Faith Formation

We look to the bigger picture at John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School (JSRACS), to the whole person and their needs when considering our ministry to our students and their families. When we discuss how we educate and present content, we talk about body, mind, spirit, and community.

We strive to engage those students in our care throughout their life journey – encouraging them at each important stage to become the person God created them to be. From their first days in our school, they learn what belonging means until their graduation in Year 12 as thriving young people equipped to step into early adulthood.

We reference our JSRACS Roadmap when we dream and plan to ensure the best outcomes for our students and as we strive to be a purpose driven community.
This agenda is shaping our focus on the spiritual life of our community. As we reflect on the place of Religious Studies and Chaplaincy we understand how these - and the way they speak into the lives of our students - are closely linked. They address each milestone on our students’ journeys in unique ways.

In short, Chaplaincy and Religious Education are all about Faith. More specifically Faith Formation. They explore meaning, our sense of place and belonging, our relations with one another, the creation of which we are a part and the One who brought all of it into being. Best shown to us in the ministry, life and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Over a possible 15 years of engagement, we want to speak into all of that holistically and intentionally. To model what it means to be on a journey of faith as we move into greater maturity.

JSRACS has embarked on an ambitious project to integrate our Religious Education and Chaplaincy streams into one team. With a focus to share in reaching out to our students (and those who support them) through:

• Lively, relevant and engaging worship;
• Explorative religious education, and
• Robust pastoral care (person centred and also systemic).

This is a whole school undertaking. It rests on our culture and values, vision and sense of our mission as an Anglican educational organisation.

We plan to begin this part of our journey in Faith Formation in 2024. All so that we might serve our students well as they make their way through this remarkable life they have been given by our generous God.

Header image from jsracs.wa.edu.au

Published in Messenger August 2023