Solid Rock Academy started in 2020 with a small class of 5 kindergarteners. This year we are only able to expand the kindergarten class in enrollment with the hope of starting a first grade next year. With the start of the 2022-2023 school year, we also hope to begin the accreditation process with NACS. A school must be in session two years before applying.

It is the vision of the pastor to begin a new and bolder adventure in Christian education. As we begin this endeavor, I would like to first look at why we should have Christian schools. Why should a church be involved in educating their students? This question is a lot easier than you might think. From the first part of Israel’s history, God told the people to teach their children all I have commanded you (Deuteronomy 6). No matter if you are standing, sitting or lying down you were to be learning all about God. It is the parent’s responsibility to give their child the best education, and yes, that education is to have God in every part. We find out what happens when we do not listen to God in the last chapter of Judges. The people forget God and they do what is right in their own eyes. Provers gives hope when it shares a message of a wise father teaching his son the need for wisdom. In the New Testament, Paul takes it to the next level. In First Corinthians it tells the fathers how to teach their sons, but in Romans 1, he tells the Christians that there will be a time where the people will no longer accept God, and in response, God will give them over to their perverse mind. What is wrong becomes right. Education and the church have always had a tight bond. This long standing arrangement was to help the church come alongside the parents and help them teach all that the child needs to know. It is easy to see the need in today’s schools why we need to have a distinctive Christian education, and with only a few options in west Saint Charles county we will try to provide a Bible based education that teaches through the lens of a Biblical worldview.

Our academy will be distinctively Christian in all of its teaching. In light of our beliefs, history of education in the church, and a vision before us, we still have much need for prayer. I am listing for you just a small amount of requests concerning this year’s decisions. I have kept the list to 31, so through the month you have a specific prayer for Solid Rock Academy.

When?

1. Pray for the correct time to begin a first grade class

2. Pray for teachers that will teach from a biblical worldview.

3. Pray for accreditation procedures and using the correct agency

4. Pray for the accreditation process to begin this time next year

Where?

5. Pray for classrooms and the current Sunday school classes that will have to share space.

6. Pray for Christian families to want to join us here to serve God

Who?

7. Pray for pastor and his vision as we move forward

8. Pray for current and potential families to be served

9. Pray for the administration and school advisory board being set up

10. Pray for the curriculum development team

11. Pray for the safety and protocol team

12. Pray for our Leadership Team that will be the general overseers of all ministry

13. Pray for the additional clerical/nurse help soon to be needed.

How?

14. Pray God is glorified in all our plans

15. Pray for the finances that it will take to start the school

16. Pray for discernment on setting up teacher handbooks/policies

17. Pray for setting up our student handbooks/policies

18. Pray that we begin with a clear mission and vision statement

19. Pray that we set up the best philosophy of education

20. Pray for Dr. Sonny Sherrill and the NACS leadership that is helping us

21. Pray for a building that can help both the church and school grow

22. Pray for specialty teachers (music, physical education, art, computers, and librarian)

23. Pray for a library that can be used

24. Pray for service and outreach events

25. Pray that those in the school not saved yet to hear the message

26. Pray for new equipment and aids in learning

27. Pray for our guest chapel speakers

28. Pray for a new area for indoor recess

29. Pray we use the available space well for outside recess

30. Pray for the advertising to reach the families it needs to reach

31. Pray our focus is always on Christ.

It’s that time again. Yes, VBS is here again!  This year we will have two options, and some might choose both. We are planning “Destination Dig” for June 13-18 from 6:00 to 8:30p.m.  This is our traditional VBS.  The ages are 4 years old by the start of VBS to finished 12th grade. Registration for this event will be very important and is now open.  With us coming out of COVID-19, we will need to do a few things differently. Our class size will be limited to 25 children for each age level up to 5th grade.  (The youth are outside and can spread out.)  Our classroom space makes this necessary in the preschool and Children’s rooms. We do have a COVID policy in place and we will update our COVID policy each month. As of this publication, we are at green, meaning we will be fully open.  If your child feels more comfortable in a mask you of course have that option.  If the child’s room is full, you will have a chance to sign up for one grade higher or one grade lower until those options are exhausted.  If you would like to be an adult helper in some capacity, jut contact Jason Hoke at the church office.  We still have a few positions open. 

In order to help with the smaller VBS capacity, we are also planning a second VBS in 2021, “Concrete and Cranes.” The second option is this fall during the Sunday School hour.  This will start in August and run through mid-October in our elementary grades’ Sunday school.  Our Sunday School teachers will be leading this ministry.  I hope this will bring a great increase to our Sunday School hour.  There will be Bible Study and Crafts one week, and Missions and Music the alternate week.  This VBS will be over a 10 Sunday period, and if you miss a week, you will be ok to join in at any time. This VBS can have 100 children a week with our current plan.  If we grow bigger than that, we will again need some help from our adult classes for a few weeks. 

I do pray that we fill these options. I know the kids would like to get back to normal, and we will do our best to do that and be safe.