April 18 Home Communicator – I often get asked, “What really makes a Christian education special?” or “Is it really all that different at Hudsonville Christian?” My comment back is usually “Have you talked to any of our parents that send their children to our school?” Why do I say this? Because honestly, what our parents see, hear, and experience is of greater value than any words I could give. I would love to hear from parents what things they heard from their children about last week, Holy Week, at HCS.
There were many things that students participated in at school that helped them to reflect on Holy Week, but I would like to highlight just a few:
- Each classroom spent time talking about the events leading up to celebrating the resurrection of our Savior. Some of the discussions and stories I have been told by teachers cannot even be put into words. To be able to talk about these special times in an environment that embraces “The One” is priceless, as the saying goes. Some of these activities were done along with their buddies. “Buddies” at HCS refers to the friend from another grade who has gotten to know them personally through various school events. This is a PreK-8th grade experience.
- Another very special tradition that happens during Holy Week at HCS is the Grace Walk, which is set up by the 5th The responses from some of the students as they reflected on the Holy Week experience bring tears to my eyes. To see the level of understanding that many of our students have about the death and resurrection of Jesus and the impact that it has on their lives is amazing. Here are a few examples:
- “Grace Walk has made me feel different and changed. Now I will be changed forever.”
- “This has changed my life forever. I am going to remember these 45 minutes till the day I die.”
- “My journey was amazing. I really thought that God spoke to me and I pray that God will take away all my sins and that I will concentrate on God more and I hope that I will put God first other than all my other stuff.”
The culminating event for the week was an all-school worship time held this year at the middle school. To watch all of our PreK-8th grade students walk in together with their buddies, some holding hands, is something you don’t soon forget. During our time of worship, students listened to and sang songs reflecting on this very special week. To watch every hand raised as together they sang Cornerstone was amazing. Probably the highlight for me was listening to each child close out worship time together singing Jesus Loves Me a capella.
It is always wonderful to worship in community with our students, and to be led in worship by our own HCS staff as we were last Friday is truly special. We look forward to next year when we can once again have use of our large gymnasium and invite the rest of our “community” back to worship with us. I wish everyone who ever asked the question “Is a Christian education really different?” could have walked in my shoes last week.
Serving Christ Together
Dan Pott, Superintendent