by Isla Huffadine

Chapel Matters

This week was the last school chapel service for the Year 13 students! When they were in Year 9 we were still sitting on wooden pews and whanaungatanga groups had just been launched. The beautiful new stained glass window was still a year from being installed and challenging things like Covid were not even imaginable. And it was taken for granted that special events such as St Hilda’s Day, Leavers’ Service, and Prize Giving would happen as “normal.” A lot has changed in the last five years!

What has not changed is my hope that this year’s leavers feel they have had the opportunity to explore faith and strengthen their sense of hauora (wellbeing) with the dimension of taha wairua (spirituality) over the last five (or seven) years at St Hilda’s.

And with that, my prayer is that they will discover the many gifts that they have been given through the special character of the school which will enrich and enable them as they go through struggles, celebrate magical moments, and make the most of all the ordinary days of life. In particular, I hope they find the gifts of God's love, grace, joy, peace, and hope which are always there for them, wherever they may be on life's journey.