Students from Adventist schools across Australia have showcased their creative talents in a competition inspired by the Sabbath.
Young artists, poets, videographers and more unleashed their imagination, resulting in an array of diverse and colourful entries. The students were asked to come up with a creative work highlighting what they love about the Sabbath. Entries included poetry, sculptures, paintings, podcasts and video clips.
Among the standouts was “Seven”, a sculpture created by Year 4 students from Victoria Park Christian School in Western Australia. Crafted from reclaimed wood, the “7” sculpture measures approximately one metre in length. The artwork symbolises the importance of the Sabbath and serves as a foundation for the students’ creative expression.
“Students reflected on the Sabbath as an opportunity to come closer to God and wanted their artwork to celebrate the beauty of His creation,” said a statement accompanying the entry.
“Each student used permachrome ink on stones to represent the things they love about Sabbath: family, friends, church, music, nature, Bible stories, singing, sunset, peace, animals and rest. They chose to honour God’s creation by decorating the spaces in-between with nature-based materials.”
Entries were also received from Riverside Adventist School, Prescott Primary Northern, Carlisle Adventist College, North West Christian School, Tweed Valley Adventist College, Heritage College, Hilliard Christian School, Kempsey Adventist School and Darling Downs Christian School.
Adventist Schools Australia education director Jean Carter expressed her congratulations to all the students who participated and commended their creative, innovative and thought-provoking entries. She also emphasised the competition’s role in fostering conversations in classrooms about the significance and blessings of the Sabbath.
“A number of reports have come back from teachers sharing how this competition was a starting point for a conversation in their class about the Sabbath and the blessings of the Sabbath in an open and curious environment—what a blessing,” Mrs Carter said.
Prizes and certificates have been sent out to the schools for presentation to the winning students. A similar competition for students in New Zealand and Pacific schools is planned for next year.
The competition was organised by Adventist Media in collaboration with Adventist Schools Australia. It was part of the wider Sabbath Gift project which launched in June. The Sabbath Gift is designed to draw attention to the benefits of the seventh-day Sabbath as a time of rest and restoration, community and connection in today’s stressful, fast-paced and isolated world. And, most importantly, it aims to highlight that the Sabbath is a gift from a loving God.
Click here for more details on the Sabbath Gift.
