Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Psalm 37:7
Have you ever been stopped cold in what you are doing and reminded that God has us in His hands? That whatever has your mind racing is going to be ok! It happened (again) to me recently as I represented our high school at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church for a “Concordia Weekend.”
During the offering, our choir sang a new or different version of A Mighty Fortress is Our God, arranged by Kyle Pederson. I encourage you to hit the link and give yourself 4 minutes of wonderful solitude! The entire congregation froze, a few tears fell in the simple, beautiful arrangement of this well known hymn. In God’s plan and with 60 seconds remaining in the song, the offering plates were brought forward to Pastor Ahlersmeyer at the altar while our choir was singing from the back of the sanctuary. Pastor Ahlersmeyer was the only person in the congregation who could see our choir sing. Standing in front of the congregation holding the offering plates, Pastor’s face reflected the shared Wow!, the thanks, the blessings, we have as children in God’s hands. God is our fortress and strength, especially in times of trouble, or when your mind is racing.
We cannot pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV without hearing about Influenza A or B or COVID-19 (SARS COVID-19). The Allen County Department of Health reminds us that it is not too late to get a Flu Shot as we have not hit peak Flu season yet. Other techniques we can follow to stay well:
- Stay home when you are ill. How Sick is Too Sick To Send My Child to School?
- Wipe surfaces off with disinfectant wipes especially keyboards, phones, door knobs, and stair railings.
- Get adequate sleep to restore and strengthen your immune system.
- Sunlight produces vitamin D.
- Healthy and balanced diet: egg (vitamin A, protein), plenty of fruits (orange, apple, banana, tomato) and vegetables (carrot, tomato).
- Wash Your Hands!, well and often. The CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water before eating, after using the bathroom, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, and before and after caring for a sick friend or a family member.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that best practices for hand washing include scrubbing the palms, the back of the hands, between the fingers, and under the fingernails. A person should scrub for at least 20 seconds (40 seconds is even better) before rinsing the soap and drying the hands with a clean towel. Use that towel to exit a public restroom.
Concordia is monitoring the COVID-19 (SARS COVID-19) outbreak, following guidelines and guidance from the CDC, WHO, Indiana State Health Department, and Allen County Department of Health. A resource I have found very informative is a daily broadcast by Dr. Roger Seheult. Further communication from school will occur as/when needed to inform our school community of any needed action. Information about COVID-19 is available through state and local health departments and in the following CDC fact sheets:
- What you need to know about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- What to do if you are sick with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Stop the spread of germs – help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses like COVID-19
- FAQ: COVID-19 and children
Concordia and the 16 other schools of The Lutheran Schools Partnership are celebrating our annual Fine Arts Week, March 8-15. Highlights of Fine Arts Week include the high school’s Fine Arts Chapel, our Fine Arts Assembly, and the mass of K-12 grade student art, bands, and choirs for the Fine Arts Festival, which was held on Sunday, March 8. With thanks we praise God for the blessings of our students and Fine Arts Teachers/Directors. Additional congratulations to our Art Students and Teachers for their contribution of 12 student portraits to the Memory Project to Nigerian School Children.
The Craig Scott assembly has been rescheduled to April 28. Craig Scott is a survivor of the 1999 Columbine High School (CO) shooting in which his sister, Rachel, was killed. During the school day of Tuesday, April 28, Craig will speak to our high school students about the value of human life, resilience, and how to turn pain into purpose. Members of our Sources of Strength will have a lunch meeting with Craig Scott immediately following the all-school assembly.
Be assured and rest with confidence, that God has us, in His hands!
Go Concordia!
Patrick Frerking,
Principal