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)
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