LET’S LOVE. Valley Christian Schools’ homecoming celebration and football game on Friday, October 2, 2021, marked the first schoolwide event involving thousands of parents, students, alumni, and friends since the forced COVID-19 campus closures on March 12, 2020. The conversations, laughter, cheerleaders, fans, bands, food trucks, football victory, and returning alumni administered an exhilarating remedy to social isolation and a welcome tonic of loving connectedness and restored community. Such joyful community building fits beautifully with Valley Christian Schools’ 2021-2022 theme, LET’S LOVE. Jesus’ commands, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39) provide the guiding light for our LET’S LOVE, Biblical Unity Initiative.
7. Celebrate, as image-bearers of God, our distinctive characteristics of ethnicity, national culture, gender, tribes, and languages with God’s love for one another in unity for His glory
Valley Christian’s Executive Team and Board have added three recent positions to lead and advance our LET’S LOVE Biblical Unity Principles. 1. Pastor Chase Wiggins, Chief Ministry Officer – Student and Family Ministries 2. Dr. Steven J. McGriff, Biblical Unity Director – Training teachers and staff to integrate the seven Biblical Unity Actions and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and the Bible’s teachings into all instruction and activities as the only means of achieving biblical diversity, equity, and inclusion 3. Pastor Steve Dang (‘02), Alumni Ministries Director – Extending God’s love to our alumni community
VCS represents a culturally diverse community of students, families, faculty, staff, and Board members of many nations, Certainly, we are living in some of the most trying times of my ethnicities, cultures, and languages. Jesus said, “Everyone lifetime. God’s Word offers some wisdom as encouragement: will know that you are my disciples if you love one another “Don’t be surprised at the fiery trials…Instead, be very glad... (John 13:35).” you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world (1 Peter 4:12-13).” During my keynote address at the beginning of this school year, I described seven Biblical Unity Actions to extend God’s love at VCS. They are as follows: 1. Welcome all people of diverse origins 2. Include all of God’s children to reveal His beauty 3. As a community and individuals, model and teach, “If we confess our sins, He (Jesus) is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)
Homecoming 2021 was perhaps the most joyful event I’ve experienced at Valley Christian during my thirty-five years of leading the school. I realized I was “homesick” and welcomed the chance once again to love one another after such an enduring COVID isolation. Hmmm, What if?…We love each other like at homecoming… every day? LET’S LOVE!
4. Teach and model Biblical Unity to all students 5. Defeat partiality by loving as God loves 6. Set attitude and conduct standards for all based on Jesus’ teachings and the Bible
Clifford E. Daugherty, Ed.D. President
“Through love, we form the “perfect bond of unity…Let us love one another, for love is from God … God is Love (1 John 4:7,8b).”
4
