By Denise and Richard Pfannenstiel – Fort Collins, Colorado … It was a red-carpet event at the Fort Collins Christian school on the first day of the academic year.
Fort Collins Adventist church members lined both sides of the roped-off red carpet, where students strolled toward the school entrance to applause, cheers, hugs, high-fives, and pats on the back on their way to the new adventures awaiting them during the new school year.
School board chair Devon Osbourne, Jr. was grateful for the extra effort by church members who showed their support. “The members of our church have always been supportive of our school,” Osbourne shared. “It was, nevertheless, surprising to see so many show up so early in the morning to cheer on our students.”
Upper grades teacher Jessica Reeder initially wondered whether they would pull off the red-carpet welcome as a small school. When Monday morning rolled around, “I was amazed by the number of cars in our parking lot at 7:30 a.m.,” Reeder says. “It brought me to tears. It was a beautiful way to start the school year united as a school and church, welcoming and praying for our kids.”
As a parent of a new student, Adam Joseph described it as a taste of heaven’s joy. “If we, the children of God, could do that to make our kids feel so special, I do not doubt that God is going to have the most awesome welcome for us when we get to heaven. That was certainly a heavenly gesture.”
The memorable event concluded with a prayer huddle in the school lobby. Godfrey Miranda, pastor at Fort Collins church, led a prayer of blessing and protection for the students, their families, and their teachers as they begin the new school year.
To view a video of the red-carpet event, click here: https://www.facebook.com/fccschool/videos/173443621521939
–Denise and Richard Pfannenstiel are members of Fort Collins Seventh-day Adventist Church; photos supplied
