Family

I am discovering in my life right now that holidays can sometimes be difficult.  My  circumstances are not the way I thought my life would play out.  Right now I find myself in the season of being a single mom.  I have grown so much in my walk with the Lord the past six years, and in many ways I wouldn’t change my life circumstances.  My two kids are amazing, and God has provided for us in awesome ways!

An important part of our journey has been the family we have developed here at church.  My family lives in New Mexico.  I am an only child, and we do not have any family nearby.  That is where our family at First Baptist and Sonshine Christian School come in.  God knew what he was doing (He always does) when He planted us here.  Our church family is our family away from home. 

This past Easter my heart was touched by the Easter breakfast the church did.  My kids and I were so blessed to enjoy breakfast here at church!  It was very special to be able to enjoy a holiday meal with some of that family. We would have had a great breakfast at home, but that connection with community on the morning of a holiday touched my heart in a special way. 

Thank you First Baptist for being our family away from home and for making Easter that much more special for us!
--Kimberly Bell, Second Grade Sonshine Teacher

Why a Christian Education at Sonshine?

Reasons to register your child (or grandchild) at Sonshine Christian School:
1.      Sonshine Christian School is a ministry of First Baptist for over 30 years.
2.      Church members get a 20% tuition discount.
3.      Excellent teacher/student ratio
4.      Discounts given for having more than 1 child enrolled.
5.      Bible-based curriculum
6.      6.  7.  8.  …..
Rather than continuing to list reason after reason, I had the opportunity to talk to a couple of last year’s “graduates” recently. Both Josiah Poush and Chase Emery are 6th graders this year, and were excited to give me a list of how Sonshine impacted their lives.


How did Sonshine Christian School prepare you academically for middle school?
Josiah:                                                 Chase:
1. On track or ahead in        1.  Gets assignments done        
most of my classes                more quickly
2. Especially in Math            2.  Especially in Math
    and Language Arts
3. Cursive writing                  3.  Cursive writing:
("Most kids can’t write           ("Most kids can’t even
in cursive")                                 read cursive!")


What are some of your favorite memories about Sonshine?
1. Math Olympics                     1. SeaKrest
2. Great friends                        2. Great teachers
3. We’re like a family              3. Like my extended family


How did Sonshine prepare you spiritually for your future?
1.  Helps me make              1.  Good Bible foundation
     good decisions


Because of the small class size at Sonshine, capping at 20, teachers are able to get to know the students, encourage them in life skills as well as academics, pray with them, and be a listening ear when needed.  During the year, students can earn awards in reading, Bible memorization, honor roll, even P.E. and Music.  However, the award that students (and their families) look forward to all year are the character awards.  These affirming awards, given at the end of the year, recognize those Christ-like attributes displayed by the students.


Sonshine Christian School also has a number of extra-curricular activities.  Both Josiah and Chase competed in the ACSI Math Olympics and did very well.  Josiah placed 1st in Math Reasoning with a 100%. (by the way, Math Reasoning means . . . . story problems!)  Besides the math Olympics, Sonshine also participates in the ACSI Spelling Bee, ASCI Track & Field Meet and hosts the ACSI Regional Speech Meet each year.  Both Josiah and Chase also remember the fun field trips, especially the overnight trip to SeaKrest Lodge. An overnight stay at the beach with their classmates is a great bonding time and provides some lasting memories to the 5th graders who are leaving Sonshine.


Open enrollment has just begun.  If you have any questions concerning tuition or would like to schedule a tour, please call the Sonshine office at 503-375-5764.


Are you glad you went to Sonshine Christian School?
            Josiah & Chase:  YES!!

- Mona Breach,
Sonshine Christian School Music Teacher

Spelling Masters and Impact Makers

I knew early on that reading was a great passion for me and spelling was never going to be one of my strengths.  Not sure why my love of reading never overhauled my spelling challenges—but it never has.  My spelling skill, or the lack thereof, was confirmed post-college.  When I became a teacher, Sarah Smith, a sixth grader, gently corrected a word I misspelled on the chalkboard.  Yes it was embarrassing.  But we poor spellers can develop a pretty intact self-esteem.  Last week Sonshine took ten of our brightest spellers to the ACSI spelling bee.  I was nervous and all I had to do was be a judge.  Imagine that I, a wonderfully challenged speller, was now judging a spelling bee.  I laughed.  I was proud of our ten students; six of the ten placed in the top four of their age groups.  Sonshine Christian School was strong and we were proud.  I had another proud moment.  I received this note from a parent not too long ago.  I will share it with you so that you can join with me in thanking God for the impact our school makes on many families.  “Sonshine has truly blessed my family in ways I cannot even begin to thank everyone for. My kids aren’t just in a private school, but an environment that I know because of their actions, is pointing them to Christ. That is a testament to the school, but even more so to the teachers and staff who are interacting with them on a day-to-day basis. Teaching them the things that I was scared they wouldn’t learn when I went to work. My heart is broken that I can’t spend more time with them and be the ‘stay at home mom’ I always dreamed of, but there could not be a better place for my children in our situation. So, thank you! Thank you for your guidance, thank you to those who financially help so we could have a scholarship, thank you to the teachers and staff who love my children with open arms and point them to the cross. I could not ask for more. Sonshine School has blessed this mom’s heart in more ways than everyone will ever know!” I add my thanks to the faithful saints at SFB who pray for and support Sonshine Christian School.  You are the best and you make a difference.  For the past four years I have attended our Sonshine Christian School Auction.  We have a blast.  We auction off a large number of items in the silent auction.  And then in the oral auction we will usually auction off 30 items.  Last year we raised over $25,000 at our auction.  It is our largest fundraiser and every year helps us to make a difference in the lives of families about whom you just read.  I hope you will join us this year for the dinner and auction on April 11.  More information will be coming.  A thankful pastor, Pastor Mark _____________ SOUND THE TRUMPET:  ASSEMBLING THE TROOPS FOR PRAYER The Bible says that we are stronger together.  That is nowhere more true than when it comes to prayer.  When we unite together in prayer God uniquely responds because He loves unity (Ps. 133:1-2).  So for the next seven weeks we are inviting you to unite in prayer.  On our website will be our own Prayer Wall.  We will be collecting your prayers and celebrations of God’s answers.  You can visit the prayer wall daily as a family or at the office and join our entire family as we Sound the Trumpet and assemble the troops for prayer. How do you get your prayer or praise to us?  prayer@fbcsalem.org or text to 62953 (put sfb in the message and then your request).                               First Baptist website: www.fbcsalem.org go to SFB prayer wall     For past Focus stories go to.. http://fbcsalem.blogspot.com/

Do You Trust Me?

Have you ever heard your Father ask you that question?  I did.  I vividly remember in June of this year the Lord said many times, "Do you trust Me?"  At first it was for Sonshine School.  We were going to lose three very good teachers to retirement and other job relocations. The second wave came during the week that our friend Kinley Adams was missing.  That same week a good friend of mine died in a freak accident.  God once again asked me that question, "Do you trust Me?"  I always said yes, but honestly, it was mostly in my head and not my heart.  

Two more waves came through by the end of the summer.  Each prompting a deep struggle with the same question, "Do you trust Me?"  

One day on a prayer walk down town, I reflected back on a journey we began as a church.  It was called Set Free.  We said in January 2013, "It was not about paying off the debt, but it was about growing our faith."  The vehicle God was going to use to grow our faith was paying off the mortgage we owed on our facility.  Little did I realize God had many vehicles He was going to use to grow my faith.  

Our church walked the painful but joyous realization that Kinley was climbing mountains in heaven.  My friend Henry left behind his family (wife and four young kids) as did Kinley, to struggle with loss and hope.  In each case I witnessed people of courage and faith answering yes to that question, "Do you trust Me?"  None of us got the answer we wanted but we trusted.  In each case I heard family members affirm the goodness of God.  They trusted.  

As we pressed toward the fall, I could see something different happening with Sonshine.  We got three new, but very experienced teachers.  Each of them coming to us in different but very God ordained ways.  But the shock to me was the number of students.  We began our school year 25% above last years numbers.  There is a buzz around the school that is significant.  Our new website (www.sonshinechristianschool.com) is like our school,  it feels like a new day has arrived.  

Set Free?  Glad you asked.  We are less than $75,000 from being SET FREE.  It's been seven months on this journey.  Multiple struggles, multiple challenges, all asking the same question, "Do you trust Me?"  We asked the Lord to grow our faith.  That is what we prayed for and God said, "I will."  Get ready for the burning of the note.  It's just around the corner.  

Pastor Mark Hanke

First Baptist website: www.fbcsalem.org

to respond to this email: fbc@fbcsalem.org