Chapel Matters

We have four really important values here at St Hilda’s which we hope will become part of who our students are, and how they are in the world – we want them to have a Can Do attitude, to Be Themselves, to realise that we are all Better Together, and to have a mind and heart that is open to Exploring Faith (Ara whakapono). But what does it mean to Explore Faith?

When these values were being created, there was some discussion about what word to use at the start of this particular value. Perhaps we want students to “Have” Faith? But it was felt that this might lend itself more to the idea of “having faith” in yourself or others, when what we wanted was some way for students to connect with the special character of the school. “Have” Faith might also imply a passive reception of a set of beliefs without actively thinking for oneself. Consequently, we opted for the word “Explore.”

Throughout history some people have been keen to see what is over the horizon – like Kupē, the Polynesian explorer who discovered the islands of Aotearoa, or like Ayra in Game of Thrones who wanted to find out “what is West of Westeros?” Some people like to explore ideas, through books they read, or to explore what happens by doing scientific experiments, or by trying out different colour combinations, or chords on a guitar.

To really explore well you have to be open minded, curious, and to have a sense of positivity and optimism – maybe there was nothing new over the first mountain you climbed, but there is bound to be over the next one! Maybe that experiment didn’t quite work, but the next one will!

When it comes to Faith then, we want students …

• to explore what connects them to their whānau, their tīpuna (ancestors); the land and spaces where they feel at home – their tūrangawaewae.
• to explore what gives them a sense of awe and wonder in this amazing and mysterious universe; to discover what takes their breath away.
• to explore the different beliefs and stories of people from different religious faiths; to be open to learning about and from them.
• and to explore what Christianity has to offer, what the Anglican church is all about; to appreciate the heritage of our school; to discover just how much they are loved and accepted by God; and to work for justice in this world.

Exploring Faith is a really powerful attribute that we want our students to have. It will give them the hope they need to climb the difficult mountains and sail the rough seas. It will enrich their journey through life and those they meet along the way, and it will give them sense that there is something bigger than themselves out there – something they are connected to, through their wairua, their spiritual side, so that they know they are not alone on their life’s journey.