The annual Leavers’ Service marks the end of an era for our graduating students, which included all of the Year 13 cohort and two Year 12 students. We celebrated their achievements and blessed them in their future endeavours and adventures. The Year 13 video snapshot was, as always, a popular part of this service, whereby photo and video memories were shared from our graduating students’ time at Columba College.

Our guest speaker was Reverend Ed Masters, Minister of First Church of Otago. As a special character school with a Presbyterian tradition, having Rev Masters speak was a sign of our current and ongoing connection with the Presbyterian Church. Rev Masters reflected on our two Bible readings: Psalm 1, which includes the lines, “Happy are those...who delight is in the law of the Lord... [t]hey are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper”; and Jesus’ beatitudes from Matthew 5, of which two are “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God... [and] blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

As always, the Leavers' Service added special meaning to our day of 'endings' for our school leavers. We are blessed to have spent this time with them as part of the Columba family and we know they will carry God's love with them as they move forward in their journey.