Mount Lawley's Chaplain | Public figure

Mount Lawley's Chaplain

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23.01.2022 Another catch up in my year of reflection. Brooke was at school a while ago (its okay, I wont tell Brooke) and now pastors a church in the northern suburbs with her husband. So nice to hear how she has gone and to see where her lifes journey has taken her since school. I was encouraged and very blessed by my visit today.

23.01.2022 The first week of the year has already been a reflective one. Just before New Year I attended the wedding of one of my primary school teachers, and the first week of 2018 saw me at two funerals for school families. Many people are enjoying their holidays at the moment, and it is great to see, but please give thought to those who are struggling.

22.01.2022 A busy few days. The School Ball, Cadet Camp at Wellington Dam, a talk to the Year 5s and 6s at Coolbinia PS and then I got to present to our Prospective Parent night tonight. Ready for a lie down.

22.01.2022 The last game for my rubber chicken Marvin Junior. Unfortunately after about 17 years the time has come for him to retire. Hes been melting and falling apart a bit too much. Hes helped me run a lot of games and camps over the years and will enjoy his down time.

22.01.2022 The tour continues. Spoke today at Dianella Church of Christ. Thanks to everyone for having me along today

20.01.2022 I put this up on the school FB pages and its already reached over 10,000 people and had over 920 plays. It was a great project, and I got to meet someone from every year that the school has been around.

18.01.2022 An upload from the distant past - a camp I ran in 2003 requested by one of the students on the trip. So great to look back on.

17.01.2022 A visit today at one of my local churches, St Albans. I used to go there 20 years ago and although its changed a lot is still the same. Nice to catch up with some faces I havent seen in a long time ... all looking a bit older!

17.01.2022 Junior girls soccer game today that finished before the rain. Wonderful to watch new people to the game trying their hearts out and having fun. A shame we came second but so proud of what they achieved.

17.01.2022 Coffee with fellow Chaplains working in the local primary schools this morning. 26 years in Mount Lawley and the first opportunity to do this with a group of other local Chaplains. Wow.

16.01.2022 Coffee Catch Up #1 - After last Fridays assembly I was able to catch up with two people who were there at the start of my Chaplaincy 25 years ago. Ian was the new Principal who was wondering what a Chaplain was, and Brian was in charge of the Music Department. Great to catch up and reminisce. Although technically we didnt have coffee, because the urn wasnt working of something - I think it was water, or cordial.

15.01.2022 Today I celebrate my 28th birthday as the School Chaplain here at Mount Lawley. Looking at the photos I can see a couple of changes. Wondering if anyone else can spot the differences.

15.01.2022 Some pictures from this weeks camp. A fabulous part of the world on the coast south-west of Pemberton. There were times you just had to step back and take a pause and look around at the world you were in. The DPaW Rangers were fabulous and the students did a great job with all of the community service projects we undertook.

15.01.2022 One of the great joys of working in a school is the people you get to meet, and this is one of the finest. Arthur has been attending assemblies and other functions at the school for over 20 years as the President of the Ex-Prisoners of War Association, and I was honoured to publicly tell him that we would be inducting him as one of our first Lawley Legends.

15.01.2022 Our Bush Ranger Cadet Unit is one of the big programs I am involved in. So for those wondering, here is a look at what we get up to over the course of a year.

14.01.2022 In the morning we have our final assembly for the Year 12s - the beginning of their celebrations of the end of high school.

14.01.2022 My primary school tour has ended! Yesterday afternoon I spoke at my 10th local primary school in about 3 weeks. I have spoken to all of the Year 6s and almost all of the Year 5s about the transition to high school ... and tomorrow night I get to do the talk to the parents.

13.01.2022 I cant tell you how much of a wonderful human being William was. He spoke to everyone, was as helpful with a lost Year 7 as with a visiting VIP guest and would give both an extra smile for their day. He was intelligent, a natural and gifted public speaker, wonderful at languages, friendly and encouraging to all and had the world ahead of him. It was a sad day for our school when he graduated and devastating to hear of his illness so soon afterwards. But as sad as it is the feeling that most resonates with me is thankfulness. For I got to meet him and talk to him and laugh with him. You always put a smile on my face, and shone brightly for way too short a time. Rest well, William.

13.01.2022 Got to spend some time with this champion today. Its been 17 years since Daniel left school, and he has spent much of that time traveling the earth ... quietly making his way through places and impacting the people around him. Great to talk about life and choices, our place in the world, community and God. Looking forward to seeing where life takes you.

13.01.2022 Went to a public lecture about the Leeuwin Current (hey, its my favourite ocean current) and caught up with a student from the early 90s. Great to reminisce on some of my early camping moments as a Chaplain ... and he survived them!

13.01.2022 I dont often get a chance to do a big speech as a Chaplain, but this year, for various reasons, I gave the closing address to the Class of 2017 at their Awards Night. So for those of you who are dying to know if I can cobble together coherent sentences, here it is.

13.01.2022 Two days with my Chaplain friends has been a great start to the year. Some great connections

12.01.2022 Speaking this morning at Maylands/Mount Lawley Uniting Church. Part of my 25th Anniversary Tour

12.01.2022 Back to work today for Day 1 of our Chaplaincy Conference. Wonderful to catch up with people who have been journeying with me over so many years. Even some good ideas to borrow.

11.01.2022 Education Minister Sue Ellery MLC on why she has been a long-time supporter of school chaplaincy: "When I meet school boards, principals, staff or parents, I a...sk them what is working in their school and what are some of the challenges. Inevitably they say the chaplaincy program is one that is working really well, is valued and is in fact one they couldnt do without. So its a bit easy for me to reach the conclusion that this is a program that we should support. What you do matters, works, is valued and that is why I am willing to continue our support."

10.01.2022 I have had so many lovely messages - thank you to all of you. And upon Brads request, here is the before and after photo ... this is what 25 years of Chaplaincy can do to you!

10.01.2022 For 6 years these amazing gentle men have graced the school with their humour, their experience and their concern. They have been wonderful mentors and, as a Chaplain it has been a wonderful project to be a part of. I will miss them being at school each week as much as I wont miss having to do all of the excursion paperwork.

09.01.2022 This year I thought for a while that I wouldnt do the Girls Soccer Team - weve had a lot of lethargy, and people not turning up over the last few years, and after all I have had 24 seasons under my belt as coach. I got things underway a bit late and there wasnt a lot of people enthusiastically turning up to training. But then a group of girls decided it was going to be their thing to do. They had never played before, didnt understand the rules. Some of them were in fact s...cared of going out into a game. But they wanted to play. They were enthusiastic - sometimes more about their new app than about corners or free kicks - but they won me over. We had a great season. We lost some games, we had a draw I think and won some (including a 7-3 victory). We made it into the knock-out round this term and unfortunately lost yesterday afternoon in the rain. I watched them play in the torrential rain, trying as hard as they could, running, tackling, playing our off-side trap (sometimes accidentally, but still playing it) ... but most of all they were having fun. Not one of them complained about the rain, or the cold, or having to take their earrings out - they just got on with it and had fun. And that made me reflect on this season as one of my greatest. Yes weve made Grand Finals in the past, and had big wins, but this year we played because it was fun. So thank you girls for turning my season around and helping me look forward to season #26 in 2018. Go Lawley! See more

08.01.2022 One of my great catch ups this year was tonight with Michelle, who was Head Girl in 1994. She did a fabulous speech as part of the 2017 Awards Night. Wonderful to hear where life has taken her and had a great time reminiscing over soccer games and school. Thanks Michelle.

08.01.2022 I don't often get a chance to do a big speech as a Chaplain, but this year, for various reasons, I gave the closing address to the Class of 2017 at their Awards Night. So for those of you who are dying to know if I can cobble together coherent sentences, here it is.

06.01.2022 In the morning we have our final assembly for the Year 12's - the beginning of their celebrations of the end of high school.

06.01.2022 Tomorrow marks a significant milestone for me ... 25 years as the Chaplain here at Mount Lawley SHS. It has been pretty wild thinking about it over the last few days. It is more than half of my life. I think back over the many people I have spoken to and worked with - some who I still see after all of those years, some who I spent so much time with but havent seen for years and some I just met today when I ran the tour for our new staff. So many faces and places, tears and l...aughter. I have seen people learn through struggle and people struggle to try. Many students have gone on to be wonderful people, caring for their own kids, running their own businesses, pastoring churches, performing their own plays. I even had one who became a school Chaplain just like me. There have been plenty of difficult times and trials, but I have been so blessed and supported over the years by so many people. So this year I hope to spend some time reflecting on them. I am going to chase a few of them down for a coffee, and I am going to dig up some old photos. And Illl share them here and you can hold me accountable to it ... so for to follow See more

06.01.2022 Awesome coffee catch up reminiscing with Betty. A wonderful lady and 23 year Chaplain. We just worked out we are the only two left with more than 20 years up our sleeve.

04.01.2022 The second week of the holidays saw me in Shark Bay with the Bush Ranger Cadets. We worked hard brushing 4WD tracks and camping areas, building fences and removing PVC water pipes from Francois Person National Park. It was a wonderful time, made all the more special in that I was able to share it with two of my daughters. There were some great learning experiences for some of our senior Cadets as well and it is fabulous to think how this experience will encourage them and challenge them in their roles and in their futures.

04.01.2022 I can’t tell you how much of a wonderful human being William was. He spoke to everyone, was as helpful with a lost Year 7 as with a visiting VIP guest and would give both an extra smile for their day. He was intelligent, a natural and gifted public speaker, wonderful at languages, friendly and encouraging to all and had the world ahead of him. It was a sad day for our school when he graduated and devastating to hear of his illness so soon afterwards. But as sad as it is the feeling that most resonates with me is thankfulness. For I got to meet him and talk to him and laugh with him. You always put a smile on my face, and shone brightly for way too short a time. Rest well, William.

03.01.2022 One of the more wonderful afternoon/evenings of my Chaplaincy today - our Lawley Legends presentation where I was able to host and honour 12 past students of the school (3 of them from during my time at the school). Inspirational stories, a wonderful catch up and some lovely memories. So nice to hear people talk about the Chaplaincy as they remember it from 20+ years ago.

03.01.2022 A bit of perspective on how long I have been at the school. This is one of our practice teachers, Katie, who represents how long I have been the Chaplain here - she was born about 2 weeks after I started.

02.01.2022 Supporting our School Chaplain - Right now, you can enjoy free delivery PLUS a $10 Woolworths WISH eGift Card when you purchase your NEW 2017 | 2018 Entertainment Book or Digital Membership. Order yours today to avoid disappointment: http://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/876e90

02.01.2022 My last proper day today as Chaplain at Mount Lawley Primary School (I will be full-time again next year at Mount Lawley Senior High School). It has been a wonderful five years with an extraordinary group of staff who I will miss immensely. I never used to see myself as a primary school Chaplain, but the role certainly grew on me and I learnt a lot. I will miss the students, the classes and the activities. Thank you Mount Lawley Primary! I will visit again.

01.01.2022 Went to a public lecture about the Leeuwin Current (hey, it's my favourite ocean current) and caught up with a student from the early 90's. Great to reminisce on some of my early camping moments as a Chaplain ... and he survived them!

01.01.2022 Congratulations to our Bush Ranger Cadets who have just returned from a 4 day exploration of the Goldfields. Magnificent country, pouring rain, sunshine, muddy puddles, the Super Pit and the amazing history of the region - we had it all!