CHRISTIAN SERVICE (GRADES 9-12)
Liberty Christian Academy desires its students to live out James 1: 22 and James 2:17.
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James 1: 22 – “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
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James 2: 17 – “In the same way faith if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.”
For this reason, Liberty Christian Academy has a Christian service requirement in order to graduate. This policy will begin for the 2011-2012 school year.
Because the Academy’s primary mission is to provide opportunities for students to realize their God given potential, LCA believes this Christian service is defined as “acts of service within the student’s local community without pay or compensation.” Christian service will allow them to experience the joy of the Lord through meeting the needs of others.
LCA accomplishes this by requiring students in grades 9 - 12 to perform Christian service. LCA requires students in grades 9-12 to perform a minimum of 20 Christian service hours per year. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the inability to graduate from LCA.
Christian Service Approval Process:
CLICK HERE: PRE-APPROVED CHRISTIAN SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
The students’ current Bible teacher will act as the pre-approving authority for all community service projects. If a student does not get their Christian service project pre-approved, the student runs the risk of not getting credit for their hours. The community service projects posted on the LCA Christian Service website do not need pre-approval from the Bible teachers.
The student is responsible to give the Christian Community Service Guidelines document to their community service supervisor. The supervisor may keep this document and is responsible to uphold those guidelines.
Once the student has performed the community service, the student will have his/her supervisor fill out the Christian service evaluation form. This evaluation should be conducted in a face to face format if possible. This form is to be turned into the campus pastor in the Upper School Conference Room. The LCA campus pastor keeps track of all Christian service hours.
Christian service may be conducted in the summer. However, students may not get ahead in their Christian service. The student may perform as much Christian service as they desire, but the student will only get credit for up to 25 hours per year. The Christian service evaluation form must be turned into the campus pastor during the first full week of school in order for the summer hours to be counted.
The campus pastor will communicate with the guidance department on whether the standard for Christian service has been met for the graduation standard. Students must receive a score of “satisfactory” from the supervisor in order to be given credit for the community service.
The LCA student may serve in as many projects as possible to attain the 20 hours.
The LCA Campus Pastor, with direction from the Superintendent, has the authority to grant exceptions to this policy.
The LCA Campus Pastor will call and check periodically on students to ensure the validity of Christian service projects.
There are two forms associated with this policy:
1. Christian Service Guidelines: This form is to be given to the Christian service supervisor.
2. Christian Evaluation Form: This form is filled out by the student and supervisor once the service is complete. This is the form that allows the supervisor to “rate” the student. This form is to be turned into the LCA Campus Pastor.
Students that attain 100 hours or more of Christian service during their four years at LCA will be recognized and given silver cords to wear at graduation to represent this accomplishment. The community service will be annotated on the student’s transcript and is a graduation requirement. The LCA Campus Pastor, with direction from the Superintendent, has the authority to grant exceptions to this policy.
Current requirements:
Class of 2012-2013:
40 hours of Christian service required for graduation (20 hours per year); 50 hours required for silver cord at graduation.
Class of 2013-2014:
60 hours of Christian service required for graduation (20 hours per year); 75 hours required for silver cord at graduation.
Class of 2014-2015 and 2015-16:
80 hours of Christian service required for graduation (20 hours per year); 100 hours required for silver cord at graduation.
Students who transfer to LCA will be given their Christian service requirement based on when they arrive by the LCA Campus Pastor. Students who stay at LCA for a fifth year will have an additional yearly Christian service requirement. A fifth year senior must have 120 hours to graduate and 150 hours to receive a silver cord at graduation.
Notes regarding the Christian service policy:
- Students cannot perform the Christian service in their own family owned business (business owned by a parent or relative).
- Students may work for their local church in some capacity to fulfill this requirement (nursery, praise band, etc). However, hours in rehearsal do not count towards this requirement.
- The Virginia Christmas Spectacular performance (not rehearsal) hours count towards the Christian service requirement.
CHRISTIAN SERVICE (GRADES 6-8)
Each class will participate in a minimum of one grade level Christian service project. The division principal along with the middle school teachers will support this effort (Examples include: book drive, food drive, clothing drive, singing at local nursing home, adopt a troop program, Teddy Bear Collection for needy children, etc).
CHRISTIAN SERVICE (GRADES K-5)
The elementary school will participate in a minimum of one school level Christian service project. The division principal along with the elementary school teachers will support this effort (Examples include: book drive, food drive, clothing drive, singing at local nursing home, adopt a troop program, Teddy Bear Collection for needy children, etc).
CHRISTIAN SERVICE CHECKLIST
Step 1: Find a Christian service opportunity (on own or through campus pastor or Bible teacher)
Step 2: Give the supervisor the Christian Service Guidelines document.
Step 3: Perform Christian Service
Step 4: The student and supervisor fill out the Christian Service Evaluation Form (face to face).
Step 5: Turn in the completed Christian Service Evaluation Form to the Campus Pastor’s Office.