HISTORY
St Charles College has been a non-denominational Christian School since 1979, but the purpose of Bishop Charles Jolivet (who founded this College in 1875) remains the same – to provide an education for boys that surpasses knowledge and skills and gives glory to God. Acknowledging God in all that we do and the grace that has been given us in his son, Jesus Christ, we are committed to the growth of the boys of the College through thought and deed.
St Charles College is a non-denominational, biblically based, Christian School for boys, providing a Christian ethos and worldview which respects individual diversity and values the common humanity of every person.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
- There is one God, eternally co-existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- God is the Creator of the world and everything in it.
- The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, entirely trustworthy and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
- In our Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His substitutionary and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father and His personal return in power and glory.
- God created humankind in His image. He made them male and female, with consequent dignity, and creation stewardship.
- As a result of the Fall, all people are lost and sinful, in need of salvation.
- In salvation by grace through faith; that salvation is received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, apart from any works of the law or human merit.
- In the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling, the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life.
- All believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are spiritually united with each other. They comprise the Church, the Body of Christ, of which He is the Head.
- In the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they who are saved, into eternal life and they who are lost, into eternal separation from God.
We pray that each boy would make, by their free choice and under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, a personal, authentic, commitment to follow Jesus. St Charles College is not a local church but works to support each student to remain, or become, affiliated to a local church.
CHRISTIAN VALUES
As a Christian College, Spiritual formation is at the heart of who we are.
Founded on Christian values of grace, forgiveness and compassion spirituality permeates all aspects of the College. The biblical foundations of faith taught at St Charles College are essential to our education for life impacting thoughts, attitudes and actions. Our dream is to build a flourishing community in which all are given the support and care they need, no matter their situation or background, to become people of integrity, faithfulness and service. Our hope for you is that what you learn at our College will be an education for your life so that in society you will defend what is right, support what is just, and strive to respect the dignity of others.
PROGRAMME
The spiritual aspects of the College are not vested only in the chaplaincy. Staff members, church partners and students are actively involved in the spiritual growth of students to help facilitate a living and authentic relationship with Jesus.
CHAPEL
Chapel services are held weekly in the Junior Primary, Senior Primary and High School. These services are purposefully carved out spaces for the body of the schools to join together in corporate worship. Staff and a variety of visiting speakers from local churches are invited at intervals through the term to speak. Relevant termly themes are followed. These topics are not confined to Chapel but overflow into life of the College initiating our College motto, to the faithful a certain reward.
Boarders attend a combined Sunday evening service along with other schools from across Pietermaritzburg.
DIVINITY
All boys from Grade 1 – 10 attend Divinity classes once a week with the Chaplaincy team. Bible-based lessons follow a curriculum developed at the College which address Christian foundations, contemporary issues and a Christian response. Each year provides new layers as we explore faith, unpack biblical truths, understand our story, and marvel at Gods redemptive plan.
PASTORAL COUNCIL
The Pastoral Council is the student Christian leadership of the College. A crucial component of the spiritual programme at the College the Pastoral Council provides spaces for students to be nurtured and explore their faith through peer ministry. The Council meet weekly to pray and strategize in how to proactively serve and support the boys of the College.
SCG
Once a week Student Christian Groups meet in both the High and Junior schools. Open to all students, boys from across grades gather for fellowship and teaching to grow their faith as disciples of Jesus.
BIBLE STUDY
A weekly evening bible study is available to boarders to deepen spiritual minds and hearts through biblical study.
MORNING DEVOTIONS
For any boy who wishes to start their day in prayer, daily morning devotions are held in the Chapel. These gatherings centre students for the day ahead through prayer, devotion and thought.
WORSHIP
Worship teams, both student and staff, are involved in Chapel services, worship spaces and formal ceremonies. The bands work to enhance the holistic worship service, to nurture spirit led worship sessions, and saturating the whole College in worship.
OUTREACH
Students have the opportunity to get involved in supporting existing outreach programmes or dream big and initiate new ones. Our hope is that each boy will have a heart change to reach beyond themselves, not because they are instructed too, feel guilty or for self-merit, but to live authentic lives. To be the change we hope for in South Africa and the world beyond.
TESTIMONIALS
“SCC is where I first encountered the love of Christ, not religion, but rather what it means to fully trust in God, and have a life shaped in accordance to Him. It was an amazing environment where I was able to learn and grow in my faith. Being a young person and a Christian is not easy, it’s certainly not popular. But the wisdom, mentorship and guidance from some of the staff were pivotal in helping me grow deeper in faith” (Matthew Dunbar, class of 2016).
“I am so grateful for the many opportunities I had to learn and grow in my faith at SCC. The spiritual guidance, leadership and support I received from both students and staff gave me an incredibly strong foundation to begin my adult life as a Christian. I feel extremely privileged to have gone to a school that not only made room for me to find my faith but also encouraged and challenged me to continue pursuing Jesus in my life” (Jeremy de Beer, class of 2018).
“The college provided a great platform for God to work within my life. I have grown in my spirituality immensely and learnt so much about the Trinity because my burning questions as an adolescent were answered. The Council aided to awaken a Godly purpose within me and strengthened my Christian ethos, which I use as a foundation to build my life. I have learnt to become an ambassador for Jesus which will last for a lifetime” (Jochemus Foord, class of 2019).
“My time at St Charles contributed to the foundations of my faith in Christ. It was at St Charles where I discovered my love for worship and learnt to express myself as a leader. Today I continue to use the skills and values I learnt at St Charles in ministry and other areas of my life” (Keketso Mokotjo, class of 2020).
“I found every spiritual activity at SCC purposeful and meaningful. A place where the Holy Spirit could move, influence and touch my life and the lives of others. I was able to grow in my walk with God and stretch myself through the gifts of the Holy Spirit” (Joshua Mckinley, class of 2021).
“The spiritual life at SCC is fundamentally gospel centred, emulating the authenticity and depth of Christ’s love. It was place where I could ask profound personal questions and find wise answers. It emphasised the importance of the permanent and eternal aspects of my life over temporary gains, specifically prioritising our relationships, both with others and with Christ” (Stephen Lock, class of 2022).