THE importance of induction prayers in Church-owned institutions, including schools, has been underscored by the Assistant Bishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia, Right Reverend Othniel Gamutu.
Right Rev Gamutu was speaking last Friday at the Induction Service for the ACOM-owned Bishop Norman Palmer School for the 2025 Academic Year.
The induction Service was held ahead of the school’s commencement of the 2025 academic year on Monday.
This Induction prayer was celebrated with the Holy Eucharistic Service of the Second Order by the Assistant Bishop.
During the Induction, the school staff were presented to Right Rev Gamutu by the ACoM Education Secretary Desmond Waita. They made their vows and pledged to carry out their new appointments and responsibilities to serve the school, the ACOM, the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development and the nation as the Teaching and Supporting Staff of Bishop Norman Palmer Anglican School 2025.
Right Rev Gamutu, when inducting the newly appointed school leaders – Principal, Deputy Principal, Form 6 Coordinator Secondary, Principal and Deputy Principal Primary, ECE Supervisor, the rest of teaching staff and supporting staff, called on them to serve with honesty, integrity, peace, love and respect and highlighted that induction prayers are very important in Church schools and institutions.
He shared from the Gospel of Mark 3: 13 – 19 and Hebrews 8: 6 –3 which respectively speak of Christ’s choosing of his 12 Disciples and God’s new Covenant with his people.
“God wants to renew his covenant with his people to bring them back to himself. This covenant is to put His Laws in the minds of his people and to Write them in their hearts.
“This covenant was made possible through the Incarnation Mission and Ministry of Christ, The Birth, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Right Rev Gamutu said.
Applying the Scriptures to the context of the induction ceremony, the Assistant Bishop said:
“Today, You School Leaders and staff have been inducted with rules, policies virtues or values.
“These are the core values and virtue that you should uphold and embrace throughout the whole academic year 2025 and beyond. As such, you are highly expected to attend your classes and to be punctual to classes. You are expected not to be lazy. You are expected to perform to the best of your abilities and experience so that you could produce a good output of students who will be good citizens.
“You teachers have been called by God to this ministry of teaching not only to teach, but also to, guide, Inspire and be a role model at Bishop Norman Palmer School Community, Christ the King Parish, ACoM and in Solomon Islands at large.”
The staff were treated to a small refreshment after the induction to officially farewell outgoing teachers and to welcome new teachers who will be joining the school community for this new academic year.
In his remarks at the refreshment, the school’s new Principal Henry Rahemola thanked the outgoing school leaders for their dedication and hard work.
Principal Rahemola said the hard work and dedication of the outgoing teachers and other school leaders contributed to the outstanding and remarkable administration, leadership and management of the school over the years.
On this note, he called on the new teachers to work together and maintain team spirit at the school to make the 2025 academic year another productive and successful one.
By IAN LADDS OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
