The promise after the storm

One afternoon I had some business in Mapleton, here at the NEWSpaper’s offices. I brought Ellie, our two year, old with me since her sister had swimming lessons.
As we were on our way home through Ute, Ellie asked me, “Da-ad, where we going?”
“We’re just headed home to Charter Oak,” I answered.
“Me don’t wanna go home!” she protested, “Me wanna go to Kindergaawten!”

She often combines the songs that her older sister has taught her- “A-B-C-D- E-I-Yo-The BIBLE tells me SO!”

I don’t know what makes me more happy, that she’s so excited about learning and going to school or that she already knows how much God loves her. These are both things that have trickled down from her big sister Gracie’s experiences at Noah’s Ark Pre-School.

God saved Noah and his family from the flood that destroyed the whole world by sheltering them in the Ark that He’d had Noah build. Decades ago God used Sandy Bramley, Lynn Hoffman and St. John Lutheran Church to build Noah’s Ark Preschool.

Many people mourned the loss of St. John Lutheran Elementary School, but God kept His promises by providing Noah’s Ark to provide children with a strong preparation for Kindergarten and Elementary school and more importantly a strong foundation in knowing God’s love for them through His Son Jesus and His Word, the Bible.

Now Noah’s Ark has faced some stormy seas. Long time director Sandy Bramley retired, St. John Lutheran’s long time pastor L.C. Gebhardt retired, and Charter Oak-Ute public school launched a “transitional-kindergarten” preschool of it’s own in Ute.

But I want you to know that the Ark is not being decommissioned and put into dry-dock. St. John Lutheran’s Board of Education recently met with Mrs. Bramley to make sure that it continues the serving kids as they first set out on life’s voyage.

Noah’s Ark is still State Certified. We’ve asked Sandy’s Daughter and long-time assistant Gretchen Bonsall to take over the helm as Director. Pastor Brandt of St. Paul’s Ute is serving St. John as it’s vacancy Pastor until we call a new one.

While COU’s “T-K” will no doubt be an outstanding service for those students who because of learning or behavior difficulties aren’t quite ready for full-fledged kindergarten, the can’t even talk about Jesus or His love, let alone focus on it because of the separation of Church and State. I don’t want to disparage COU’s new program in any way, I’m sure it’s exemplary, but Noah’s Ark is not only a tradition in Charter Oak and Ute, it is a vital ministry that effects the spiritual formation of children in a very real way.

But Noah’s Ark needs passengers to stay afloat. Because people may not have known what was going on, they may not have thought about registering their children for the Fall yet. We need more parents to enroll their children soon.
Noah’s Ark serves 2 and 3 year olds 2 days a week for less than $50 a month, including meals and snacks. I didn’t think Ellie was old enough, but Sandy assured me that if they will turn three by December 30, they can start Preschool.

Noah’s Ark serves 4 and 5 year olds three days a week for just $55 a month, including meals and snacks. These kids get a lot of attention and preparation of skills they’ll need for kindergarten, and they go on some great field trips. Best of all, they hear about God’s love and promises every day that they’re on board the Ark. Surely that’s something that Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, ANY Christian parents and grandparents would want for their preschoolers- not just Lutherans!

So if you have or know someone who has a 2-5 year old and you’re looking for the best head start you can give them in life, please call St. John Lutheran’s office, or Sandy Bramley or Gretchen Bonsall a call and tell them you’d like to reserve space on this Fall’s voyage of promise.