Core Values Series: Serving the Greater Community

Dear Parents and Friends of SCS,

Our last core value in our blog series, “Serve the Greater Community,” is perhaps the value that most emulates Christ’s work on earth.  Our school wants to serve our community near and far through prayer, service work, and financial support. Serving the greater community for us means denying ourselves and becoming selfless as we seek to view our greater community through the eyes of Jesus Christ.   

How many times have you had to say to someone, “It’s not all about you.”  At SCS, we are teaching our students that relative to God’s redemptive story, this life is not all about them but rather what their purpose might be to serve God’s greater plan.  This does not come easily for most of us (Romans 12:3), so we must intentionally teach it and then practice it. Here’s how we do it at SCS:

First, we teach that serving the greater community is an expression of getting to know and love God (Jeremiah 22:16).  We must first teach our students how to develop a personal relationship with God by getting to know Him better. We practice this through daily devotions and chapel time, when students are in the Word and getting to know God’s character and what He wants for us.  When our students start writing devotions and praying publicly in early elementary school, they are developing lifelong habits that will become a part of their daily routine.

Second, we teach that serving the greater community is an expression of thanks to God. In 2 Corinthians 9:12-15, Paul reminds us, “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” We hope that when our students rake for our neighbors or get in our community to help organizations such as the Salvation Army with various projects, others will praise and thank God.

Third, we teach that serving the greater community is an expression of our desire to partner with God in His kingdom work.  We teach our students that we are co-workers in God’s service (1 Corinthians 3:9). Projects such as Senior Capstone, sponsoring children abroad, and providing food for the less fortunate, are examples of how our students are learning more about real problems that need our solutions and our involvement. We challenge our students to figure out what their role is in accomplishing God’s work, and that it’s never a “one and done.”   

We ultimately hope that our service at SCS is an expression of our love for others near and far.  If you have other ideas of how we can serve, please let us know. We are always keeping our eyes open for what God places in front of us.  Join our work! It’s the right work.

In His Service,

Ann Steenwyk
Director of Academics & Instruction