How a Performing Arts Centre is Part of God’s Purpose
Dear Parents,
How exciting it has been to watch the demolition at our Brookfield campus.
I allowed myself to indulge in childlike excitement at the thunder-like thumping of the enormous excavator. It picked up colossal chunks of concrete and crashed them down to break them up. Other buildings shivered, and the raw power of the pounding tapped into my inner troglodyte!
There are still staff who remember the now-demolished building being built, and our school is blessed to have such committed people. These long-term staffers were sad to see the demolition. They were sad in that bittersweet, happy nostalgic way. In their early days, whole school assemblies were held in that little building. Amazing when we think that nowadays we are spread across two sites and starting an Online Campus to serve more families.
The new building will be beautiful, in more ways than one because there is so much more to a building than aesthetics and function. There is purpose.
As you know, everything that we do at Melton Christian College is influenced by our Christian-ness. It has to be thus so we stay true to our identity.
Putting it another way, behind every policy, program and protocol there has to be a reason that relates to our identity as a Christian school, because that’s who we are, and that matters deeply. We attribute the success of our school to our putting into practice the teachings of Jesus Christ. Our core value of ‘Christ-centredness’ isn’t mystical; it simply means that all we do centres on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
So, how will our new building at Brookfield campus align with our Christ-centred purposes as a Christian school?
The purpose of this building taps into the purpose of learning for life. As a Christian school, we earnestly believe that our good and loving God has a good and lovely plan for every child’s life. Our beautiful students have been designed by their Maker, with a unique calling on each of their lives.
Therefore, our task as a school is to help children discover this God-given calling for their lives. Our new facility must facilitate that discovery.
Learning music and drama helps a child discover if the performing arts are part of their God-given calling.
Of course, it is wholesome for everyone to learn music and drama, and in that learning, some learners may discover a passion, a fascination, a unique skillset. In years gone by I have seen students become enthralled by the arts, and uncover within themselves special giftedness. This wondrous serendipity is engineered by God who loves each learner individually. Our new school building will help those moments of realisation and consolidation happen more often.
Yes, we love offering a curriculum that is as broad as we can offer. And yes, the Performing Arts Centre will serve that. But at a far deeper level, the Performing Arts Centre will be a child’s opportunity not only to explore and learn about the arts, but through the arts, to explore and learn about themselves.
Our prayer for each of your children is that all of this school will create rich opportunities to learn how they themselves fit in with God’s good calling on their lives.
David Gleeson
Principal