We would like to thank our School Community for your continued patience with the congestion at pick up time which has been exacerbated by the COVID restrictions. Following a minor collision during the week, we would like to remind everyone to be careful when moving through the car park and to ensure that the entrance to the gravel car park is kept clear. The drop off zone is to be used for short pick ups only. Thanks again.
Hello RCC Families,
This week has been a very difficult one for our community. One of our student’s dad has passed away unexpectedly and one of our former students has had a significant motorcycle accident and is currently in intensive care at the Gold Coast.
Thank you to the many people who have been involved in looking after the students and families affected by these tragic events, your support is much appreciated by all of us.
We all respond to significant events such as these in different ways. They cause us to look after and care for one another. They can cause us to look inwardly and reassess what we value and if we are living as we should. They can cause us to look up and question why. They can also cause us to look down, leaving us motionless for a time as we just don’t know how to think. I encourage you to do all of these things and more as you feel you need to…
When speaking about the sovereignty of God, in his book, Is God Still in Control, author Jerry Bridges suggests that there are times where we just simply do not understand, nor will we, the purpose behind what is happening, but what we do know is that God is a loving God who knows what we are going through and loves and cares for us more than we can imagine. Some of us know this by experience and The Scriptures constantly affirm this truth (1 John 4:9-11 & 16, Romans 5:8 & 8:37 – 39, John 3:16, Isaiah 54:10, Psalm 136:26 – just as starters…). However, it is very difficult to allow this to comfort us at times, hence He sends His people to be His hands and feet.
Whilst I turn to many scriptures at this time that speak of how good, or mighty, or caring God is, it is 2 Corinthians 4 I am particularly attuned to at the moment. As Pauls writes to other Christians in the city of Corinth who have gone through terrible persecution he encourages:
“For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”
This is my prayer for us at this time. That we recognise that in times like these it is not a sign of weakness to rely on God to love one another and get through. Rather, it is a humble strength to ask God to supply all our needs and hold onto hope that we will not be crushed, perplexed, or destroyed, but in difficult times the treasure of knowing God as our source of hope, strength and meaning can be a support to all.
Please join with us this week as we continue to pray for and support our families affected by these tragedies. Our prayers are always with our families.
Good Tidings.
Jonno
