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2002 (c) Peninsula Community Access Newspaper Inc

 

Ecumenical service for HSC students

 

An ecumenical service will be held for HSC students, their families and friends on September 19 at St Andrews Church, Umina.

The service is designed to help students and their families deal with the stresses of undertaking the HSC.

It will include a local band, prayer and support, refreshments and guest speaker Andrew Palmer.

Andrew Palmer has been the NSW director of the Baptist Youth Ministry this year, a key role in training, supporting and encouraging youth counsellors working at the grass-roots level throughout the State.

He has an interest in equipping youth for leadership in their local communities.

He traces his passion for youth affairs back to his own difficult youth and the support he received from a Christian friend who stuck with him through the good times and the bad.

Andrew said the major challenge facing HSC students was achieving balance in their lives, in their relationships and in their expectations.

"As the pace of modern life accelerates, the level of anxiety and uncertainty faced by our youth has similarly increased," he said.

"Many of the young people are able to successfully juggle this balance, but for many others the stresses and pressures are too great and they often find release in such negative activities as binge drinking, drugs and other anti-social behaviour."

Andrew is married and has three children.

He lives on the Central Coast, and his interests include cricket, music, friendship and "great coffee".

Andrew can be contacted on 4322 1263 or 0412 880 007.

For more details of the special HSC Service, contact Rev Hayden McKellar on 43441439 or by email hayden.mckellar@anglican.org.au.

Press release, September