By Mrs. Joy Griepentrog & Mr. Jake Pankow

LCL is a school full of colorful characters, and never is that more apparent than during homecoming week. Crazy dress-up days and outlandish afterschool events offer the kids a chance to show their wild side. This year we saw an inflatable dinosaur walking down the hallway and Nathan Wessel win the talent show with a stirring rendition of Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” on the recorder. But homecoming week does more than highlight the silly side of our students. With the dedication of our homecoming Friday to an all school service day, I watched first hand as the Christian character of our students was on full display.

Twenty-six student-led groups left LCL to serve, support, and care for our community members. My LIFT group played BINGO with the residents of Lake Country Rehabilitation Center. While this activity may seem like a menial task, it was encouraging to watch our students assisting the residents in marking their score cards and revitalizing the residents’ attitudes through conversation and laughter. One of the residents, Marilyn, was impressed and thankful for our students. She shared that she had just moved into the center with few possessions due to familial conflict. Because of this, she expressed her appreciation for the socks and fall decorations that she won as a prize for winning her BINGO game. Marilyn’s life was changed because of a small gesture of compassion and love that our students shared with her.

What a joy it is to see our students sharing Jesus and shaping lives out in the community! Let us pray that our words and actions continue to remind people of that most important homecoming. Not the one with a pep rally and a dance, but rather the one where we are gathered into our Savior’s arms for all eternity.

(Stay tuned to next week's blog as we continue to share awesome stories of how God is using our school & our students to make an impact on His world!)