DISCOVERING THE KINGDOM AT HIGHER GROUND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Grades 4–9 doing a pond study at a local park.

Each year, Higher Ground Christian School follows a spiritual theme. This past school year, the theme was “Discover the kingdom,” which included a study of the Gospel of Matthew. Students learned about parables, teachings, and miracles that taught them about what it means to be a part of God’s kingdom. And, of course, they learned about the life of Christ. Nevertheless, how does this fit in with everyday life? That was the next important lesson the students needed to find with each portion of Matthew they studied. Many of the lessons learned throughout the year were straightforward. For instance, we should show others about God’s love, and the kingdom is about serving others for God. This was expressed in our theme passage: “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church [as well as a church school and community] and try to build each other up” (Romans 14:17–19, NLT). It isn’t about the dos and don’ts of life but rather about living out the love of Christ in your life by serving others. However, students also learned that we can’t do it on our own. It is really important to stay connected to God so He can transform us to be more like Him. Jesus is the pearl of great price that is worth everything. He has promised to always be there for us along the way, even when things get crazy, like the COVID pandemic. He died for our sins so we can be forgiven. He will return one day soon to take us to heaven and then create a new earth, where there won’t be any more fear, pain, or sorrow.

Our school mission is for students to achieve academic excellence while developing a friendship with Jesus Christ. It is our hope that each student will be equipped with the skills to be successful in life, growing mentally, physically, socially, and most importantly, spiritually.

Students learn to work hard and celebrate their accomplishments. They explore the natural world through field trips to local parks, our school garden, and handson science experiments. They exercise creativity in school projects, art, and music. They learn to challenge themselves in activities, such as the Terry Fox Run, Jump Rope for Heart, and the Iditarod Reading Challenge. They discover what it means to be a friend to others, which also means learning good conflict resolution skills. And they experience what it is to serve others.

This year, students were able to take part in several outreach activities, which included making Valentine cards for seniors, putting on a Christmas program for the church, taking part in leading praise at church, and picking up garbage around the local neighbourhood. At the end of the school year, they put on the church service again, this time teaching several of the parable stories from Matthew through some fun skits and readers' theatre, as well as sharing their musical talents to bless others.

It has truly been a blessing to see the students work together and grow in so many ways throughout this past school year. Higher Ground Christian School is truly one of God’s schools, and we invite each one of you to pray for the mission of this school in reaching our children and others for Christ.

By Tami Braman, Principal, Higher Ground Christian School