GCA's Celebrating Grace Spring 2023

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who labor do so in vain. ~ Psalm 127:1

Spring 2023

Note from Alicia Jordan

At GCA, one of our desired student outcomes is for our students to have hearts that are mission and service-oriented. Here are some specific goals we have listed for our students at GCA in regard to service and missions.

1. Articulate and practice the biblical mandate for service and missions.

2. Act as the hands and feet of Jesus through local and international missions.

3. Relate to people with empathy and understand the worth of all human beings because they are created in the image of God.

As we reflect on this last semester at GCA, our Elementary students learned about various cultures and raised funds to support ministries all around the world. Our 5th-12th grade students participated in a daily chapel for World Impact Week and learned from people who are making an impact both here, locally, and internationally. Our 7th and 8th grade students participated in a Serve Day where they visited various organizations in middle Tennessee and met some practical needs by serving for the day. Our High School students raised funds for Operation Christmas Child, and our seniors shopped and packed the OCC shoeboxes. The High School student body traveled to Atlanta and inspected shoeboxes, boxed them up, and prayed over the boxes before they were sent to Africa.

Our High School students served for a week in March (MissionX) locally, in several states in our nation, and also in The Bahamas, Ecuador, Belize, Dominican Republic, and Mexico. These are great opportunities for our students to act as the hands and feet of Jesus, and learn about other cultures and communities through a week of service.

Mark Woodard, a GCA parent and missionary in Papua New Guinea, shared in High School chapel that there are three types of people in God's kingdom: “goers, senders, and disobeyers.” Our goal as students graduate GCA is that they will remember to be goers (those going on short-term or long-term missions) and/or senders (those who are generous and help others go and help fund organizations that are sharing the Gospel around the world).

Our theme verse from last school year still resonates in our hearts today, “that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.”

CONTENTS

We

received National Merit Commendation!

2017 grad Brad Swords tells us how GCA equipped him for college and beyond.

Climb the walls with Middle School in their Deer Run adventure!

Ms. Carlson and Mrs. McKown have known each other a VERY long time! Read about their journey to becoming part of the GCA family.

Bruce Anliker shares his story of recently being baptized.

Development Update

Dear GCA Families,

Wow, a lot has changed in a year! This time last year, we were still blasting and moving dirt for the new High School building. In the spring, we saw an influx of massive rock to be used to construct the retaining walls, which began shortly after, as well as the sand filter septic system. Building permits were secured in the spring as well, and construction of the building began in early summer. If you have been by lately, it is amazing to see all that has transpired in a year! Check out the time-lapse videos on the gcalions.com website under Support GCA. Or, click the QR code below. It really is amazing to see the progress!

This progress would not be possible without your prayers and support. The financial goal for the majority of 2022 was $3.7 million dollars of new gifts to be able to complete the High School project. This amount is what is needed to finish the gym and cafeteria, equip the science labs and art rooms, and fully furnish the classrooms. From November through year-end, we raised $766,657, leaving us with a remaining need of $2,933,343. We are so grateful for every person who prayed and gave through our November of Giving campaign and through the end of the year. We still have a ways to go, but we trust that the Lord will continue to provide.

As we move into 2023, the project continues to remain on schedule to open this fall! As always, we are available to meet and answer any questions you may have.

Nottous,Lord,nottous,buttoyournamebetheglory, becauseofyourloveandfaithfulness.Psalm115:1

Sincerely,

Brad Myers

615-578-3021

Athletics Update

By Len McKnatt

It was a great start to the Lion athletic year!

Our High School football team finished the season with a 5-5 record. The team was led by 13 seniors that continued to build the program positively. A plethora of Lions made the all-region team. First teamers include seniors George Steih (OL/DL) and Bryce Woodard (OL). Seniors Jackson Hiett (QB), Nathan Greene (RB), Cade Fuller (LB), and Jordan Carter (LB) were joined by junior Kyle Davidson (WR/DB/KR) on the second team. Two other seniors, Trace Phillips, and CJ Tinnon received honorable mentions. Steih is committed to continuing his football career at Wake Forest next year.

District Coach of the Year Nicole Smith’s volleyball team finished a fantastic season with another region tournament qualifying season. Finishing the year at 18-10, the team was fronted by a great group of seniors. Senior Dani Medina was named first-team all-district, while fellow seniors Ellie Gibbs and Brooklyn Regenstreif made the second team. Medina was also named to the District All-Tournament team, and will be continuing her collegiate volleyball career at Kentucky Christian. Dylan Tolliver will be continuing her collegiate volleyball career at Union University.

The boy’s and girl’s golf teams had wonderful seasons out on the links. Led by coach Chuck Hammett and William Koellein the boy’s team had a high finish of fourth at the Goodpasture Tournament. Three seniors: Evan Johnson, Luke Ring, and Jesse Koellein continued to build this program. The small and mighty girl’s team continued to improve each week and will be returning all three golfers next year!

The girl’s soccer team, led on the pitch by coaches Brad Myers, Mary Carlson, and Grace Hooper, finished their year in the State Quarterfinals for the second straight year. All-district honors were given to seniors Marxie Myers and Anna Claire Boster and junior Ella Kate Gill. Gill and Myers were also named to the all-region tournament team, along with senior Ruth Fish. Fish will be continuing her soccer career at Bryan College next year.

Coach Kerry Grasmanis had a small but great group of cross country runners. Paced by senior Daniel Stewart, the team was continually setting personal bests and setting the tone for the coming seasons.

The Intermediate/Middle School fall season is split into an early and late fall season. Both the 5th/6th and 7th/8th grade football teams, led by Coach Wayne Wolf, finished the season at 5-2 for one of the best seasons in school history. Coach Carolyn Shield’s boy’s and girl’s cross country teams had fantastic seasons with many athletes knocking minutes off their times. Seventh grader Bennett Stevens won the A Division HVAC championship! The boy’s and girl’s tennis teams, led by Coach Michael Couey, had a strong showing in the HVAC. Eighth grader Ava Elrod finished as the conference runner up and 6th graders Owen Dodd and Alan Porter finished in the doubles semifinals. The 5th/6th-grade volleyball team finished the regular season undefeated and fell short to a tough FRA team in the Jr. HVAC championship game. Coaches Mandy Payne and Lindsey McKown and their girls had so much to be proud of. Coach Anna Luzzo’s 7th/8th grade team had a fantastic regular season and finished in the AA division HVAC tournament.

The late fall season saw Coach Michael Jones lead the boy’s soccer team, Coach Rachel Harrison led the girl’s soccer team, and Coach Jarrett Owens led the wrestling team. The boy’s soccer team defeated Brentwood Academy to win the A division HVAC championship. The girl’s team made the A division playoffs as well before bowing out to eventual champion USN. The wrestling team finished 4th at the HVAC championships, led by 1st place finishers Ryder Murphy (7th) and Luke Skelton (8th). Noah Anliker (8th) had a 3rd place finish as well. Clayton Reed (8th) and Elliott Sarnacke (6th) finished 4th. Murphy was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler, the first Lion wrestler to receive this honor.

National Merit Finalists

GCA is excited to announce two National Merit Finalists and three National Merit Commended Students this year. Seniors Jeremy Walling and Jonathan Walling have each received the honor of being named a Finalist in the 68th annual National Merit® Scholarship Program.

Of the 1.6 million entrants in this academic competition, they were among approximately 16,000 students nationwide to receive the honor of Semifinalist and then continued to compete for the National Merit® Scholarships and advance to Finalist standing. As Semifinalists, the Wallings were considered two of the highest-scoring entrants from our state on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Jonathan and Jeremy will be attending the University of Alabama in the fall majoring in biology. Three other seniors, Aiden DuBois, Zaine Hutchison, and Parker Wright, also earned recognition for their high PSAT scores as Commended students. To receive this distinction, their scores were among the 34,000 highest scores of the 1.6 million test takers in 2021.

Jeremy Walling

Jonathan Walling

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Brad Swords

During my time at GCA, I have to say I was most influenced by Dan Spencer. He was always someone so filled with joy and a love for the Lord, as well as a passion for us as students and to help us succeed! I was blessed to serve under his leadership in the Praise Band in 7th-8th grade, skills I still use today as I serve leading worship for the Young Adults ministry at my church home in Huntsville! If you don’t know him already, do yourself a favor and make a point to meet Dr. Spencer!

One of my favorite memories from my time at Grace was the cardboard box Nerf war that our English class held in 7th grade after reading Treasure Island. I’ll admit it was less of an excuse to learn about the book and more so to make awesome cardboard costumes and shoot each other with Nerf guns, but it was a blast to be sure.

GCA helped to prepare me for my next season by providing me with the academic opportunities I needed to succeed. Classes were offered there which translated directly to my college career, and I was encouraged to continue my personal studies to help prepare me as well. When I arrived at University of Alabama in Huntsville in the fall of 2017 to begin my studies as a Mechanical Engineer, I found that I was right where I needed to be academically to begin the next chapter of my education.

Today, I work as a Mechanical Systems Design and Analysis Engineer for the Boeing Company, working on the International Space Station program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center here in Huntsville. I affectionately refer to my job as, “working in a toy shop” as I spend most of my time playing with 3D printers and other manufacturing tools to build aerospace project mock-ups. I am also blessed to have found my new church family here in Huntsville at Whitesburg Baptist Church, where I serve on the Young Adult leadership team and worship band! It’s a tremendous privilege to work and serve alongside so many incredible people the Lord has brought into my life, and I give all glory to Him for getting me to where I am today.

Something people may not know about me is that I spent two months living in Limerick, Ireland as a study abroad student while I was in college! Ireland is an unbelievably beautiful country, both in its landscapes and in its people. It was an incredible experience to study engineering there, and I hope I can return for a visit someday soon. I would strongly encourage any students starting their college experience to explore study abroad opportunities, as there are so many amazing places to see and people to meet on this planet we call home.

Ms. Carlson and Mrs. McKown’s Journey

These two went from teacher/student to coworkers/friends and it’s such a beautiful thing!

You all know Ms. Carlson and Mrs. McKown as two of our faculty members, but their story of how they both ended up at GCA began 16 years ago in Grand Rapids, MI…and it’s a story only God could write!

Mrs. McKown: A month after my wedding, I began my third year of teaching at a new school in the school district that I graduated from. I was excited to be teaching one of my favorite grades: 4th grade!!! One of my 4th graders was a girl named Mary. She was the most joyful, smart, energetic, and SPUNKY girl! I adored her from day one. She was one of those kids who walked into the class each morning and everything just felt brighter. I got to know her mom and her story, and I knew I’d be one of her biggest fans long after she left my classroom.

Ms. Carlson: People always ask me why I wanted to become a teacher. For a lot of kids, the reasons usually include getting to write on the whiteboard, decorating a classroom, and using the projector (even though those are gone now…ha!). Although I did always love the idea of doing those things, my reasoning was so much more than that. When I had Mrs. McKown in 4th grade, she was a light for what was at the time a pretty dark season in my life. My family had been going through some very hard things and Mrs. McKown had made school feel like a breath of fresh air. Lindsey always brought such genuine joy to her classroom, and made us feel like the most special kids in the world; she was intentional and patient and always took the time to listen to her students.

Mrs. McKown: During the summer of 2008 Mary Carlson and her mom were one of the first people to visit my firstborn, Greyson, at my house. That same summer, we moved back south. I kept in touch the best I could. A couple of years later when I was in town, I picked up Mary and her friend (another one of my amazing former students) one day from Middle School and they came with me to pick up the Thanksgiving turkey for my mom. Haha! After that, social media allowed us to keep up with each other. I always loved hearing from her and seeing all that she was doing (playing college soccer, and majoring in education). When she was a month away from graduating from Central Michigan University, I received a message from Mary asking for advice on applying for teaching jobs out of state or even internationally (she knew I had done both). I was shocked to hear that she had been student-teaching 7th grade math and coaching high school soccer (knowing that GCA had openings for both of those positions).

Ms. Carlson: If you told me 5 years ago I would be living in Tennessee and teaching my favorite teacher’s baby boy I’d held in 5th grade, I would have cracked up laughing. It is just so crazy how God has worked this out. After graduating from Central Michigan University, I had a job lined up in Texas to be a Graduate Assistant for a college soccer team - and then Covid hit. The university had a hiring freeze, and I had been told to look for other jobs just in case. That is when I immediately Facebook messaged Lindsey. We chatted on the phone and I told her I wanted to teach Middle School math and coach High School soccer. When she told me GCA just so happened to have those exact positions available, I just kept thinking there is no way, this is just too good to be true. I applied right away, and the rest is history!

DODGEBALL

We are thankful for the love and generosity that GCA has shown to Pete LaForest and his children and Well done, GCA family. Let us continue to Love God and Love Others!

A Baptism Story

By Bruce Anliker

What had been a 15-year disagreement between my wife and I ended on August 14, 2022, when I allowed God to speak to my heart, to move past my self-doubts and fears to be baptized. Being baptized as an infant and growing up in the Presbyterian church, I have always counted that as “good enough.” As a freshman in High School, I had taken the classes, met with the elders, and recited the words of confirmation to show that Jesus was true, “in my heart.”

Fast forward to 2012, I am now married with two young kids trying to truly find who I was and what path God had laid for me and my family. Through the church that Alex (my wife) and I had attended since we started dating, I took a disciple leadership class that focused on understanding who I was to truly understand who Christ was and what He means to us. I spent countless hours looking into my past and what made me the person I was that day. By the end of the class, I had realized that throughout my life, when I felt lacking or insignificant, or lonely, I had a Father in Heaven who loved me unconditionally. That He knew who I was, the good and the bad, but still called me His own. Although it was one of the most life-giving moments I had encountered, I did not want to be baptized, I had done that already. I did not want to dishonor the choice my parents had made in my infancy…I was good.

When Alex and I decided to move to Tennessee in 2015, we left almost everything we knew behind. It was truly a decision we could not have made without seeking God’s will for our future. We were leaving ‘our people’ and moving to a place where we knew very little. As my faith continued to grow, the topic of baptism and being “born again” continued to present itself to me but I continued to talk myself out of it. I kept doubting.

“How could I do this when I am already working at a Christian school where I am supposed to be an example?”

“I am covered! I was baptized as an infant and don’t want to be a hypocrite.” My two oldest children were baptized in the first few years since we moved to TN…how could I get baptized after them? What kind of parenting is that?”

On August 14, 2022, I finally stood up and moved my feet. It brings tears to my eyes now as I am typing this. I left all my excuses and fears to go to the wayside and chose Jesus. I know I have loved Him for years but now it is different. As I came out of that water, I could feel God’s smile and words “Well done good and faithful servant.” Looking back at the fears and excuses, I see how silly they are. This was never something to be embarrassed about or fearful of. This was what He wanted all along. Me…nothing more, nothing less. Just me. The goofy quirks, silly worries, self-doubting me.

Passion 2023

47 GCA seniors and 6 staff members spent the last days of their Christmas break gathering with 30,000 other young believers in Atlanta to worship the Lord and be encouraged in His truth. The experience is a tradition we pray will continue to lift and embolden our seniors to lead for the Lord with passion.

Background on Passion:

Rooted in the confession of Isaiah 26:8, Passion exists to glorify God by uniting students in worship, prayer, and justice for spiritual awakening in this generation.

From its start in 1995, the Passion movement has had a singular mission—calling students from campuses across the nation and around the world to live for what matters most. They believe in this generation and are watching God use them to change the climate of faith around the globe.

Since the first gathering in 1997, Passion has had the privilege of encountering millions of students and 18–25-year-olds, a sea of young people whose lives have been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Their voice is getting louder as they rise, united as a generation, bringing hope and light to the world.

Since 2007, believing worship + justice are two sides of the same coin, students at Passion have generously given over $18 million to 70 amazing partner organizations around the world.

Passion is more than music. More than events. Passion is a generation living for His Name. The wave is growing into a global awakening.

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Community Helpers Week

A huge Thank You to the parents of Kindergartners for coming into the classroom to help us understand their various roles as Community Helpers! From a firefighter and nurse to a dentist and a helicopter pilot, we learned so much about what they do everyday to help others. We asked the Kindergartners about their favorite memories from Community Helpers Week. Here’s how they responded!

“The one who got us the bags for our teeth. I really like the dentist. He helps us brush our teeth well.”

~

Sydney Smith

“My dad being a firefighter was the best part. My friends got to see what my dad is.”

~ Kaden Kamau

“I liked the helicopter that landed in the yard. They let us go inside and touch all the stuff that makes the helicopter fly.”

~

Emma Andrews

“I love getting to pretend to drive the helicopter!”

~

Koltyn Smith

“I got to meet a real fire fighter and it was very cool. He teached us about how to save yourself from fire.”

~ Kora Metzger