Eagle's View Blog
Alumni Interview
March 14, 2024
How does FCS prepare our students for high school? What role can a Christian play in an educational environment? Two alumni, Daniel and Ryan, came by to speak about their experience. As a student at Stuyvesant High School, Daniel shared that our high-level classes enabled him to skip Spanish 1 and Algebra 1 and place into an advanced track. His strong work ethic formed in class, as well as simple skills like outlining and team projects, prepared him for the academic rigor at Stuyvesant. Ryan added that the concepts in high school math clicked because of his foundation in FCS.
What about the spiritual effects? Both alumni report that FCS made a tremendous impact on their faith. Patterns of prayer and a settled confidence in the reliability of Scripture developed from their time here as students. Even more encouraging is the way they have used the apologetics emphasis from Bible class to defend Christianity in their high school setting.
God has actively worked in the lives of Ryan and Daniel. They each lead weekly Bible studies for Christian clubs in their respective high schools. In the natural highs and lows of spiritual leadership, they find encouragement and support through their friendship. Most importantly, they know that God will use His Word to work in the hearts of their classmates just as He has worked in theirs.
Living in Love
March 11, 2024
Overlooking or Confronting in Love. While going through the Bullying Curriculum with the Sixth Grade, we are learning that we cannot avoid conflict. Not all conflict is a bullying situation, but experiencing conflict in this life is inevitable because no one is perfect. We can also annoy others in many ways just as others can annoy us. Sometimes God uses someone else to push our buttons so that He can work to refine something in us. While preparing the lessons that have to do with handling conflict in general, I’m reminded that love overlooks the trivial and confronts what is detrimental to the other person in humility. We patiently overlook because we appreciate when others are patient with us. We humbly confront because one day we’ll be on the receiving end of much-needed correction. May God grant us the grace to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit to overlook each other’s weaknesses and confront each other’s fault.
Loving Accountability
March 06, 2024
Loving Accountability. I truly enjoyed the ACSI Day of prayer this past Tuesday. What a blessing to join in prayer together as a school community in corporate worship and then fellowship in small groups with our student body. This day never fails to be one of my favorites of the year. I was particularly touched to bond with some of our sixth-grade girls as we prayed for one another, bringing each other’s burdens and sins before the LORD. Pastor James encourages us to humbly make ourselves accountable to one another in confession and prayer. As the girls and I went through the humbling practice of confessing our faults to one another, the mood changed from awkward discomfort to liberating closeness. God certainly knows what He is talking about: confession brings healing and intercession brings unity. May we love one another by holding each other up in prayer and humbly keeping each other accountable before the Lord.
New Year, Fresh Goals
January 11, 2024
Press On! As a new year begins, I cannot help but become reflective over the past year’s triumphs and losses, joys and hurts, while I hopefully face another year. I don’t know about you but I tend to set many hopeful goals for each new year, seeking to improve whatever I found lacking the year before. There is nothing wrong with goal-setting; actually, setting goals is motivating.
However, we should never lose sight of the ultimate goal. I was recently reminded of a song we used to sing at my church years ago. It reminds us to keep our focus on our collective true goal of meeting our Savior face to face one day. Whether you are hopefully starting a new year, trudging through the middle of a year, or barely surviving the end of one, it’s important to remember that God is the One who started a good work in you and is the One working through you. Set goals, remembering that God brings the increase. Press on, knowing that God’s grace is sufficient. Always look forward to the day when you will see your Savior face to face – knowing Him is our glory, our all.
Successful Bible quiz competition!
December 06, 2023
Have you memorized the book of Mark? Which chapter of Deuteronomy features the Shema? What was the name of the demon-possessed man from the Gadarenes?
Some people would balk at these questions, but not 4th grader Simeon Gill. Simeon and two teammates combined forces to compete in their church network's nation-wide Bible quiz competition. And they did great!
Focusing on the two books of Deuteronomy and Mark, Simeon's team prepared for the competitions by studying consistently and practicing three times a week. Even though they would compete against teams of 4 (or even 6, including alternates), Simeon's three-person team did their best.
The team won the local Queens round, then the Northeastern Conference (composed of around 200 churches), which qualified them to compete in the national competition in Orlando, Florida, last month. With each round, Simeon was surprised how confident he could stay and how well his team did. Finally, in Orlando, the team won the national championship!
Simeon's mom reports that the team's success has made a major impact on the young people in the church. The team for next year will be larger and more motivated than this year's team. Perhaps they can repeat as champions?
Most importantly, we are so proud of the way Simeon is learning to study and treasure God's Word. He has benefited from the strong spiritual environment at FCS which enhances his personal studies, says his mom. Keep learning and succeeding, Simeon!