In Shift Happens, a viral video from 2007, the Americans Karl Fisch and Scot McLeod discuss some of the changes that the world is going through, and the ways in which these will have an impact on education.
They state that “we are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist using technologies that haven’t yet been invented”. Information technology is indeed an area in which we all see change, all the time. I recently enjoyed a conversation over coffee in which a member of the congregation talked about the room-sized computer he trained on at university. The surprise for me was the tiny amount of data that the computer’s memory could hold – only 125 kilobytes.
So how do we prepare young people, and ourselves, for a radically ever-changing world? I have to admit to having struggled with some changes over the last year. One of the things that has helped me is having the foundation of being part of a very diverse church community. The wisdom and perspective that some of the older members of our community have shared have been incredibly useful, as has the stoicism and positivity of some of our youngest members.
The events that we remember at Easter also speak powerfully to anyone going through a time of change or uncertainty. As we follow the journey of Jesus to Jerusalem, through his betrayal and trial to his death on the cross, burial and resurrection, we are reminded that there is always hope for the future. At times our world can feel very unstable but through Jesus we inherit an eternal “kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:29). We would like warmly to invite you to join us this Easter, to share in the pain and deep joy of these events, and the hope for all.
Catherine Cleghorn, Ordinand
APS Easter Tree