Through years of serving at Great Commission Christian School, one of my favorite parts has been the community.  I have been a leader, teacher, and mother at Great Commission for the past 19 years.  Our community life has been grounded in Christ, centered in a heart to serve Him and train up our children to know His great love. In the mornings, when we could be in person, we would greet each other with a hug or a hand shake. In our “Iron sharpens iron” times, we shared a forgiveness hug.  This year we are challenged to stretch love over the internet.  God’s grace is sufficient.

How we begin our mornings, is one snapshot into our community. We call it assembly. We all dial into the same Zoom room, instantly we are voices in the homes of our students.  What used to be a time to chat together for a few minutes has, virtually, become mostly business -- but the important portions are not dropped.  We have a moment to check on each other’s concerns before the alarm sounds on the leader’s phone. It reminds me of our school bell. First, we stand for our school song, “Go Ye.”  Everyone’s voice is lonely behind the screen but we all sing out together.  Second, everyone smiles as they wait for me to find the camera, crop it the screen and click for a screenshot photo of our group.  As I click on the attendance from our class Dojo our online school recites the “Great Commission” Matthew 28:18-20. Next, in an effort to bring joy into the empty space of our internet connection, we speak together our goals: Love our LORD, Love each Other, and Love Learning. “LOLLOLL!” How do we do that? Remember our school verse theme: “In Christ I Can!”  Deacon reminds us to “Declare: Jesus loves me! Jesus loves us!”  I then click to the screen full of our school rules. Which share how students in our school should show love, respect, obedience and stewardship and be aware of how to prevent danger. The teacher chooses one topic to invite the students to think and share. Listening to their answers lets us know the students understand. Then, we offer our respect to our country by teaching the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner.  Our slides conclude with the prayer Jesus taught his disciples.  The teacher asks for announcements and our Zoom community moves to the next class: Stretch and Pray. Each child prepares their space with a mat in their room and we literally stretch and pray. While alone, I remember our time together through the years.  

The gift of time together has changed but is it still precious.  Now it’s a Zoom gathering and while I wait impatiently to return in person, there is still sweet joy for today.  Seeing faces, hearing voices, sharing concerns, listening to learning and praying together still brings me the old, familiar, cozy feeling of the Great Commission community.

 Thank you Great Commission Family!  You're the best!