As many of you know, I graduated from Hollywood Christian High School. Hollywood Christian School and Highlands Christian Academy were strong rivals when it came to athletics. Not only did I play against HCA, but I also later coached against HCA when I was the varsity baseball coach at Berean Christian School in West Palm Beach. You can’t even imagine the amount of ribbing that I have taken from fellow classmates/teammates and also former players since I started serving here at Grace and Highlands. It is all in fun, but also funny how life really does come full circle!
Athletics have always played a very important role in my life. I’ve had the privilege of playing in Little League and at the college level. I’ve had the privilege of coaching and playing on championship teams. I’ve also been on the other side of the wins. I cannot say enough about the lessons I learned regarding the value of teamwork and the vital role it plays in the success of any organization.
Listen to these famous quotes about teams and teamwork:
• “Talent wins games, but teamwork wins championships.” – Michael Jordan
• “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
• “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” – Phil Jackson
• “Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved." --Mattie Stepanek
I wanted to share these thoughts about teamwork; because during Hurricane Irma, I got to see our GBC/HCA team in action. I watched as 70+ employees, church families and school families came out to prepare our campus before the storm. People removed doormats, carried trashcans, removed the shade canopies, removed the high jump mats, installed hurricane panels, cleared playgrounds, and so much more! After the storm, I watched our team gather together and work on restoring our campus, while some didn’t even have electricity in their own homes. Our team members were here joyfully serving and helping to cut and haul fallen trees, to reattach fencing, to remove the shutters, and to reset all of the classrooms and playgrounds for school. It was a daunting task and initially looked slightly overwhelming; but it only took our TEAM about 5 hours to complete the majority of the cleanup and we were able to reopen school on Thursday. Together, we did in a few hours what would have taken one or two individuals weeks to do!
I want everyone to know what a great team of people we have in our church and school ministries. Our team consists of pastors, administrators, staff, faculty, housekeepers, maintenance personnel, cafeteria staff, support personnel, church families, school families, and more. I’ve had the privilege of leading and working with several teams through the years; but truly, this is one of the finest teams I’ve ever worked with!
I close by extending a simple, but deeply heart-felt THANK YOU to each of you! Your commitment to Christ and your commitment to His work were obvious to all who watched and worked with you. Even in the midst of a storm, you were a beacon of hope and joy to others. Again, thank you!
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