Year 12 Graduation – Please note the change of time

Our Year 12 Graduation will be held in the Sports Centre this year at 10:15 am on Thursday 17 November.

This is an invitation only event which families have been sent a link to Trybooking where you can book up to 4 tickets. The RSVP date for this invitation is Thursday 10 November. The ceremony will be live streamed so additional family members and friends can watch as well. The link will be posted on Facebook and on our website. We are looking forward to celebrating with this wonderful group of young people.

Donations for Woorabinda Mission 

Sr Cecilia would like to thank everyone for their generosity last year with the footy boots they received.  This year they are asking for more items such as, table cloths, sheets, any linen and especially footy boots.  If you could donate any of these items please drop them into Mrs Petersen's office in Student Services by Wednesday 16 November.

Giving Tree

Jesus directs us throughout the Gospels to share what we have with others. Not just our friends and families but with those we don’t know. In one parable Jesus reminds us that to experience eternal life with God we have to reach out to those in need.

Each year Shalom students give generously to our annual Giving Tree Appeal and this year we will once again be participating in this worthy cause. On Thursday 10 November we ask that all students bring a gift, gift card or money to donate to St Vincent de Paul through our Giving Tree. These items will be distributed to families in the Bundaberg area who otherwise could not provide these extras for their families over Christmas.

Halloween

Last week, our Director, Ms Leesa Jeffcoat, reminded us of the background to Halloween. She directed us to an article by Elizabeth Harrington where she advises:-

• Halloween is simply All Hallows Eve - that is the day before All Saints Day (November 1) which is followed by All Souls Day (November 2). Both days are reminders that all of us, living and dead are united with Christ and one another.
• It originated in the ancient Celtic tribes who lived in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany.
• Halloween symbols of skeletons and skulls remind us of our own mortality and the need to pray for the dead. It also invites us to talk openly about death in a culture that largely avoids the subject.
• The carving of pumpkins into Jack-o’-lanterns is linked to a story - Jack was a gifted fellow who was completely self-centred and never in his life used his talents to help another human being. Jack had the cleverness to outwit the devil, but it wasn’t enough to get him into heaven. Hence, he is condemned to roam forever between heaven and earth, holding his pumpkin light high.

Elizabeth Harrington concludes that, “Rather than trying to ignore or resist the growing popularity of Halloween in this country, perhaps we can take advantage of the opportunities it offers to talk about a Christian understanding of the big issues of life and death, good and evil.”

Mrs Mary Taylor
Assistant Principal - Mission
TaylorM@shalomcollege.com