By Rev. Dr Katherine Rainger, Senior Chaplain

The Anglican church is a global communion, with members united by a shared faith despite living in different contexts and facing diverse challenges and opportunities.

Last year, I had the privilege of meeting The Most Reverend Brent Alawas, former Prime Bishop of the Episcopal (Anglican) Church in the Philippines. He was in Canberra as the guest of the Anglican Board of Mission, which partners with the church in the Philippines on development projects such as primary education, in the Diocese of Santiago in Isabela Province, and economic resilience in the face of extreme weather events.

I listened to Bishop Brent preach in an Anglican parish. We also had a great conversation about Anglican schools over lunch at the National Portrait Gallery and spent some time at the National Library of Australia, so Bishop Brent could do some work, which he really enjoyed. Our time together was enriching for both of us.

The ability to have an international mindset while also being aware of and able to respond to local issues is something we aim to develop in students. It was a privilege this week, in a voluntary lunchtime Radford Awareness and Service (RAS) meeting, to hear an ‘election wrap-up’ from students from a range of grades. Some in the group had voted for the first time.

The Five Marks of Mission are a synthesis of the global Anglican communion’s mission to follow Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit to serve God and the world. The Five Marks of Mission are:

Tell: To proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God as we witness Christ’s saving, forgiving and reconciling love for all people.

Teach: Nurturing the faith of new believers and building welcoming, transformative communities of faith.

Tend: To respond to human need with loving service and stand in solidarity with the marginalised.

Transform: Challenge violence, injustice and oppression, and work for peace and reconciliation.

Treasure: Protect, care for and renew life on our planet.

As an Anglican school, we can expect to see these marks lived out in our context. I wonder where you can see this happening. I wonder where the challenge lies to deepen our commitment in one or more of these areas.

We are all enriched when we share and learn from others. The late Pope Francis, in his final Easter message, shared a message that brings together the promise of Easter with a deep concern for the world in which we live. It is worth reading in full.

May Pope Francis’ charge, “Christ is risen! These words capture the whole meaning of our existence, for we were not made for death but for life,” be the momentum for us to be agents of hope and healing wherever we may be.