The Centre of Creativity

Last week our new Creative Arts Centre was officially opened by Senator David Fawcett, representing the Australian Minister for Education and Training. 

More importantly, the Creative Arts Centre and its future use was dedicated to God in prayer by Head Prefect Hannah Bengtson.

At the opening, I spoke about creativity, and I would like to share with the wider Cedar community, some of the thoughts that I shared with the students on that day.

Creativity is an important part of who we are as human beings, and it comes in many forms.  Certainly, it is most obvious in the Arts. Musicians, performers, writers and artists all enrich our lives. However, as an engineer I can tell you about the creativity required to design and construct a building like the Creative Arts Centre. Every day our dedicated teachers find creative ways to encourage creativity and collaboration amongst our students.

Effective leadership also requires creativity.  Recently, Australia’s Prime Minister called for a more innovative Australia – a challenge that will require creativity from our students as they enter the 21st Century workforce. We all need creativity in our lives.

Interestingly, it is God who invented creativity! He is the almighty Creator. Through Jesus He created the heavens and the earth and He created us in His own image. Every day He shows us His personal love and care in incredibly creative ways. God’s greatest act of creativity was His plan of salvation that He has made available through Jesus for every one of us. When we become a Christian we are recreated in the image of Christ. Our sin and guilt are paid in full.  He created each of us to be creative.  Our creativity comes from God.

My prayer is that each of our students will allow Christ to be the centre of their creativity. That they will discover Jesus, learn to display His love and care to others, and develop their own creative skills so that they can make an innovative and lasting contribution to God’s world.

There is a sculpture on the lift wall in the new building which is a music wave of the opening phrase of the anthem “In Christ Alone”. May this  always remind us that our salvation is in Christ alone, our best life purpose is in Christ alone, and our creativity is in Christ alone.

Mr Lou George
Cedar College Board Chairman