Our Bible Narratives
Our Vision at Hartlip School is embedded in the imagery of God/Jesus as the Good Shepherd. We draw upon these images in both the Old and the New Testament of the Bible. We believe that our daily living in school, directed by our values draws parallels to that of a shepherd taking care of his sheep. Our Bible narratives are all centred around the referencing God/Jesus as: ‘The Good Shepherd.’ These images come from both the New and Old Testament.
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep: John 10
3 He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
The Good Shepherd references how every sheep is known by name:
3 He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
In our small primary school, we are honoured to know every member of our school community by name. We are fortunate in being able to form personal relationships with each member of our school community.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
We learn likes and dislikes and how best to support each and every individual to allow them to flourish.
We behave in ‘loco parentis’: taking the place of a parent.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
We value each and every member of our school community. We all belong:
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.
This learning extends in to society, we all learn to live with each other in friendship, forgiveness and peace. We all have our place in the world.
Psalm 23 speaks of the Shepherd guiding through life. We view school as the shepherd, guiding all members through daily life:
The Lord is my shepherd,
We equip our children with the skills that they need to live:
I lack nothing.
The school Christian values ensure that life is ‘beside quiet waters’, peaceful, calm, nourishing and flourishing.
The psalm goes on to talk about the journey of life bringing its difficult times: ‘even though I walk through the darkest valley,’ there is nothing to fear ‘I will fear no evil.’ As the shepherd continues to care, come what may, so too does the school.
The psalm concludes that the unstinting care of the shepherd continues throughout life: ‘Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,’ in the same way that school seeks to equip members for life.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’
The Parable of the Lost Sheep reminds us how important every member of the school community is. If a sheep becomes separated from the flock, the shepherd is unstinting in his search until the lost sheep is found.
4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
And when that one is found, everyone is relieved and happy. School ensures that all members are supported to be able to thrive and flourish.
At Hartlip school our vision drives our daily life through our Christian School Values and associated Bible teachings. We learn to live and we live to learn, not only every school day, but every day of our life.