Chapel Notes We can be grateful to God for the many people associated with Kearsney who strongly supportthe various aspects of Christian ministry at the school.There is a great openness to the Christian message which must be attributed to the interest and prayers of many. REGULAR SERVICES Class Chapel services are now a weekly event.These hap pen every Thursday and many boys are keen to partici pate. I am very grateful to the large number of staff who gladly lead Chapel Services as well. Probably the most moving weekday Chapel Service was that taken by the Fulton School for the Deaf. Many were close to tears when their "choir"did movements to a song of praise. In the third term a service for the whole school was held at 10.30 a.m. one Wednesday morning. The boys with the academic, workshop, kitchen, cleaning and ground staff were all there. There was a great sense of unity,freedom and joy in the Service. SPECIAL SERVICES Once again Kearsney recorded a servicefor broadcast,and, once again, St Mary's Choir joined ours for the musical presentations during the Service. We are grateful to Mrs Ronel Laidlaw of St Mary's for preparing her Choir for this event. An early morning service has now become an established part of Founders'Day.This year the Old Boys invited Mr John Dickson to conduct this service. RemembranceDay Service wentparticularly well this year. We were pleased to have Rev. Vic Bredenkamp as the preacher.Two boys,W.Fourie and D.Hourquebie played the trumpet pieces particularly well. Mr L. Buys, presi dentofthe Old BoysClub,spoke meaningfully to the school at the wreath-laying. Confirmation Service was held at the beginning of the fourth term this year.Bishop Norman Hudson represented the Methodist Church and Bishop Philip Russell the An glican. 22 Anglicans and 15 Methodists were confirmed. There was a great sense of freedom and God's blessing upon the Service. The Carol Service was held outside on the second-last Sunday of the fourth term.The aim was to have only one service and to provide a different, more informal atmos phere.Staffchildren presented a nativity play delivered by MrsBelinda Willows and MrJeffJudge prepared the choir to sing aselection ofbeautiful Christmas anthems.It turned - N. Darby outto be a beautifulevening softened by a thin covering of mist. VISITORS The year started with a visit from Mr Peter Pollock who took the Chapel Services and R.E.classes for a week.The boys responded well to his direct challenge always laced with cricketing illustrations. His visit awakened an inter est which was later seen in the many boys who accepted Christ during the year. There wasa wonderfulresponse to the ministry ofMrBilly Fourie (an ex Hell's Angel) who preached at an evening Chapel in the first term. When he made the invitation to accept Christ over 60 boys responded. About 20 of these were doing so for the firsttime,the rest were re-dedicating their lives. CHAPELPREFECTS 1993 was the first year Kearsney has had Chapel prefects. Iain Ewing,Stuart Foster and Nathi Mnyaka were the pre fects who chose this portfolio.These boys set afine exam ple and consulted regularly with me in matters related to Chapel.This development is going to grow into a signifi cant aspect of the Christian ministry at Kearsney. SINGING AND HYMN BOOKS The Headmaster has done a sterling job in leading hymn practice. He has managed to get volume and enthusiasm from a crowd ofboys not attheir best early in the morning. I am grateful to the Board of Governors for the money collected for the purchase of new hymn books. The new Methodist hymnal,"Hymns and Psalms"has been bought and is proving very suitable for our style of worship. It is pleasing to see that the boys have been careful with them. OFFERING We decided to stop the compulsory 50c weekly collection and to let the boys decide for themselves how much they should give. This has led to a drastic drop in the amount collected from boys. Fortunately the parents who attend Chapel have been generous. With encouragement and re minding the boys will give. The money received is do nated to a wide range of Christian organizations. We have much to thank God for. There are many signs of God working in the lives ofpeople at Kearsney.There is a strong Christian movementamong the boys and much sup port from Staff, Board and parents. "Let us go on in the name ofthe Lord." PETER CRUNDWELL 26
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