Spiritual Development
The spiritual development of our Lower School students is addressed in several ways. First and foremost, it is handled in the classroom through Bible lessons, class discussions and the daily modeling and counseling given by a spiritually mature and caring teacher. Additional opportunities for growth are presented in our weekly Chapel Program and in our annual Spiritual Emphasis Week.
Lower School students, Kindergarten through grade six, attend Chapel each Wednesday morning. The students are grouped into two sessions, Kindergarten through grade three in one session and grades four through six in the second session. Each year a specific verse or topic pertinent to the spiritual development of young children is chosen, and every Chapel lesson that year centers on the topic or verse that is selected. Over the years topics have included Psalm 19:14 with an emphasis on how our words affect others; Proverbs 20:11 with an emphasis on responsibility for actions; the names of Jesus with an emphasis on how great our God is; and the Ten Commandments with an emphasis on how God wants us to live our lives. The 2007-08 focus looked at the Lord’s Prayer to develop a stronger daily interaction with God. In 2008-09 the students will study the armor of God as described in Ephesians, chapter six.
Two Lower School teachers work with the Lower School Principal to choose the topic each year and to make arrangements for weekly speakers, which include area pastors, youth leaders and parents, as well as CHS faculty and administrators. The theme is carried over into the classrooms through discussions and journaling after each lesson. The Lower School music teachers lead the worship portion of each chapel, utilizing students to help at various points in the year. We encourage parents to check out the Chapel Chat link for weekly information about the chapel messages to facilitate family discussions
Each spring, the Lower School provides a Spiritual Emphasis Week to challenge and motivate the students to grow in their walk with God. Assemblies are held on two afternoons for grades one to three, and four afternoons for grades four to six. Members of the parents’ Spiritual Life Committee work with the Lower School Principal to set the theme for the week and develop plans for speakers, skits and music. The theme in the spring of 2008 centered on I Peter 3:15, asking children to choose God’s pathway for their lives as a means of developing a heart of praise, thankfulness and compassion.
The students look forward to all these opportunities and evidences of the lessons are often seen in their daily interactions with peers and adults.
