Page 8 - Southwell School Year Book 2018

AALLLHHAALLOLOWWSSCCHHAAPPELEL
This report is my rst to make in what is now my third decade as Chaplain of this school. This has been an unusually long tenure but one that has very much had its meaning and roots rmly grounded in All Hallows Chapel. This year marked the 95th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone by the Bishop of Auckland (we didn’t even have a Bishop
of Waikato yet!) and saw the optimistic beginnings of a construction of a holy place that remains the heart of the School and the jewel on the Oval.
Such an enduring place commands a respect of its own. The following quotation seems to sum up many of the qualities of the Chapel:
“Enter the door, as if the oor within was gold and every wall of jewels. All, of wealth untold. As if the choirs in robes of re were singing here. Nor shout, nor rush, but hush, for God is here.”
With my absence in Term 3 whilst on sabbatical leave, it was pleasing to see how well the services were covered by staff and visiting clergy alike. It was fair testimony to the supportive nature of Southwell and the determination of many to keep things functioning well.
Services throughout the year have been capably managed by the Chapel Party, this year led by Sacristans, Samuel Engelbrecht and Zsabella Goldsack. Students in this team act sel essly and exhibit a genuine fondness for all that the Chapel represents. The whole team has remained a faithful one to the year’s end, especially with the management of the vast number of Christmas gifts and donations of food items that ood the sanctuary.
Southwell is most generous and also made the highly creditable effort of raising much money for this year’s World Vision 40 Hour Famine. Chapel offertories have continued to change lives locally, nationally and internationally.
The Chapel choirs maintain their high reputation as leaders of worship in All Hallows and beyond. The Boys’ Choir trip to Rotorua / Taupo in May and the Girls’ Choir visit to Auckland / Waiheke Island in November were both outstanding successes. All eyes are now turning to the School’s rst visit overseas, with a combined choir trip to Sydney in April 2019. The choirs have seen a combined membership of over 70 this year and their vocal competencies have proven to be superb.
The opportunity to hear our choirs has certainly been one not to be missed!
I would wish to thank Mrs Julia McIntyre most sincerely for always representing the best of choral traditions within the chapel.
Weddings and baptisms are two occasions that have been enjoyed by many people throughout this year. The Southwell community continue to value the chapel as the signi cant place for worship that it is. A big thank you must go to everyone who has contributed to its ongoing presence in so many large and small ways.
May God continue to richly bless and provide us with a vision of where we are to travel next.
Rev’d Canon Neale Troon Chaplain
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Southwell School Yearbook 2018
CHAPEL PARTY
Back Row: Niamh McCormack, Murray Myburgh, Conrad Jackson, Zsabella Goldsack,
Elizabeth Buchanan, Alex Liu
2nd Row: Olivia Lockwood, Ella Ramsay, Anna Hansen, Samuel Engelbrecht, Greer Enersen,
William Mollard, Rev’d Canon N Troon
Front Row: Charlie Watson, Liv Davys, Blake Freyberg, Emma Lobb, William Jacobsen, Lucy O’Meeghan, Nileshan Jayaratnam
Absent: Amelia Southworth