Chaplaincy
These include:
Breaky and Bible
Meets every Monday morning at 7:30am to enjoy fellowship over breakfast followed by a Bible study and discussion. It is open to anyone from Years 6-12 who is interested in finding out more about the Bible or has some questions they want answered. The Bible study is lead by the school’s chaplain Rev Richard Newton.
GAS (God and Stuff)
Middle School GAS is held every Thursday lunch time at 1.20pm in the McConville Centre and is run by Rev Newton, and a few Year 12 volunteers. It generally involves games and fellowship at the start to kick things off followed by biblical discussions in small groups.
Bible Club
Held every Thursday during morning tea from 11.00am Bible Club is an opportunity for any students, Year 5 and above, to meet together and read and discuss the Bible. It is hosted in Rev Newton’s room and the office next door. Any students are welcome to come along if they are interested.
Teachers’ Bible Study
This is conducted by Richard Newton and is held in the Chaplain’s Room every Thursday evening at 8:00pm. It is open to any teachers and their spouses if they are interested in finding out more about the Bible.
Teachers’ Prayer
Held every Wednesday morning at 8:00am in Richard Newton’s room. It is an opportunity for staff to meet and pray together and usually enjoy a coffee as well.
Boarders Chapel
A boarders’ service is held weekly on Wednesday evenings at 6.30pm in the school chapel. A variety of church services are conducted including Holy Communion and Evening Prayer. There is also a twice-yearly combined service with NEGS, and every Boarders attend St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral downtown.
Senior and Middle School Chapel
Once a fortnight each year group will attend a Senior School chapel service during the normal school cycle. These chapels are less formal than the Sunday chapels but still involve the usia – a talk, singing and prayers whilst allowing discussion and questions from the students.
Throughout the school year students from K-5 attend one 45 minute Divinity class per week, taught either by Mrs Jo Benham (Chaplain’s Assistant) or Rev Richard Newton (Chaplain). During Divinity class, students are taught from ‘Christian Education ‘Connect’ publication, a three-year Bible-based curriculum designed for use in Australian schools. In each lesson students engage with the truths of the Bible week by week through music, drama, reading and writing, puzzle solving, drawing, and asking questions. The curriculum also encourages students to discover for themselves what the Bible says about the contemporary problems people face in today’s world and major issues that children face, including self-esteem, loss, caring for the environment, and coping with change.
Junior School GAS (God and Stuff)
This is a Christian group open to all Junior School students from K-5. It is held every Tuesday lunchtime at 1:30pm in the Green Room and is run by Mrs Jo Benham and a group of senior school student volunteers. It usually involves a few games, a song and a Bible talk and discussion run by Mrs Benham or a senior boys.
Junior School Bible Club
Held every Wednesday recess from 11.20am Junior School Bible club is an opportunity for any students from years 3 to 5 to meet together and read through the Bible. Girls meet with Mrs Benham on the lounges outside her office and boys meet with a couple of year 11 students in Rev Newton’s room.
Junior School Chapel
Each Junior School class meets once a week for a combined year group chapel service T-2 and 3-5. The chapel services are lively, engaging and interactive including a few songs, a video clip, perhaps a skit and some form of a talk.
Service in Sydney and Katoomba Youth Christian Convention (KYCK)
During the May school holidays students from TAS take part in a Christian service visit helping the Exodus Foundation and Wesley Mission, before moving on to the Blue Mountains to attend the KYCK Christian youth convention at Katoomba. For more details about the Service in Sydney and the KYCK convention, email Chaplain Rev Richard Newton rnewton@as.edu.au.
Mountain Bike Camp
Students and staff get a chance to unwind at the end of the school year at an annual Mountain Bike Camp. This has been held in the Blue Mountains and on the NSW Mid-North Coast. Riding mountain bike tracks by day are followed by informal bible discussions during the evening.
Christian Service Projects
For some years, TAS has undertaken Christian service projects in Thailand and Fiji. Administered as part of the school’s chaplaincy program, these projects are ongoing and are advertised internally and we welcome all our students and staff who are keen to participate.
