By Rev. Andy Fleming, Chaplain

During each of the Junior School Chapel services, students write and share their own prayers. More often than not, the students offer little nuggets of wisdom and quite profound insights into their feelings about the events that impact their lives, both on a personal level and more worldly level. There is always a reflection thanking God for the good things they have and where they don’t take these things for granted. The student’s prayers add value to the Chapel experience.

In a conversation with this year’s Chapel captain, Poppy Barlin, she expressed how prayer plays an important part in connecting to God and to her own spirituality. Similarly to the Junior students, Poppy spends time reflecting on the things she is grateful for, thanking God for all the love and abundance in her life. Now in Year 12, Poppy explained how the Chapel has been a calm and safe space for her, particularly as during her early years in Secondary School she found connecting with her faith challenging. Now she finds Chapel a great place to reflect and celebrate, knowing that God will always be there for her after a few years of feeling distance from God.

Re-connecting with one’s faith is one of the purposes of engaging with Lent. With all the pressures and stresses that arise in our frenetic lifestyles, it has become especially important to find time to stop and reflect. Poppy takes time out to go running through a nature trail near where she lives, praying and contemplating on the positive things in her life, in particular the love she finds in her family. Poppy’s faith helps her to feel peaceful and hopeful, while providing her with a greater sense of belonging to our community.

Interestingly, Poppy’s favourite Bible verse is Philippians 3:13, I can do all things through him who strengthens me (NRSV). This verse appears at the end of Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, where he is expressing gratitude for their support of his ministry. Coincidently, while Paul points to knowing what it is to have plenty and to be in need in the preceding verse, Poppy explains how this verse reminds her of God’s presence during the good and challenging times.

Poppy’s reflections show how Lent provides an opportunity for us to take stock and contemplate on how God meets each of us in our own circumstances.

Teach Me, by Rev. Sarah Speed

Teach me about the ways of the wind,

about the ways of the world,

about the ways of the heart.

Teach me about the soft crook of my lover’s arm,

and the way two souls can hold each other close.

Teach me about forgiveness, about the language of I’m sorry

and the softness of sincerity.

Teach me about abundance, about seventy-times-seven

and all the days of my life.

Teach me about joy, about its contagious weaving

and its soul-healing.

Teach me about mercy, about open hands and deep breaths.

Teach me about the dawn of time and the stars in the sky.

Teach me what matters most.

Teach me what is mine to do.

Teach this achingly curious heart

until I run out of questions

or I run out of days.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

and I will have a life well-lived.

On Sunday, 24 March, the annual Palm Sunday Rally for Refugees takes place at 1pm in Garema Place. Community groups from across Canberra meet in support of refugees and asylum seekers. This year’s speakers are Father John Woods, Parish Priest of Transfiguration Parish, North Woden, Ghulamreza (Reza) Haidari, a Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, and Kylea Tink, Federal Member for North Sydney.

For more information go to the Refugee Action Campaign webpage.

Go in peace,

Rev. Andy