In recent years, we have seen significant spiritual growth in the lives of both students and staff through increased prayer. This important pillar coupled with carrying out various outreach initiatives has better enabled us to fulfill our spiritual mandate as a school by extending our faith beyond our borders.
In the fall of 2006, we saw the formation of the New Generation Prayer Team who meet on a regular basis for instruction and prayer in small groups. The Team has also carried out a variety of prayer and outreach initiatives both at a regional and national level. Some of the initiatives undertaken were as follows: Praying at the Mayors Prayer Breakfast; Praying for our Mayor and new city council at the swearing in ceremony; Praying for our Troops at the city's Remembrance Day service; and praying for Premier Stelmach in his constituency office. In June of 2007, the Prayer Team was in Ottawa for a week hosted at the National House of Prayer and participated in concentrated prayer for our nation's leaders. They also had an opportunity to meet with their Member of Parliament, Ken Epp. A highlight of the trip was meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in his official office. The Team presented him with a framed prayer they had written and one of the students had the opportunity to pray it over him.
Prayer and Outreach have taken on new meaning in our classrooms as we focus on different aspects of prayer each month using the "Praykids" curriculum, learn to pray for children around the world, and give financially to bring relief and the gospel to those who so desperately need it in our world.
Staff and Parents have not been exempt as we carry out these new initiatives becoming involved in Prayer and Fasting and various outreach ministry opportunities.
All in all, it our desire here at Fort Saskatchewan Christian School to fulfill Jesus' greatest commandment in Matthew22:37-39, to "... love the Lord our God with all our hearts and love our neighbour as ourselves."
The purpose of the National House of Prayer is to establish an on-going Christian presence in Canada's national region that will provide informed, focused, and sustained prayer for Canada and its leaders. They attempt to do this by having an on-going presence of praying people in the halls of our Federal Government. Prayer intercessors attend the daily 'Question Period,' sit in Senate meetings and make appointments with individual Parliamentarians. They intercede in the official Prayer Chapel, prayer- walk the grounds of Parliament Hill, visit the Supreme Court, and the Governor General's residence and pray with Christian groups from the many different departments of National Government.
The National House of Prayer has also developed the ' Visiting Christian School Ministry', a program designed to give teachers and students the unique opportunity to come to the Nation's capitol and to experience the educational and spiritual opportunities of praying for the Nation and its leaders. They will host students either for a one day field-trip, an overnight visit, or for the week. They work with each teacher or team leader to tailor- make their visit and with the combined efforts of the NHOP team, train, guide and lead them in the prayers and activities of the week. Youth are holding the keys " for such a time as this" and our prayers together are making a difference.
God's mandate is for the Church of Canada to continually uphold in prayer those in leadership (1Timothy 2:1-4).Informed and focused prayer can influence the legislative decisions that affect us all and lead our nation into its God given destiny.
New Generation is a cross- denominational international network with a goal to see an outreaching Christian group in every School, College and University around the globe. With " My School- My Responsibility '' as their motto, it is their desire to see groups started by YOUTH, run by YOUTH and with YOUTHS' own ideas, energy and enthusiasm fueling them. New Generation is working hard to make the Christian love-message visible in the school environment through everything from prayer to more practical outreach and positive social work. Today approximately 20,000 young people are involved in the movement across the whole of Europe and the world.