On Tuesday, September 15, Community Christian School walked to raise money for the Terry Fox Foundation. Our community walk is on Sunday, September 20. Click on the link below for additional information.
Here are some photos from our walk.
Thursday 17 September 2015
A Flourishing Vision
Community Christian School’s vision statement is “Community Christian School will ignite a zeal for Christian education in a flourishing, rigorous learning environment supported by a living, dynamic curriculum.” As I reflect on our vision statement, two different metaphors come to mind.
The first is related to the two images that are included in this editorial. Both pictures are of Death Valley in California. Death Valley is the lowest, driest and hottest spot in North America. We do not associate Death Valley with life or flourishing. Yet, the majesty of God’s creation is evident is this barren place. When the conditions are just right and the rare time that rain falls, Death Valley springs to life. The photo with the yellow flowers was taken in the spring of 2005 during a desert bloom. Life and the potential for growth are always present in Death Valley. The only thing that is needed for a flourishing desert is the right amount of rainfall. Even the most desolate of places can flourish. In a school, we must remember and believe that all students can flourish. We just need to have the right conditions. Creating the right conditions for all students to learn is the challenge of our vision statement.
The second metaphor comes from the book by Andy Crouch called, “Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power.” The author is looking at creation and points out that the word teeming is used in Genesis to describe the creation of living things. We can also use the word swarming. Teeming, swarming and flourishing have a sense of wildness to them, they are unpredictable in nature. There is overflow and excess of life. Think about swarms of bees, birds or fish. This is God’s delight. Andy Crouch uses this metaphor, “God is not seeking a world full of pets, individually domesticated animals bred to be attentive to their human masters. He delights in wildness. God breathed into existence the vast spaces of earth, sky and sea where these creatures can teem.” What happens if we change the words pets to students and masters to teachers? What is wildness in education? What do open, vast spaces for learning look like or what are they? I am not sure of the answers to those questions; however, I believe that if we try to implement answers to those questions, we would be closer to fulfilling our vision.
Please pray that at Community Christian School will be a place that allows all students to flourish. Pray that we may be a place of teeming, swarming students, eager to explore the vast spaces of God’s creation. Have a blessed week.
The first is related to the two images that are included in this editorial. Both pictures are of Death Valley in California. Death Valley is the lowest, driest and hottest spot in North America. We do not associate Death Valley with life or flourishing. Yet, the majesty of God’s creation is evident is this barren place. When the conditions are just right and the rare time that rain falls, Death Valley springs to life. The photo with the yellow flowers was taken in the spring of 2005 during a desert bloom. Life and the potential for growth are always present in Death Valley. The only thing that is needed for a flourishing desert is the right amount of rainfall. Even the most desolate of places can flourish. In a school, we must remember and believe that all students can flourish. We just need to have the right conditions. Creating the right conditions for all students to learn is the challenge of our vision statement.
The second metaphor comes from the book by Andy Crouch called, “Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power.” The author is looking at creation and points out that the word teeming is used in Genesis to describe the creation of living things. We can also use the word swarming. Teeming, swarming and flourishing have a sense of wildness to them, they are unpredictable in nature. There is overflow and excess of life. Think about swarms of bees, birds or fish. This is God’s delight. Andy Crouch uses this metaphor, “God is not seeking a world full of pets, individually domesticated animals bred to be attentive to their human masters. He delights in wildness. God breathed into existence the vast spaces of earth, sky and sea where these creatures can teem.” What happens if we change the words pets to students and masters to teachers? What is wildness in education? What do open, vast spaces for learning look like or what are they? I am not sure of the answers to those questions; however, I believe that if we try to implement answers to those questions, we would be closer to fulfilling our vision.
Please pray that at Community Christian School will be a place that allows all students to flourish. Pray that we may be a place of teeming, swarming students, eager to explore the vast spaces of God’s creation. Have a blessed week.
Tuesday 8 September 2015
Welcome Back to School
The first day is almost over and we are excited about the return of our students. The Lord has blessed us with a safe summer filled with a wide variety of activities. Now, we are rested and ready to tackle a new year that will explore the wonders, mysteries and majesty of God. I believe that many new and exciting things will happen at Community Christian School this year. Stayed tuned, you will not want to miss them.
Here are some first day pictures.
Our opening assembly was a full house that included parents, grandparents, friends, staff and students. What a blessing to have so many people gathered together for worship on the first day. We love our community.
Pastor Jeff leading us in song. You can see his enthusiasm. It was contagious.
Grade 7/8 involved in problem solving/team building activities.
Grade 5/6 in a team building activity to help them focus on this year's goals of teamwork, communication, being there for each other, not giving up and always trying to do better. They went from completing this activity from a high of 56 seconds to an astounding 8 seconds. Ask them how they achieved that time.
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