Compass No. 530 April 2019

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me - (Psalm 23:4 KJV)

“Dear Christian friends, ‘The valley of the shadow of death’ is a useful way of understanding what’s going on in our world this week. Our week began on Sunday morning as we delighted in the good news of Christ’s resurrection. By Sunday evening, however, a dark shadow came over us as we heard about the deadly bombings in Sri Lanka, which particularly targeted Christians celebrating Easter, just as we had done a few hours earlier. The cloud grew darker as the number of bombs, deaths, and injuries grew. This does not feel far away from us, our colleagues, our friends and our families. The cloud is particularly worrisome so soon after the terrible massacre in Christchurch just a few weeks ago.

Australians and New Zealanders will soon divert their attention to ANZAC Day. Coming so soon after Easter, there is tension between our faith in the unending joy of Christ and the ongoing experience of terror and war. How can we reconcile these conflicting realities?

There’s no easy answer. Humans are complex. We live in continual contradiction. It’s not as though we are on some straight, broad highway to heaven. For a century or two, during the age of science, we imagined that we were on a continuous, self-propelled trajectory of onward and upward progress. We would solve our problems and everything would inevitably get better. But now in the 21st century, things feel different, as we are drawn back to more primitive, brutal realities which centuries of advancement in science and civilisation have not solved at the source.

Another way of describing our paradox is the ‘now’ and the ‘not yet’. We live in two realities. The resurrection is real. God has cured our terminal disease and raised us from death. Our new life is eternal. But we still live in time, in this world and things here aren’t complete. So, for now we still suffer and the world suffers with us. What’s more, God also suffers, as we heard, once again, during Holy Week.

On Thursday we will remember those who gave their lives in sacrifice for their countries in war. ANZAC Day is a largely military event, but it does not glorify war. It’s a simple fact that we enjoy substantial freedoms because of the sacrifices made by service personnel and conscripts when our countries were at risk. Our freedom rests on what they have done for us, and that fact alone should fill us with humility and gratitude. Yet we want to show that gratitude without glorifying war itself, the motives that stimulate such aggression, or the weaponry which can kill so many. This is an important yet delicate distinction for Christians, who believe that Christ loves the world and died, not only for us, but also for our enemies. In fact, He died especially for those who have no love for him, or for us, for that matter.

And to those men and women who have served or still serve in the Defence Forces, thank you. Very few of us in civilian life know the sacrifices you make and how much those sacrifices cost you and your families. You pay a big price, sometimes including your mental and physical health, yet you lay down your life for us, and we are grateful. So we honour you this ANZAC Day and we pledge to support you in prayer and through living diligently and honourably as citizens of the society you protect.

God bless each of us this week as we pass through ‘the valley of the shadow of death’. We will remain confident because our week began with the resurrection. As the days pass we may be afraid sometimes, just as Jesus’ own disciples were afraid (see Mark 16:8), but our future is secure through the sacrifice of God’s only Son. Because of Him, the valley of the shadow of death will not rob us of our safety or our life.”

*Extracted from a devotion written by Rev. John Henderson, the Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Australia.

Pastor Tim Jarick, College Pastor

We welcome all members of the Pacific community back for Term 2 and hope that our students are suitably refreshed and energized to give of themselves in the various domains of College life in making a positive difference.

We live in a world that has become increasingly focused on what we can take from it rather than what we can give back. The pull of the materialistic culture has, in numerous ways, restricted us from what it truly means to live in community. Moreover, the all-consuming social media age has us only a click away from knowing everyone’s business, whether we have asked for it or not. Whilst as a society we continue to observe and reap the benefits of the advancements in technology and digitisation of our daily lives, sadly for many their currency of value and self-worth is based on the number of likes a post of theirs receives.

Thankfully though, within a Lutheran Education and specifically at Pacific, students of all ages are provided with the opportunity to give back to their community and develop a sense of purpose, meaning and self-worth in the service they give to others. Therefore, it is with a real sense of gratitude that we thank those students who will give up their Sunday afternoon to showcase the College to prospective families. Indeed, through their service to the College community they are living out not only one of the core values of a Lutheran Education, but also one of the key messages from the Scriptures; “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).

Service involves giving rather than taking, responding to the needs of others and performing acts without seeking reward or recognition. Certainly, it is the challenge for Pacific students to commit to lifelong service opportunities to make a difference in the world they live. Significantly, commemorating ANZAC Day is a poignant reminder of the ultimate sacrifice the many men and women paid in serving their country. We thank 2010 Graduate and member of the armed forces, Captain Jacob Frahn for providing his insights into what it means to serve his country. Similarly, we thank all students and family members for their involvement in the ANZAC Day march and other commemorative services this week.

Mr Ben Ryan, Director of Students

Surveyed teens report fearing their friends were having more rewarding experiences than them (54%), being worried when they find out their friends are having fun without them (60%) and being bothered when they miss out on a planned get together (63%). These results are concerning and have a direct correlation to the use of social media. Learn more at: https://www.psychology.org.au/news/media_releases/8Nov2015-fomo/#.

Mrs Annie Williams, College Counsellor

During Vacation Care these holidays, our main focus was sustainability. Children were exposed to different experiences from the outside community including the Recycle Man Show and an excursion to Woolworths Currimundi. Sustainability will continue to be the main focus this term and embedded into our weekly program. We encourage all families to donate your 10c bottles and cans to help children raise funds for their community garden. The garden will be up and running very soon. We are still preparing the area to ensure our plants have a beautiful healthy environment to grow. We invite all families to visit OSHC and have a look at our Environment Research Centre and also our Recycle Station, either before or after school or during Open Day this Sunday.

Mrs Natalie Sorbello, Educational Leader OSHC/Vacation Care

Thank you to all who attended the April meeting on Tuesday night. It was especially good to see a few new faces! Thank you also to Anita Edmonds who has volunteered as a Year 9 Parent Representative. Our Parent Representatives are an important part of College life and we encourage you to support them.

We have a busy Term 2 coming up and following have provided an overview of events:

First up is the Pacific Open Day this Sunday 28^th April from 12.30pm – 3.30pm. We are running a BBQ and drinks stand, so please let your friends know they can buy lunch on the day.

Woolworths Earn and Learn stickers will be available next week from 1^st May. Collection boxes will be outside Prep, the Wellbeing Centre and in the College library.

FoP will host a Mother's Day Stall on Tuesday 7^th May (P-5) and Thursday 9^th May (Year 6-12). Our Year 4 parents will be organising the stalls, so we thank them in advance. Prep to Year 5 students will visit the stall in their class groups, while Year 6-12 students can visit the stall during morning tea. All gifts are $5 each.

We will also support the Athletics Carnivals with a BBQ and drinks stall on Wednesday 8^th May (Years 3-6) and Friday 26^th July (Years 7-12).

The Pacific and IBN Private Golf Day is on Sunday 9^th June at the Pelican Waters Golf Club. We are very excited to have IBN Private as our Corporate Sponsor for the event. Fiona (Year 5 Parent Representative) and Scott have supported the College in various ways over the years and we warmly welcome them to lead this event. The Golf Day has been designed particularly for parents to connect. We'd love to see a team of four from each year level, so please share the event with your class/year level and encourage maximum participation. The event is now set up on the College Facebook page  and we’ve attached the link to the Registration Form for easy booking. The registration fee includes a cart, brunch and a meal at the 19th. It will be a whole lot of fun, so gather your team together now!

Our Trivia Night is also set for Saturday 17^th August. More details will follow later this term.

Mrs Jenny Lee, FoP Chairperson

We congratulate Alex Jose and Holly Ubrihien who have been successfully selected to participate in the Japanese Outbound Exchange Program in Term 4 this year. Holly and Alex will be spending six weeks at our sister school Seishin Gakuen, immersing themselves in Japanese school life. We wish both students all the best as they begin preparing for their exchange.

Mrs Michiko Hauser, Head of Japanese 6-12

Pacific Lutheran College is excited to bring the golden-era musical production of Oklahoma! to the stage in its 75th anniversary year.

Set just after the turn of the 20th Century in America’s romanticised Western Frontier, spirited rivalry among local farmers and cowboys sets the backdrop for two burgeoning love stories. Curly is a handsome cowboy who has his sights set on the beautiful farm girl Laurey, but Jud Fry is also vying for Laurey’s love. Ado Annie is engaged to Ali Hakim but she has second thoughts when Will Parker enters her life. The road to true love is anything but smooth in Oklahoma!

With a professional orchestra, the show’s musical score will have audiences singing along to this Broadway Box Office smash! Featuring classics such as ‘Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’ and ‘People Will Say We’re In Love’ as well as exciting staging and brilliant costumes, Pacific’s cast of 38 students bring Oklahoma’s colourful characters to life with heartfelt performances.

Tickets are on sale now! To book, visit: https://theeventscentre.com.au/product/pacific-lutheran-college-oklahoma/.

Mrs Janine Delaney, Director

Universities offer a range of programs for secondary school students. Registrations are now open (or will open soon) for many of these, as detailed below. Please check dates carefully before registering.

USC Head Start Program

Headstart is a transition program for Year 11 and 12 students to study USC courses while still completing high school. View the available courses at: https://www.usc.edu.au/learn/courses-and-programs/headstart-program-year-11-and-12-students/choosing-a-course.

Year 11 students can apply now to do a Headstart subject in Semester 2 this year. Applications close on 30^th April. Please see Mrs Wanda Hayes if you are applying, as you will need a school recommendation as part of your application. (NOTE: you can also do a Headstart subject in Semester 1 in Year 12 – applications for that semester will not open until later in the year.)

UQ: Careers that Shape the World Event

This event will be held on Tuesday 4^th June 2019. It provides Year 11 and 12 students with seminars on a range of study topics that will help them discover the careers that are right for them. This is a popular event so it is important to register early. Explore the available options at: https://www.uq.edu.au/shape-your-world/.

UQ: FEAST

FEAST is a five-day residential program held at the UQ Gatton Campus for students in Years 10-12 who are interested in agriculture, animals, vet science, food and/or the environment. It will be held from 30^th June 2019 – 4^th July 2019. This is a popular program, so register now at: https://science.uq.edu.au/event/feast.

QUT: Vice-Chancellor's STEM Camp

This free, five-day STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) camp is for high achieving Year 11 students. It will be held from Sunday 29^th September – Friday 4^th October 2019. During the camp, students will work with QUT researchers and current students and engage in solving some of the major challenges facing our society and planet today. QUT can also provide accommodation and transport options for rural and regional students. Applications open soon. For more information, visit: https://www.qut.edu.au/study/career-advisers-and-teachers/stem-for-schools/vice-chancellors-stem-camp.

UQ: Experience Science

Experience Science is a free event that provides students in Years 10-12 with the opportunity to discover what studying science is like at UQ and how science is applied in industry and everyday life. The event is facilitated by experts from UQ and industry through a series of hands-on, interactive science workshops. Experience Science will be held on Friday 12^th, Tuesday 16^th, Wednesday 17^th and Thursday 18^th July. For further details and to register, visit: https://science.uq.edu.au/experience-science.

National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) 2019

NYSF is a 12-day residential program that runs during the summer school holidays each January in Brisbane and Canberra. The program is for students entering Year 12 who are passionate about STEM. It aims to show participants the wide variety of study and career options in STEM fields. Students apply to attend this program through their local Rotary Club. Expressions of interest are now open and will close on 31^st May 2019. For full details, visit: https://www.nysf.edu.au/programs/year-12-program/.

Mrs Wanda Hayes, Careers Counsellor

Well done to Cosette Winter, Macey Winter and Cooper Schwab who have been selected in State Water Polo Squads for their age groups. Cosette, Macey and Cooper will attend weekly training sessions in Brisbane before the state teams are announced in late May. If they make the state teams, these students will participate in the National Tournament in Hobart later this year. We wish these students well as they continue their training.

Mr Brett Kersnovske, Head of Sport

The tuckshop menu has been updated for Term 2 with great specials every day! To view the menu, visit: https://pacificlutheran.qld.edu.au/college-community/college-tuckshop. Unfortunately, due to rising supplier costs, we have had to raise some of our prices too. However, we have kept these to a minimum.

Mrs Shea Moor, Tuckshop Convenor

The Uniform Shop is open from 8.00am to 9.30am every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Orders can be placed online via www.flexischools.com.au and will be delivered to your child the following day.

Mrs Peta King, Uniform Shop Convenor

Pastor Ray, St Mark’s Lutheran Church