Nice To See Ya

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."
Proverbs 18:10 

Girls how wonderful to have seen so many of you on the netball courts at the Edgar Centre and around town as I do my thing with the family.

Shrove Tuesday 2007

I hope youare well and think of you often.
Take good care of each other

Richard Kerr-Bell 

Fantastic!

Girls, you are fantastic.

There are so many people with expectations of you; friends, parents, coaches, teachers, randoms! And yet you keep getting up and doing your best, standing up and having another go, and I want to say to you that you are inspirational.

Never give up, always ask for what you want (politely of course), take action if there is something you want to change and please be gentle on yourselves.

You are so lovely, so eager to learn, to grow, to make something of life and to ask questions to make sense of it.

Keep taking care, keep laughing, keep looking after each other.

So many of us are proud of you. I know I am

Pa Richard

Easter

There is a lot more to Easter than the Easter bunny!

Bishop Kelvin gave a brilliant homily at our Easter service. As I understod it, he was challenging us to see, hear and think beyond what we can perceive using our senses. With the analogy of dogs who see les colours than we do and certain birds who see a greater rang of colours than we can and this is only the sense of sight, how many other frequencies of life, or planes , or dimensions of existence are there?

And doesnt this open us up to the possibility of life beyond what we know in our heads?

This adds a different level of understanding perhaps to Jesus miracles, Jesus risen, the presence and gifts of the holy Spirit, life after death, heaven... .

For most if us an Easter service, the hunting of eggs or the presence of large chocolate eggs, hot cross buns, and hopefully a family gathering of some sort is our Easter.

With all that is your holiday (holy-day) keep some room for miracles, for new life and possibilities where it looked like there was no life or no hope, room for peace and room for laughter.

God bless
Pa Richard

Saying Goodbye to People I Love

This has to be the hardest goodbye I can remember.
Why?
Well I'm sure you will hear me talk about it over the coming weeks but I didn't want to miss the opportunity to put down some thoughts.

Firstly, I will miss you girls something crazy. It is very rare in life to make about 1000 friends over 6+ years (give or take), enjoy spending every day with them, seeing them, talking to them, watching them play sport, sing, learn, and pray, grow, then one day... oh that will be a very sad day for me, say that you wont see them so much anymore.

The year 8s had a party for me today because I will not get to teach them again and when I spoke in response to their wonderfully generous songs, messages, food, and gifts I just wanted to cry. So thanks so much.

I know we will have lots of time over the coming weeks, and when I am somewhere else, be sure to say hello if you see me, I will certainly be waving at you!!!

You are very special people. I will miss you like a family.

Aue te tangi o te powhiri e tangi ana!
And so the time for tears of farewell has arrived.
When asked earlier this week if I was ready to move or was I sad, I replied, "I am very very sad"
Your daughters are just magic. I have loved working with, praying with, teaching with, and growing with them.
As I said, I am not leaving them, I am leaving the roles that I have in the school.

It has truly been my privilege and pleasure to spend just over 6 years of my life in the service of these young women
at St Hilda's. the many Sacristans, the Sports teams, Chapel Committees, Touch teams, and classes. Chapels and
Religious Education, We have shared pain and struggle, laughs and friendship and I am so better off for being with you.

i am also indebted to Hazel Day for the time we have worked closely together and so many staff who do their very best
with all they have to share they joy they have in the topics they teach.

And to you the parents, thank you. For your trust and support, for your feedback and for sharing these wonderful young
people with us.
To the Board and Chris Leighton for the courage and vision to hire a male, non-ordained Catholic to lay the roles of Chaplain,
Guidance Counsellor, and Teacher of Religious Education. It has been one of the highlights of my professional career.

I will always have some light blue running deep in my veins and I will follow the lives of each of the girls with pride.

It is with much sadness and with memories of great joy that I leave on May 27th for a full-time counselling position at Kaikorai Valley.

Lots of love and the blessings of a loving God be with all of you.
Arohanui

Richard Kerr-Bell
Pa Richard

Love is the Law

Jesus said, "I am the way the truth, and the light", and that the sum of the 'Law' was love.
This is not so easy to interpret I know. I say I love my mum and in the next sentence, I love McDonalds, I love that dress, and I love those shoes - this may be on the spectrum but it is not anywhere near Jesus' start point.

The love he spoke of, relates to love for one another as a reflection of our love for God. the respect, dignity, care, kindness, and gentleness with each other. How we welcome strangers and those without support, how we go out of our way to ensure each of us has enough, and when we forget, he asks us to ask for forgiveness, to give forgiveness when asked, and to seek to make changes.

Nothing about this real Christianity is soft. Attending Chapel, Church, singing, praying are all noble and worthy expressions of our love for god and each other, but they build on the relationships we are already working with, they do not replace the law of love, as Jesus worded it. In fact without love, we are wasting our time.

Love is not easy, love requires the Spirit of God, the commitment to letting our ego, fear, and false perception of superiority go.

Jesus as we near Easter, pray for us,be with us to love, to know what love is, to experience true love.

Pa Richard