SRE Good News - May 2025

May 2025

New Kindy SRE Classes!

In several schools, including Rosemeadow Public, Kindy SRE classes are starting for the first time. 28 students are enrolled, a big jump in comparison to the 16 students currently in the Year 1-2 class. We rejoice in answered prayers and pray for the new Kindy teachers as they get started.

New ‘Lord’s Prayer’ Song for SRE!

‘Now and Forever’ is the new song to help kids learn the Lord’s Prayer. Updated and freshly recorded by Jaryd Hoffman, Children’s Minister’s at St Jude’s Bowral, this is a great new resource for SRE teachers. Jaryd says,

“The Lord's Prayer is becoming more grounding for me in my faith as time goes on. What an excellent recalibration for our hearts to pray for the very things God desires. It was a joy to let that prayer sink into my own heart during the recording process and I'm excited at the possibility of God using this to shape the hearts of children across NSW in SRE.”

You can find the song on Spotify here and more about Jaryd and his music at www.lampstandkids.com Let’s pray this song is a blessing to many SRE students and teachers.

A Godsend for Illawarra Sports High

After many years of service, SRE teacher Heather has stepped down from her role with the Wollongong Combined Churches Education Board teaching SRE at Illawarra Sports High School. Andy Stevenson (the Chair of WCCEB) and Matt Bartlett (Regional HS SRE Advisor) were discussing who might be a suitable person to fill her large shoes at Illawarra Sports High and before they even shared their first thought, God provided the answer!

Only moments before, Mitch was praying with his classmates for God to provide him with a school-based ministry role so he can invest in a ministry he’s passionate about. He saw Matt & Andy chatting and wandered over to ask, “Do you guys know of any school’s ministry positions around?” Both knowing Mitch well, and convinced that he would be a great fit, Andy and Matt praised God and hooked him up to complete his High School SRE Accreditation training (modules 2, 3 & 6) which Matt was running the very next day.

Mitch started at Illawarra Sports High a couple of weeks ago and reflects that:

“I’m so thankful to our good God, for putting me here in his perfect timing. Being blessed with this opportunity to share of his love to the Year 7s and 8s of ISH is such a pleasure and I’m really looking forward to seeing God at work in this school.”

 SRE Prep Meetings in Mt Druitt

SRE happens in over ten schools in the Mt Druitt area and local SRE teacher, Georgia North, has started a weekly morning gathering to support the teachers. Initially with the aim of helping new SRE teachers with lesson prep, it has proven a great support and encouragement to all who have been able to attend. It happens each Thursday during term time at St James. SRE teachers are able to debrief over a cuppa, share ideas as they prepare lessons and pray together. What a great initiative!

Chilli Challenge at Chatswood High

Adam Johnson is one of the few SRE high school teachers who is both full time and paid by a local SRE board. He feels privileged to see the growing faith of many students as he has settled into his role this year, including fielding questions like, ‘How do I share my faith in Jesus?’ and seeing another student explaining the Bible to her friend. Adam has won the trust of one student by tasting a homegrown chilli in response to a challenge. It cost him over an hour of digestive pain but ever since, the student greets Adam on the school grounds, and has engaged more in class. Praise God that he uses surprising ways to help SRE teachers like Adam connect with students.

Easter Display

Kellyville Anglican’s SRE team put together an Easter display in the office at Bella Vista Public School. The Muslim group had shared a similar display to celebrate Eid the week before so SRE Coordinator Anne Newton took the opportunity to ask for something similar. Making the most of Marion Trinidad’s creative talents, the team hope the display was a positive reminder of the Easter message for all the students and parents who saw it. What a great idea!

SRE Restarting at Prestons Public Thanks to Gospel Partnership

Anglican SRE will begin again at Prestons Public this term thanks to some providential connections and the amazing generosity of two SRE teachers from Engadine! The two classes have been without SRE teachers for several years and a Christian teacher at the school reached out to Assistant Minister at Sadleir, Briony Cox, to see if anything could be done. Briony was able to connect some potential SRE teachers with the local SRE Coordinator and the school was ready to get started straight away. Thank God for the generosity of Christine and Jeff Wright and pray that they will be able to quickly establish positive relationships with their classes.

SRE Classes Grow – One Child at a Time!

SRE Coordinator for Grace Anglican Church, Heather Priestley, and her team are thankful for answered prayers and positive relationships in and around SRE. After a Year 3 SRE class, a boy came to introduce himself to Heather to say he “loves learning about God” and is so glad his parents have just signed him up. Another SRE teacher, Kerry Thomas, was also excited to have another Kindy student join her class. She had gone home and asked her mum to sign her up, likely after hearing about it from classmates. Increasing size sometimes leads to new challenges. The Year 2 class taught by Tom Radford has been moved to the hall, which initially didn’t work so well. But after the second class, Tom reported, “I had a wonderful class – the best ever! Great singing and participation. God answers prayer!” How wonderful that he does! Heather has since been able to split Year 2 into two classes with a new teacher recruited, and they are no longer in the hall!

SRE Classes Secured For Years 9 & 10 at Marsden High

Combined Christian SRE has been running successfully at Marsden High School in the Meadowbank area since 2014, but only for Years 7 and 8. A group of local interdenominational churches support SRE through the Marsden Christian Committee SRE board. At the end of term 1, supported by High School SRE advisor Chris Jones, the board successfully negotiated for SRE classes to expand to also include Years 9 and 10. Give thanks for the opportunity to grow SRE in this school and pray for the logistic changes associated with this expansion.

New Advisors for the South West

Di Lucas and Josh Ord joined the Ministry Support Team in May, taking on the roles of Children’s Ministry & Primary SRE Advisor and Youth Ministry & High School SRE Advisor respectively. This is the first time in over ten years that the South West region has had Advisors exclusively focusing on supporting ministry in this area. Head of MST Andy Stevenson is excited about the possibilities for growth, especially in SRE.