Last term Jack Gilbert and I launched our Tuesday, weekly prayer meetings. At our first meeting, 30 people packed out our music room, sacrificing their morning break to come before God.
At Covenant I have been blessed to be surrounded by hundreds of people from hundreds of churches and have always valued that environment. Our heart for our prayer meetings is to see students and teachers from all church backgrounds join together in prayer, and during the past few weeks, that’s exactly what we have seen!
Each week at our meetings Jack and I have a theme. Over the last weeks the themes have been; school life, families, health, passion in our walk with God and salvation of friends and family. The purpose of our themes is to bring a sense of direction to our meetings. We start each meeting with a short message from one of the students and then launch into about 15 minutes of prayer, short but sweet (and powerful)! At our last prayer meeting for the term our theme was Thanksgiving for Easter.
My heart for Covenant is to see a school that is consumed with zeal and passion for God's house, his Kingdom and his purpose. I would love to see, more then anything, Covie overflowing with young people who know their God and are 100% committed to Him and his will.
I never what to take for granted how blessed we are to be in a school that not only allows but supports students starting a prayer meeting. And I am so excited that in the midst the school's busyness, students and teachers are prepared to stop and come together and remember the Lord.
Jack and I would like to extend an invitation to all high school students and teachers to come and join us in the music room each Tuesday at recess. However close or far from God you feel you are welcome to come and check us out.
I am eager to see what God does in this coming year and beyond as we continue to prepare a place for young men and women to come before God.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14
Today's all school assembly celebrated Easter. As a Christian school we recognise Easter as the central celebration of history. School Captains Todd and Lauren welcomed students & opened in prayer. Throughout the assembly three Bible readings told the story of Easter.
Mrs Staples conducted the Year 3-4 classes in playing and singing the hymn "There is a green hill" (to tune of house of the rising sun. Miss Rose and our school worship band then led us in the songs "Ancient of Days" and "Amazing Grace"
Mrs Pitt's Year 9 drama group did a brilliant presentation of 'The Three Trees". This is a story of three trees with great dreams of becoming a treasure chest, a mighty ship and the other to stay on the mountain pointing to the sky. Each tree's dream came true in the life of Jesus but not as they expected. One was made into the feeding trough where Jesus lay, another become the fishing boat in which Jesus calmed the storm and the third the cross on which Jesus died.
Mrs Conway conducted a wonderful vocal ensemble of the song "People get ready" before Mr Rusin closed in prayer.
Bob Mendelsohn of Jews for Jesus came today and spoke at our Senior Assembly. He was entertaining and engaging and told his story of how he grew up as a moderate Jew and later became a Christian… although he says he is still a Jew, but one who has found the Messiah. He gave us some real insights into Jewish thinking and how and why they do certain things.
He said that after high school he became a hippy in the 60s and searched for peace and meaning in his life. He met some Christians who wanted to talk to him about Jesus and he said that he was happy to “take them on” and debate with them, aiming to show them “why they were wrong”. After spending some time talking with them and asking questions, he stumped them on a few issues, but their humility in not having to have all the answers impressed him and left him thinking. They told him to ask Jesus to show him directly who he was, which was a foreign thought, as in Jewish culture you don’t actually bother God with those sorts of things, but just talk to a Rabi or someone else about it. He did this and was amazed by what happened to him.
He also started to read the New Testament and discovered that it too was actually written about Jewish people and by Jews about the Jewish Messiah. He later accepted Jesus as his savior. Bob said “I found it in Y'shua," which is Jewish for Jesus. At the time his family then disowned him and he was rejected by all his Jewish friends. He said it was tough, but God has brought him through.
He now works for Jews For Jesus and spends his time speaking to all sorts of groups of people. He encourages Christians to reach out to their Jewish brothers and sisters who do not yet know Y’shua. He is still a Jew because He said Jews often will only listen to Jews and so it is important for him to maintain his heritage and his customs.
He said that sharing Jesus is like having a banquet laid out in front of you by God. You turn up, grab the platter, serve yourself and then pass it on. He prayed that we would have a heart to pass on the food so that others can eat, particularly those who are Jewish that we know.
Bob was great and we pray that he continues to bear fruit in his ministry to the Jewish people.
Covenant Christian School only employs Christian staff. The ongoing spiritual input for our staff is something the school takes seriously. Each day of the week staff gather in large or small groups for a 15 to 20 minute devotion. On Tuesdays small groups meet to pray for one another. On Fridays there is a time of praise and worship. On Monday and Wednesdays all available staff gather together. Staff are rostered on to lead each devotion which ensures a wonderful variety.
This year we have invited some of the local ministers to lead a couple of the larger group devotions. Covenant students represent 120 different churches so most of the local ministers know children at the school. (In fact many of them have children enrolled here). Last week Rev David Coy of St Paul's Anglican Church in Terrey Hills spoke. Thirty one years ago our school started by renting St Paul's Church Hall. This week Rev Kerry Nagel of St Faiths Anglican at Narrabeen led our devotion.
Other ministers who have already agreed to take part are: Andy Arthurs (Forest Alliance Church), Ps Ian Freestone (Ruach), Ps Steve Parker (Belrose Uniting Church), Ps Richard Green (CCC Ryde), Ps Paul Zandardo (New Covenant Ministries – Neutral Bay), Ps Josh Thomas (Narraweena Baptist), Ps Paul Le Lievre (Cityview Church, Forestville), Ps Richard Forsyth (C3 Oxford Falls), Ps Tom Inglis (Sydney Life Church, Mosman), Fr Keith Dalby (St Johns Gordon).
On Tuesday November 25th the whole of year 10 went into the city for the day. We went to a suburb in the inner-city: Woolloomooloo. There, we visited an organization called Hope Street. HopeStreet help with the homelessness, long-term unemployment and many more other things. While we were there we went for a walk around with these amazing guys who used to be homeless and who had a very bad drug addiction.
Our guide turned his life around and now works with Hope Street to help others who are in difficult situations. His was an amazing story to hear.
This visit to HopeStreet made me realise that with the help of God and willing Christians, people in need are being served in all situations, no matter how bad it is. On our walk, we got to see first-hand some of the living conditions of Sydney’s disadvantaged.
After our walk, we sat down with one guy who helps out at HopeStreet and we learnt more about why people become homeless and what we can do about it. Many of us were surprised at how many young people and women were homeless in Sydney.
This was an amazing day! It was hard to see the desperate situations that some people live in, or hear about what they do to just get by. But I think that by seeing and learning more about these things, it lets more fortunate people like us know what we can do to stop this.
It has made me realise that suffering and hardship doesn’t just happen in third world countries, but is also happening right on our front doorstep.
If we start changing things right here, perhaps this movement for change will continue on to the rest of the world where people suffer.
It was a great day and it really impacted on the way that I think.
On Wednesday 12th November Covenant Christian School hosted a Centre for Public Christianity meeting with Dr John Dickson and Dr Greg Clarke. Over 240 people attended from the local community. Some churches brought along their Bible study groups. Dr Greg and Dr John explained who some of the leaders in the New Atheist movement are and gave us greater understanding of them as individuals. These include Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, and Christopher Hitchens.
Here are two comments from parents who attended...
I had the privilege along with many others of attending last week's "The New Atheism" seminar lead by Greg Clarke and John Dickson from the "Centre for Public Christianity" Organisation held at Covenant Christian School. It was an excellent seminar allowing us to gain an understanding of some of the current thinking and who are the leading authors of Atheism today. I found it helpful to understand some of the flaws in the Atheism argument and some historical inaccuracies in four of the current leading books. As a parent at CCS, it was very beneficial to be encouraged to read more widely on both Atheism and our response to Atheism so that we can be ready to hold an informed and helpful conversation with others when necessary.
I would like to thank Covenant Christian School for sponsoring and hosting this enlightening event and caring for the community.
Pastor Steve Parker
Belrose Uniting Church
I would like to thank Covie for an enlightening evening on Wednesday, 12 November. Mr Rusin and his staff did a great job of hosting a public discussion on "the New Atheist". Greg and John, from the "Centre for Public Christianity", presented us with a Christian persective on atheists and their philosophies.
John Dickson reviewed five authors who have had some publishing successs in recent years, including Richard Dawkins who wrote "The God Delusion". He also gave us a general overview of how an atheist compares to an agnostic (who hasn't worked it out yet) and an apatheist (who doesn't care).
He went on to explain four varieties of atheism; philosophical (it's logical!), sociological (it's mature!), Darwinian (it's natural!) and ethical (it's moral!).
John showed us how the new atheists' treatment of Jesus required a robust and thoughtful response from anyone wishing to dispel the atheist theory. He walked us through some major errors in their historical treatment of the life of Jesus. And he posed the question that if we can't trust their representation of historical fact then what other factors are in doubt?
After the presentation the audience, of about 200 interested parties, asked questions regarding the wisdom of reviewing such literature. The guys urged us to make our own decision to read, but advised caution against total emersion of ANY topic.
The Centre has a web site www.publicchristianity.org which is great for those looking to begin a journey to Christ.
I have a much better understanding of atheism although the only thing "new" about it seems to be the popularity of the books. Although lots of people are interested in the topic, it doesn't mean the number of atheists is growing. From a personal point of view, it certainly got my brain working. And my faith in God remains simple and strong.
Deboarah Sims
Covie Mum
There are some links to Dr John Dickson and Dr Greg Clarke's Podcasts on this subject at:
or small groups for a 15 to 20 minute devotion. On Tuesdays small groups meet to pray for one another. On Fridays there is a time of praise and worship. On Monday and Wednesdays all available staff gather together. Staff are rostered on to lead each devotion which ensures a wonderful variety. 
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