RICHMOND CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

We were very excited to be able to present the Graduating Class with a celebration this year that will recognise the exceptional efforts and resilience in the face of unrelenting uncertainly.

 In celebration of their achievements I would like to share their tributes for this year…

 My prayer for the graduating class of 2020 is that the experiences of this year will make you see clearly what you can contribute to life and the life God desires to bless you with. 

In Romans 5 Paul is speaking to some new Christians and he speaks of the importance of hard things developing not only who we become but making us see God more clearly. He argues that as we endure difficult times it develops our character and the more we persevere; this character leads to hope.

Going through hard times also causes us to become more faithful and reliant on God, which in turn gives God opportunities to show you how faithful and amazing He is.

It is therefore my prayer that these times of trial will open up opportunities for you to see God more clearly, to know his love for you and for others to see this in you.

It is our privilege to play our part in assisting your parents to raise you to become the  outstanding young men and women who sit before us today.

There is much more I could say about each student this year, but due to time, what I share with you is a token of my thoughts and prayers for you and my thankfulness of the impact you have had on us all.

For you Bethany I have this tower of courage that you need to keep building.

Bethany, I want to thank you for being a model of strength, tenacity and humility to everyone here at the College. It is inspiring to watch you grow, learn and mature, you have a gift to be able to listen to others and faithfully apply their feedback. It is a joy for all of us to see you are becoming who you were purposed to be, don’t doubt that and know we are all very proud of you.

The scripture I pray for you Bethany comes from Proverbs 18:10 and Psalm 18:1-3:

The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;

the righteous run to it and are safe.

…

I love you, Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,

and I have been saved from my enemies.

 Let us pray.

Bethany, I pray that when you look up you will find Him and be strengthened. I pray that you will learn to trust God to supply all your needs. I pray that healing and peace will be yours IN Jesus. As you go from this place I get excited when I think about you fulfilling the potential you have been given and I pray that you will fly and soar high above the things that seek to keep you on the ground. I pray God’s richest blessings on you, Bethany.

For you I have this action figure…

I have enjoyed watching you grow and develop in the few years you have been with us, watching you become so enthusiastic that you cracked your head open in the excitement! The helmet on Captain America is no accident!

I want to thank you for being a young man who sees and knows right from wrong and has a passion to act on it. I want to thank you for your fearlessness and your courage to do good for others; for those you love and cherish; for those who deserve it and for those who don’t. I want to thank you for the way you have engaged with our community and inspired so many little men in this place.

For you Corey I want you to remember Daniel 6:26-28. The King says to Daniel after he has got him out of the Lion’s den:

I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;

For He is the living God and enduring forever,

And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,

And His dominion will be forever.

“He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders

In heaven and on earth,

Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”

Join with me as we pray for Corey:

Corey, I pray that as you leave this place and this part of life that you would continue to enjoy life to the max, no matter the bumps or bruises it leaves on the way. I pray that you would continue to search for truth and justice and find it in Jesus and enjoy the success of a life that knows him. I pray that you would look up and see all that God is and all He has for you. God bless you.

For you I have this very powerful little Elsa torch, a light to keep shining.  

I have enjoyed watching you grow and mature into the passionate and talented young women you have become. Thank you for shining your light onto those around you even when you doubted it and found it difficult. Thank you for the creativity and truth you have brought to this place. It has been a privilege to have you.

For you Paris, I pray the scripture from John 8:12 and 31,32 when Jesus speaks to his followers and the religious of his time.

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” … So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

Let us pray:

I want to encourage you and pray for you, Paris, the light is in you and you need not doubt it. You are valuable and worthwhile, and my prayer for you is that you know this and continue grow in this. I am excited when I think about how you will use the light and truth God has given you to navigate the sometimes-shrouded path and bring others into the light and life. God bless Paris.

For you Nick I have these limited edition, signed very rare broken records! I can’t wait to see how many more PBs you break as you continue to strive ahead, mate.

I am so excited when I stand here and see Nick before me. Nick has modelled to us what it is to overcome, what it is to persevere, what it is to step out even when you think that you can’t do it anymore. Thank you, Nick, for sharing these few years of your journey with us and inspiring us through your achievements. I want to encourage you, not unlike a martial art routine and skill set, that you keep building on the foundations you have learned at RCC and let nothing hold you back.

For you Nick, I pray the scripture James 1:5-6.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Let us pray for Nick:

Nick, I pray that as you leave you will continue to be spurred into action. I pray that you do not let the doubt or fear that can creep in cripple you, but build on what you have achieved. I pray that you continue to ask God and those around you for the wisdom to build on what you have learned here. God bless Nick!

For you I have the shoes and wings that are essential for you to dance like no one is watching when everyone can’t help but watch.

I want to thank you for the smile that makes others smile. I want to thank you for overcoming. Thank you for the hard work and dedication no matter the obstacles. Thank you for never giving up and always doing your best. Thank you for setting this standard in our school for others to follow. I want to encourage you continue to grow and to dance like you don’t care that people are watching, because people do watch you and they are inspired by you, but you mustn’t let this stop you - you must dance all the more in the truth that you are finding…

Bella, for you I pray the scripture from John 7:37 – 38 when he is speaking to a women at a water well:

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Bella, I pray that you will continue to courageously seek the truth; it will liberate you. I pray that you will continue to be who you are and inspire others without even knowing it. I pray that you will look up and see how much God loves you and cares for you, how much he protects and guides you, how much he desires to help you out. I pray that you will know all the blessings God has for you as you grow, your family, your friends and your talents. God Bless Bella.

For Leo I can’t help but have the little lion of courage.

I want to thank you, Leo, for the way you have modelled respect to us as a community. Though I may have asked you once or twice to show more respect for your schoolwork, what I will never doubt is that if I needed help, or we needed someone to count on, Leo was always there. I want to thank you for not giving up, for always wanting to learn, and for continuing to push through even when it is not easy for you. I want to thank you for your humour, your creativity and your insight.

For you Leo, I pray the scripture from Joshua 1:9, when the Israelites were about to enter the promised land:

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

I pray that as you leave and go into the big wide world that you do so courageously, that you continue to challenge yourself to become all that you can be. I pray for courage to step into new things. I pray for the courage to do difficult things. I pray for the ability to see beyond the now and to fearlessly pursue your dreams sowing into the future that God has for you. I pray that you will continue to think about and investigate the things of God and that he becomes the source of your strength. Bless you, Leo.

For you Rach, this sunflower.

I want to thank you for the model of integrity and light of hope you have been to all of us at RCC. I know you won’t believe me, but it is true. I want to thank you for the stability you have provided for so many around you. I want to thank you for your perseverance, even when you didn’t want to. I want to encourage you to not be afraid to chase the dreams and passions you have, I believe God has placed them there, and, like the sunflower, when you follow the Son I know you will truly become what you were created to be.

I pray 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 for you:

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.

Let us pray. For you Rach, my prayer is that you will enjoy all that God has given you. I pray that in the difficult and the disagreeable times you will be able to see the good and the worthwhile, that you will be able to persevere in faith, knowing that God will never let you go. I pray that you will experience all God has for you so that when look back you will be able to say, oh the places I have been, oh the people I have met, oh the things I have seen. Be blessed, Rach.

Emma, you need these little boots!

I want to thank you for the quiet peace you bring wherever you go; for the smile that says it will be well with my soul. I want to thank you for the influence you have had on this school’s culture, constantly pointing people, often without words, to the standard of Jesus in their life. As you graduate, I want to encourage you to not lose hope, that the race is just beginning, and this is exciting. I want to encourage you to run the race all the way to the finish; to run and follow your passions and dream, to run in these boots of the Father’s love.

Emma, I pray Acts 20:24 over you:

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me —the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Let’s pray. Emma, I pray that you would know that God made you just this way for just His reason. I pray that that this knowledge would provide you with peace and hope; that it would be an inspiration and a blessing, not a burden or a weight. I pray that God will continue to show you exactly who He is and this would continue to inspire you to great acts of compassion and mercy that influence others to run to God to find the source of the hope and mercy you show them. I pray that you would have the strength to fight when it is not easy and celebrate your victories along the way. Be courageous to finish the race, be joyful on the journey.

I have this set of colours for you, Sophie.

I have enjoyed your creativity and flair like few others in my entire career, Sophie. I want to thank you for the way you inspire so many to be comfortable in their own skin, to be honest with who they are no matter where they are. Thank you for the honest joy that you bring to this place. It is my hope you continue to colour your world no matter what greys it throws at you.

For you Sophie I pray Psalm 139:13-15.

For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skilfully wrought in the depths of the earth”

Let us pray. Sophie, in all the good times and the times of trial, in the blessings of life and in the times where all goes quiet, I pray that you would be able to rest on the strength and purposes of God that bring hope and identity to us. I pray that you would continue to courageously let the blessings you have been given flow to others and that this would bring you true success and peace. God bless you, Sophie.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 talks about balance.

That for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Let us acknowledge that we are balancing many aspects of life, and this has enabled us to arrive at the end of term three 2020 the way we have. Perhaps in reflection we would have taken it a little more easy or focused on an area a little more. We want to particularly acknowledge our senior students navigating and managing a peculiar year.   

As our senior students continue to use the holidays for study and preparation, remember to maintain your balance. Below is a link to a 20 sec video to encourage you to take a break when you need it.  

Take A Break

You might like to reflect on the picture below. If this picture was how you balanced life, what would the different rocks represent that create your balance?

Warmest Regards

Lorin Ripley
School Counsellor

Mr Brown with some Year 5 students have begun work on a model 4-stroke engine as part of their "Deconstructors" club. Ironically, this model is being constructed (not the opposite,) but the purpose if doing this is the same - to gain skills and understanding of how things work.