Toongabbie Christian College

LYNETTE HESTER Parent 1981-1992 Head Teacher 1981-1991

As a teenager, I could not reconcile God’s call on my life to serve Him in a full-time capacity with my passionate desire to teach. The opportunity to be the first Head Teacher at Toongabbie Baptist Christian Community School showed me His plan. I had seen the vision of bringing God’s story to all aspects of classroom learning while doing casual teaching in a Catholic school. I was concerned about the deliberate shift in public education from the Judeo-Christian ethic to Secular Humanism. I was excited about the door that God was opening in Christian education. Early challenges included teaching multiple grades on multiple sites. In the second year of the school my 4/5/6 class had lessons in the Salvation Army Hall, the local Catholic school, the Council swimming pool, cooking classes and Library, with lunchtime recreation at the local oval. Highlights of my time at Toongabbie included: Being very well supported by an enthusiastic Board, a willing and committed parent body, volunteer helpers such as Chris Beckett stepping into secretarial duties, Anne Wood setting up our own library and a growing team of excellent teachers beginning with Libby Colla as co-teacher for the first year. Praying for our needs and seeing answers to prayer, for example, the Maths texts delivered just as we finished praying for them. The family spirit that developed with older students coaching and caring for younger students. The march from the church buildings to the new site as the permanent buildings were dedicated to the glory of God. Leading the Ministry Choir that told God’s story in song to a wide range of audiences including national television, a tour of the North Island of New Zealand and many public venues, for example, Martin Place. The 1988 Bicentenary Celebration where schools travelled from throughout Australia to perform at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. The Festival of Gifts which gave many students the opportunity to develop and showcase their God-given performance gifts. Annual musicals which told God’s story in memorable ways. These were a feature of our Presentation Nights. The moving experience of singing The Lord is my Shepherd in a Maori chapel as a choir member travelled home to be with his dying Mum – and returning to sing the same song at her funeral. The moving testimony of a parent responding to God because he sensed the Holy Spirit’s presence when he brought his daughter into the school grounds. The privilege of having our daughter, Ruth, and our son, Luke, among the student body. The joy of seeing students choose to follow Jesus and follow Him into a wide range of occupations and professions, including pastoral leadership, worship leading and returning as teachers to continue telling God’s story at Toongabbie and other schools. Witnessing how in ten years a two-teacher fledgling school of 35 students grew, by the grace of God, to a double streamed Primary Department, feeding into a flourishing Secondary Department. Praise God that He led the way at every step.

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