meant to equip children to be a part of God’s restoration of this earth. We are working at preparing a Restorative Living Project for each month of the school year.
You will notice that many of these projects are service projects that we have always participated in. However, rather than just doing the service project we will now spend time learning about why we are serving and how it honours God. There will be chapel time that is spent learning about God’s restorative plan with regards to the service project and students will be given opportunity to share their experiences as a class and complete a project to share their experiences with the entire school community. We would love to see you all become involved in this by sharing ideas and volunteering time and resources as they are needed.
It will take a combined effort with students, parents, teachers, board, support staff and other school supporters to ensure that our children are being continuously transformed by the renewing of their minds.
