the end of a story....

Here we are at the last week of school!  I hear often around the school:  "Wow, how did that happen?"  While the day-to-day rhythm can sometimes feel like a long time, in hindsight it seems to be a whirlwind.  It seems like not that long ago that the kids piled off of the buses for their first day - fresh clothes and school supplies, excitement to be back, hesitance at what this school year would bring....

At our opening assembly, we wondered together what this year's story would be.  Throughout the year, we have reminded one another that we are a part of God's story.  No matter what, he is the author and Lord of our lives, and we can trust Him because He made us and we are His.  Together, we have accepted the work that He had planned for us.  That hasn't always been easy work, but it has been good work.  Please join us again this Friday for our closing chapel when we close off this year's story and again praise God for His faithfulness.

Along with thankfulness to God, we also must say thank you to the many, many people who make Covenant the place it is and allow us to do the many things we do!!  Parents, especially, take time to step up and help where needed in so many ways.  Thank you to the office volunteers, bus drivers, our custodian, Educational Assistants, librarian, coop students, classroom volunteers, event planners, TRIP volunteers, and those serving at community events.  Your direct involvement in the lives of the students, supporters, and visitors to the school is the hands and feet of Christ in our community.  To those of you on committees or working behind the scenes, we thank you as well!  Often without thanks, you continue to give in ways that we don't immediately see, but we do experience in a well run school!  We are blessed and strengthened by your giving!

As you head into the summer, continue to take hold of God's story and remain rooted in God's promises.  He has known us since before we were born, and continues to have good works for us to do!  We will see you again, Lord willing, on Tuesday, September the 8th!!

On the road..

It's the time of year where many of our classes head out on the road to either present what they have learned, or to experience what they've learned in a new way.  Trips present so many unique opportunities and in the lives of students are often the most memorable experiences of school.  Not only do they get up close and personal with the learning material, but they get to solidify and strengthen class friendships and bonds in a new way.  This kind of learning has given many educators over the years pause to think "Maybe we should do education differently..."  How can we harness these excellent learning experiences more frequently?

As we continually consider ways to better teach and learn, we find often that we are striving to recover relationships:  Relationship with God, one another, the world - a yearning for what we enjoyed before the Fall.....

As we walk along - experience deeply God's handiwork, struggle with how our world is broken, long for and share hope in redemption and grace... as we take hold of God's story, our relationships can be reclaimed  just as Christ claimed us as his own.

As we travel, learn, and experience, pray that our relationship with God, others, and the world may be rekindled and strengthened.

Drops in a Bucket

At Covenant, we are spending the day with a family that is visiting us from Guatemala.  The Doppenberg family moved to Guatemala 6 years ago from Beamsville to answer God's call to help there.   After a few short term trips to help out, they saw that the need in Guatemala was prevalent, but also opportunities for them to begin to help.

Their story was told to us through the lens of Dave Tebbutt, a local film-maker who created the documentary 'Drops in a Bucket' which they shared with us (JKCS came up to watch with us!!).  Their story of developing long term relationships, meeting the greatest needs, sustaining the support they've put in place has touched us in a HUGE way. The question of malnutrition, hunger, disease, medical needs seem so daunting from our corner of Ontario.  Geoff closes the video, though, by saying: "When we first started, we thought 'It's impossible, .... it's too big a task..... But now, I have extreme hope and I believe it can happen in our lifetime...."  How?  God is using them as His vessels.  "We aren't doing any of this.  God is simply using us and is doing amazing things."

What can one person do?  One small family from the Niagara Penninsula?  We are all drops in a bucket.  But together, many drops will fill the buckets of others worldwide.  Thank you, Geoff, Rita, Gabe, and Luke, for spending the day with us!!!  May God bless you as you continue to work with the people in Guatemala, and may your actions speak loudly into our lives and all those you touch to have the courage not only to know God's story, but to Take Hold of it!!!

The full-length documentary "Drops in a Bucket" has another limited showing on June 15 at the Mandeville Theatre in St. Catharines.  The film trailer is available at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aWSESeQoWY

Caring for their Community

One of our support organizations picked up the news of the Peach Bud Run in support of the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital Foundation last week.  They simply observed:  

"Students at Covenant Christian School caring for their community."

It was delightful to hear the cheers throughout the school when we announced to the students that they had together raised over $8000!  Wow.  God is capable of so much.  Our goal was to break $5000....  As we look over how these donations came in - many of them $5, $5, $5.... from neighbours, friends, people willing to support in small ways.  Many, many small acts of kindness add up like drops in a bucket.  And so it is in community.  Small works of kindness practiced minute by minute add up to days, weeks, months, years.  They form practice, habit, character, and identity.

In the lives of our students, this is one more communal act of kindness that will be swallowed up in a lifetime of service.  Was this great thing 'normal'?   I pray that it will become that.  As God continues to work through this school community in the lives of our students, we commit them to Him as he shapes them for a multitude of small things which will add up to His mighty work of redemption through His people.  Caring for our community is just one way we are Taking Hold of God's Story.

Caring for the sick...

It's our Peach Bud School Challenge Week!  Students have been busy raising funds for the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital Foundation.  I hear excitement from students as they get off the bus in the morning to tell of how their neighbour sponsored them, or their aunt/uncle, grandparent, or friend.

Events like this benefit our local community, and are important in and of themselves.  So much of God's law and Christ's example focus on caring for those who are in need - the poor, the orphaned, the widows, the foreigners.... God cares about physical need, and charges us to care for them.

Further, though, the habit and action of our students 'pounding the pavement' and 'drumming up support' for others is an important educational development in their lives.  I recall as a child going door to door in my small town gathering money for the annual 'Right to Life' walkathon each year.  There were those who did not want to support, but so many others thanked us for our efforts and for giving them the opportunity to help out.  Teaching our kids to become comfortable with bringing attention to the rights and needs of others, giving them a real outlet to make a difference, and to show them that a community is capable of doing great things through small efforts.....  that's when school can become education for a life of service.  

Let's take hold of this good work that God has prepared for us!!!

Interested in helping out?  We could use a few extra parent spectators to supervise the younger ones as they complete their challenge.  Call the office if you are able to hang around this Friday from 9:00-10:30 to participate in the fun!!

It's almost Field Day!

I've been watching our field day teams come together - groups of older and younger kids working to practice and prepare for our big day on Wednesday.  We are ready for the challenge!  As a matter of habit and practice, teachers have been working hard on the culture of these teams as well, and I'm pleased to say that it is bearing fruit!  The amount of encouragement and praise on each team is wonderful to watch.

Ephesians 4:29  "Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them."

Historically, Track and Field day has been for student either the best day ever, or for some, the worst day ever.  In the spirit of friendly competition, of building one another up, of encouraging each other, and of offering up our best efforts ever, I am praying that each of our Covenant students can walk away from Wednesday saying "I am valued, I did my best, and I was encouraged!"  

Continue this conversation on at home.  If every student takes ownership of encouraging others, we will have lived in to one of our theme verses, and will be taking hold of God's story: Ephesians 2:10:  "For each of us is God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

Encouragement

May has arrived and so has a frenzy of activity!!  There are so many things going on, and along with each comes opportunity to be a light and and example to others.  This will be a focus of chapel on Wednesday as we look to take hold of God's story in ways of encouragement.  Sometimes encouragement comes in the form of words.  We try to use those often.  Many other times, it comes through actions.  Paul encourages the Thessalonians in his first letter to them, not because they needed to be corrected, but because they needed to be reminded to continue....:  "Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each otherand build each other up, just as you are already doing." 1 Thess. 5:10-11

A favourite quote of mine that embodies this notion has always been: 

"Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words."

As we look to do this in our school, in our communities, and in our region through our actions this month, keep this in front of you as we take hold of God's story.