We had our last chapel service of the 2023-2024 school year this morning. The Grade 8 Worship Team led the service, beginning with the pledges, The Lord’s Prayer, O Canada and the Land Acknowledgement. After reading Psalm 51:9-12, the leaders led the singing of ” God of Revival”. The gym filled with praise from the 266 elementary students and the staff in the room, especially during the chorus.
Our second song, “Pharaoh, Pharaoh”, changed the tone of the service completely with its actions and rock and roll undertones.
Next, this month’s Care & Share event was introduced via video by our SK1 class. On Monday, we will be collecting donations to help The Centre for Dreams, which is a day program dedicated to providing a curriculum designed specifically for adults living with a developmental disability. The centre has a wish list of needed materials to support their programs. We are challenging each class to raise money to buy these items.
Prior to singing the last worship song, “10000 Reasons”, the Worship Leader read Psalm 103:1-4.
This morning’s guest speaker was Jake Wilson, camp Director of Willow Springs Camp, aka “Captain”. After sharing a few entertaining stories, Captain redirected the students to follow his message about focusing on eternity. He shared that the beginning of the Bible is about creation and the fall of man. The middle (Isaiah 43:18-19) introduces the promise of a new creation that will come. Finally, in Revelation 21, we learn about the new creation in which God calls us His children and tells us He loves us forever in the purpose of eternity. Captain then acknowledged that some of the students may be thinking that they love life now and cannot think about eternity. He then brought out a prop – an old stage light with different coloured lenses. While holding up a blue lens, he shared that we are seeing our current lives through a filter. However, if we take it off, we see through with a white light – God’s light. He explained that the love of God takes us beyond the filter of the moment. The lens of eternity allows us to see things that are illuminated by the full spectrum of the love of God. He encouraged the students to read the Bible and by doing so, the lens of “right now” will be removed so that we can focus on eternity. He concluded in prayer, asking God to illuminate the Scriptures and His heart for us so that we can love others and gain the perspective of eternity.
