Ontario School Builds Church Relationships

On a recent Wednesday morning, Robert Loerts stood before a different kind of congregation to deliver not a sermon but a Bible story. The pastor of Covenant Christian Reformed Church  in St. Catharines, Ontario, shared with the assembled students of Beacon Christian School the story of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses. Tied to the school’s January theme “Order Discovering,” Loerts told how God delivering the Law to Moses gave the Israelites an order on which to set their lives.

The school’s monthly themes, called “throughlines,” cross through all aspects of each grade’s curriculum as well as setting the topic for chapel services. Principal Ralph Pot, a member of Jubilee Fellowship CRC, has invited area pastors to participate in this way since September. Loerts is the fifth pastor to participate.

“Our student body is represented by 23 different churches and 15 different denominations,” said Pot. “The goal is once a month to have a pastor come from one of those churches and share a Bible story connected to our throughline.”

Pot said pastors love the opportunity to share a Bible story and students appreciate seeing their pastor come to school—making an important connection between home, school, and church. It’s also an opportunity for the school to engage and build relationships with those who minister to their families outside of school.

Students have heard the stories of Ruth, Adam, Daniel, Mary, and Moses. In this latest storytelling, Pot’s desire to better connect with pastors was particularly fulfilled as he personally helped Loerts demonstrate why order is helpful in our lives—donning a wig and emphasizing how dressing in a specific, orderly way protects students from the Canadian winter.