Chapel Week 2019

With Christian values infused into our programs, priorities and operational principles, the spiritual life of our school is foundational to our wonderful Somerville House community. Every day staff and students go about living out faith in the offices and classrooms of the School. However, for one week of the year, Senior Chaplain Ms Chris O’Gorman says we celebrate not only the birthday of the Chapel, but the on-going and vibrant spiritual life of the School with Chapel Week. 

“The spiritual life of the School is very real though in some ways invisible, a bit like a powerful undercurrent in the ocean, but in Chapel Week, the vibrant faith of so many of our students, staff and wider community comes to the fore and has a deliberate tangible presence,” Ms O’Gorman said. 
“We celebrate Jesus and His life in us,” she said.  

From Monday 5 to Friday 9 August, students throughout the School are encouraged to join in the many Chapel Week activities, including the annual Celebration Breakfast held in the Honour Room on Wednesday 7 August. Ms Chris O’Gorman says it is always lovely to see students and staff willing to share their faith in public forums, with Chapel Week encouraging everyone in their own spiritual journeys.

“We hope that the School community is inspired in their own spiritual journeys by the stories and messages shared throughout the week by students and others,” Ms O’Gorman said.

“We also aim to demonstrate that the Christian faith is real, engaging and relevant in every way, to life in 2019,” she said. 

Dating back to the Principalship of Dr Murray Evans, Chapel Week began on 1 August 1993 when the building was first dedicated as the School Chapel. Always held on or close to this date, each Chapel Week promotes a theme chosen by the Chapel Captains. This year’s theme, chosen by 2019 Chapel Captain, Hannah O, is ‘God’s Radical Love’. 

“This year’s theme is important to cut through misconceptions that people might have about Christianity, show how deep and real God’s love is - not just a nice idea or a platitude - and most of all, demonstrate that radical, unrequited, unconditional love is the true basis of our faith,” Hannah said. 

“Through a range of programs we will see this message actively communicated by word and action,” she said. 

Principal, Mrs Kim Kiepe says she is keen to experience Chapel Week for the first time and believes the theme is representative of the modern and dynamic way Somerville House incorporates our Christian values into everyday school life. 

“I look forward to celebrating Chapel Week with our school community and encourage everyone to get involved in the many activities on offer,” Mrs Kiepe said. 

“By living our beliefs through God’s love, not only for one week but every day, I feel we encourage our students to graduate with a stronger sense of right and wrong, connectedness, confidence and social justice,” she said. 

Please visit MySomerville for more information on all of the upcoming Chapel Week activities. My Somerville is only available to staff, students and parents.