Spiritual growth and development is still very much a big part of Clarendon College's core values, as the administrators of the 73-year-old institution staged the school's inaugural Spiritual Enrichment Service to commence the new academic year. Principal David Wilson said inviting the Lord's presence into the school and praying for spiritual guidance for the rest of the year for all staff and students is the best way to begin the school year.
"As a church school, it is very important to build on the Christian principles on which the school was founded. As administrators, we need to continue to instil good values and attitudes in our students that they will take with them for the rest of their lives."
Meanwhile, Vice-Principal Lilith Wilson explained that as a part of the school-improvement plan, much more emphasis needed to be placed on spirituality, and so, a ceremony of such is fitting. "We have realised that spiritual emphasis is on the decline in many of our schools, and there has also been a lot of talk surrounding whether or not to make devotional exercises mandatory or leave it to the choice of the individual institutions. We are living in challenging times, and with so many forces demanding our students' attention, just leaving an important ritual such as devotions to chance is not good enough" she told Family and Religion.
Reverend Dexter Johnson, who delivered the sermon, commended the school on the decision it took to start the school year right. "I am happy we are still in a nation that we can stand before our students and tell them Jesus saves, Jesus keeps, and Jesus satisfies," he shouted. "I am glad there is still a set of students that are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ," he preached to a packed Stuart Hall of students, teachers, administrative and ancillary staff, as well as parents.
The students have also bought into the idea of starting the school year on the right path by deciding to follow Christ, as a multitude gathered in front of the stage to surrender their lives and repented immediately after an engaging sermon by Reverend Johnson.
Ivore Cowan, a lower-sixth form student, is one of the many who made the bold step and accepted Christ as his Lord and personal Saviour. "This has really impacted my life tremendously. I have realised that God is always with us in everything we do and just how important God is in our lives as students. We need to overcome our temptations so we can become young men and women of honour" he stated.