Spirituality, Values & Ethics

Goals:

a) Value and respect the numerous cultures and faiths within the Newington community.
b) Encourage a genuine sense of well-being, care, and spiritual formation.
c) Continue to strengthen the role of the Chapel and the Christian dimension, in enriching the life of the wider community.

Strategies:

3.1.1 Raise a greater level of awareness and depth of understanding of the Wesleyan Christian tradition within our school’s ethos and faithfully present a Christian ethos, whilst respecting the religious diversity within the community.
3.1.2 Give particular emphasis to the key goals of acceptance and inclusiveness in the ongoing spiritual development of all members of the College community.

Goals:

d) Give daily expression to the values of self-respect, intercultural understanding, care for others and service to the community.
e) Ensure that our commitment towards issues of justice, poverty and the environment become a focus of faith in action consistent with the Uniting Church’s social justice commitments.
f) Strengthen our international and intercultural understanding and respect.
g) Strengthen our respect and understanding of the First Peoples (Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders) within our national context.

Strategies:

3.2.1 Continue to evolve Service Learning opportunities by involving boys from Years 5–12 in collaboration with staff and appropriate community groups (especially Uniting World), partnering in projects regionally and internationally. This will include an opportunity for a focus on the place that our First Peoples (Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders) have within our history and their contribution to our present.
3.2.2 Embrace the challenge of how the multiplicity of faith backgrounds is acknowledged and valued within the context of our Uniting Church and Christian ethos.
3.2.3 Continue to develop a community within the College where boys, staff, parents and Old Boys meet together on a regular basis for meaningful worship which will include the service of baptism for staff and Old Boys of Newington and also the provision of wedding, funeral and thanksgiving services and associated pastoral support.
3.2.4 Further foster community involvement across a range of activities including annual Christmas celebrations open to the neighbouring and non-Newington community.
3.2.5 Continue to develop our strong relationship with Tupou College, Tonga including annual exchanges and excursions as well as large representation at their Sesquicentennial celebration in 2016.
3.2.6 Further foster our relationships with schools in Nepal, China, France, UK, Spain, Japan and Italy and our relationships with schools from other sectors especially with Indigenous communities within our own region and beyond in rural and remote Australia. This emphasis will also embrace the Australasian GO8 boys’ schools and IBSC member schools.

Goals:

h) Develop our Philosophy and Religious Studies programs within the curriculum.

Strategies:

3.3.1 Frequently review our Philosophy and Religious Studies programs across the College; reflecting best international and Australian practice; ensuring cultural sensitivity within a multi-faith community, yet maintaining our Christocentric ethos.

Goals:

i) Foster our Centre for Ethics.

Strategies:

3.3.2 Continue with a series of public lectures that engage all members of the Newington community and is open to the wider Sydney community.

Goals:

j) Increase and deepen the spiritual awareness and experiences for the Newington community.
k) Provide worship that is engaging and relevant.
l) Chaplains to be actively involved in the pastoral programs and policies of the College.

Strategies:

3.4.1 Continue development of spiritual growth retreats for staff and boys.
3.4.2 Support of Christian groups for boys and staff.
3.4.3 Foster a wide range of themes and approaches for worship.
3.4.4 Utilise our Chaplains as active members of the Pastoral Executive.