Hallelujah!

You may have seen this

but if not then it's a hoot!

We'll be singing this at St John's Coromandel Valley (Map & parish) on Friday December 17 at 7 p.m.

Nothing you can do can take you away from My School

Like hundreds of thousands of others I looked at My School this morning.

I first of all checked that the youngest SC's school was where it should be. I then checked my local school of greatest interest, then I checked the little local school....yes I was making my own league table. I checked the middle SC's school where she has just begun teaching...no way of telling how they go at music (her speciality)

The information is OK but we are kidding ourselves if we think that folks aren't going to use it to make comparisons. And these comparisons will inform choices, and some will be able to respond to those choices. Those most affected (the bottom of the heap ) will probably be least able to move kids into other systems or schools. They won't really have choice.

Lots of questions not answered, principally questions about funding. What I called above "my local school of greatest interest" has peculiar funding issues.

They are the new middle class poor in a way. Unable to access disability or indigenous funding, special needs or other extraordinary grants...because they are really socially in the middle...the funding is an issue.

That school is good. Kids are bright. Staff work hard. Facilities are mixed.

But you can't tell anything from the website that lets you know that.

There is a lot more discussion to be had about that.

A bit amusing

The Corowood Choir will be singing Hallelujah amongst other things at its Christmas concert at St John's Coromandel Valley. 337 Main Road, Coromandel Valley, Friday 11th at 7.30 p.m.. Entry by donation (suggest $5) for save the children (map here). Next door to the Primary School
Christmas songs, nibbles and fun. Make yourself known to me if you come as a result of reading my blog and you will go into the draw to win the Christmas Blog Prize!!!!

In the mean time this is a bit of a hoot!

This is worth watching! Particularly for members of the Corowood Choir.

Spectres of Rectors

Yesterday we had a bumper of a service when we met to give thanks for the life of Bill Bennetts who was the Rector of this parish more than twenty years ago (the last incumbent but one). He served also as parish priest of Kilburn where I had my first sole charge. (Here is a link to what I said in my sermon at the service).
As I said in that service, Rectors lurk in their parishes after they have gone, and Bill did. His predecessor but one (GFH) does also. I wonder if I will.
There was a curious array of feelings. He died some months ago, so in a way it was all over bar the shouting but all sorts of people gathered together to say goodbye. The principal mourner was his second-wife, who was not his wife when he was Rector of this parish and so was curiously not known to most of us. His two adult children were there and they had the confrontation of having to revisit the home of their childhood as well as everything else.
We sang the Office of Evening Prayer from the book of 1662, and his daughter found some of it rather alienating. Ah well we have all strayed like lost sheep from the devices and desires of our own hearts. But she wondered how I had chosen all his favourite hymns. The answer is I don't know! When I looked the other day at what exactly I had chosen I was surprised at the choice myself. I suppose part of it was that for one of his generation most of the hymns were favourites, but it also speaks volumes about the power and sustainability of 18th and 19th Century verse.

Blest are the pure in heart
for they shall see our God
the secret of the Lord is theirs
their soul is Christ's abode