A call to support St. Andrew's School

Seventy-two years ago, our church started a school as an educational mission.  The year was 1946.  Since that time, a lot has changed – we all know it, and we feel it.  While we must accept the fact that society has changed, we can be certain that some things do not change and never will.  For one, the need for Christian education has not gone away.  One the contrary, if anything, our young people need Christian education now more than ever.  As loneliness, addiction, depression, and anxiety flourish in today’s world, kids need caring communities.  And they need to know what to do, and where to go, to get right with God.  Kids still need Christian education. 

Here’s something else that hasn’t changed – daily chapel at our school.  Every morning of each school day, the kids come to chapel in our sanctuary, to a service led by Anne, Kathy, Lorna, Brad, Bill, Janna or Kristi.  In this, the school has always kept its first objective, which is, “To give students an opportunity to worship and develop a greater awareness of God, and to grow in their own personal faith through daily chapel."

St. Andrew’s, we still do Christian education, and we still have a lot of kids.  Granted, about 70 of them come during the week rather than on Sunday, but the days of the week don’t matter – they get Christian education whenever they come.  And whether they come during the week or on Sundays, when they walk through the doors, they are all St. Andrew’s kids – our kids – and a wonderful part of our church community.

But we, the church, cannot take our school for granted.  In today’s economy, tuition doesn’t cover the entire cost for any school, be it Harvard or Christopher Newport or Peninsula Catholic or our own St. Andrew’s Episcopal.  So our school needs your help, and here are three suggestions:

First, pray for God’s guidance, that we may have the wisdom and courage we need to follow God’s will for our school.

Second, make a donation to the school’s annual fund.  Whatever amount you feel led to give is urgently needed and will be put to good use.  In all honesty, $5 is not too little, and $5,000 is not too much if you have the means.  Regardless of the amount, your support will help tell the story of our school for the next 70 years, and if we all give, it will truly be our story, and it will be a good story.

Third, come by one morning this week, and be with the kids in chapel.  It starts at 8:25.  The experience will lift you up, and you will see firsthand what our school stands for and why it has such priceless value for the church and for our children.

Dan Waddill