Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7
During 2020, all of us had some challenges to face that required us to make changes – some more than others. St. Luke’s Children’s Centers had to make some large changes to face the challenges. Our biggest challenge by far was opening our Hope Centers. This was a program endorsed by The Department of Human Services that enabled us to conduct school virtually from our childcare sites.
We were blessed with teachers who were able to step in and work with the children on the online platform for their individual schools. Having virtual school enabled the parents to be able to work and not have to worry whether their child was completing their assignments or having to teach them while doing their job at the same time.
Another challenge was during Christmas. Every year, our children are very busy getting ready for our Christmas Sing and Christmas parties. Last year was no exception, we had to be more creative on how we presented our program to families. Instead of canceling our Christmas programs, we continued the tradition by streaming the Christmas Sing over St. Luke’s online platform. The children had worked so hard on their songs and the parents were looking forward to watching them. We scheduled the time, and the parents were able to log on and watch their children from wherever they were at. It was amazing! This year we will be back in person with all our children. Everyone is so excited!
The staff of the Children’s Centers love Christmas time. Putting up decorations, trees, parties, and the big finale – the staff Christmas Party. This is a time where the management team has a chance to celebrate the staff. Most years, we have a wonderful dinner along with giving gifts and thanks for a job well done throughout the year. Last year we were not able to have our dinner, but we did celebrate our teachers with a luncheon, gifts, and a lot of joy and thanks for their continued enthusiasm every day.
Our staff are dedicated and love the children in their care. We are forever grateful to them for their hard work and commitment to St. Luke’s. Our lives and the lives of our families are blessed by them. I thank God every day that I work in a place that is so caring and dedicated to loving their staff, parents, and children. Growing in my faith has been easy with the outpouring of love that is given by everyone, not just at Christmas, but each and every day.
Gabrielle Moon, Exec. Director of St. Luke’s Children’s Centers
