Dear Parents, Caregivers and Whanau,

THE POWER OF PURPOSE:

I want to share with you a well-known story about three stone masons, or brick layers.

The story of the three bricklayers is a multidimensional parable with its source in English history. After the great fire that destroyed London in 1666, the world's most famous architect at the time, Christopher Wren, was tasked with rebuilding St. Paul’s Cathedral.

One day in 1671 Christopher Wren watched three bricklayers on a scaffold:

• one crouched,
• the other half-standing,
• and the third standing upright.

Everyone worked very hard and fast. Christopher Wren asked every bricklayer one question: "What are you doing?"

The first bricklayer replied, "I am a bricklayer. I work hard laying bricks to feed my family. "

The second bricklayer replied, “I am a builder. I'm building a wall. "

But the third bricklayer, the most productive of the three, when asked, "What are you doing?" replied with a twinkle in his eye, "I am a cathedral builder. I am building a great cathedral to the Almighty. "

The story of the three bricklayers is also a metaphor on the power of purpose, where the “cathedral builder,” demonstrates a personal expression of purpose that transforms his attitude and gives a higher meaning to his work. Another term for purpose that is used in Christian circles is “calling.” For the first bricklayer, building the wall was a job. For the second bricklayer it was an occupation. For the third bricklayer, it was a calling.

A calling reflects our universal need to matter, to influence, and make a difference in the world around us. Victor Frankel made this clear in his book, The Meaning of Life. He wrote about how some people survived the holocaust, but so many didn’t. One of the things he identified was those who had a purpose or reason to continue to live that was beyond themselves tended to survive, while those who were focused primarily on themselves did not. Those who survived found some meaning in their painful circumstances. The meaning they found was in caring for and helping others in this horrible experience.

The story of the three bricklayers can also be used to illustrate the responsibility of leaders to encourage others to find their “cathedral,” and to help and support others in pursuing and building their “cathedral.” We are uniquely created by God for a specific purpose at a particular time in history that no one else can fulfill but us. As leaders, we need to wrestle with the questions, how do I move people from where they are - to become cathedral builders? How do I help people discover their God given purpose at each juncture in life’s journey, and resource them to live it out?

May I encourage you, as you seek to find God’s purpose for your life, to consider the words from the Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q & A 1:

Q: What is the chief end of man?
A: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Our School Motto

Character, Excellence, Service for the Glory of God.

Blessings

Mike Vannoort

Principal / Tumuaki