I was listening to a guest speaker a recent Veta Morphus student retreat. The speaker proposed the following question, “Do you treat prayer like a steering wheel, or more like a spare tyre?

Good question. Good Point.

How we treat prayer is determined by our perception of prayer and our expectation of prayer.

If we consider prayer a “last resort”, “use only in case of emergency”, “if all else fails”, means of support, well then, that’s all it will be – a spare tyre, or jumper cables that are only pulled out of the boot when the car breaks down, (or our lives).

Honestly, anytime we go to God in prayer, He will be listening.

God loves us and wants the very best for us.

But prayer is not a spare.

I like to picture prayer as a steering wheel.

When we take our situations, our day, and our lives to God in prayer, we are essentially handing over the steering wheel to God. We are saying, “God I bring my day before you”; “God, I bring this situation before you”; “God, I bring my life before you”; “God, I trust that you know best and can handle this, so you take the wheel and steer me in the right direction”.

This attitude and practice of prayer allows God to move powerfully in our lives, and it takes the pressure off us.

If I’m holding tight to the steering wheel, well, it’s all up to me; I better get this right. If I have loosened my grip and handed the wheel over to God, well, now he’s in charge. I can move forward with the confidence that the Almighty God has got this. He’s got me.

A great Bible verse that has helped me in understanding prayer is found in the New Testament part of the Bible. It’s in a letter written by a man named Paul to the church in Philippi. Take special note of the words “anything”, and “every” situation.

Philippians 4:6 NIV
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God".

So, what about you? What is your prayer perception?

Is prayer a pro-active measure for you, or is it only a re-active measure? Don’t get me wrong. I do believe responding in prayer to difficult, challenging situations is a really good idea. But I also am of the belief that we can be pro-active by praying before challenges come our way. Prayer is a great idea anywhere, any time. We position ourselves well by engaging in regular conversation with God. And in doing so, we may just avoid a challenge before it is a challenge.

So, what about you, will you treat prayer like a steering wheel, or more like a spare tyre?

We would like to remind all families that the Kiss and Go parking area is only for families who are choosing to drop their child off quickly in the morning and then collect in the afternoon. This area should have traffic flowing in and out regularly.

If you are parking for more than 2-3 minutes and /or leaving the car unattended please use the carparks at the front of the school, the Gym Carpark and the carpark behind the Music Centre.

VicRoads have completed vital maintenance works on approximately two kilometers of Ballarto Road in Skye between Potts Road and Western Port Highway.

The works involved upgrading existing road shoulders, replacing layers of the road, asphalt resurfacing and line marking to restore the condition of the road surface.

They wanted to thank the local community for your cooperation and patience while we worked to deliver these vital maintenance works.

This FREE webinar is available to all parents. It will be full of practical tips to help parents guide safe and positive social media use.

Date: Tuesday 3 June 2025

Time: 7:30PM AEDT

Where: Online via Zoom

Register: cybersafetyproject.com/parents2025

Can't attend live? registered parents will receive a recording link via email.

Parents & Guardians will Learn:

Setting up and managing privacy settings

Practical tips for healthier social media habits

Australia's new social media regulations explained

How to foster open communication about social media use

Please read the attached flyer from Camp Australia regarding their School Holiday Program

This week our Grade 4 students attended their 3-day camp to Mill Valley Ranch. They participated in many fun outdoor activities including horse riding, campfire cooking, archery and various games.

Illness: As we approach winter, there are a few bugs going around! In order to help stop illness being passed, we do ask that parents please follow exclusion periods set out in our Primary handbook found HERE. Please note that in the case of gastro, students are not permitted to come to school until 48 hours after vomiting/diarrhea has ceased. When teachers are unwell, we ensure that casual relief teachers are employed, helping guarantee that we do not have to split classes.

Congratulations to all students that represented the College at District cross country, and to those that managed to finish in the top 10 and make it to division.
Go Flinders!

The first chapters of ‘The Collapse of Parenting’ outlined many of the ways that culture has changed, and some of the ways we can combat the rise of disrespect. Leaonard Sax writes that we should teach our children humility (one of Flinders’ values). Sax defines humility as, “Being as interested in other people, as you are with yourself”, the opposite of, “here I am. Look at me” social media posts. One of our jobs as parents / teachers is to inculcate humility, gratitude and contentment, an interest in others, while limiting the inborn tendency to promote oneself. If I am humble, then I rejoice at the success of others and I am happy with my portion. Humility leads to gratitude and contentment, and contentment is the key to lasting success.

Have a great week.

Adam Swain
Head of Primary

Primary Admin:
Should you have any questions, please contact our Primary admin team (Marianne Morgan and Suzanne Lokot) on 9785 0000 or email cdprimaryadmin@flinders.vic.edu.au

Congratulations to all of our District Cross Country runners. Flinders walked away with the win! So many students finished in the top 20 which set us up well! Good luck to the 17 students who will now compete in the Division Cross Country on Wednesday 4 June.

The Flinders values award is presented at each Primary chapel to students that exemplify one or more of our Flinders values. Congratulations to Luca and Jayden for receiving the award during this week’s Primary Chapel Service.

Jayden displays excellence and integrity by being an engaged and diligent learner as well as showing immense respect and honesty.

Luca consistently demonstrates love, kindness, and grace in her interactions, fostering a respectful and supportive environment. Her commitment to excellence is evident in the thoughtful effort she puts into all her work.

A big 'Congratulations' to our Grade 3 - 6 students who have done so well in the recent Languagenut Global Competition in Chinese. Flinders Christian Community College has taken out 15th place GLOBALLY. 383 primary schools participated in the Global Languagenut Primary, with 11901 students competing. Well done to Fredrick, Joey and Dominic for achieving 1st, 2nd and 3rd placement within our school and in the top 220 globally.

Dear Parents and Carers,

At Flinders Christian Community College, we are committed to an ongoing journey of improvement—one that helps our students grow in the disciplines and habits that lead to flourishing lives. Our vision is to see every young person grow into the person God has created them to be, and that begins with cultivating the right environment for learning and growth.

Working Hard: A Culture of Flourishing

Our Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) framework continues to build a calm, safe, and orderly environment across our classrooms. We are seeing clear evidence that this system is working, students are in class, on time, and ready to learn. This is a significant achievement and a testament to the efforts of our staff and students.

Now, we are taking the next step: encouraging every student to work hard in every lesson. Our focus this year on being kind and working hard is not just a motto—it’s a vital part of shaping a culture that prepares students with the habits and character to thrive both now and into adulthood.

In this next phase, Working Hard will be recognised and supported just like any other behaviour in our Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) framework. Positive effort and diligence will be acknowledged and celebrated. When students do not meet expectations around effort, the same clear processes and consequences will apply. Our goal is to ensure that every student understands that working hard is not optional—it’s a core part of what it means to be a Flinders student.

If we are going to have a disciplined school, we need to make sure we are pairing that with the fun and energy students love. The celebrations below are part of what creates such a positive culture at Flinders.

Celebrating Our Community

We’ve had some wonderful moments recently that are worth celebrating:

Congratulations to the Nicholls House for hosting a fantastic “Splash of Colour, Dash of Stalls” event, blessing the entire community with a fun and vibrant afternoon while raising money for charity.

Our Year 9 students enjoyed a rich learning experience during their City Camp, and our Year 8 cohort had a wonderful time exploring the beauty of Halls Gap.

We also welcomed hundreds of prospective families to our recent Open Day Morning, where they saw firsthand the heart and spirit of our school community. Thank you to all who helped make it a success!

Upcoming Events

We have several important events coming up in the weeks ahead:

6 June – Year 12 TRAG Road Safety Excursion

12 June – Year 11 Exams begin

16 June – Year 10 Exams begin

Thank you once again for your continued support as we grow our young people to be Committed to Growth, Connected by Love, Capable of Influence and Called to Flourish.

Blessings,

Matthew Bodley
Head of Secondary – Carrum Downs Campus
Flinders Christian Community College

A big congratulations to Mia and Piper, who are both learning violin as part of our Music Program. They attend weekly lessons and have been fitting in regular home practice. Their dedication paid off when they bravely performed for their classes, Prep S and 1PG.

Their classmates were a wonderfully supportive audience. Well done, Mia and Piper!

Our Junior and Senior Choirs are proud to be performing at the Mornington Peninsula Choral Festival at the Peninsula Community Theatre in Mornington. Led by our wonderful choir director Angela McLaren, the choirs are sounding fantastic and ready to shine. We’re excited to share their voices with the wider community. Come along and support our singers!

One of our favourite events of the year is just around the corner! Have A Go Night gives students learning an instrument or taking vocal lessons a chance to perform in a fun, supportive environment.

Whether it’s a first performance or a return to the stage, it’s always a wonderful night of music and encouragement.

To register, please contact Mrs. Linda Harris.

There’s a buzz of excitement as students and staff prepare for this year’s Flinders Gala! Our choirs, talented soloists, and the staff house band are all working hard for what promises to be a memorable evening of music and community spirit. Tickets Here

For any general inquiries or questions about our music programs, please feel free to contact Mrs. Linda Harris at musiccarrumdowns@flinders.vic.edu.au

Again, thank you to all who continue to support our music program. We’re proud of our students and the joy music brings to our school community.

Our 4-year-old Kinder children have been fully immersed in the world of Performing Arts this term! During their fortnightly sessions, they have been exploring the magic of storytelling, acting through their emotions, and expressing themselves through dance and movement. These creative experiences are helping to build their confidence, develop their communication skills, and foster a love of the arts. It has been such a joy to watch them bring stories to life on stage, sharing laughter, and expressing themselves with imagination and enthusiasm.

Congratulations to all our Carrum Downs and Tyabb students who participated in the SIS Division A Cross Country at Casey Fields! Our students braved the cold weather to proudly represent Flinders, and we are very impressed of their efforts and sportsmanship. We’re proud to share that Flinders came away with the U13 Girls pennant for the day which is an outstanding team achievement!

A special mention to the following students for their individual successes:

And M – 1st Place U13 Female and new record holder! And smashed the previous record of 11:11 with an incredible time of 9:41. Well done!

Remi M – 3rd Place U13 Female

Hayden W – 1st Place U13 Male

Ethan S – 3rd Place U14 Male

Flynn B – 2nd Place U15 Male

Our Sport Aerobics program has officially launched into the season, with both our Primary and Secondary teams recently competing at FISAF Australia’s Super Series—their first event of the year.

For many of our students, this was their first-ever sport aerobics competition, and we are incredibly proud of their courage and commitment. Stepping onto the stage and performing in front of a crowd takes bravery, and our athletes did it with confidence and grace.

Competition Results:

1st Place – Flinders Dream

1st Place – Flinders Ascend

2nd Place – Flinders Radiance

2nd Place – Shanara H

3rd Place – Flinders Bubbles

5th Place – Flinders Twinkle

5th Place – Flinders Glow

7th Place – Flinders Stars

7th Place – Tahlia W

7th Place – Flinders Fearless

8th Place – Flinders Fierce

9th Place – Flinders Shimmer

10th Place – Ariana M

10th Place – Flinders Pearls

12th Place – Flinders Shine

A huge congratulations to all our athletes what a fantastic start to the season!

Congratulations to all our athletes who competed in the Victorian Secondary Schools Challenge on Wednesday 21 May! Our Division 1 Boys team delivered a standout performance, taking home the championship title. Meanwhile, our Division 2 Boys and Division 1 Girls showed incredible determination and teamwork, putting up a valiant fight throughout the day.

A fantastic effort from all teams well done!