Grants Pass Adventist School Enjoys Active Autumn

Everything accomplished by students and staff at the Grants Pass Adventist School this year is keeping to the theme of love. Students are focused on Bible verses on kindness, gentleness and respect — loving one another as Jesus expects.

Chapel time provides opportunity for special music and stories reminding of God’s tremendous love. With a love to know God and His world better, students are also succeeding in coursework. Those involved in after-school activities (such as handbells, art, football, drama and band) do so with an attitude of teamwork and camaraderie.

The school held its annual Harvest Festival on Nov. 2, 2013. In love, the home and school team again coordinated the event. The evening began with opening remarks from Phil Ermshar, principal, followed by an inspirational song service. Kids were anxious to get to the various games set up in the gym. The line to purchase tickets for games and veggie burgers stretched all the way down the hall.

Several signed up for the ping pong tournament. Goodies were lovingly prepared and sold in a silent auction. The Adventist Book Center was available for folks to make purchases. The eighth grade sold enough veggie burgers and smoothies to raise about $1,300 for an end-of-the-year trip. The wonderful turnout raised more than $2,000 for home and school, bringing the total raised that the evening to almost $3,500. Volunteers, staff and students worked together in the spirit of love to make the event a success.

The school held the first of several Education Sabbaths on Nov. 9, 2013, at Gateway Church, one of the school's five constituent churches. Following the principal’s opening remarks, the praise team led worship and song, followed by special music from the kindergarten class. Grades one through three led the reading of 1 Cor. 13:4–6: “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth … ."

The drama class presented The Heavenly Express. Two eighth-graders presented a sermonette. Perhaps the best moment of the entire service was after it was over, and the students congratulated one another for a job well done.

One need not look too hard to see God’s love reflected by the staff and students of the Grants Pass Adventist School.

Featured in: January 2014

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