Staff & Faculty Thanksgiving Service in John Francis Cash Memorial Chapel
This September, staff and Faculty gathered in the John Francis Cash Memorial Chapel for a Service of Thanksgiving, the first such staff service to be held there in many years. For some, it was the first time they had joined in worship within the Chapel, which made the occasion particularly significant.
The service was led by Property Manager, Jon Telfer and opened with a call to worship from 1 Chronicles 16, declaring God’s glory among the nations and affirming together, “The Lord reigns.” Jon reminded us that while Cash Chapel is a beautiful space with its sandstone, timberwork, and stained glass, the true Church is not bricks and mortar, but the people of God gathered under Christ’s authority.
Scripture was central throughout. Daniel Higgins from the IT team read Psalm 104, after which Malcolm Richards, Director of the Center for Global Mission, preached from the passage. Malcolm drew attention to God as the creator, sustainer, and provider of all things from the land and animals to humankind itself. Reflecting on how the psalmist revisits the Genesis creation story, Malcolm noted that every good gift in life points us back to God’s ongoing provision. He reminded us that even the forces of chaos, represented by the waters in Genesis, are firmly under God’s control for our good. Just as the psalmist praises God for his sustaining care, so we, too, are called to live lives of thanksgiving, acknowledging his daily provision in both ordinary and extraordinary ways. Malcolm also highlighted how Psalm 104 points forward to Christ, through whom and for whom all things were created and in whom all things are sustained (Colossians 1:16-17). The call to praise the Lord “as long as we have breath” becomes, in Christ, a call that stretches into eternity.
The service also included prayers of thanksgiving and intercession, led by Librarian Jacqui Wiya, who encouraged us to consider what it means to depend on God together as a community.
The congregation joined in three hymns: O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing, O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus, and To God Be the Glory. These were accompanied by student Riley Irwin on the organ and led in song by Karen Beilharz, a member of the Communications Team. The Chapel’s distinctive layout, where worshippers face one another, gave a powerful visual reminder of Colossians 3:16: “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs”.
The service concluded with a benediction from Hebrews 13: “May the God of peace equip you with everything good for doing his will, working in you what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ.” Staff and Faculty then enjoyed afternoon tea in the Principal’s Garden, continuing the celebration with good conversation and fellowship.
This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the John Francis Cash Memorial Chapel. Built as a memorial to John Francis Cash, who was killed in WWII, the chapel is a place rich in symbolism. Its stained-glass windows, donated by John’s sisters, depict the Sermon on the Mount and the angel at the empty tomb; images that point us to Christ’s teaching and the hope of the resurrection. To celebrate this milestone, staff were provided with a special 75th anniversary edition of the Order of Service, designed by our new Communications team member, Sarah Bingham and featuring photographs of the Chapel. You can view the digital version here.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Jon Telfer for leading the service, to Daniel Higgins for reading Scripture, to Malcolm Richards for preaching, to Karen Beilharz for leading us in song, to Riley Irwin for accompanying on the organ, and to Jacqui Wiya for leading us in prayer. Special thanks also to Gaurav and the kitchen team for their hospitality in preparing afternoon tea, to Mark and Kathryn Thompson for opening their home for the afternoon tea and to all staff and Faculty who attended, making the service a memorable and meaningful time of thanksgiving together.
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