Find out how to pray for Narnia Elementary School this 2015-16 school year. The last school year was the first year that Narnia had a complete elementary school with grades 1-9. But the school continues to grow and its ministry broaden.
Milestones from Last Year
The greatest milestone of the year comes in June when new believers are baptized in our local church. This year three students were baptized who came to faith through the ministry of Narnia Elemenatary School (or confirmed their infant baptism).
This year there was another June milestone as Narnia Elementary School graduated it’s first ever class of ninth graders. During a special Sunday service parents expressed their gratitude to the school and they had a special celebration afterwards.
Still Growing
Last year was the first year with students in every grade from 1 to 9 but that doesn’t mean Narnia has stopped growing. Currently, grades 4-9 have only one class or about 20-25 students per grade. Three years ago we started to open two classes per grade. That means we now have around 300 students and we’ll reach a total of 400 to 450.
Growth changes the dynamic of the school and especially relationships. It used to be that the four teachers and administrators that started the school knew all the students and their families. Not any more. We also don’t have musicals in our church at the end of the year because there are too many musicals and too many people for our small congregation. Instead, we have to have a musical festival at the end of the year and we do things like Rest Time Outdoor in order to promote relationships.
Please pray for relationships with families. As the school gets larger it’s harder and harder to develop the intimate relationships needed for the real sharing of lives and the gospel.
Expanding Infrastructure
Growth also means we face challenges with our infrastructure. The gymnasium we rent is in danger of being shut down due to building codes (moisture creating mold and mildew problems) so we may need to purchase and rennovate the building ourselves or build a new one. But our current school buildings also need new roofs, one needs to windows, we need a new parking lot, etc. Then, if our congregation also grows at its current pace, then we may end up building a multi-purpose building for our Sunday services and for use of the school. All that requires money and our congregation is currently maxed out with a half million Euro loan.
Please pray for wise leadership to manage the school’s strategy and master plan for the campus.
Those are our main two points of prayer for this year.
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