Rituals are a helpful way to make meaning and to demonstrate our values in a formal way and at this time of year, as we prepare for our Year 12 students to finish, head into the end of the academic semester and begin to elect leaders for 2017, rituals abound! Yesterday in one of our most moving rituals, the Prefects’ Commissioning Service, we were able to acknowledge and thank our 2016 Prefect Body, and to begin to feel excited about the new leaders who made their promises and received their badges as the 2017 Prefect Body. The presence of Bishop Philip Huggins added a special feeling of reverence for the occasion and we were blessed that he was able to time the return of his trip to Pakistan to be with us for the ceremony.

As the year’s end draws closer and we become optimistic about the promise of a fresh beginning with new opportunities in 2017, we can sometimes forget to enjoy the moments we still have left of this year! We encourage our Year 12 leavers to make the most of every moment and to “finish well” – a good reminder for all of us to cherish what we have each day, to throw ourselves into every experience and to celebrate with gratitude all things – large and small – as they are unfolding.