ECA Lasting Legacy

School ribbon cutting ceremony: August, 1975

Englewood Christian School K-12 (now Academy) was started by Englewood Assembly of God Church in 1975 to meet a community need for private Christian education. Over the past 33 years, thousands of students, families, teachers & employees have been blessed by the unique family environment that is Englewood.

Like many other private schools in the KC metro area, as well as across the country, ECA always struggled to make ends meet financially. It is truly a miracle when you stop to think that most private schools are backed up by foundations, associations, denominations, dioceses, etc. The only backup for ECA was Englewood Assembly church via the Lord! God provided year after year. But as economics of western Independence began to shift, ECA began experiencing a steady decline in enrollment. The financial losses that were once manageable, were becoming insurmountable.

We do, however, serve a God of the impossible, and so we prayed and waited for Him to provide. It did not come. Was this a lack of faith? I don't think so. Then was it God's will for ECA? Honestly, we really didn't want to hear the answer to that question for a long time. You see, our God is a God of the impossible, but He will never contradict His own will and plan for our lives just to do the impossible. This is a miserable "spot" we find ourselves in: caught between the faith factor and God simply steering things in another direction.

Through many agonizing months, many prayers for direction, many times of questioning "why us? why now?", the decision was made that ECA could no longer continue. Our faith focus switched from "give us faith for provision" to "give us enough faith to swallow your will, God."

You see, unless you've been a part of ECA, you will never truly understand the extreme difficulty of closing this school. Corporate business types would have no trouble looking at a balance sheet and pulling the plug. It was a financial dog. But you have to look at the kids. Rich kids, poor kids, good kids, kids that needed positive influences and love, smart kids, normal kids, hurting kids, happy kids, Christian kids, kids that have never heard about Jesus, and so on. They all went through our doors. The stories are endless. They are the Lasting Legacy.

l/r: Pastor Brian Ross, Kendra Moreland (7-12 Principal), Debbie Evans (Elem. Principal)

And that is where we stand today. Having wrapped up this 33rd and final school year, we pray that everyone will have faith to walk in God's will for their lives. Not looking back, but moving forward, thanking God we had a part in a lasting legacy.

**We held a Tribute Service on Wed., May 21, 2008 to honor 33 years of Englewood Christian School/Academy (1975-2008). Read the Independence Examiner's article here. Order the DVD here.

Watch the tribute videos and slideshows here.

ECA Faculty/Staff Picnic

2007-08 ECA Faculty and Staff

As kind of a going away party, we held a big picnic for all of our school faculty/staff and their families. The weather was perfect. Everybody had a great time eating, talking the past, talking the future, getting fake tattoos--this is what us old people do when we are feeling rebellious :-), and watching the kids play. Brian grilled hot dogs, brats, & burgers and then handed out final paychecks and a special gift. Awesome group of people. True Heroes.

We concluded with a really nice time of prayer over those still seeking a job and/or direction for the future. I'm kinda thinking this would be great staff "reunion" sort of thing we should try to do again sometime.

Click here for the faculty/staff slide show we showed at the ECA Tribute Service on 5/21/08.

Read more about the ECA Lasting Legacy here.

"You're Gonna Miss This" - ECA Tribute Videos

Here's 4 media pieces we ran at the 5/21/08 Tribute Service to Englewood Christian School/Academy. Read more about ECA's Lasting Legacy here.

The final two ran back to back and our band did the final song live to the 2nd video, re-writing/customizing the bridge. The live version of "You're Gonna Miss This", as well as all 4 media pieces, is available on the ECA Tribute DVD.

"Best Memories" Alumni video :



ECA 2007-08 Faculty/Staff Slideshow. "Hero" by Mariah Carey:



Student Spotlight-"What Will You Miss The Most?" :



ECA Tribute Slideshow- "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins:

Memorial Day Catch-up

After an extremely busy week last week, filled with graduations, goodbyes, special services, awards night, etc., we spent Memorial Day weekend catching up. We fired up the grill, did a little swimming, hung out with friends, went to a movie (Indiana Jones), did a little cleaning, and had a great Sunday morning at church. Friday was also the last day of school and we continued a tradition we started several years ago of taking the kids to Cool Crest. They played the "Knights" course, appropriately.

Jennifer and I hope that all of you had a great Memorial Day, and enjoyed your weekend. Don't forget to remember all of the freedoms and privileges we have in this country. Also remember to pray for those who preserve those liberties, our armed service men and women. No matter where you stand on the war, everyone can agree to support those whom we will probably never meet, but protect us. It's a humbling thought.

5/22/08 Ross family at ECA Awards Night

3 Ways To Maintain a Godly Attitude

On Sunday we took a look at the life of Esther. She possessed many characteristics we must develop in our lives, including honor and attitude.

Honor is a great quality from Esther's life. The biblical definition of honor is to glorify, magnify or exalt. When I think of those terms, my mind immediately thinks about worship. It should be the heart of every believer to glorify, magnify and exalt Jesus Christ our Lord. In order to do this "in spirit and in truth," we have to approach Him with the right attitude.

To maintain a Godly attitude you must...

1. Learn how to handle your feelings

2. Learn how to handle your thinking-

3. Learn how to handle yourself-

If you present yourself with the right attitude to others, you will gain friends, favor and influence. Practice the characteristic of honoring others in your life today.

ECA Graduation

The final graduating class of Englewood Christian Academy walked the line Monday night. Everything ran very smoothly. There was a KSHB-41 camera crew there that shot some nice footage for the news. I thought it was great combination of a "normal" graduation ceremony for our seniors with just the right amount of "school closing/final year, etc." comments.

Yes, it's impossible to ignore that this is the final graduating class, but we still wanted to celebrate the seniors appropriately. Job well done to our Jr/Sr High School Principal, Kendra Moreland, and everyone else who made it happen.

Click here to see a great news piece that KMBC-9 aired today also.

Joyce Meyer in Kansas City

Well we had a busload from our attend the Joyce Meyer Conference at the Sprint Center this weekend. She made her first appearance in Kansas City in 15 years. Why no love for KC?? Is it the close proximity to her annual Women's Convention in St. Louis? I don't know, but with the price of gas, I'm just thankful it was local. I hope it was successful for them and they come back.

Joyce spoke on personal integrity both Thursday and Friday evenings. Worship was led by Delirious?. This conference came at a busy time for most of us. But I really enjoyed the "break" from normal busy-ness. The weather was fantastic and I just liked hanging out with friends. Refreshing and pressure free.

Here are some of my take-aways:

• Joyce: "We have the music loud to attract the young people."
• Joyce: "No matter what you've done wrong, it's not too much for God to fix it."
• I'm still hummin' "Rain Down" and "Majesty" by Delirious?
• Joyce: "Excellence is not about being perfect...excellence is doing the best with what you have."
• I love the padded seats at Sprint Center. And QuikTrip Freezonis.
• 240 people gave their hearts to Christ on Thursday night alone!
• I sometimes open my eyes during worship just to watch the ladies from our church worship God. This makes me happy :-)
• It's good to get out of your normal church setting and routine once in a while. I think it can give you a fresh perspective and clarity to hear from God.

The Long Goodbye

It's been a long, difficult, challenging, period of time since we announced that our school, Englewood Christian Academy, would be closing at the end of the school year. For many, it is the only school they have ever known, including my own children. My heart breaks for all of our families that are affected by this closure, but for the Junior Class it has been especially hard. They must now transfer for their senior year.

For me, I have become very emotional, mostly in private (in fact, crying right now....everybody say "awwww"). If you know me, this is very uncharacteristic. I have a lot of trouble sleeping. My spirit is in a state of unrest. My husband is not a very popular person in some circles due to this decision. Some who were once close supporters and encouragers have gone curiously.... silent. It hurts. It definitely hasn't been a perfect process, but I know he's tried to do it the right way (why would he try to do it the wrong way?).

The bottom line is everyone is frustrated and disappointed in their own way. And everyone deals with that frustration and disappointment in their own way. I would only encourage everybody to PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER. Don't go silent. Galatians 6:2 says to "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

Philippians 2:1-2 says it best... "If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends."

For months we have known what is coming. The end of a ministry that touched thousands of lives for 33 years. The end of jobs. The end of daily relationships. The end of chapels. The end of excited lunchroom voices. The end of playground fun. The end of class trips, and so much more. It has indeed been The Long Goodbye.

Please join us for the ECA Tribute Service on Wednesday, May 21 @ 7pm at Englewood Ministries. We will be honoring 33 years of ministry with stories, testimonies, video presentations and more. A reception will follow in the gym. All current & former students and faculty in attendance will receive a special free gift. You won't want to miss it.

Diversity

At the conclusion of a recent leadership meeting I shared something that I feel God has placed in my heart concerning our church. The thought isn't fully developed within me, but it's diversity.

Diversity defined is:
1. the state or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness.
2. variety; multi-formity.
3. a point of difference.

There is more diversity in the church today than ever before. And this diversity must be acknowledged and openly talked about to keep unity within the body of Christ. The diversity is cultural, ethnic, political, spiritual, generational, economical, philosophical, educational, musical. I could go on.

We must determine if this diversity will be our strength, allowing us to touch the many different faces of our society. Or will we cower to our own preferences and make those who are different feel unwelcome in our places of worship. It's a great challenge to look beyond ourselves and comfort level and follow God into new places. It will take courage and selflessness.

How this turns out, only God knows. But one thing is sure, our diversity will either strengthen our efforts or divide us.

Love Your Mother

My Mother's Day message was pretty basic...Love Your Mother! We had great services and there seemed to be a little extra energy in the house. Dozens and dozens of roses in the foyer doesn't hurt.

We did video announcements for the first time and they were awesome. This is something we've been wanting to do forever and it really added to the worship service.

We spent the rest of Mother's Day at the Royals game. It was a little cold and windy, but at least the Royals won. I hope all of you had a great day too.

Wicked

Brian got away from the office, I got a sitter, and we went to see "Wicked The Musical" Thursday. Even had lunch at one of our favorite spots: Los Corrals (downtown 9th & Baltimore). Great afternoon! If you've never heard of Wicked, it's awesome. Here's a glimpse:

Swing Builder Saints

Since the first of the year, our family has been blessed to be a part of the Swing Builder Saints 12U AAA/AA baseball team. When our team from last year disbanded we weren't sure where our son, Joe, would end up. We prayed that God would open the right door for us. A couple of recommendations and tryouts later, and Joe became a Swing Builder Saint.

Being the baseball junkie family that we are, we are loving every practice, game, tournament, etc. We have great coaches who are wonderful teachers of the game and Joe has made a lot of new friends.

A former KC Royals player, Les Norman, owns and operates the Swing Builder Baseball Academy in Lee's Summit. Les is a great man with a great testimony and love for God.

Do you pray for your kids' coaches, activities, sponsors, etc.? We do. Yes, God even cares about who coaches your child! Pray over your children that the right opportunities and the right people would enter their lives. "Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track." (Msg. Psalm 3:6)

Down On The Farm

I spent yesterday morning with Braeden on his Pre-K field trip to Deanna Rose Children's Farm. His favorite thing was the playground (of course). His favorite animals were the chickens and the American bald eagle. The weather was mild and we had a great time. Our boys have brought us a lot of extra joy this year. Brian and I enjoy being very involved in their activities. It's been a rough year in ministry, to put it mildly. But our sons never knew it. Emotional protection is one of the greatest gifts you can give your children.

Braeden's quotes of the day:

"It smells like poop here."

"When can we go to the playground?"

"That tickles!" (feeding the goats)

"Ooooh, Mom, there's a bobcat. Hey, that's my new school the Blackburn Bobcats."

"Mom, can we go to the playground?"

Here are some more pictures:

Washington D. C. -Wrap Up

Above: ECA 6th graders with Principal Debbie Evans

The final day of the trip was filled with lots of learning. We started the day by going to the Peterson House across from Ford's Theater. This is where President Abraham Lincoln died. (Ford's Theater was actually closed for renovation).

Next, we walked a couple blocks to The Old Post Office . It is quite a building with a wonderful view of D. C. from its tower. The building was also used as the first F.B.I. headquarters, complete with a training facility and shooting range in the basement for new recruits.

After lunch, we toured two Smithsonian Museums. The first was the Air and Space Museum where the students actually got to simulate landing an F-3 fighter onto an aircraft carrier. And then off to the Museum of Natural History. We saw the Hope Diamond, the object of every woman's dream, along with ancient artifacts from around the world (think: Night at the Museum). By the way, the strawberry gelato is awesome there!

The trip was wonderful and I learned many new things myself. The greatest blessing was spending time with my son, Joseph, and getting to know the students better. I had a great time with them. This is truly a special class filled with many talented individuals. I also enjoyed spending time with the other sponsors. They are Godly, wise and each unique in their own way. Mr. and Mrs. Evans, of course, were fantastic. Their insight from years of experience and Phil being able to maneuver the city was an unbeatable combination. I hope that we created memories, learning, and character experiences for each student. I know that many of them taught me something throughout the week. May God continue to bless you all! Here's a few more pictures:

Meeting with Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver, II

Joe & I at the Jefferson Memorial

One of Joe's favorite stops was the Iwo Jima Memorial

Washington D.C.- Days 3 and 4

The last couple of days have been really busy. We started our day Wednesday by going to a House of Representatives hearing room. Senate Chaplain Barry S. Black gave a wonderful sermon and shared his secret for success (Read a chapter of Proverbs every single day). After a time of prayer, we took a tour of the Capitol Building and met with Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver, II. My son, Joseph, ended our time by praying for him.

The National Children's Prayer Congress always concludes by having an incredible banquet. We had a wonderful steak meal followed by great testimonies of God's grace from student delegates. It was a sun up to sun down kind of day.

Thursday was another full and emotional day which started at the Holocaust Museum for Daniel's Story. This tells of the genocide of the Jewish people through the eyes of a child.

Later we headed to the World War II Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial and observed the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery. It sounds strange to say, but these places always stir something deep within me. It's not common in our culture to hear people described with terms such as valor and honor. The legacy of freedom that we enjoy everyday, and often take for granted, was forged on the battlefield by men and women who deserve our highest appreciation and admiration. I sincerely respect those who serve in our armed services.

We also saw the Washington Monument and the FDR Memorial. Since I love history, I really enjoy being in DC. I have also enjoyed being around all the students. It's been fun! As 6th graders, they may not fully appreciate this experience now, but I know without a doubt that this time spent in the nation's capital will be remembered the rest of their lives.