Religious teaching extended

Seven Christian churches on the Peninsula are extending the teaching hours of three Religious Education teachers at both campuses of Brisbane Water Secondary College.

Religious Education will now be offered to Year 8 students with all students from Years 7 to 10 provided with the opportunity to attend these classes.

Twenty three years ago, several churches on the Peninsula of different denominations joined forces, under the name of Religious Education Ministries.

The aim was to employ teachers of religious education in the Woy Woy and Umina secondary schools, so that the students' Christian education continued after their primary school years.

Representatives from each church became members of a board of directors to oversee the employment of the teachers and the programs they were formulating and teaching.

Forty representatives from these churches attended a breakfast at Hardys Bay Community Church on Saturday, February 26, to dedicate and give thanks for the religious education teachers in the secondary college and the volunteer religious education teachers in the Coast's primary schools.

"The highlights of the breakfast were listening to the three enthusiastic and caring Brisbane Water Secondary College teachers share various aspects of their work," said board member Ms Sharyn Teasdale.

"As this work is and always has been totally funded by the churches, they are continually looking for innovative fund raising ideas, including opening an op shop in Berith St, Umina, an annual trivia night run by Umina Rotary and pie drives," she said.

Media Release, 16 Mar 2011 Sharyn Teasdale, REM