Covenant Love Community School

...dedicated to educating the whole child..

Dear Friends of Covenant Love Community School,

We are in school - all of the time. Not just teachers, administrators and students, but all of us. Even when we think we're on vacation, God is actively instructing us, encouraging our faith to grow, bringing us to maturity, teaching us obedience. His Word is our textbook, our life situations provide the curriculum, and our homes, communities and jobs become our classrooms.

So what have we been learning? I've been studying the Book of Hebrews and as part of that study, recognizing the Heroes of Faith in Chapter 11. These men and women held onto hope against all odds. Who in their right mind would build a huge boat in the middle of dry land, anticipating a deluge? Who would parade around the walls of a fortified city blowing trumpets and expect to see them fall? John Eldredge, in his book Waking the Dead describes three universal truths: 1) things are not what they seem, 2) a battle is raging, and 3) we have a crucial role to play. The fathers of our faith must have understood these points, or they would have given up long before the lesson was learned or the victory won. Like them, we cannot operate merely on logical thinking or conventional wisdom. A small Christian school in a barn in the shadow of Ithaca's renowned academic institutions doesn't make sense; it is a matter of obedience and faith.

It is difficult to fathom the scope of God's purposes, however we see glimpses: tears of gratitude from parents for helping their child through a difficult time, reports from alumni that their years here were so significant in preparing them for what they face now and kudos from the local school district. The following is an excerpt of correspondence from Richard During, Dryden High School Principal. "Each and every year, the teaching staff has been impressed with the caliber of student that we receive from the Covenant Love Community School. The Town of Dryden, as well as Dryden High School, is fortunate to have such a successful academic institution in our community."

Our mission to assist families in training and equipping their children to fulfill God's purposes for their generation remains clear and strong, yet we are short of meeting our expenses for the school year. We are ever dependent upon God's direction and we know that He is calling all of us, from prayer warriors to students, financial supporters to administrators to rise to this challenge. God is expanding our faith.

We are learning to be ambidextrous, a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other; fighting for the full provision for last year, while building and planning strategies for the future. We are grateful to everyone who has supported us in prayer and finances. Thank you! As we look to the year ahead we are projecting over $18,000 in requests for tuition assistance and are aware of other families who would enroll if funds were available. We will also need a substantial amount beyond tuitions and other sources of income to meet our projected operating expenses.

We believe that Covenant Love Community School is a vital ministry and worth fighting for. With that in mind, we are asking if you would prayerfully consider investing by giving a financial gift to insure that we can continue to provide the quality education parents have come to expect. Remember: things are not what they seem, a battle is raging, and your role is crucial. On behalf of everyone whom your gift will touch, thank you and may God richly bless you.

In Christ,

Barbara Phelps

For the CLCS Administrative Team