Choices

Choices

Thursday, 18 February 2010 16:40

From the desk of Garret G. Nieuwenhuis
Executive Director
Foundation for Eastern Christian School Association

"How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!" Proverbs 16:16

This year, Eastern Christian School will once again join all other member schools of Christian Schools International by celebrating Christian Education Week. The celebration will focus on the week of April 19-23 concluding with Christian Education Day on Sunday, April 25. On this day our supporting churches will be asked to focus their message on the scripture text quoted above as well as to receive an offering from the congregations for the support of Christian Education at Eastern Christian School.

Because our supporters are widespread and some of our students come from evangelical churches where Christian Education Day will not be celebrated, we will also be sending a special mail appeal in the early part of April to encourage participation in this program by everyone associated with Eastern Christian.

Each year Christian Schools International picks an appropriate text from scripture to focus on during the weeklong celebration and selects a theme based on that text. This year that theme is CHOICES! At times, choices are very hard to make and require continued commitment and a firm faith. The Bible makes reference to difficult choices that some had to make. Think only of Abraham who made a choice to sacrifice his dear son Isaac Or Samson who made a decision to honor God at the expense of his own life.

We're alive because of choices. God chose to create human beings, and chose to give us the freedom to make our own choices. When our sin alienated us, He chose to save us. Jesus chose to obey His Father's will, enter our time and space, and give His life for us. We've been the recipients of unfathomable grace, yet we're still free to choose whom we will serve, whom we will honor, whom we will worship!

Those of us who are parents have the momentous task of choosing how to train our children to live, what values to impart, and how to nurture their faith. We as parents are also the first and primary influencers and educators of our children. Christian Schools desire to help in this most critical task of gaining the wisdom and understanding through a curriculum that points to the Creator, taught by teachers who teach that we are to love God above all, and then to love others for who they are, dearly loved Children of God.

Eastern Christian has been following that directive for over 118 years, and with God's blessing, we hope to continue to provide that directive for many years to come. We can only do our part if we continue to be favored with your support and encouragement. Christian Education Day represents that unique opportunity for all of us to participate as God has blessed us in order for Christian Education to continue to thrive at Eastern Christian School.