FALL ISSUE | 2014

Leadership View: Celebrating 40 Years of FaithfulnessMy dad is a good story teller, and many

in his generation can rivet your attention and emotions with tales of years gone by. I believe the Bible encourages us to pass on our heritage through story telling because it is a great way to recount God’s faithfulness. Let me try my hand at a little story telling about the faithfulness of God at Maranatha.

God started the Maranatha journey through the hearts and minds of the leaders of the Full Faith Church of Love (now known as CrossPoints Church). They opened the doors in fall of 1974 at the Kansas City, Kansas, campus that was considered rural suburban. The vision of the church leaders then resonates with the points of emphasis today, “to prepare godly leaders for the church, community and country.”

The Academy started small – during the first year grades 7-12 met in one room - and did not have its first three graduates until 1977. However, the theme of the 80’s, “The Excitement is Building,” rang true and momentum quickly became established. Sports teams began winning championships, the high school added Anatomy, Physiology, and Spanish, and the school moved into new facilities on Lackman (South Campus). God was at work bringing leaders and teachers to love and serve Him by equipping young people to do the same. Names like Hoduski, Wagner, Smith, Burch, and Beck appeared on the staff lists joining the likes of Yeldell, Payne, and the first lunch lady, Janet Zarda.

Celebrating 40 Years | P1of faithfulness

Celebrating Classroom | P4 CommuniCation

...Continued on page 3

MATTERSCommunicating Kingdom Education

BY MARK SCHULTZE

Celebrating world | P6Changers

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Stewardship is powerful. The effects of practicing (or not practicing) biblical stewardship are vast and multilayered.

One of the best definitions of stewardship I’ve ever heard is: “Stewardship is everything you do after you say ‘Yes’ to Jesus.” As God-chosen managers of our resources, the Gospel, our relationships, our talents, and the earth. Stewardship is so much deeper than giving or money management. Stewardship is discipleship lived out in the real world.

As we begin the 40th school year at MCA, I want to express my sincere appreciation for the tremendous generosity you show to the school. Above and beyond tuition, this year more than $500,000 will be given to the MCA ministry of raising up world

changers for Christ. Your giving has direct impact on the lives of our students and the building of God’s Kingdom. It is a joy to see how God blesses our families, businesses, and our school through the power of stewardship. It’s a cycle of joyous giving.

Please feel free to call me any time at 913-710-5012 if you have a giving story you’d like to share. God bless!

Matt Schoenfeld, Editor

Table of Contents1 | LEAdERSHIP VIEW:

Celebrating 40 Years of Faithfulness

2 | FRoM THE EdIToR: The Power of Stewardship

3 | BoARd REPoRT

4 | CELEBRATING CLASSRooM CoMMUNICATIoN: An Interview With Michael Yates

5 | PARENT PERSPECTIVE: Recollections of MCA

6 | CELEBRATING WoRLd CHANGERS: MCA Tennis Team Serves Up the Love of Jesus

7 | CoRPoRATE PARTNER PRoFILE: Axcet HR Solutions

8 | KEY UPCoMING EVENTS

maranatha Christian aCademYMCA is a Christian college preparatory school serving grades pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

ACCREdITATIoNS:Accredited PreK-12 by the Association of Christian Schools International.

Accredited K-12 by AdvancED Accreditation and School Improvement.

LEAdERSHIP TEAM:Mark Schultze, Superintendent

dr. Ron Fritz, Secondary Principal

david Keener, dean of Students and Athletic director

Virginia “Gingie” Watt, Elementary Principal

Matt Schoenfeld, director of development and Communications

Kevin Bergerhofer, Facilities director

Marilyn daugherty, Preschool Administrator

SCHooL BoARd:Blake Welch, Chairman

Sean Slattery

Jim Marmon

Brian Howell

Bobbie o’Keith

Rick St. Jean

Maranatha Christian Academy admits students of any race, color, nationality, or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, nationality, or ethnic origin in administration of educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, athletic, or other school-administered programs. To do so would be in violation of Christian principles as set forth in God’s Word, the Holy Bible.

The Mission of Maranatha Christian Academy is to train and equip students for life and for service to Jesus Christ through a Biblical world view, character development, and academic excellence.

MISSIoN STATEMENT

From the Editor:

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CELEBRATING 40 YEARS oF FAITHFULNESS (Leadership View continued from p.1)

God continued to build an Academy that leaned on Him through the good times and bad. dr. Larry daugherty was brought on board as the new superintendent in the 90’s along with faculty names of Gordon, Peck, Reinke, Attwood, and Rooks to serve the school. A KinderPrep was established in 1996 to help the Academy connect with and serve more parents. Tennis champion, Kevin Braun, won Maranatha’s first state title, and the school’s enrollment reached as high as 582.

during the 90’s, Maranatha became independent from the church and went through all the turbulence caused by that kind of change. The tough times continued through the early years of the new millennium. It was a time of faith testing for all involved and finances got so tight the school was within a day or two of closing. However, God provided in miraculous ways, and, as He does today, He showed Himself strong. In the last decade, Kansans became more aware of the small school in Shawnee as prowess in academics (2 time Scholar Bowl Champions) and athletics (State Championships in soccer, track, and cross country) raised awareness.

God still has His hand on Maranatha Christian Academy. did you notice that theme throughout this story? Everything that was and is being accomplished here is for His glory. This is His story. He chose to work through people to have the school thrive for 40 years, graduating over 1,100 students. He drew dedicated faculty, staff, and leaders from around the world at just the right time to meet the needs of the students and families. His truly awesome power and wisdom can be clearly seen in the life of Maranatha. That same power is still available today, and we rejoice this year as we celebrate 40 years of His faithfulness.

Leadership View

BY MARK SCHULTZEMCA Superintendent

BoARd REPoRT40 years! God is good. He has blessed Maranatha for 40 years, and I’m confident he will continue to bless us for 40 more. No doubt you recognize the significance of the number 40 in the Bible. It’s interesting that the number 40 often represents a period of testing and trial. It also represents a time of completion followed by a new paradigm or a change. The school board is committed to following God’s call for MCA, wherever that takes us. I’ve included below several significant 40-year (or day) events from the Bible. I hope your faith is strengthened as you see how God is sovereign and providential in the lives of His people, even here at our great academy!

• Israel ate Manna for 40 years (Exodus 16:35).

• Moses led Israel from Egypt at age 80 (2 times 40), and after 40 years in the wilderness, died at 120 (3 times 40; deut. 34:7).

• david reigned over Israel for 40 years (2 Samuel 5:4, 1 Kings 2:11).

• Jesus was tempted 40 days (Luke 4:2, Mark 1:13).

• Jesus remained on earth 40 days after resurrection (Acts 1:3).

This year the school board welcomes two new members, Bobbie o’Keith and Brian Howell. Bobbie is married to Bob, who is a student at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. They have two children, Faith (5th grade) and Joshua (4th grade). Bobbie is currently an independent consultant who helps businesses identify areas of improvement and growth. She has a passion for our kids and our school and has been an active volunteer in many areas. The o’Keith’s are members of Lenexa Baptist Church.Brian is married to Emily, and they have three girls: Lydia (2nd grade), Hannah (1st grade), and Rebekah (age 3). Brian and his wife are both CPAs, and Brian operates his own business consulting firm, BAR Management Solutions. Brian and Emily are also members of Lenexa Baptist Church.debbie Siemers resigned her board position after completing two years of service. She is homeschooling daniel (9th grade) this year. The board wishes to convey our heartfelt thanks to debbie for her service, and we pray for a great year with daniel.Last, I wanted to provide a brief update on our enrollment. We begin the 2014-15 school year with 455 students (K-12) and approximately 95 preschoolers. This represents 5% growth over last year and two consecutive years of enrollment growth. Praise God!As I’ve mentioned before, the board covets your prayers for wisdom and discernment. Please continue to pray for us, our faculty, and our school that God’s will be done at MCA.

Blessing to you and your family,Blake Welch, Chairman of the Board

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Classroom Communication

Michael Yates has been a secondary Bible teacher at Maranatha Christian Academy since 2007. He holds a BA in Biblical Studies from Evangel University and has completed master’s course work in Secondary Education from Southwestern Assemblies of God University. He lives in overland Park with his wife and three young children.

Q&A with Michael Yates – Celebrating Classroom Communication Q. i’ve heard you’ve been having some great conversations with students in your freshman and sophomore bible class. what stands out to you?A. A couple times a year God moves and we wind up having a completely unplanned and unexpected conversation that takes up an entire class period. Recently, the talk turned very deep, very quickly, and I was so encouraged with the students’ transparency and honesty. We wound up discussing the issue of missing an opportunity to witness to a friend or family member who then dies unexpectedly. It actually got pretty emotional when a student recounted about a friend who was killed. The discussion was rich, open, and redemptive. It allowed us to explore the mystery of free will and why some choose wisely and some choose foolishly.

Q. how did you help instill a biblical worldview on such a difficult topic?A. First off, I reinforced that it is ultimately the Holy Spirit’s job to determine and convict regarding salvation. We discussed having a repentant heart if there was something God called us to do that we did not do, and then we realized the importance of being obedient to speak as God requires in the future. I shared a number of encouraging scriptures as well. With this being the school’s 40th anniversary, I know we are celebrating all God has done over the years. To me, this was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the importance of living out a biblical worldview every day so that those we come in contact with can see and experience the power of God.

Q. when a potentially provocative topic like this comes up, how do you handle it beyond the classroom? A. In instances like these, I always send out an e-mail to the students’ parents that day to alert them of the conversation. My goal is to turn these special classroom conversations into dinner conversations so that parents can reinforce and correct as needed. I know I don’t have all the answers, so I’m just trying to get a better grasp on biblical truth as I help the kids do the same.

Q. what do you want to see from parents when it comes to communicating with you?A. I realize that past elementary school parents can feel like there is almost no communication with junior high and high school teachers. I want parents to contact me with any questions or concerns, and I encourage reminders from mom and dad about what’s going on with their real life issues or questions they may have about their student’s academics. I love being a resource to students and parents about enforcing a biblical worldview. Please e-mail me any time!

BY MATT SCHoENFELd

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 14:26 NIV

Parent Perspective

PAGE | 5

Recollections of MCA

“Since arriving at MCA in 1988, I have witnessed students battle to win mock elections, determine the law of the land in mock Supreme Court sessions, corral stray cattle on long drives to Abilene, learn history on the heights of Little Round Top and among the camps of Valley Forge, and resolve impossible world crises while attending the democracy Foundation. And much like the locust tree planted in front of the high school entrance, I have had the joy to watch hundreds of young people grow in their faith in Christ, causing them, like the roots and branches of the locust tree, to reach out and provide life and shade to countless people and places. God has used MCA for 40 years to impact eternity, I am excited to see where we will grow to next.”

“We felt blessed to be able to send our daughters to Maranatha.

God always provided for us financially, even during the self-employed years. Rebekah Hamil Allen, ‘01, and Jennifer Hamil Borel, ’04. are both working in public education, pouring their passion of English and Art into their students. I will always be thankful for Maranatha, the teachers, and staff who sacrificed to teach here. And I continue to work here because I love the family of Maranatha!”

debbie Hamil

Matt Gordon, Justin Medford, Jamie Neeck, Erin Reynolds, Patrick Gordon

Working the Annual Cattle driveJennifer Hamil Borel, ’04Rebekah Hamil Allen, ‘01

Jerry Kolb, Ardy Kolb, John Borel, Jennifer Borel, debbie Hamil, Ed Hamil, Rebekah Allen, Alba Allen Teaching at Gettysburg

Mark Hodusky

“We wanted a place where our kids could

get instruction from a Biblical worldview on a daily basis and not just once a week in Sunday school. We got much more than that. our children ran around with other kids who were getting the same instruction, and so their friends and their fellowship took on an integral nature from which they all benefitted. Maranatha built leadership qualities in our kids and equipped them to have confidence in their lives and walk in faith as young adults).

Steve Gordon

Wedding photos courtesy of Love, Elizabeth

PAGE | 6

Not only is that the score that the person calls out who is serving to start a tennis match, it’s also what our girls’ high school tennis team has been serving up to our competition – a double volley of love.

So far this season our competitors – Sumner Academy, St. James Academy, and Barstow to name a few – have sought out Candace Asbell, the team’s coach, to let her know what a difference they have seen in our players. The team has been serving up a steady dose of Christ’s love.

“Our focus is on honoring Christ as we play with our three crowns:

1) positive attitude 2) full effort3) good sportsmanship

Although we have not won all our matches, our victories have been the example of ‘living for Christ.’ Every coach has pulled me aside to comment on the kindness and attitude of my players!”

As a way to be world changers for Christ, before each match, team captains Blythe Asbell and Cassie Stock have been asking the other teams to pray together. Additionally, the other team’s players are noticing the difference in our girls. They have repeatedly commented about how nice our players are and what an enjoyable time they have had playing matches with us because of the good sportsmanship our girls have shown. This is why we play sports at MCA, so our teams can be a witness of Christ’s love.

In one humorous situation, a rival player elected to not participate in the pre-match prayer. When she subsequently lost her match, her own teammates were ribbing her that if she would have prayed the outcome might have been different! While prayer equals victory is not the message we were trying to send, the fact is the pre-match prayer had others talking and thinking about God.

Coach Asbell concluded, “I’m very proud of our team and what a terrific job our young ladies have done showing the light of Christ. We have had fantastic response and will continue our season improving our tennis skills and honoring our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

World Changers

Love-Love.

BY MATT SCHoENFELdMCA Tennis Team Serves Up the Love of Jesus

Matt Schoenfeld is MCA’s Director of Development and Communications.

Celebrating world changers.

Back row: Karen Wagner, coach, Madeline Hartwig (12), Abby

Bouvier (11), Cassie Stock (12), Sadie Prowell (11), Alayna Marmon (9), Candace Asbell, Head Coach.

First Row: Brooke Bowlin (11), Mattie Schoenfeld (9), Brin Eisley

(9), Blythe Asbell (11) Front: Anna Poleleyev (9)

(JaCori Edgley (9) not pictured.)

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Corporate Partner Profile2014-15 Corporate Partners

The Corporate Partner Program exists to provide financial support to Maranatha. We anticipate more than 25 local businesses will provide backing for Maranatha’s tuition assistance program. This year our goal is to raise $150,000 through the corporate partner program to benefit the tuition fund. A number of benefits are available to our partners. You can receive more information about the program by visiting: http://mca-eagles.org/community-support/business-partners.

Axcet HR Solutions provides big benefits for small businesses, including Maranatha Christian Academy. As a long-time corporate partner of MCA, they also are a big blessing to the school. Axcet is a multi-year, diamond level corporate partner.

Axcet helps take the human resources load off of small business so that business owners can focus on what they do best. Offering payroll, benefits, insurance, and compliance services, Axcet serves as the HR department for small businesses to help them cost-effectively outsource all aspects of HR management.

Axcet HR Solutions maintains partnerships with hundreds of companies in Kansas City and the surrounding region, representing a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, retail, travel, health care, real estate, and a host of other consumer and business services.

Vice President, Eric Kesselring, has several grandchildren that attend MCA (the West family), and he puts it this way, “When I continue to see the quality young men and woman that MCA produces, it’s obvious that the school is making a big difference in the lives of students. our company is pleased to be able to support such a worthy cause as the MCA tuition assistance fund.”

For more information about how Axcet might assist your small business, please visit: www.axcethr.com.

Big Benefits for Small BusinessesSOLUTIONSCET

8325 Lenexa Dr. #410,

Lenexa, KS 66214 (913) 383-2999

Upcoming Events

6826 Lackman Road | Shawnee, KS 66217

Administrative office: 913.631.0637www.mca-eagles.org

october 23-24 | Teacher Conferences (Elementary)

No School

november 7 | Gala Auction, 6:15 P.M.

Lake Quivira Country Club

december16 | Elementary Christmas Program, 7 P.M.

23-January 6 | Christmas Break

NoN-Profit org.U.S. PoStage

PaiDShawNee, KSPermit #1080

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