It’s always a joy when former students pay a visit to their “old” teachers and school to share memories, but it’s a special blessing when alumni return in order to share their love of the Lord and their life experiences with current Hillcrest students. Chandler Key — HCS Class of 2014 and Hall of Fame member — is in his third year of study at Mississippi College, majoring in Christian Studies with a focus in Ministry. He also has recently taken the job of youth minister/director at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Byram. Chandler returned to Hillcrest’s Upper School today to speak during Chapel; his message was a reminder to students, faculty, and staff that all believers have access to God all the time, due to the sacrifice of his son Jesus. Our responsibility, then, is to spend time with Him, not just as part of a community, but one-on-one in prayer and Bible study.
Christians also have a responsibility to care for others when we see a need. Proverbs 14:31 states, “Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but helping the poor honors him.” To this end, Hillcrest will be sponsoring Christmas giving projects — one among elementary students, and the another in the Upper School — to help children who may not otherwise have any gifts to open on Christmas morning. Upper School students who want to participate should bring a bag of candy and 5 one-dollar toys. These items will fill stockings for approximately 80 needy children (between the ages of 3 and 10) who live in the metro area. The deadline to bring items is Thursday, December 1st. The Lower School is sponsoring a “Giving Tree.” Elementary parents, please ask your children to share what they know about this service project, and detailed messages were sent today on Notify.
Hillcrest families have always been generous to those who are in need, and no doubt, we will once again meet (or surpass) our giving goals to help metro-area children have a Merry Christmas too.