Interestingly, many people did my final activity countdown for me over the past month. From shout outs on the crossing to students in Year 12 commenting, “this is your last assembly”.  Even if I was trying to avoid the reality, I had others reminding me of my pending retirement.

In this, my last short article, I do want to take the opportunity to say a heartfelt and sincere thank you to our wonderful Genesis Community. I have always counted it a privilege to be able to serve as a Principal, however, leaving the Sunshine Coast in 2007 and coming to Genesis was very daunting.

What I did not know though, was just how fulfilling the next thirteen years was going to be and the school community spirit we would encounter. From day one, Janet and I were welcomed and embraced, and as a result, the College thrived. Our students have been the beneficiaries of that planned and systematic growth. This has been possible because of planned strategic growth which has always been done with our students’ best interest as the motivating reason.

That sense of community has been extended beyond this campus. In amongst all the end of year events and celebrations, Janet and I went on a fly in fly out mission trip to Myanmar. The purpose of which was to be part of the ceremony to hand over a brand new tractor to an orphanage so that they can produce enough food to feed the 147 orphans it currently looks after. However, what was so pleasing for me, and a reminder that Genesis is not just a fine school producing excellent graduates, but a school that has seen the needs of others and responded.

The graduates who have visited the orphanage over the past five years are testimony to the importance of living out our mission statement and in this instance specifically having a desire to serve God in the wider community. It was wonderful to witness first hand our 2019 graduates doing just that. Importantly, they were doing it wholeheartedly and joyfully.

Finally, Janet and I thank you all for your investment in our lives over the past thirteen years. As I commented to the staff last Friday, we have done life together. In our time here at Genesis, our two daughters have married, produced five grandchildren, the fifth arriving just two days ago and both Janet and I have had parents pass on. However, through it all we have felt and been the recipients of much love and support.

Thank you one and all for enriching our lives. Our time at Genesis has been the most rewarding of our educational journey. Our prayer is that Genesis continues to go from strength to strength under God’s guidance and grace. Mr Paul Sterling is a fine leader and a man of integrity. With your support there is no limit to what Genesis Christian College can achieve.

We thank God for His favour over our lives and trust He blesses all our families this Christmas season.

Brian Barker

Principal