Kuyper

Ian Shaw, Principal

When Jesus prayed in John 17:20-23, He was seeking to encourage His followers to live as a united community, maintaining a culture of peace. Recently, all Kuyper staff completed PeaceWise training with a view to rolling out an ongoing learning program across the school that fosters peace in relationships.

We are not doing this because we have noticed any extraordinary unrest or disharmony, but rather because we want to further a faithful response to the biblical mandate of peace with God and peace with each other.

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

John 17:20-23

Building and maintaining a culture of peace is important and worthy of our time and energy. There are reasons why Jesus made this a focus of His prayer.

Jesus knew that the community of people would be made up of natural enemies. Jesus prays for unity because he knows that one of the greatest threats to the community is that people take their eyes off the gospel that unites, and look back to ethnic and cultural differences. Or in our case differences in; non-core belief, baptism, vaccination, perceived understanding, interests, financial wellbeing, where we live… By being unified, we show the power and priority of the gospel in our lives.

Jesus prays for unity, because in unity, we reflect the nature of God. Through our relationship with each other we reflect the nature of who God is: three in one.

Through unity we make Christ known.

D.A. Carson (paraphrased)

For these excellent reasons we will continue to foster peace in our community. We plan to embark on a PeaceWise learning journey throughout the coming year. My prayer at the first School Assembly for the year went like this:

Our gracious Father. Thank you for sustaining us over the past 40 years as a school. Thank you for what you have done in students’ lives who have come to Kuyper. We ask you to bless the people of this community this year with understanding and wisdom. Lord may we understand more deeply your grace and mercy and your sovereign rule over the universe. May it help us respond to each other with kindness, respect and peace. We ask for protection over coming weeks especially confronting COVID. We know that nothing surprises You. Lord we put our trust in You again this year. We pray these things in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus.  Amen.

I trust you will pray with us this year, seeking to put Jesus in His rightful place as King. He is the One who can make true peace possible between God and mankind and peace among all people.

We welcome the following new staff for 2022 and look forward to working with all these new appointments. We rejoice in God’s faithfulness to our community over 40 years.

Ian Shaw, Principal

This year Kuyper Christian School celebrates 40 years! Starting a new school year is always a good time to reflect on our Creedal Statement, and after 40 years, it’s timely to evaluate how we are going. Do we still live the hopes and the story of our pioneers 40 years ago?  Most importantly, are we living a story that is true to our Biblical worldview and beliefs? The Creedal Statement was designed to keep us focused on the important issues. It is a foundation that was laid 40 years ago by parents like you and me who want their children to grow up knowing Jesus in every aspect of life and learning in His world.

Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He liberates and renews us. He also sends His Holy Spirit to lead us into truth. We gladly submit to the Bible as our guide for all of life. And because of these things, we humbly, yet confidently engage in education so that Jesus Christ will be glorified in everything.

Creedal Statement, Kuyper Christian School

That’s right, everything; every square inch! I love this statement in our Creed. It pronounces Christ King of Kings and Lord of all. It reminds us of His saving work in renewing, restoring and guiding us with spiritual healing and leading. I speak for more than myself, I am sure, when I say these things. I speak for all Staff, Board members and many Parents at Kuyper who gladly seek to submit to the authority of the Bible as our lifelong guide. In a season filled with uncertainly and anxiety, the Bible is a time-honoured book, the word of God, that can be trusted to speak words of life into a world that longs for hope and meaning.

During this year, may we come with thankfulness to God for what He has done in the preceding 40 years, and pray with confidence for what He will do in the future. I am convinced that God’s faithfulness will be ongoing in this community.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

As my retirement approaches, along with the feelings of sadness at leaving Kuyper and all the involvement I have had here for more than 30 years, there’s a joyful anticipation of what is going to happen on the next part of life’s journey for my husband Peter and I as well as an overarching thankfulness. I am thankful to an awesome God who gave me a calling and a passion to be a teacher. A God who has sustained me through the challenges and victories of what it means to teach with Christ at the centre of all things. A God who through the death and resurrection of his own Son, Jesus, has graciously given me a hope and an assured future in eternity. I am also thankful to have been part of the Kuyper community. The founding members of our school were convicted of the importance of their God-given responsibility to raise their children to love and serve Him and others. They considered that a school that partnered with them in this undertaking was vital.

The privilege I have had to teach and partner with parents in educating, nurturing and discipling their children has been a great honour and humbling experience. Working in the Primary years of schooling, you don’t always see the fruits of your labour. I have seen young men and women I taught, graduate from Year 12, confidently articulating their faith, some returning to Kuyper to work in serving others, to do practicums to become teachers themselves. I have also been encouraged and privileged to teach the children of past students. What an awesome heritage for our school!

Working on the Education Sub-Committee in the early years of our school, gave me insight into the challenges of teaching with Christ at the centre of all things. Kuyper has an awesome, passionate, creative and faithful staff as they serve in the classroom, in administration or hold everything together in the maintenance of our school. I am so grateful to have been able to serve with these people and I commend them all to you.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17

I know that God has already got things planned. I just need to rest in Him. So rather than say, ‘Goodbye’; I’ll say, ‘Au revoir – until we see each other again.’

You are never too old to set another goal or dream another dream.

C.S. Lewis

Many blessings in Christ, Sue Huxley

Rob Weule, Year 4 Teacher

The last excursion that Stage Two enjoyed was on 1 April this year, to the Easter Show. Yep, if you are counting, that’s 233 days ago. Last Friday, we had the amazing opportunity to ‘Learn in God’s World’ with an excursion to Longneck Lagoon.

Longneck is an environmental educational site run by NSW Schools and staffed by qualified teachers and environmental experts. Our teachers for the day were Vicky (Principal) and Amy. Their class for the day was our own Year 3 and Year 4 students. Vicky and Amy led the kids through some wonderful learning experiences, including dip netting, bug and creepy crawly catching, microscope usage, life-cycle discussions, food chain exploration, a simulation game called ‘The Web of Life’, and environmental waste procedures. It was just so wonderful to be out and about and Learning in God’s World.

We saw many bugs and creepy crawlies at Longneck Lagoon. We learnt that they are all very important to the health of our environment. They all have a purpose. God designed and created every one of them. They reflect His care for us and His master plan and purpose for His Kingdom. Jesus died for them too. He died for ‘every square inch’ of His creation.

While on the excursion, the lyrics of our Year 4 Limelight song rang clear in our minds and actions.

We Will WHOK it

Chorus
We will, we will, WHOK it
We will, we will, WHOK it

Verse 1
Gotta be WISE it’s what Jesus said to be
Gotta make sure everybody’s HAPPY
OBEDIENT cool
This ain’t no rule
KINDNESS is the way, so don’t be cruel
Singing…

Verse 2
If you wanna be great
Then you gotta care
If you wanna be great, then care everywhere
From morning till night
Do what Jesus said
The measure of your greatness is the care that you spread
Singing…

Verse 3
Live your learning too
That’s what you gotta do
To learn in God’s world that He created for you
Learn about His Son
Learn what He has done
Died and rose again your new life has begun
Singing…

Were the Year 3 and 4 kids W.H.O & K? Yes, they were. Were the Year 3 and 4 kids Great? Absolutely. Did Year 3 and 4 live their learning? Completely, in God’s World.

Jason Shadie, Assistant Principal, Secondary

I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

Revelation 2:17

I have always loved this statement by Jesus in the Book of Revelation. Jesus promises to give us a new name; our true identity.

Today is the beginning of the HSC Exam period for 2021. It has been delayed due to the impact of COVID-19, but it marks the culmination of two years of senior study for our current Year 12 students. Our Year 11 cohort will also be involved in some of these exams. This is the first time that we have hosted the HSC Exams on-site at Kuyper since we began our senior school journey in 2016. It’s a big week for students, teachers and the school community!

The HSC is just one important event in the life of our students. It is definitely not a ‘defining’ moment. Our students – your children – are infinitely more valuable than the results of their exams. It is important, however, for our Year 12 students to strive for excellence and seek to honour God with their efforts. However, they are not to be defined, as individuals, by the outcome. 

We live in a world that places great emphasis on the results students attain through study, or the job they have. In our culture, when we meet someone for the first time, we might ask, “So, what do you do?” Our initial assessment of the person is often shaped by their answer. It can prompt preconceived ideas about ‘who’ the person is. This can also lead to awkwardness when someone is uncomfortable revealing what they do for work because of the way they might be judged. Our culture values people based on their achievements or performance. By contrast, Jesus had a very different way of seeing people and inviting them to follow Him. He didn’t seek out those most qualified, or those with the keenest intellect. A wide range of people found their purpose with Jesus, from those gifted in finance (tax collectors) to local tradies (fishermen).

So why does our culture place such importance on what people do for work? Why is a person’s identity so often tied to their job?

With a focus on these final exams, we should remember that this is the beginning of life beyond Kuyper for our senior students. They are now stepping into the life that God is calling them to, beyond their ‘childhood’ at school. There will be significant challenges ahead; decisions that these young adults will face in deciding where they find their identity. Will they be defined by the secular culture that is relentlessly trying to shape them, or will they know that their true identity is found in Christ?

Our Year 12 students of 2021 are all wonderfully gifted in different and unique ways. Each of them has a responsibility to use their strengths and weaknesses – the entirety of who they are – to serve and honour God in all aspects of their lives. This includes further study and careers.

Leonard Sweet, in his foreword to The Vertical Self by Mark Sayers, says “Christianity asks you to be who you are and who you aren’t at the same time.” While this sounds paradoxical, he means that God knows our true identity even while we are distracted through our own sinfulness and the culture of the world around us. We need to be honest about who we are, and hopeful about who we are becoming.

I am praying that our Year 12 students have a clear understanding of who they are when they leave Kuyper. I want them to know this truth: God knows who they are. They are created in His image. This will be a journey for all of them. As Sayer puts it, “We must seek to understand how we have moved away from basing our identities in our God-given image and toward simply adopting identities from the culture around us.”

Year 12, don’t let the world tell you who you are. Leave behind the false identities offered by our culture, and receive the white stone, the new name, from Jesus Himself.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

Leila Thomson, Secondary Teacher

I still recall driving home the evening before lockdown. We had been at my family’s house, and the kids and I were driving back. I had mentioned that we were going into lockdown and that we would have lots of time together as a family and that it was to keep us safe. The boys seemed very excited by the whole thing and as we pulled into the driveway the youngest said, “We made it! When are they putting the barricades up?” Clearly he was picturing a scene from Paw Patrol.

As we all know, not even Paw Patrol could save us from a long period of stay-at-home orders and school online. As much as I valued and loved the extra time I had to spend with my two young boys I found that patience, and then some more patience, was required every day. They have energy levels that make an Olympic hurdler look lazy, and their latest interest is all things ninja.

Helping my son with his online lessons, and teaching through my own Google Classroom was tricky. Overwhelmingly, I felt supported by all my students, your lovely children! Although they did approach Google Meets hesitantly and, at times, viewed the mic like the big bad wolf, they were very patient. They patiently listened, they patiently participated, they patiently grew in confidence and they patiently learned. The experience was a unique one for each student but I really think we all got to practice patience. I received some lovely emails from students and as much as I value students achieving their individual best, I also value the development of their character. I saw many students develop character through this time.

I don’t think patience is something that we value very much in today’s context. As a history teacher, I would observe that our past decades operated at a slower pace. We had more time to think, more time to process, and as much as technology has transformed our world in positive ways, I think it is also transforming our patience into impatience.

Our history syllabus encourages students to be empathetic. To reflect on another perspective and attempt to understand, we must choose to spend time, to be patient. The Civil Rights Movement took great patience, soldiers on either side of the trenches waited patiently before “going over the top” (of a trench). Today we all still struggle to show love to our neighbour. You will have likely heard of the famous definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. It first describes love as patient.

Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4:2

We have returned to school, which is wonderful. It has been great to see your children in person again and watch them connect with friends. There is a lovely buzz at the moment, but friendships, teaching and parenting will always require patience. The Lord calls us to be patient with one another, but he also asks us to wait patiently for him. As Christians, we patiently put faith in his will for our lives, and we patiently wait for his promised return.

Gareth Thompson, Secondary Teacher

Excitement was bubbling in the Thompson household last week as we inched closer and closer to moving out of lockdown and again being able to do some of our favourite things. Personally, I’ll probably have to wait a month or two until Bunnings’ sausage sandwiches are on the menu again. However, my youngest daughter had been saving up and making plans to go to her favourite doughnut shop in Penrith. We told her that the type of doughnut she wanted was readily available at local petrol stations, but she insisted that it had to be from Krispy Kreme. It had to be made fresh, or it wasn’t the same.

The date and time were set, and off she went. After 17 weeks of only “essential” shopping, her hopes were high for the sweet taste of a freshly-made glazed doughnut. Unfortunately, she soon discovered that there were many others with similar hopes. By the time she got to Krispy Kreme, they were SOLD OUT. Not one left. What a disappointment! She tried to find an alternative, but nothing was going to be as good as what she was hoping for.

Hope is a funny thing. Sometimes we hope for little things; sometimes big. Sometimes our hopes are for others and sometimes for ourselves. After the strange times we have recently experienced, we will all be carrying a variety of hopes for the future. Whether it be economic stability, good health, reduced stress or a new puppy, we all have something we are hoping for. Some of those hopes will be realised. Others will not. Sometimes the outcome will be as good as we hoped for. Other times it will be disappointing.

As Christians, we can know a certain hope that does not disappoint. If you have been enjoying these newsletter articles each week, you will have read it. If you’ve been listening to Mr Hottinger’s Lockdown Friday devotions, you will have heard it. Our sure and solid hope is God’s love for us in Jesus.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who he has given to us.

Romans 5:1-5

I wonder what you are hoping for as we move out of lockdown. I hope that you will want to know the One who does not disappoint.

Ashleigh Plane, Secondary Teacher

With lockdown lifting and school returning, I wonder if you have had a chance to reflect on this period of time? The lockdown may have given you an opportunity to slow down and enjoy the simple things: a morning coffee in the garden, board games as a family, a stroll through the whispering gums that surround our beautiful neighbourhood. Or your experience may have been tethered to a new level of insanity as you tried to balance work, school at home, and the needs of your household without the usual support of family and friends. The end of lockdown may just be your moment to come up for air.

The ability to critically reflect is an important aspect of learning. In design education, we constantly evaluate, refine and remodel ideas to produce the best outcomes. At a basic level, we may use tools such as a PMI (Plus, Minus, Interesting) chart to outline the positive aspects of a design, comment on interesting features, and discuss things we could improve on. But it is a deeper level of critical thinking that informs and shapes the future. This is where innovative progress is made. This is where we ask the deeper questions. What is the purpose? How will this influence the individual, society, and the world? Will it hinder or heal?

These deeper questions are also helpful for our spiritual lives. God’s steadfast love is there for us to take hold of. He wants us to come to him, reflect on him and mold our lives around his truth. How has this time drawn you to Jesus? What do your reflections look like in this season? What will you take into the next as you go from here?

Life is wasted if we do not grasp the glory of the cross, cherish it for the treasure that it is, and cleave to it at the highest price of every pleasure and the deepest comfort in every pain. What was once foolishness to us – a crucified God – must become our wisdom and our power and our only boast in this world.

John Piper

My encouragement to you as we return to freedom and normality is not to settle idly into everyday life. Take time to reflect on your life through a Biblical lense. Cherish Jesus’ sacrifice, be renewed by it, acknowledge the power of the Cross, and worship God every day.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Romans 12:2

Mitch Cavens, Secondary Teacher

For a long time, music teachers have been attempting to convince families of the value of picking up a musical instrument for practice. Today, I hope to continue that trend and perhaps convince you to pick up and learn an instrument, or to encourage your children to do so.

Did you know that learning a musical instrument can increase the size of your brain? I am sure that reason alone is not particularly convincing, however, the research outlining the effects of musical training on the brain is so astounding that it certainly has convinced many parents to encourage their children to learn a musical instrument.

The following image was published in an article by researchers from the Laboratory of Brain Imaging and the Laboratory of Language Neurobiology at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences. They investigated the effect of musical training on brain development.

This image describes some of wonderful effects of musical training on the brain. For starters, the size of the brain in key areas is increased. More importantly, areas of the brain affecting motor skills, speech, executive functioning, hearing, memory, emotions, reading, sensory skills, reward perception and movement coordination are exercised and improved.

As more and more neurology researchers investigate the effect of music on the brain, indications point to the importance of musical training for a developing child, from as young as 6 or 7 years old. Notwithstanding, the positive effect of musical training on the brain continues well into adulthood, and has even been shown to produce long term benefits in combating dementia and other memory-related deficiencies.

It is often the case that students who learn a musical instrument in Primary school stop playing during Senior school so that they can focus on their studies. However, I hope they are encouraged to persevere. The benefits of musical training are so great, that they are worth the effort of continuing into adulthood. Paying for your child to learn an instrument can be costly, but if you are a parent who has undertaken this expense, I encourage you to persist! Your sacrifice is worthwhile. And if you are a parent who has not ventured down the musical training path, I encourage you to investigate the positive effect of music on your child and yourself. If you play, they are more likely to.

Music is an incredible gift. It helps us develop physiologically and emotionally, but most importantly, we can grow spiritually through music that reminds us of the character and works of God. He has given us an amazing brain that can learn and appreciate music, so why don’t we use it to bring Glory to His Name.

Lyndal Mitchell, Assistant Principal

I recently had the privilege and delight of joining Year 5 and Year 6 (on separate occasions) for their morning Devotions online. While I was keen to share God’s Word and pray with them, I was even more keen to hear from them and to learn how they have been growing as God’s people in the context of lockdown and School@Home. I am often encouraged by the wisdom of children, and these visits were no exception. I won’t quote individual students, but here is a taste of the collective thoughts and insights of this remarkable group of young people:

We are learning how to rest and that being busy all the time is not necessarily good for us. Not being rushed helps us to do better quality schoolwork. It is good not feeling rushed all the time. 

We don’t need all the things we thought we did. We can be happy with less and with what we already have. We are learning new skills, like how to keep ourselves organised, stay focused and be more responsible. We are finding new strengths that we didn’t know we had. 

This pandemic was a surprise to us, but it was not a surprise to God. Somehow, it is part of His plan for the world. Good can come from any situation when it’s in God’s hands. He can always be trusted.

There are so many things that we were taking for granted that we now appreciate. We can see now that they are good gifts from God, and it has made us more thankful. We are learning gratitude, especially gratitude for things that have always been there – like our own backyards. Our pets are important. They can give us lots of comfort. Missing our friends has shown us how important they are to us too. We are finding new ways to connect with them, and that has been fun.

We are learning to appreciate our families more. We are spending more time together, and it’s good to realise how important they are to us. 

The overwhelming majority of the comments made by students in both classes were related to gratitude. Given what we now know about the importance of gratitude to our long term emotional and mental well-being, I was greatly encouraged by this. What a rich opportunity our kids are being given at this impressionable time of their lives. The final comment, made by a Year 6 student, brought tears to my eyes. They said:

I’ve always known that God gives. But now I’ve learnt that He also takes away. And that’s ok. I can trust Him when He gives and when He takes away.

Our young people have so much to teach us. I am very grateful for them.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 

1 Timothy 4:12