National Chaplaincy Week is an opportunity to recognise the vital contribution our chaplains make in the life of our College. Each day, they walk alongside students, offering care, encouragement, and spiritual guidance as they navigate school and their personal faith journeys.
We are blessed to have two dedicated chaplains serving our community: Chappie Api, who supports our Secondary and International College students, and Chappie Em, who cares for our Primary School.
What inspired you to become a chaplain?
Emily: As someone who grew up in a Christian home, I have always known聽补产辞耻迟听God, but there聽came a time when聽I聽办苍别飞听God for myself. As I journeyed through life, navigating school,聽discovering who I was and finding God, it was the guidance and care of聽mentors that proved significant. Upon reflection, some of the most pivotal moments in my聽Christian walk were conversations with teachers, youth leaders and mentors.聽They spoke life into me and constantly聽shifted my focus back to Jesus at every turn.聽Being in ministry is not necessarily something I聽sought聽out, but in obedience聽to聽God and saying 鈥榶es鈥�, I have found a space in which I am truly聽passionate and blessed to serve. As a Mum myself, I am eager to share the Gospel聽and the聽hope of Christ聽in a way that young ones can grasp. I love that the Bible reminds us of how聽precious our children are and Jesus himself said,聽鈥渓聽let the little children come to me,聽and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these鈥� (Matt 19:14). I聽think I have the best job in the world getting to do what I do, and I am grateful to God for His聽sovereignty and provision in allowing me to be a part of someone else鈥檚 story.
Api: Being a聽chaplain was never something I thought I would be, but it turned out to be something I never knew I loved. I am inspired by the small moments I鈥檝e had with students, in and throughout Secondary and our International College. These moments have taught me the importance of community and togetherness, and how many of these students are searching for answers and trying to find consistency in this ever-changing society.
What are your main responsibilities?
Emily: We are so blessed within our College community to already have an incredible support聽framework for our students that, as a chaplain, I get to be a part of and support further. I聽work closely with the Primary Pastoral Care team in offering support to students both聽individually and within groups. I also get the opportunity to lead devotions within classes聽and share at聽chapel聽services, which are some of my favourite things to do! As a chaplain, my role is聽to care for the students both practically andspiritually which can look different depending聽on the day.
Api: As a chaplain, I make it my responsibility to be a consistent presence in the students鈥� journey through their school life. My job is to provide spiritual guidance and oversight for each student and offer support.
What does an average day involve?
Emily: The thing I love about what I do is each day is聽very unique! There鈥檚 no telling what the聽day may聽bring,聽so I hold聽my plans聽loosely. A typical day in the life of Chappy Em can involve;聽opening up the Student Care Hub (for Wise Up Wednesdays before school or聽the聽chill zone聽at some play times), supporting students who run Bible studies during eating time, preparing聽for聽chapel聽services聽or devotions (and sharing them as well!), check-ins with students or support for聽some that might be having a rough day. From Chappy Check-Ins to Bible studies or losing at聽games of Go Fish and Uno, each day is always its own!
Api: Because this year we have brought a primary聽chaplain on board,聽Chappie Em, I work more closely with聽Secondary and聽International聽school聽students. Currently, each day looks different, and some are busier than others with different programs I run such as聽Rock & Water.聽However, on a normal day, I would attend or speak at聽year level聽chapel聽services聽throughout the day. I would also have Chappie chats with students throughout the day to discuss Bible plans or questions, as well as the overall wellbeing of the students and聽exploring聽potential next steps in their faith.
What do you enjoy most about engaging with students?
Emily: I know as adults we are often the ones that are responsible for teaching and inspiring聽children, but I have found myself so often inspired by them. Like during Wise Up聽Wednesday聽when we were using聽Lego to build stories from the Bible and a student in Year 3 excitedly聽showed me all her creations from the tower of Babel to the聽Arch of the聽Covenant聽鈥� their biblical literacy from a young age blows me away! Or when I sit in a Year 5 boys鈥櫬燘ible聽study and they all shared聽about different times they have experienced or seen miracles and聽healing 鈥� their child-like faith is incredible. Or when I get to be a part of Chapel and hear聽the youngest students screaming at the top of their lungs,聽鈥淧raise the Lord, Oh My聽Soul鈥�.聽Their聽boldness should challenge us all. It鈥檚 no wonder Jesus encouraged us all tobecome more like them (Matt 18:2-4).
Api: One of the greatest things I enjoy is going on camps with the students. In an environment that is not the usual classroom setting, it brings out a different side to teenagers. At our recent Year 9 camp, we had a worship/prayer session where many Year 9 students recommitted their lives to the Lord. Being able to witness God do miraculous things in students is one of the many things I鈥檓 grateful to be a part of.
What is one way you offer spiritual care to students?
Emily: I have learnt along the way that whilst the 鈥榖ig鈥� moments can be pivotal to our children and students, it鈥檚 often the 鈥榮mall鈥� moments that speak the loudest. Whilst we have Bible studies,聽chapels and so many avenues for students to engage with God, the everyday moments can聽often become the most聽significant for them. I know personally, a conversation a high school聽teacher had with me in school is a conversation I still often聽refer聽to when sharing my聽personal testimony. Not just because of what he said, but because of the genuine聽relationship with聽God,聽I could see him living out. I think it鈥檚 important to bring Jesus into聽every moment or opportunity we have with our聽students and聽see what God can do through聽it.
Api: Every Monday lunch, we have a Bible study for the聽Year聽8 students, where we discuss certain Bible topics and questions. It is a聽really valuable聽time to foster relationships among the boys, outside of structured class times. It鈥檚 been聽amazing聽to see camaraderie grow between the聽Year聽8 students as they navigate through their high school journey.