In Cornerstone's three Training Centres around regional New South Wales, Monday the 16th of January marked the first day of First Year Training for the latest list of recruits to Cornerstone's intensive discipleship program.
Over the last fortnight Cornerstone's staff in Canowindra, Broken Hill and Dubbo have been completing team training with the students of the class of 2005, preparing them for a year as voluntary youth workers in various rural towns.
In the last few days staff have waved goodbye to the many people that have become very good friends over the past year or more, as they embark on a new adventure. Students from Canowindra will be going to Dubbo and Coonabarabran.
As those students left the new intake of 2006 students started arriving and began to move into hastily evacuated accommodation.
For the Canowindra Centre there were also staff changes. Terry and Kathy King, who have managed the Cornerstone Contractors labour contracting business for the past five years, have relocated to Hervey Bay in Queensland.
Their place has been taken by Nick and Natalie Chrichton and their three young girls. Nick has a background in farming and has also worked as a senior livestock trader with Elders.
Young couple, Ben and Jemima Read, have also joined the Centre as staff-in-training having recently completed the Leadership Training Course in Dubbo. They will be working as supervisors and trainers of the Cornerstone students in the workplace.
Cornerstone's Director of Training, Mr Les Follent (and former Dean of the Canowindra Centre 1991-1998) outlined Cornerstone's unique approach to training and the adventure that awaits the new students.
"Cornerstone aims to foster a Biblical worldview and a thoughtful, open-minded approach to learning."
"The training is founded on the Bible and the issues it raises for life today. Insights are also drawn from modern scholarship and personal experience - 'all truth is God's truth'!"
"The intended outcome of such reflection is an integrated Christian worldview, and a life that is spiritually natural and naturally spiritual. The training also progressively develops competence in mission and ministry, team-work, leadership and management."
"First year takes place at a training centre, focused on Biblical studies and personal growth in a context of community life, work and mission; accredited Certificate III and Certificate IV courses are ‘nested' within this first year of training."
On Monday morning the students in Canowindra roused themselves out of bed at 5:30am for their first day of work – dodging thunderstorms on the impressive slopes of Mount Canobolas where they were picking apples. If they hadn't woken fully by the time they arrive at the orchard, the spectacular views were enough to do the job for them.
Lectures in Canowindra kicked off that afternoon and concluded with the first of many community barbeques in the evening.
In Dubbo they gathered in the lecture room at 9am as the Orientation program began with an introductory lecture from the Dean of Burrabadine, Mr Andrew Vincent. Monday was a day of extended lectures that concluded that evening with a community dinner.
Later in the week the students were inducted into their place of workplace training – Dubbo's Pizza Runners shop and/or the mat run and various labour contracting activities.
Broken Hill was the last of the three to start with Russell Hodge leading community worship in the mid-morning before lectures begin in the lecture room on Chapple Street.
Later that night the new students ventured into the Broken Hill Pizza Runners shop and began the process of learning how to prepare fresh dough, chop vegetables and make pizzas that are an expression of Cornerstone's commitment to excellence.
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