Last week we had our 2022 Annual General Meeting.
At this meeting, our Board Chair, Scott Parnham, shared that one of the questions the Board regularly asks is ‘Are we staying true to the mission and vision that our founders had when they established Calvin as the very first parent controlled Christian school in Australia 60 years ago?’
Scott noted that there have been many faith-based organisations around the world over the years that started out strongly with Christ as their cornerstone and Christ-centredness embedded in their mission and vision, who sadly experienced missional drift. Over time, sometimes in only a few short generations, these organisations who were once proudly Christian, became mainstream and totally secular.
Scott then read out the very first invitation to members of the Association that we now know as Christian Schools Tasmania back in 1954. The invitation was written by the Chairman of the provisional committee, Mr E.J. Van Der Laan.
The opening of the letter reads:
To all Parents and educators:
YOU BELIEVE that the Bible is God’s Word, true and infallible.
YOU BELIEVE that a life in accordance with God’s Word is the only foundation that offers a happier, better world and the highest possible happiness for people.
YOU BELIEVE that in accordance with the Bible, the parents, and not the State or the Church, have primary responsibility for the nurture of their child;
YOU BELIEVE that it is the inescapable duty of the parents to nurture their child, and to teach with and of the Bible.
Whilst we wouldn’t necessarily be able to send a letter to our parent communities with those statements today (ie. ‘YOU BELIEVE’) as we acknowledge that some families in our schools, although valuing and supporting our schools’ Christian ethos and biblical teachings, are not practicing Christians themselves, at the AGM, Scott was able to say with confidence, that the directors who serve on the Board of CST along with the Executive and senior leadership across the organisation and the 200+ staff we have working in our schools all still hold to these same beliefs. And this would be true for many families who are in our schools today. We believe that the Bible is God’s Word, true and infallible; We believe that a life in accordance with God’s Word is the only foundation that offers a truly fulfilled life; We believe that in accordance with the Bible, the parents, and not the State or the Church, have primary responsibility for the nurture of their child; and we believe that it is the duty of the parents to nurture their child and to teach them and raise them in the ways of the Lord. To that end, I, along with our Board Chair, can say with confidence that our organisation has not experienced missional drift in the 60 years that we have been operating our schools. And for that, I praise God!
Other speakers at the meeting included long serving Calvin staff member, Ineke Laning who shared stories and memories of her time at Calvin as a parent, teacher and Acting Principal and Calvin Principal Scott Ambrose who revealed exciting new plans for expansion. It was a great opportunity for our members to spend some time in fellowship together.
David Gillman — CEO Christian Schools Tasmania