Deu 6:1  “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it,

Deu 6:2  that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.

Deu 6:3  Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

Deu 6:4  “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

Deu 6:5  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Deu 6:6  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

Deu 6:7  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Deu 6:8  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

Deu 6:9  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

I have just finished reading “Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning: An Approach to Distinctively Christian Education” – Douglas Wilson and “The Lost Tools of Learning” – Dorothy Sayers. You may notice that the Wilson title is a play on the Sayers title, and this is done on purpose. Sayers in her lengthy essay comments on the need to institute a classical form of education and Wilson takes her thoughts and applies them to Christian Education.

Nevertheless, a couple of key concepts come through in Wilson’s book that coincide with the passage above and are important for us to consider. The first is: the parents have prime responsibility to educate their children. Notice in verse 7, “you shall teach them to your children.” Who else but the parent would the pronouns “you” and “your” apply? Also, when is the parent to be teaching the child? As it states in vs. 7-9, when you are sitting in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise you are to be teaching your child; in modern vernacular – 24/7. Look at the extent the parent is to be committed to this endeavor – bind them on the hand, frontlets between the eyes, on the door posts and gates of the residency. Again, in the modern context, the parent is to be so passionate about his/her faith that it exudes in all facets of life. Putting this all together for this first point, the parent must not only live out their passionate theology, but they must also diligently teach it to their offspring.

Secondly, it is inferred in vs. 7-9 that as you are teaching in the various contexts you find yourself in, it all relates to the LORD. When sitting in the house may be more structured conversation about who God is, His attributes, and what He has done in the lives of men. When out in the way would be an appropriate time to point out how God created the universe. When lying down could be good time to talk about how it is important take time to rest and reflect on God’s goodness. And when you rise is a great time to point out that God is the sustainer of the day and humanity. VCS does not and cannot take the place of the parent but comes alongside the parent to help make the scripture passage above a reality.

In our current educational mode, the tendency is to parcel out the different “subjects” as “stand alone” subjects. What is lost when that happens is the connection that God has had His hand in everything and directs everything. One of the key emphases at VCS is making God and His Son, Jesus, the focal point and from there all the other subject matter revolves.

Here is the status on the open positions talked about in my last newsletter. The history, PE, and MS English/math positions have been filled – Mr. Nameny, Mr. Quance, and Miss Bethany Kalpin respectively! The hope is that the science position will be filled this week. (School starts next week!) Keep praying.

Yes, the new school year beginning is nearly upon us. But before that can happen the Fall Open House/Corporate meeting must take place this Thursday, 8/18 @ 5pm. The corporate meeting portion will begin at 6pm. The expectation is that at least one parent from each family attends the meeting.

Also, we could use some additional substitute teachers for the coming year. It is inevitable that there will be times where a sub-teacher is needed. My goal is to not have to sub in the coming year, so that I can provide full support for our staff.

The fundraising committee is still seeking 2-3 additional members for the committee beginning with the new school year.

The next regularly scheduled VCS Board meeting will be on September 6th . If you have any topics for discussion, please get them to me by Monday, 8/23, 9am, so that I can get them on the agenda. Also, if you could get them (topics) in a QIO form (with a plausible solution, if needed) that way I can forward it to them, so that they can prepare.

The school board is seeking 1-3 more members to be on the team, one with specific gifting in note taking/communication. (Good news, the school board will be interviewing two individuals at their next meeting!)

8/22 – First Day of School!

Pressing forward for His glory,

Ron