Kindness at Northside
We encourage you to take the time to look through the College website and see our staff and students share their passion for kindness/missions. (Click here ). Even our Next Steps Kindy kids are keen to share ‘ways to be kind’:
“You could give a friend a hug”
“You might ask a friend to play with you”
“You could share”
“Saying kind words that make them happy”
“You could let a friend play with you”
To see the full list of kindness challenges compiled by staff and students click here: RAOK Challenge List
Share your Story
We would love to hear of your experience in the RAOK Challenge. To share your ‘random act of kindness’ story with us click on the link below:
We look forward to hearing your stories!
This term our Sacred Space week will coincide with Missions Week in Week 5. Our focus will be on missions (local and abroad) with a practical aspect – kindness in action.
As life continues to be impacted by the pandemic, now more than ever is an opportunity to show up for each other - practically, prayerfully and personally.
During the week we will share inspirational clips and messages. We encourage you to take a moment, maybe at the dinner table, to consider God’s kindness and tangible ways of sharing His love in your community.
The week will culminate in a family ‘Random Acts of Kindness Challenge’. Keep a lookout for this and some of Northside’s very own as they share about their experiences with local and overseas missions.
It is my prayer that as a Northside community we will be able to bless members of our wider community and ultimately point them to our Saviour.
God’s blessings for your week ahead.
Laurie Bell
Head of Student Life
Thursday, 13 August: Loving people, place and things to Life
We trust you are being blessed this week as you reflect on God’s Kindness.
Random Acts of Kindness Challenge
What’s a great way to show kindness to a family, friend or even stranger? Our students have been working on suggestions for our Ekka weekend Acts of Kindness (RAOK) Challenge. You and your family are invited to take part in the Challenge, with a full list of suggestions available here. We’d love to hear how it goes, so why not share your ‘random act of kindness’ story with us via the link below:
Wednesday, 12 August: Response through Prayer
"Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us." - 1 John 4:19
5 key prayer points:
- Victorians, especially Victorian schools, who are affected during this time
- Pastor John and Val Lewis
- Explosion and economy in Beirut, Lebanon
- Weekend Without (Prayer Vigil Thursday)
- Random Acts of Kindness Challenge weekend
Please pray that we would recognise an opportunity to serve our neighbour, and that we may seize that opportunity and act.
Below is a short devotional from John Piper on 'The Kindness of God', along with another recording of people's reactions when they are gifted a random acts of kindness. Reflect on the way small and kind gestures can encourage others, and even change hearts and attitudes:
Tuesday, 11 August: Mission = Sacrificial Kindness
"Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." - Hebrews 13:16
You will hear from a student and staff from each sector of our school share about missions and service at Northside. I want to thank and honour these staff members and others for the sacrificing so much of their time to bless people through local and overseas missions. I want to thank you as parents for your continued support for so many years that has impacted so many lives for good.
Let’s continue to do good and sacrifice for those in need and pray that people in need are not only fed and cared for but their lives transform by God.
Click the links below to hear about how mission experiences impact the lives of others - as well as their own:
Missionary Ps Wayne Shchek returned to Australia recently with his son, Nikita. Nikita enjoyed his time at Northside, and some of his Year 5 classmates managed to interview him before he left. Watch the below video to hear about how life is a little different in Ukraine:
Monday, 10 August: Focus on Kindness
Today our students are coming up with ideas to create our Random Acts of Kindness Challenge for the upcoming long weekend. Lookout for this on the website later this week!
Below are some links to inspire:
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." Mark Twain
"You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fibre of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough." Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end."-Scott Adams