CHAPEL CENTENARY
Congo in the Chapel
The Guildford Grammar School Chapel
has been home to countless services,
leadership inductions, weddings and most
specifically, weekly Congo sessions, over the
history of the School.
Once a week each student files in through
the Chapel doors to start the morning off
with the various hymns that the Chapel has
to offer, while Mr Gething is positioned in
the middle of it all with a piano at hand to
lead the students along the way. There are
not many places in Perth where you can
start your morning off, standing next to your
mates, belting out a collection of hymns. But
it does happen at Guildford Grammar School
and that’s what makes the Chapel a special
place in providing a unique experience for
each student.
When we graduate from the School, one of
the memories that will always remain with
us is the Congo sessions that we regularly
attended during our time at the School.
Even years after leaving, we will be able to
return for a reunion service and still be able
to remember the words to a collection of the
hymns.
It’s a unique feeling having strength in
numbers when singing loud and proud at
the start of the morning. The tingle down
your spine when singing for the last time at
graduation, for celebration, for a lost friend
or simply singing to be the loudest House
on the day, is something that is so unique to
the School Chapel; it can’t be experienced
anywhere else. The experiences we share in
Congo sessions offer an entirely new level
of mateship and school pride that separates
Guildford Grammar School from the rest.
The Chapel of Saint Mary and Saint George
offers something different for every student.
But it can also offer a common authentic
experience that can be shared between all
students, past and present. As well as offering
a medium for producing the core values of the
School in respect, integrity, spirituality and
teamwork, the Congo sessions offer a highly
positive and energetic platform for starting
off a school day or week.
Oscar Wharton (Sc 1999-2012)
Marketing Intern
A new baby
grand for the
David Lawe
Davies Centre
Former parent of the School, Mr
Barrie Oldfield OAM, returned to the
School in February with his wife Sallie
to unveil a brand new Yamaha C7
Grand Piano, purchased thanks to his
very generous donation to the School.
Mr Oldfield was the first person to play
the piano, which now takes pride of
place in the DLD.
7