Almost exactly one year ago, it was my honor to assume the role of Director of Athletics at Concordia Lutheran High School. For the previous 20 years I had been both a teacher in the English Department at Concordia and a coach for our football team. I enjoyed the many and various opportunities to interact with students in both the classroom and on the athletic fields.

The Indiana Department of Education has named Concordia Lutheran High School as a recipient of the 2017 Advanced Placement (AP) Awards. To be selected, schools must have at least 25 percent of their 2017 graduating class receiving a 3, 4, or 5 on an AP exam. Concordia had 37% of all seniors receive a 3 or higher (out of those who took the test and those who did not - total grade). Great job students!

I am writing this week from the southern shores of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada. A beautiful part of the world where the Blue Mountains of the Niagara Escarpment plunge into Lake Huron. This area north of Toronto was shaped by God’s hands through the work of glaciers and running water. Some of the resulting work of the Niagara Escarpment happened quickly in geologic time, to some of the oldest rock on the earth’s surface. Everytime I visit this area I am reminded that God’s beauty in nature and love of people is consistently at work: yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Concordia’s school year theme for 2018-2019 is Abide ... with Christ at the Center. What does it mean to abide? We’ll be exploring that idea all throughout the year, beginning with Christ’s words in John 8:31-32, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”