This past Monday was Valentine’s Day. In one day, I saw so many different versions of what love can look like – love in my marriage, the love I have for my kids and my family, the love we experience from a God of unwavering goodness.
The first time my family came to a service at Creekwood, the thing that stood out most was how welcoming everyone was. This church really is family. And over the last two years serving on the missions board with Harper, I’ve gotten to know a piece of our extended family at Harper Elementary. Serving as the chair of this mission has also shown me so many versions of what love can look like.
The Nest, Faithworks, and Celebration Sunday school classes all adopted grade levels and encourage their teachers in such creative ways each month. Mike and Toni Tuttle took Halloween treats to each Kindergarten class. Jack and Carol Stone led a school supply drive for their class. There have been healthy snack collections, valentines for students and teachers, and book reading volunteers.
Susan Pharr is a “fairy godmother” to her adopted teacher who is new to Harper this year, giving her gifts and supplies each month, purchasing items and school supplies from her Amazon wish list. Even though the two have never met in person, they exchange messages of encouragement and gratitude.
Thanks to Jenn Jurek and Allison Hicks, even Creekwood’s own students have participated in this mission through MP Kids by making welcome back posters for students in the fall, putting together Thanksgiving meal kits for Harper staff, and are organizing a book drive this Spring to help build classroom libraries for each grade level.
Lynn Partain has not only served on our Harper leadership team but is there to set up every appreciation breakfast or luncheon, She is there for every snack cart, giving the teachers a warm smile and a much-needed word of encouragement. As a retired Gifted and Talented teacher, she has adopted Harper’s own GT teacher and is always dropping by to lend a hand and bring supplies.
The Waldrop family has adopted Harper’s music teacher for the second year in a row, giving her encouragement and appreciation every single month and much-needed stability in a school year filled with so much uncertainty.
Members of the Empty Nester class are once again honoring their long-standing tradition of working with a fellow veteran and 3rd-grade teacher at Harper, Ann Peacher.
This only scratches the surface of Creekwood’s Harper volunteers and their labor of love for this mission. Creekwood really has lived up to its mission of ‘growing deep roots to share God’s love’, I’m so glad we have a day like Valentine’s Day to celebrate the love we have – whether it’s for our spouse, our family, our church, or our church’s extended family at Harper.
Cayce McCullock
Harper Team Chair
PS – Want to be part of the Harper action? E-mail Cayce to get involved.
***Special Additional Mission Note from Pastor Keri Lynn***
The total result of money raised from the Live Auction at the 20th Birthday Gala to benefit Creekwood Missions is…
(drum roll please)
$17,990!!!!
Thank you to all who donated their vacation homes and unique experiences, and to all those who bid so generously. Look out for more exciting stories about the way you are doing Christ’s work by supporting Creekwood’s mission efforts through your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.
