From the Chaplain

Thinking of others at Christmas

Thanks to all of those people that have already donated to some of our Christmas charity drives. As part of our annual school Christmas service, we ask each student to contribute towards a gift for either a boy or a girl, wrapped in cellophane, to donate to a local welfare organisation. These gifts will be distributed to children who may not otherwise receive anything at Christmas due to poverty or other family issues. There will be a greater demand this year due to the unsettling times for many families due to the pandemic.  It is estimated that 3.3 million Australians are living on or below the poverty line at the moment. These gifts are an opportunity to bring a bit of joy to some tough circumstances. We will be accepting those gifts up until Friday 25 November.  

And please don’t forget about our socks and undies drive.  There are a number of welfare organisations that are always asking for NEW socks and undies for their clientele. This is a serious issue amongst the homeless in terms of hygiene and good foot care. This is a whole school activity and because we want to get a variety of sizes, students have been informed by their teachers as to what age and gender they are specifically collecting for. There is a basket outside the chapel for collection, like what we do for Harvest Festival (only we will not decorate the chapel with the items!) I will distribute our collection to local organisations in the last week of term 4. Thank you in anticipation and for your ongoing generosity.

Appeal for Rough Edges Christmas Party Catering and Volunteering

Rough Edges is a Christian community drop-in centre aimed at homeless people that has been operating in Darlinghurst for the past 26 years. Six nights a week and two days a week they open their doors to provide people a safe space where they can connect and have a warm meal. They also provide people with access to a social worker, counsellor or free legal advice. They also provide educational courses, haircuts, free clothing, financial support, laundry services and medical care through its many partnerships.

To celebrate this Christmas, on Friday 23 December they are hoping to have a wider community gathering and they need some help to pull it off. They are expecting to be serving over 300 people from the community who have struggled with homelessness, low socioeconomic status and other forms of marginalisation. There are two ways to get involved: either through volunteering on the night which would include hosting and serving food, or you can donate a cooked dish for us to serve on the night. Any help will be welcome. We are so grateful for your support.

We have been providing meals for Rough Edges on a weekly basis for a number of years now, through our cafeteria at the end of the school day  and also, starting this year, through the generosity of many families in our community dropping off food on a Monday morning. Please email me if you are interested in being involved in the Christmas Party or would like to know more about our Food Drive and I can pass more information on to you.

Rev. Garry Lee-Lindsay
School Chaplain