Thursday 28 February 2013

Opening Ceremony of Sunrise Christian School in August 16th 2014



A speech by the School Administrator at the beginning of the Opening Ceremony

“THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE – LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!”


Although that Bible verse might be referring to the Resurrection Day, certainly EVERY DAY is a day the LORD has made and so every day we have a cause to rejoice and to be glad. But today, we have a special reason to rejoice and to be glad, and certainly, today is a day the LORD has made and has brought into existence - before all eternity, He had planned this day and now has brought it into existence for us to marvel.

We praise God and thank Him for His faithfulness in inspiring us and sustaining us and in giving us faith to work towards this lofty goal, to establish an independent, reformed, Christian School in Glasgow which will honour God in all its teaching and conduct.

Several times there has been an attempt to start a Christian School in Glasgow but without success. We praise God for the faithful few who did not give up praying for this city and for its children, who did not give up hope, longing to see this day, the day of the school’s opening. If you are one of those individuals, we thank you for your prayers and perseverance.

We thank Rev Gavin Beers from Free Church Continuing and for that inspiring speech many years ago, where all of the three founding members were and where a spark was lit in our hearts to do something about Christian education in our area.

We thank the three churches who sent official representatives to sit on the school’s board: The Reformed Presbyterian Church, the Reformed Baptist Church and the Free Church Continuing. We also thank those who joined the team later and put their hearts and effort behind the common goal, in serving and leading.

Above all, we thank the parents, the brave few who have believed in the vision and trusted their children into our care – without them, this Opening Day would be meaningless and empty.

 

We believe this school has a future, not because we trust in our own cleverness or skill but because we trust GOD who having brought us this far will not fail us but will hear our prayers and sustain us and grant us success in every possible way, but in particular success in bringing these children up in faith and admonition of the LORD.

 

We ask you, you who have gathered here today to celebrate with us – may be you have come out of curiosity , may be you have been dragged here by a well-meaning friend or a family member – we ask you to join us in our efforts to make this school a success. We ask for your prayers and we ask for your financial support – we are in need of monthly sponsors - and we ask for your time and skills to be harnesses for this school.

Although we now have achieved by God’s grace to register the school and hire a teacher and to enrol a few students, we have only, in biblical terms, crossed the Jordan. Now we need to take the land. The Lord is with us, we’re not afraid nor do we shrink before the challenge, but together we are prepared to do our UTMOST to make this school a success – a success academically, financially, organisationally and above all, spiritually.

And we pray that our future goal, to open up not only one school in Glasgow and Scotland but many sister schools, will also be attained in due time and even on these early days we dare boldly to dream of a day when we will soon gather together to celebrate the opening of a Christian Secondary school here in Glasgow. Join us as we pray and work towards these further goals; please do not give up on us when we make mistakes; uphold us in prayer when we falter, and do not think we have arrived as we have only started.

 

Finally, may I thank my fellow sister, Janneke Fraser, the daughter of Jan van Panhuis from the Netherlands, for her friendship and passion and faith. We honour her as one of the founding members of the school. And also, Daisy Joan Fraser, the daughter of Rev David Fraser who in a few moments will dedicate the school to the Lord in prayer, on her and on our behalf. Daisy is in Canada at the moment, most likely enjoying a better weather than we are – but she would have loved to be here today. Daisy’s involvement in the initial stages of the school was crucial, in bringing people and things together.

And lastly, we thank this brave man, Jan van Panhuis and his team in the Netherlands, for tirelessly fundraising for us to make this dream come true.

MAY OUR GOD BE PRAISED!

Amen.
(Spoken by  theSchool Administrator and Co-founder, Mrs Mirjam Murphy at the beginning of the Opening Ceremony)