covenant ISSUE 7 | SUMMER 2022
Courage INSTEAD OF FEAR SPIRITUAL EMPHASIS DAY // PAGE 3 1
Welcome.
index Courage Instead of Fear 3 Transformation Over Information 7 Covenant Calendar 9 Model for Missions 11
Dear Friends,
Andy Goodwin Principal & CEO
Greetings, and thanks for reading this issue of our Covenant magazine! I am delighted for you to read about God’s ongoing faithfulness to the unique work He began nearly twenty-eight years ago through prayer, faith, and reluctant brilliance.
Who could have dreamed that an independent high school committed to the dangerous business of teaching students to think - and think Christianly - would become a sustainable reality? Who would have imagined that charitable Christian dialogue and charitable dialogue among Christians (often different things) could anchor the foundation of an institution in which over 100 churches are represented each year? Could it be possible to break the stereotype of “Christian” and “education” being mutually exclusive? Could the gospel be carried far and wide through willing servants with enlightened minds, inflamed hearts, and transformed lives?
This is the legacy of our founders, and it is the story that we are living out each day. By the Lord’s grace, we continue to provide an education that is excellent (read: “made for its purpose” and “assigned to its highest rank”) and Christ-centered (read: “biblical - truth, goodness, and beauty emanating from the person of Jesus Christ”). I can’t wait for you to read the stories of how God continues to make this possible through the scholarship, leadership, and service of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Student Excellence 13 Year in Pictures 17
production team DESIGN Kristina Cook (‘04) PHOTOGRAPHY Rick McIntyre Rich Unland Christopher Colson Twelve Stones Photography Covenant Student Publications MAP ARTWORK FreeVectorMaps.com OUR MISSION Covenant Christian High School is dedicated to providing an excellent, Christ-centered education, equipping students for a life of scholarship, leadership, and service. OUR VISION Covenant Christian High School will be a leader in 21st century education. We will accomplish this through the total preparation of the student, influence in educational, ecclesial, and cultural communities, and the replication of the Covenant model.
For the Kingdom,
Andy Goodwin, Ed.D. Principal & CEO
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7525 West 21st Street, Indianapolis, IN 46214 Phone: 317.390.0202 Fax: 317.390.6823
KEEP telling THE STORY
Do you believe in the importance and the influencing power of a Christian education? Do you want every family who is willing to make the sacrifice to send their children to Covenant to have that opportunity? Do you have state tax liability for your household or business? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then consider adding The Covenant Fund at Sagamore to your financial and philanthropic portfolio. The Covenant Fund at Sagamore is a powerful tool for donors like you. Why? Because your donation through the Covenant Fund at Sagamore gives you an Indiana state tax credit valued at 50% of your initial donation amount. $1,000 donation? $500 state tax credit! Plus, you receive your standard federal deduction for a charitable contribution. We are encouraging you to act quickly. Tax credits are offered on a first come, first served basis.
Questions? Let’s talk: advancement@covenantchristian.org
SPIRITUAL EMPHASIS DAY 2022 // COVER STORY
Courage INSTEAD OF FEAR
Every
two years, Covenant adjusts its school schedule to invite a speaker to come and deliver a series of talks that simultaneously encourage and challenge students, teachers, and the broader school community. Past speakers have included noted author, philosopher, and Calvin University professor James K. A. Smith, who spoke about the Christian imagination in education, and author Jen Pollock Michel, who challenged students and staff to make peace with the many paradoxes of the faith. This year, on Friday, February 11, Dr. Vincent Bacote of Wheaton College came and delivered two lectures: “Living Well Together” and “Living Well Together with Hope.”
takes courage instead of fear to love our neighbors.
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Speakers who come to Covenant for Spiritual Emphasis Day share thoughts on and convictions about Covenant’s values: things like truth, relationships, engagement with the created world, having a culturally engaged faith, and the beauty of God’s church serving the world. Dr. Bacote’s talk addressed the current divisive cultural moment that many sense and then inPeople are afraid of losing things in cluded commentary about how Christians and the church might be an antidote to that sense of conflict in the world. Bacote rooted his the world as they remarks in Genesis, reminding listeners that “God creates humans know it, afraid in his image. The image remains even after the fall, and every human being is a divine image bearer. On that basis alone, He looked of being taken at humans and said ‘it is very good.’ God doesn’t say that humans over, being hurt. are apart from a very good creation. That superlative nature, very I understand, it good, includes all human beings.” After covering many ways that the world can be intimidating or how division has gripped people, Bacote emphasized a different posture of love and bravery. “Have courage instead of fear. People are afraid of losing things in the world as they know it, afraid of being taken over, being hurt. I understand; it takes courage instead of fear to love our neighbors.”
That talk took place in the morning at Chapel Rock Christian Church, and after a short walk back to school and a lunchtime small group discussion, Dr. Bacote spoke in The Commons to students and faculty specifically about being a hopeful people in a divisive world. Covenant’s school theme for the year was worship, and Dr. Bacote’s afternoon talk framed his call for Christians to be a community of hope as an act of worship, specifically encouraging Covenant students to make the school a “home for everybody, a place where neighbor love is practiced.” After finishing his formal lectures, Bacote fielded questions from Covenant students, addressing topics of interest ranging from authentic community and worship music to favorite bands and which NBA player is the best of all time. Covenant is thankful for Dr. Bacote’s visit and words of encouragement and conviction, and we are continually thankful for the biannual tradition of deeply considering the words of an inspired guest.
Dr. Vincent B acot e
ote eyn is k
Dr. Bacote has three books available on Amazon.
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JANUARY ‘18
EXPERIENCE COVENANT APRIL ‘18
COVENANTCHRISTIAN.ORG/VISIT MAY ‘18
SHADOW DATES
HAVE QUESTIONS? VISIT OUR SITE, EMAIL CINDYCLEARY@COVENANTCHRISTIAN.ORG TO SCHEDULE A VIRTUAL MEETING, OR CALL OUR ADMISSIONS TEAM AT 317.390.0202
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SHADOW FOR A DAY. Please follow @cchsindy on social media and check our website throughout the school year for updates and alternative options.
Interested students are invited to shadow a Covenant student. This is the best way to experience the Covenant culture firsthand and determine whether it is a good fit for your student. If your student wishes to shadow a particular current student, simply make a request. We are also able to match your student with someone who has similar interests.
ONLINE FLEXIBILITY.
RELATIONAL APPROACH. WHAT IS COVENANT ONLINE ACADEMY? Covenant Christian High School now offers a brand new option: Covenant ONLINE Academy, which merges the flexibility of an online Christian education with the relational approach only found at Covenant. Take a deeper look to see if Covenant Online Academy is a fit for you.
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FLEXIBLE & CONVENIENT
IMMERSIVE & INTERACTIVE
BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW
CONNECTED TO COVENANT
Although courses are still conducted within semesters, students have the ability to work at the speed they want, wherever they want.
Most online education options are completely self-paced and written material. Covenant Online Academy offers rich, interactive courses – many through video.
The faculty at Covenant Online Academy is the same faculty as in their brick and mortar high school, applying the same Christian Worldview to all subjects.
Covenant Online Academy is tied innately to CCHS, bringing a wealth of experience, passion, and insight in its faculty.
SCHEDULE A WEBINAR: COVENANT.ONLINE
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TRANSFORM
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TRANSFORMATION OVER INFORMATION // ACADEMIC STORY
MATION
n Covenant
students study it all. Humanities like history and literature. STEM courses like anatomy, robotics, and chemistry. Many are deeply invested in musical and visual arts. Running through it all is the Biblical and Theological Studies program, where students consider God’s word and the saints and scholars that have informed the Christian faith and tradition. Students take BTS courses all four years, culminating in the senior year capstone class entitled Christian Worldview. In this course, students work for the entire year on a thesis-based research project that asks them to integrate their knowledge of scripture, their faith, and their personal interests and concerns of life into a significant final paper and thesis defense presentation. Worldview teacher and BTS department head Mike Fightmaster says that the course runs along two tracks simultaneously: an academically rigorous research process and a meaningful experience asking students to make bold statements about how Christian faith comes to bear on their world. “The goal is not only to learn how to write a thesis paper, but to take on the entire process, from creating the idea to clicking submit. We learn what goes into reading well; we conference in 1-on-1 meetings, answering specific questions that go along with them. This is the first BTS project that they haven’t been told what to write about, so it demands a unique and creative approach on their part,” said Fightmaster. Students read, reflect, write and revise in a continual loop until they are ready to present and publish their papers in the last six weeks of the school year. While the academic rigor is present and persistent, the meaningful spiritual reflections and explorations of faith are the real goal and value of the course. The goal of the course is for students to see that their lives should be an act of worship. They are working to find a way of seeing how God is not separate from schoolwork, friendship, relationships with others, arts, even getting disciplined; when when worldview worldview is undertaken with that lens, it’s still hard work, but it’s not toilsome,” said Fightmaster. is undertaken
with that lens, it’s still hard work, but it’s not toilsome.
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“There’s a quote by Abraham Kuyper that says, “There’s not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is Lord over all, does not exclaim, ‘Mine!’”, and I say that a lot to students to remind them that every aspect of our lives is an act of worship, and when they accept it, school becomes fun, and the coursework becomes more than just a grade,” said Fightmaster. “It’s not just information, it’s transformation.”
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COVENANT CALENDAR // 2022-23
JULY
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OCTOBER GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES
NACCAP COLLEGE FAIR
All alumni are invited to join us as we kick off another school year with coffee and a panel of alumni who share wisdom about their Covenant experience and the road ahead.
Families and students who are considering enrollment in Christian colleges & universities are welcome to learn more at this college fair.
SEPTEMBER
NOVEMBER
9-10
FALL PLAY
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COVENANT CELEBRATES
Our fall play features two one-act shows that highlight different stories: Bad Ideas for Bad Television Shows & The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Everyone is invited!
Celebrate all that God has done and is doing at Covenant with a special keynote speaker at the Biltwell Center.
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HOMECOMING
It’s a big deal! Sports! Everyone should come! Let’s celebrate something important in athletics and all of that goodness.
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FALL CONCERT
Our first musical performance of the year and a perfect opportunity to enjoy beautiful vocal arrangements.
DECEMBER
MARCH
09
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CHRISTMAS CONCERT
SENIOR SHOWCASE
The season of joy and reflection is heralded with music, both classic and modern, about Christmas and its most important meaning.
An evening of music that spans all genres and eras awaits you at this musical celebration of our Seniors in each ensemble.
JANUARY
APRIL
2-13 J-TERM
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Students at Covenant will plunge headfirst into a wide range of immersive, exciting, and experiential learning.
We’ll be taking the day off from academics to get our hands dirty and serve our community in the most practical ways possible.
FEBRUARY
MAY
23-25
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WINTER MUSICAL
The imagination of Big Fish: The Musical will come to life in a production that is sure to be a delight for the eyes and ears of all ages!
GONE SERVIN’
COMMENCEMENT
Congrats, Class of 2023! Celebrate with us as we send our grads off to the next chapter in their lives!
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THE McEWAN FAMILY // ALUMNI STORY
In
MO
Nicaragua, Bethany McEwan says she is often teaching people that there are only Christians, not “special Christians” due to certain vocations or gifts. “They often say, ‘I thought that’s the way it was,’ said McEwan. For the past 11 years, Scott and Bethany (Owen) McEwan (CCHS ‘03) have been working as missionaries in León, Nicaragua. The McEwans have three daughters and said that while plenty of their mission work resembles traditional visions of Bible study, church involvement and support, and relational evangelism, much of their work has transformed into simply exemplifying a strong Christian worldview and lifestyle for their fellow neighbors to see and, hopefully, imitate. “Modeling our family life, which means a happy marriage, interacting with our children, avoiding brokenness and dysfunction [is a lot of what we do], and we are often telling others that you can glorify God this way, which is unfortunately the opposite sort of family environment of what many of the kids we work with come from,” said McEwan. Even though it’s been over a decade of service, McEwan said that she can trace plenty of her pathway to Nicaragua all the way back to her time at Covenant. When reflecting upon her Covenant experience, she thinks it was a “hugely solid grounding in how the Christian worldview impacts every part of life.” In her move to the mission field, she and Scott found themselves in a new context, in a place where, according to her, “Christianity can become really compartmentalized, where believers buy into a culture where your status of goodness is essentially connected to how much you go to church, which determines how good of a Christian you are.” McEwan said that a lot of her and Scott’s work simply involves encouraging others to work diligently at whatever they do to the glory of God. “It is foreign to Nicaraguans that you can be just as good a Christian being a doctor as being a pastor, so that foundation is something we’re trying to pass on to our students in our ministries so we can influence families that way.” Paired with a training in Christian Worldview, Bethany said that Covenant’s Spanish classes helped prepare her for this call into Central American missionary service--she speaks in Spanish daily and can serve as a very capable translator when needed. She also said that the relational approach that teachers took toward discipleship gave her a framework to love on her neighbors in her new home in a foreign place. “Covenant gave me a lot of opportunities to be discipled by teachers and to then disciple others out of that equipping, so what I do now is a natural extension of what Covenant taught me.”
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FOR MISSIONS
León, Nicaragua
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STUDENT EXCELLENCE // 2021-22 HIGHLIGHTS CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TOP TEN
GRADUATES
BENJAMIN OLES // PURDUE UNIVERSITY MAJOR: EXPLORATORY STUDIES
ERICA GRUESSER // INDIANA UNIVERSITY MAJOR: PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS
ANDREW DUBKE // INDIANA UNIVERSITY MAJOR: HEALTH & HUMAN BIOLOGY
BRIJESH PATEL // PURDUE UNIVERSITY MAJOR: APPLIED MATHEMATICS
REBECCA KNUTESON // INDIANA UNIVERSITY MAJOR: HUMAN BIOLOGY (PRE-MED)
BRAYDEN CRITTENDON // TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY MAJOR: ENGINEERING
CLARA MALEK // WHEATON COLLEGE MAJOR: HISTORY & MUSIC PERFORMANCE
GABRIELLA LONGORIA // LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY MAJOR: BIOLOGY
JAMES LEFEBVRE // INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY MAJOR: ART
SARAH FOSSMEYER // ANDREWS UNIVERSITY MAJOR: NUTRITION & DIETETICS
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THE HEART OF COVENANT The Student Heart of Covenant award is given to a young leader who exemplifies Covenant’s credo each year.
All
of us are influenced by something, or Someone. Each of us have people who have influenced us to get to this point. As I reflect on my time at Covenant, I am struck by how education here is not as much about what we know as it is about how we understand truth and why we believe it. First Corinthians 11:1 says, “imitate me, as I am of Christ.” There are Christ-like mentors who are worthy of imitation. Have shown an example of wisdom through teaching and mentorship. We can look to the mentors in our lives who live godly lives, those who live willing to love Jesus more than anyone else. Covenant has taught this - that growing closer to Christ looks like identifying His character in those around me, and learning from the years of wisdom that my teachers can share. Through examples set by our faculty and staff, we now better understand ourselves than we did four years ago. It is easy to say we are individualists when we are helped along by supportive networks of families and friends. We have each done hard things to get to this point. Yes - it is with individual effort that each of us have gotten to graduation (we made it!!). But we cannot forget the loving help we have received from those most important in our lives. I want us to consider for a moment - what has Covenant done to shape you in wisdom? Truly Christian education has Christ at the center - not that He is explicitly mentioned in every lesson, but that He is being glorified by the people in this place. The teachers who reflect His character by gentleness and patience, by corrections which may seem strict, but are out of love for our wellbeing. I would like us to do a quick exercise together. Close your eyes, students, graduates, families, faculty, and staff. Think about all the people who have loved you enough to encourage you in the successes you are experiencing. Graduates, who are those people for you? Who are the people at Covenant who have served and loved you enough to be an example of good learning and wisdom? Let’s take a couple seconds to think of those people, and
RACHEL SHAUGHNESSY 2022 RECIPIENT
thank God for their impact on our lives. C.S. Lewis says, “Being a Christian is an education in itself.” Why is this the case? Because knowing and loving Christ brings reality into sense. Our world becomes clearer through the lens of Christ-like truth. The glasses we choose to put on, are encouraged to put on, will help us see the world. Having people who have walked the Christian life to speak and live these good truths is vital in our walk with Christ and as learners. Covenant has continually shown me that wisdom is not just understanding knowledge, but it is lived out grace. The grace that Christ has given us. Proverbs is an entire book in the Bible devoted to this idea - that we need to keep wisdom close, and that wisdom is to be learned most through relationship with God - the most wise Being. We do not arrive at learning and wisdom, we are guided in it. (This comes from Proverbs 6). Proverbs 1:5-7 says, “Let the wise hear and increase in learning,and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Covenant has truly been a place to learn wisdom, and that lifelong learning that humility brings. That our teachers here have set an example to us of what it looks like to lay down our selfishness and embrace the good knowledge that Christ has given us. As we go onto the next chapters of our lives, it is important that we remember not just what to learn, but who we learn from. How are you learning wisdom, and who will teach you? Who will you discern to be the voices influencing you to better understanding? This is truly a sign of good education - to learn in humility from the people guiding us in wisdom.
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IN MEMORY OF OUR FIRST PRINCIPAL
Jim Spencer A LIFELONG LEARNER, FAITHFUL WHERE HE WAS.
1941-2022
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save the date
11.3.22 LIVE AT THE BILTWELL CENTER
2021-22 YEAR IN PHOTOS
Treble Ensemble and Chamber Chorus perform “What Child is This” at our 2021 Christmas Concert.
Our girls tennis team were sectional champs this year.
Three of our staff members receive recognition for more than 25 years of service at Covenant.
Dual athlete Brock Buckley highlights a class of 13 future collegiate athletes.
Our volleyball team achieved a sectional championship.
Boys golf was not only the sectional champ team but 17 also state qualifiers in 2022.
Sydney Graham (‘23) and Brooklyn Stewart (‘22) in Covenant Theatre’s 2022 production of ANASTASIA: The Musical.
Gone Servin’ returns to multi-site opportunities throughout Indy.
Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Sense & Sensibility brought the humor of Jane Austen to the stage.
Alumni continue to connect students with one-of-a-kind opportunities.
Our student life traditions continue with campus-wide Homecoming and Spirit Week events.
J-Term continues to inspire students.
Sarai Cox (‘25) plays violin with Strings Orchestra.
Congratulations to Mrs. Krista Shields on winning the 2022 Teacher Heart of Covenant.
Our robotics team competes 18in VEX nationals.
NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE
SHADOW DAYS
PAID
Indianapolis, IN PERMIT NO. 2093
Please follow @cchsindy on social media and check our website throughout the school year for updates and alternative options.
7525 West 21st Street, Indianapolis, IN 46214 317.390.0202 | covenantchristian.org