From the Chaplains

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and that on which it is impossible to be silent.”

Victor Hugo

Thanks to a grant from the Ex-Students’ Union, this year the Chaplains have been able to engage an artist-in-residence to help strengthen and rejuvenate the music and singing in chapel services across the College, with a particular focus on the Middle School.

Singing together is a powerful way to unite our student community, to build an experience of Belonging into every week and to offer students (and staff) the gift of spiritual joy and refreshment that comes from worshipping together.

Tash Holmes, the Director of Uniting Creative, to come and collaborate with the Pymble chaplains; to teach the students some new songs, to bring some fresh energy, enthusiasm and expertise and to open the way for collaborative opportunities with other creatives, such as David Gungor, who visited us on 8 November.

Uniting Creative is a network that seeks to inspire and equip emerging creative leaders and artists to enhance the ministry and mission of local congregations within the Uniting Church Synod of NSW & ACT.

This is what Tash says about the power of singing together, and the ability for music to move us, heal us and allow us to connect with the One beyond ourselves:

“When we pause and welcome the Spirit to move …. we let music transcend language and touch the heart. It can be so healing and uplifting, and I see this over and over as we gather, the deepening of our connection with the Divine.

In moments of grief, celebration, or spiritual longing, the act of singing together can offer healing and restoration. It creates a space for individuals to express what might otherwise be difficult to put into words, enabling them to find comfort and solace in the collective voice. This communal act of singing has a therapeutic quality—whether through familiar hymns that offer comfort, or new songs that speak directly to the struggles and joys of contemporary life.”

This year, Tash started to visit Pymble and to teach the students some new songs, from Uniting Creative’s beautiful 2023 album, ‘Transforming Spirit’. You can listen to the album here.

The students particularly loved ‘All of This is Us’, with its stirring chorus and beautiful, inclusive lyrics, and we have subsequently taught the song to Upper School and Senior School as well.

Here’s a video of the Uniting Creative team singing it, and a video of Pymble students singing it.

What’s next?

In Term 1 2025, the plan is to launch a series of songwriting workshops facilitated by Tash for interested Secondary students, with the support of the Chaplains.

Students will workshop, compose and rehearse songs with Tash, bringing their fresh new songs and ideas into their weekly Chapel services.

Pymble students may even have the opportunity to collaborate and sing on Uniting Creative’s next album!

Another hope is that Tash will be able to inspire and guide other students who would like to serve their community by being part of a Chapel Band.

Through Tash Holmes, Pymble had a rare opportunity to engage with internationally recognised musician and songwriter, David Gungor, on Nov 8 2024.

‘The Mindful Bard’ Interview with Dave Gungor

David lives in New York City and tours the world leading workshops in songwriting and creativity. He is particularly gifted at building community, empathy, compassion and healing through communal singing.

On the day of his visit, Dave performed a lunchtime concert on Gloucester Lawn. His beautiful voice and guitar strumming wafted across the campus, drawing staff and students to come and sit in the shade and listen. The music was poignant, reflective and calming.

After the concert, Tash and Dave joined us for our weekly Middle School Chapel service.

The singing nearly lifted the roof off the chapel and for me, this was a moment of pure joy.

David answered some questions from the Chapel Captains, sharing his insights about the deep spiritual connection between music, singing and faith. He talked about how he has used singing as a way to bind people together and to overcome differences in places of conflict and tension, such as in the Holy Land, where he has facilitated workshops and collaboration between Muslims, Jews and Christians.

Dave then sang some songs for us, but instead of this being a performance that was about him, he explained the meaning of each song and taught us the chorus. Then, we were all able to sing each song together.

Video of students singing ‘I wanna see the love’ with Dave

Another chorus we learned went like this:

When I look into the eyes of my enemy

I see my brother, I see my brother

When I look into the eyes of my enemy

I see my sister, I see my sister

Drawing on Jesus’ radical teaching to “love your enemy”,[1] Dave’s song gently introduced this idea into our communal experience: that even the people we see as our adversaries, as Other, as NLM (Not Like Me) … they too are our brothers and our sisters. They too are made in the precious image of God.

The tenderness and powerful feeling of unity in the room was palpable as the students sang these lines.

This is why I am so passionate about revitalising the singing in chapel services, and about bringing students’ voices, choices and ideas into this space – because worship songs work on a spiritual level and they can powerfully shape, challenge and change us.

God speaks through community.

Singing together can create harmony where there was division; understanding where there was argument. Worshipping together builds character and community. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that worship and singing, as a regular practice, (gradually) bring enlightenment.

Singing unites us with other people; it builds community. It literally allows us to hear other people’s voices. In this, it reminds us that Others are Like Us and that we are not alone. Singing powerful songs together about the experience of being human but made in the image of God and fully loved by God teaches us on a subconscious level that we are not alone on this journey we call life.

It joins us with the Other.

The words we sing matter. They can shape and inspire us spiritually.

We look forward to welcoming many Pymble families to the College Christmas Celebration this Sunday 1 December.

I pray that we as a community can continue to remember in our prayers those who are suffering in conflict and war this Christmas season, and those who are struggling to put food on the table.

If you would like to help, please send donations of non-perishable food in to school for the Bill Crews Foundation food collection. Thank you so much to those who have already donated.

This year, you may also like to buy your loved ones a gift that makes a huge difference – here is the 2024 ‘Everything in Common’ Gift Catalogue from the Uniting Church.

School Holiday Workshops at Gordon-Pymble Uniting Church

Edwina O’Brien

Assistant College Chaplain