Blessing and Dedication of our Calista Campus

At the beginning of 2017, Peter Carnley Anglican Community School opened a modern Early Learning Centre, our ‘Calista Campus’ which was a clever refurbishment of a previous Church building.  

With spacious and open classrooms modified for Kindergarten to Year 1 students, a multi purpose auditorium and established Nature Play paths and playgrounds, the Early Learning Centre was a welcome addition to our growing school.

On Friday 16 March, we were fortunate enough to welcome The Most Reverend Kay Goldsworthy, Archbishop of Perth, to bless and dedicate our new Calista Campus.  Earlier in the year, Kay Goldsworthy made history in Perth by becoming the world’s first female Anglican Archbishop.  It was a privilege to have her visit our campus as it was her only planned school visit in her short time in Perth.

Joined by special guests, Mrs Barbara Godwin (Chair of the Board of the Anglican Schools Commission), Mr Jeremy Ludlow (Chair of the School Council), Mr Keith Lindbeck (Foundation Chair and House Patron) and Mr Peter Laurence (CEO of the Anglican Schools Commission), the staff and students enjoyed listening about the establishment of their new Campus and it was evident through some prompted question time with the students, they were indeed proud of their friendly school environment.  

The Most Reverend Kay Goldsworthy made the dedication with a sign on the ground of the auditorium explaining the significance to the students; 

“I am going to make a blessing for this whole school, you won’t see it when you come in, but you will know that it is here, every single time you come in.  I am going to make a sign of the cross, because that reminds us of Jesus, and then I am going to put two letters, an A at the top which is the beginning of all things and a symbol at the bottom, the Omega, which means the end, so the begnning and end.”

As she walked up to the stage, she suddenly turned to the students and asked,

“Do you know it’s there?”

After resounding nods from the students, she smiled and said,

“Excellent, this is God wanting to be our friend”

It was a special service, with our Children’s choir filling the room with a beautiful rendition of “Instrument of Peace” and the entire room participating in “If I were a butterfly”, which lit the room up with excitement and enthusiastic dancing.