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The Augustine ForumThe Newsmagazine of Augustine Christian AcademyFall 2011

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Augustine Christian Academy...in Thy light, we see light. Psalm 36:9

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Dear Friends of ACA,

I t is often preached that the church is like a body, made up of many parts but each fulfilling its own unique function with Christ as the Head. Today, let’s use that

picture to illustrate ACA. It really does feel like a body of believers … a relatively small group with a family atmosphere. We know almost everyone, and with the House system, we get to know each other even better! For some the closeness might be a bit disconcerting, but it is in this small family atmosphere that we see character develop.

Not much gets past one another. Accountability becomes easier when there are only 200 students. Quick actions against infractions are not meant to be merely punitive, but positive, redemptive, and restorative. As the growth of character is a No. 1 motivation at ACA, we look forward to the discipline and restorative points in our life together.

Beyond the day-to-day growth in grace there is also the blessing of working together as students, parents, and staff. The fall fundraiser (Golf-/Walk-/Wheel-A-Thon) is an example of many volunteers and nearly everyone in school involved in some way, all leading up to a successful event. Thank you all for your prayers and assistance. It is surely plain that no school our size can run entirely by funds raised from tuition without raising that tuition to extreme heights, which we choose not to do.

There are many who volunteer in other areas around school, and I want to take this opportunity to give a hearty thank you to all of you as well: sewing costumes, driving for field trips, reading to elementary students, painting the annex, cleaning after an event, obtaining bids for repairing the hail-damaged heat/air units, directing the Presidential Fitness activities, etc. This is the body in action.

Keeping ACA up and running takes all of us working in our little sphere of influence. We’ve often said that ACA is one of Tulsa’s best-kept secrets. We’re anxious to make sure that our distinctive is enhanced and expanded. We know that ACA is a unique place because the Lord is the “Head of the School.” It is exciting to know that He cares for us and is involved in educating our children to be His disciples. As we become more and more vexed about the culture around us, we know that the need for educated, God-fearing young adults is essential.

Again, thank you all, Augustine Christian Academy family, for your prayers and support. Thank you to all who receive this Forum newsmagazine; your prayers and financial support are greatly appreciated. All of us together can make this “body” function and make it possible to fulfill our mission. May I commend ACA as a worthy and exciting place to invest your charitable dollars. Your gifts have produced great rewards in the lives of our students.

Blessings,

Larry J. EhrlichLarry J. Ehrlich, D. Phil.

Letter From the Administrator

On the Cover

Joshua Chasteen, James Martinez-Keel, Lindy Herzberg, and Annie Wilsterman in Pinkalicious

Top: Sisters Adaline and Mackenzie ReeceMiddle: Nadia SmithBottom: Daxon Silvers-Chase and Brennen Leidy

Your gifts have produced great rewards in the lives of our students.

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Upcoming Events

Alumni Day Friday, January 6, 20128:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.ACA

Little TheatreFebruary 17 and March 9, 20127:00 p.m.ACA

Fundraiser BanquetFriday, February 24, 20126:30 p.m.Renaissance Hotel Tulsa

Eastern Seaboard TourClass Trip for Seniors and JuniorsMarch 12-19, 2012

Hello, Dolly!ACA Performing ArtsApril 19-22, 2012ACA

The Augustine Forumpublished semiannually by Augustine Christian Academy

Contributors: Deleise Brewer, Becki Davis, Larry Ehrlich, Kenneth Jones, Denise Knorr, Kathryn

Lockhart, Lorretta Miller, Gale Post, Kirk Post, Dawn Redden, Aaron Reece, Alethia Reece, Deb Spencer, and

the ACA Yearbook Staff

Cover Photo: Denise KnorrFaculty Advisors: Kirk and Deleise Brewer

Proofreader: Vicki CheesemanEditor: Karen Aspenson

Mentor and Liaison: Andrew Johnson

...in Thy light, we see light.

Augustine Christian Academy is a 501(c)(3) corporation. All contributions are tax deductible in compliance

with IRS statutes.

Letter from an AlumnusTo the Faculty and Staff of Augustine Christian Academy,

Greetings.

It has been three years since I, with the class of 2008, graduated. Since then, I’ve taken college classes, worked several jobs, and traveled around the world. During my time at school, I never considered myself to be the brightest or the most creative of the students. But I was still pushed and encouraged to think outside the box, to never give up, and to always ask the question, “So, what?” I took all of those mind-numbing exercises for granted at the time, but they taught me the critical thinking skills that most of the men and women I am now surrounded by lack. I was taught in an environment and surrounded by teachers who surpass the norm of this world.

I write to you today to thank you for all the overtime you all put in to ensure we received a better education, a better life, and a better way of thinking. Every person at school helped me become a better man. Although I may not have been in class with all of you, I was still able to learn from

you. You taught me confidence, how to think, to be open-minded, to work hard, and to learn from my mistakes. The

environment of ACA cannot be compared to any other. When the seniors know all of the kindergartners by name, hang out with

the freshmen, and have coffee with the teachers, you know they possess a level of maturity that is not expected of someone their age. I cannot thank you all enough for your dedication and time spent in my individual life, and I hope to give back however I can for years to come.

Proverbs 16:3: “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

You have succeeded and will continue to succeed for years to come.

“For the Glory of the Lord”

Sir Fortis LCp Daniel Mark Geppelt United States Marine Corps

Every person at school helped me become a better man.

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1 Swings, Strides, and Spokes for StudentsKathryn Lockhart, Parent

Augustine Christian Academy, YOU have done it again! Our second annual fundraiser

in partnership with Champion Events will raise more money than any single event has ever raised in the history of the school! And it was lots of fun, too!

Friday, October 7, started off with the secondary students cheering for the elementary students in their Wheel-A-Thon (the “Spokes” portion of the fundraiser, organized by Tanyala Woods). Afterward, the younger students participated in additional fun activities at the school, while the secondary students set off on their Walk-A-Thon (the “Strides” portion of the fundraiser, organized by Bernie Bloemker). After winding through the neighborhood to Berean Baptist Church, the older students spent the remainder of the morning in fun, House-led activities. Everyone was served pizza for lunch, and the day ended with the elementary students cheering for the secondary students in their Grailball tournament.

The “Swings” portion of the fundraiser, the golf tournament, was organized by Jeff Hartung and Jens Quilitzsch, with extraordinary support from Angela Sartin-Hartung and Jennifer Rudolph. The tournament was held on Monday, October 10, at Bailey Golf Ranch. The weather cooperated, and we were blessed with a perfect day for golf. Players enjoyed a full morning on the course, ate a superb lunch prepared by Amy Ferguson, and were awarded lots of terrific prizes.

We set a lofty goal of $50,000 for this school-wide fundraiser, which was $10,000 higher than last year’s goal. Even Champion Events cautioned us, stating that their experience indicates collections typically go down in the second year of a fundraising campaign. But our ACA students were up to the challenge! At the time of this writing, collections total over $51,000, with time still remaining for donations to be received. We are thrilled by the results of this year’s fundraiser and look forward to even greater success next year. Together, we have proven that we can make a huge impact on our children’s lives at Augustine Christian Academy!

Fall Fundraiser

Follow us on Twitter

@acatulsa

“Like” us on Facebook“St. Augustine Academy / Augustine Christian

Academy—Past, Present, Future” and

“Augustine Christian Academy”

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Fall Fundraiser

Follow us on Twitter

@acatulsa

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1 Mr. James TracyDeliese Brewer, Faculty

Leaning back in his office chair with his fingertips pressed together, his trademark position, Jim Tracy responds to

questions with quick-witted jokes, laughing as if he has just heard them for the first time. His charisma is endearing. His classroom debates are legendary. His passion for students and ACA is undeniable.

After 12 years of teaching, Tracy is an icon at the school. No one remembers when he wasn’t here. He teaches or has taught almost every subject in high school. Biblical Exegesis, Modern History, and Rhetoric are some of his staples along with Oklahoma History and American Government. He is also the high school counselor, helping students with scholarship and college applications. Students consider it a rite of passage to take classes from Mr. Tracy, especially during their senior year.

When asked what their favorite “Mr. Tracy story” is, a volley of

words comes from all corners of the room. Students regale each other with tales of past field trips, an OU football tossed around in the classroom (Tracy denies vehemently a bias toward OU), heated discussions, and the list goes on.

Grace Taylor said, “I loved Biblical Exegesis. We discussed so many things about differing viewpoints.”

Several students comment on his hands-on approach to Rhetoric and how much they have learned.

Grant Spencer agreed and added, “Mr. Tracy has always acted as a father figure to me when I have gone to him with any issues.”

Matt Woods chimed in, “Well, he was more of a grandfather figure to me.”

All around laugh, belying the close-knit relationship he has with many of the students.

Jim Tracy has a master of divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary. When asked why he chose to teach instead of pastor, he said, “I enjoy the relationship with the students. Teaching allows me to use my gifts to lead small group discussions that help stimulate ideas.” He continued, “I teach at ACA because I love the environment — the philosophy of ministry. It is interdenominational and is liberal in the traditional sense. In

other words, there is a liberty of thought that is very helpful.”

One thing he feels good about is the significant impact ACA graduates are having in the world. This takes a team effort, he acknowledges, and is glad to have contributed to it. Although he loves the warm affection the student body has for him, his most satisfying and gratifying accomplishments in his life have been his two daughters and the “outstanding young women they have become.”

His oldest, Katie, an ACA alumna, graduated from the University of Oklahoma and is now an intern in Seattle, Wash., for Reformed University Fellowship. His second daughter, Anna, also a graduate of ACA, is in her second year at OU. Tracy credits ACA for its impact on them and chuckles that their mother probably had something to do with it also.

When asked what his favorite quote was, he responded, “You can’t win, Darth, even if you strike me down, I shall only become stronger than you can ever imagine.” ~Obi-Wan Kenobi

Laughter is a staple with Mr. Tracy. He went on to quote Winston Churchhill’s “Never give in.”

But his last quote is the one that fits him best: ““I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” ~Jesus, John 10:10

Faculty Spotlight

Top: Jim Tracy with Connor Raines and Julia Morgan at New Life RanchBottom: Shooting a rifle at Woolaroc

Right: Listening to a student’s presentation in the classroom

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Truth and RelationshipsKirk D. Post, Principal

Two aspects of classical learning stand out as essential in our experience here at Augustine Christian Academy: truth and

relationships. “This truth,” according to James V. Schall, author of “A Student’s Guide to Liberal Learning” and professor at Georgetown University, “… is the spiritual bond that potentially unites us to all other members of the human race as well as to the God who is the source of our reasoning powers.” According to him, the average student today is not challenged to develop these powers of reasoning, but finds himself bored with learning that offers no hope for truth and no appreciation of what is good and beautiful.

At ACA, while encouraging, even pushing, our students to read great books, our goal is not that they love books. Rather, we want them to love truth and to learn how to recognize truth when it shows up in the thinking and ideas of many different authors. The very beginning of true learning is the realization that there is something more, something greater than ourselves. That realization comes in different ways. For some, it comes in small, quiet steps, as the student explores the great books that free him from enslavement to the present and “relevant” and opens his mind to consider greater thoughts and ideas of another time. This freedom grows in stages and leads to a love of truth and wisdom.

St. Augustine’s philosophy of Christian teaching reminds us, “A person who is a good and true Christian should realize that truth belongs to his Lord, wherever it is found, gathering and acknowledging it even in pagan literature …” Accepting universal truth not only opens a bridge for relationships based upon a solid foundation for communication, it also allows those relationships to become the best means of teaching one other.

Education requires trust. It involves opening ourselves, becoming vulnerable, allowing new ideas and thoughts to be explored and examined. At ACA we have discovered that the greater the appropriate relationship between teacher and student, the greater the learning that is possible.

It is for both of these reasons — the importance of truth and the importance of relationships — that ACA added colloquia to its study program in the high school. These small discussion groups add another level to our academic challenge. Each colloquium studies one book, epic poem, piece of music, art, or topic, so that the focus is limited and “bite-sized.” It has only a handful of students to allow for intimate discussions of the topic. Each colloquium is offered by a mentor, and is based on a work he loves. The colloquium meets outside the normal classroom and centers on discussion of the great elements of the piece. While students must prepare for the meetings and are expected to participate, there are no tests or grades, only a love for what can be learned for its own sake.

Some examples of colloquium offerings this semester include Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” Plato’s “Republic,” “The Abolition of Man” by C.S. Lewis, and “Assumptions That Affect Our Lives” by Christian Overman.

What students receive from a colloquium is proportional to their desire for truth, goodness, and beauty, and their willingness to build relationships with the mentor and the work. We have found that in this nontraditional setting, the student often gains a greater appreciation for the mentor and the mentor for the student, and both gain a greater love for the truth they discover together.

Academics

... we want them to love truth and to learn how to recognize truth ...

Each colloquium studies one book, epic poem, piece of music, art, or topic, so that the focus is

limited and “ bite-sized.”

New Fall Classes

Performing ShakespeareShow ChoirComputer ApplicationsWorldview and ScriptureJr. High Public SpeakingClassics Colloquia

Gage Fronczak, sophomoreEthan Miller, freshman

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PinkaliciousACA Junior Performing Arts Presents

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Pinkalicious

PinkaliciousPeterMr. PinkertonMrs. PinkertonDr. WinkNurse PatienceAllisonBerniceSusanNancy

Annie WilstermanJoshua ChasteenJames Martinez-KeelLindy HerzbergEmma AspensonLark KrautterKodie WashingtonAllie Johnson Rachel KennedyAdaline Reece

Cast

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1 Four Royal Houses Grow Along with the ACALorretta Miller, Faculty

As a House sponsor from the beginning, I lament each year when my leaders graduate. How will I manage? I am always

amazed when the new group of young leaders steps up and takes the reigns of leadership so well. The Houses have evolved into even more than we expected. As an organization tool, they function very well. Keeping the family atmosphere at ACA has grown stronger over time with the Houses. We have enlarged the job descriptions for each of the leaders and even added the job of chaplain. Within the Houses we have committee leadership in a Grailball coach, community service chairman, Grammar School coordinator, social chairman, and more. We have found that the students want to be active and will lead when given the opportunity.

A pleasant surprise has been their willingness to lead small group studies. It only took one trial experience to let us know that with some direction and encouragement, they do a great job. The prefects have taken the initiative to plan among themselves for overall school improvements. Mr. Post often takes them on “walking meetings” to deal with school situations and individual House needs. They like to know that they are important to the school and to its solutions.

Our students are very creative and the leaders are not afraid to bring their ideas to Mr. Post. They felt the need for more discipline for members not willing to participate or do their chores. This year we have instituted Sloth House as a temporary form of discipline. Only after warnings from student leaders and the House sponsor, and notification of parents, a student will spend two weeks working for Dr. Erhlich during House time. The leaders also came up with the idea of ranks within each House, which will be implemented over the next several years. Students earn ranks by learning information about their House, such as symbolism, character traits, Scriptures, and more. They will also have to complete a set number of hours of community service for the House in order to move to the next rank. There would be a special ceremony within the House to award rank to its members. The House leaders are in the process of creating the ranks with the criteria. These ranks would create a newfound pride in their House and a feeling of accomplishment.

To assist with this building of House unity and purpose, custom banners have been made for each House in memory of Ron Miller’s love for the students and the school. They now reside in the school lobby and will be used in House and school ceremonies and celebrations.

House and Alumni News

Alumni NewsGabriel Lane (2003) graduated from medical school in May 2011.

Rose Lane (2007) graduated Magna Cum Laude from Oklahoma City University in May 2011. Rose is currently in Thailand teaching English as a second language.

Mark Geppelt (2008) is in the Marines and has been stationed in Japan. He recently visited Germany, where he was able to spend time with two former ACA exchange students, Kia Zamani and Alex Eckstein.

Becky West Ellis, former student, teaches Latin I at ACA.

Alumni: Send us your news!

We have found that the students want to be active and will lead when given the

opportunity.

Grammar School“Wonder and Delight”

• Devoted to the support of Christian parents• Designed to give students a mastery of the

facts• Dedicated to enhancing a child’s sense of

wonder

Dialectic School“Order and Wisdom”

• Designed to satisfy natural curiosity• Trained in traditional logic• Classroom conducted in discussion mode • Primary sources of information• Ideas have consequences

Rhetoric School“Perfection and Humility”

• Clear, concise communication skills• Integrated learning• Complete curriculum• Diverse understanding and appreciation for

the wonder of our God

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Lyrica Krautter, SeniorDeleise Brewer, Faculty

To know Lyrica means that one wouldn’t be at all surprised that her favorite quote is, “You are braver than you believe,

stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” Quoting Winnie the Pooh just fits this unique young lady.

Lyrica Krautter, a senior at ACA and our most recent National Merit semifinalist, is no ordinary high achiever. First of all, she has eleven siblings and is one of nine girls. Lyrica falls somewhere in the middle. The positive side of having an enormous family, according to Lyrica, is “learning you are not the only important person in the world. Until I was 15, I always shared a room.”

She is also quiet. At least “quiet compared to the others,” as she said. “That can be frustrating some since I’m not as pushy as others. I’m somewhat competitive, but just not as pushy about it,” she told me with a grin.

“Doodling,” as she calls it, is a favorite pastime. All those who are part of Lyrica’s ACA family are accustomed to seeing her, whether it be in class, or at the lunch table, or even while participating in a group, edging a paper with fanciful flowers or sketching a girl from a time long past. Reading and writing mostly fantasy stories is a passion of hers also, and she names literature as one of her favorite subjects. “Dracula” and “The Secret Garden” top her list of favorite books. It is not unusual to find Lyrica in the ACA library lounging by the fireplace, taking a rare quiet moment to read.

Coming to ACA in 8th grade was quite a change for Lyrica. She had been homeschooled up to that time and, even though it is a small school, ACA seemed quite overwhelming to her.

“I was scared and it seemed kind of crazy,” she said. But quickly added, “The best thing about being here is how all the people try to include everyone.”

As Lyrica progressed through her high school years, she said one of the most important things she realized was that “everyone is just like me. That was a big change.”

Students and faculty alike were thrilled when they had the opportunity to hear Lyrica play her other favorite

pastime — the harp. The uniqueness of the harp and its allusion to romance and yesteryear seems the perfect instrument for Lyrica. Playing since she was 8, she has

achieved first place in the Oklahoma Music Teacher’s Association competition — twice. She loves music that is “old-fashioned” and gravitates toward the French Impressionistic style.

Being in the top 16,000 students across the United States out of 1.5 million students who took the PSAT is quite an achievement for Lyrica. Several other ACA students have achieved this goal and gone on to be National Merit Scholars. Last year alone, two students in a class of 18 were finalists: Bailey Turner and Scott Smith. Another achieved honorary mention: Michael Emerson. It will be February before Lyrica finds out if she achieved the top rank of National Merit Scholar. She plans to go on to college and study speech therapy.

Her advice to others is, “Don’t worry so much. Later, you realize most things we worry about don’t matter. Care more about the things you can change.”

Student Spotlight

The positive side of having an enormous family is “ learning you are not the only

important person in the world.”

Above: Lyrica Krautter performing a harp pieceRight: Busy in science lab

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1Changes and Growth

Landscaping ImprovementsBecki Davis, Administrative Assistant

One rainy morning in the spring of 2011, Ms. Jane Fanning, ACA parent, was dropping off her daughter Christy for

school and noticed several students walking in the mud along the side of the building from the back parking lot to the front door. She decided right then and there that the school needed a walkway, since the only other option those students had was to walk in the main driveway.

This project was something Jane knew she could handle, because she owns StonePetal Landscapes, LLC, and knows quite a bit about building walkways. After checking with Dr. Ehrlich for approval, Jane sprang into action. She showed up at the school a few days later with her work crew and a load of gravel and flagstone. Before school was dismissed that day, she and her crew of young men had laid the flagstone and gravel walkway along the east side of the building. When the weather cooled off this fall, she brought the guys back to put in new sod and plants along the driveway. Her crew was also able to repair the school’s lawn sprinkler system. Their work has greatly improved the appearance of our building.

Jane first heard about Augustine Christian Academy shortly after the school was established, but it wasn’t until her youngest child, Christy, was entering 10th grade that she considered enrolling her at ACA. Christy, now in 11th grade, is a “people person” and was eager to enroll in classes and get involved in the school’s

performing arts program. She appeared in “The Boyfriend” last spring, and this fall she is the prop manager for the production of “Pinkalicious.”

Jane learned about landscaping from her mother, who started the River Farms Garden Club of Mt. Vernon in Alexandria, Va., when Jane was growing up. In 1984, Jane began her own landscape company called

His Design Creations & Landscape. In 2006, she changed the name of her company to StonePetal Landscape to avoid a name conflict with another company. The Fannings live on an 80-acre farm in Inola, Okla., so they put a lot of miles on their van every week coming to school at ACA. However, Jane and Christy would tell you that Christy’s experience at this school has been worth the extra mileage. ACA is glad the Lord led the Fanning family to us.

Little TheatreDawn Redden, Faculty

I consider it such an honor to teach drama at ACA, especially since I get to work with such talented and creative students!

Every class, I get the privilege of being “front and center” for some magical, theatrical moments. Sometimes I feel a little guilty because it’s just the four walls and I who get to enjoy our many class performances.

When ACA decided to offer a Performing Arts Diploma and to add to our roster of theatre classes, Gale Post and I began to desire an outlet to showcase the new and exciting class activities. Voila!!! ACA Little Theatre was born!

Little Theatre is an hour-long show, held in ACA’s Great Room, that features a variety of students from all of the performing arts classes. Each show has a different emphasis or theme. The tickets are very affordable, and concessions are available too. Three Little Theatre programs were scheduled for this school year:

October 14: Debut of the ACA Show Choir; miming by the Introduction to Theatre class

February 17: A short play called “The Children’s Hour” by the Jr. High Public Speaking Class and Show Choir

March 9: Show Choir and players from the Performing Shakespeare class

Many thanks to those who packed the Great Room for the debut of Little Theatre on October 14! The evening was a huge success! Show Choir impressed the audience with their Beach Boys medley of singing and dancing. The mimes from our Introduction to Theatre class were a hit and made the audience laugh!

If you want to experience the fun, creativity, and magic that I get to see in my classes, join us for the next two Little Theatre shows on February 17 and March 9 at ACA.Stephen Spencer on the new landscaping

Taylor Ferguson practices mime.

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Class Activities

Mrs. Schwenk’s K4 and K5 students visit Tulsa’s Fire Station 21.

Miss Main’s 1st and 2nd graders take a break after dancing at the Greek Festival.Students share a fun morning at the Greek Festival.

The 4th and 5th grade class visited the Linnaeus Teaching Gardens in October.

The 4th and 5th grade boys look for fish and frogs at the Linnaeus Teaching Gardens.

Olivia Hostetler works with a hammer.

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1Potpourri

Blessings † Lyrica Krautter, senior, is a National Merit Scholarship

Semifinalist.

† Mia Chasteen and Stella Domanchuk, both parents of ACA students, became U.S. citizens this year.

† Anthony Conroy, freshman, won first place in the Junior Cake competition at the 2011 Tulsa State Fair.

† Annie Matthews, senior, took first place in two junior categories and one adult category, and second place in one junior category, all in photography at the 2011 Tulsa State Fair.

† Mrs. Cathy Raines, parent of an ACA alumnus and two ACA students, took first place honors and won Best of Show for her quilt at the 2011 Tulsa State Fair.

† ACA secondary students logged 3,304 hours of community service during the summer months and first quarter of the 2011-2012 school year. Students can earn House points for doing community service.

† In July 2011, several ACA students and one ACA parent appeared in the Encore Theater Arts production of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. Anthony Conroy, a 9th grader, played Augustus Gloop; 11th grader Abigail Cascairo played Violet Beauregarde; and 9th grader Joseph Bates played the TV reporter. ACA parent Dr. Mark Cascairo appeared as Grandpa Joe, and 6th graders Michael Conroy and Katherine Bates and 4th grader Lydia Conroy were Oompa-Loompas in the musical comedy.

ACA Prayer GroupDeb Spencer, Parent

Drive into the ACA parking lot on any given morning, and you will join a procession of cars bearing students ready

for the school day. Books, backpacks, and lunches are gathered, good-byes are said, students walk through the doors on their way to the classrooms, and parents make their way back onto the busy streets.

But on Wednesdays, some drivers linger. Dressed for a jog in the park, a day at work, or errands about town, they find one another gathered in a quiet room of the Performing Arts Building for an hour of sweet fellowship in prayer. Hands curl around travel coffee mugs … fingers leaf through Bibles. Soon, the walls softly echo with Scripture to undergird, exhortations to remember God’s love and sovereignty, encouragement for the days ahead, praise and thanksgiving. Then school directories highlight several families, teachers, and staff as they are lifted up to the Father one by one. Specific petitions and praises follow.

The hour passes too quickly, and almost as soon as they have begun, these prayer warriors say their own good-byes and emerge into the morning sunlight, senses heightened by the awareness that our God is here, in this place. The entire scene unfolds again at the Performing Arts Building the hour before school ends. More parents come once again to intercede on behalf of the school, students, families, teachers, and staff.

Prayer requests can be passed on to Ms. Davis, or written on cards and dropped in the prayer box located in the school lobby. (As a reminder, please obtain permission before submitting a request on behalf of another person.) But even if you never submit a request, your family’s names will in time be drawn from the pages of the school directory and brought before the One Who Knows All and Cares for All.

ACA is a small community, sharing the joys and tears, the challenges and triumphs of this passing life … on the way to something more, much more. We are bound together in this moment by a common goal — no, a yearning — to inspire the precious children God has placed in our trust to seek Him with all of their hearts … to not only teach them of His astonishing creation, but to lead them to love and know Him, to be like Him, and then to go forth into His world as brilliant lights reflecting His glory. It is a magnificent venture — one we dare not undertake in our

own striving. We invite you to join us as we seek Him together.

Coming April 2012

Gina Conroy, ACA faculty, is president and founder of Writer...Interrupted where she mentors busy writers. Her first novella, “Buried Deception,” in the Cherry Blossom Capers Collection, releases from Barbour Publishing in January 2012 and is available for preorder from Amazon.com. Gina loves to connect with readers on Facebook and Twitter. She will be celebrating the launch of her book with a Mystery Party in early January.

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Grailball

Fall 2011 Champions

Dialectic Co-ed: Pegasus HouseRhetoric Women: Griffin HouseRhetoric Men: Dragon House

Kale Bloemker and Chris AsherCaleb Brennecke, Grant Spencer, and Nuria Keel

Kodie Washington, Victoria Duntley, Stephen Emerson, Ben Osborne, and Mallory Fagg

Kirk Post, Adaline Reece, Emmanuel Selvarajah, and Logan Turner

All–Star TeamsDialectic Co-ed: Stephen Emerson, David Hamilton, Joshua Nnaji, Paul Nnaji, Emmanuel Selvarajah, Kodie Washington

Rhetoric Women: Ella Burney, Christy Fanning, Rachel Knorr, Sophia Redden, McKenzie Reece, Amy Schatzmann

Rhetoric Men: Caleb Brennecke, Brice Johnson, Joshua Knorr, David Nnaji, Grant Spencer, Nik Stophel

The Chivalric Award for Sportsmanship: Grant Spencer

Stephen Emerson and Emma Aspenson

Augustine Christian Academy...in Thy light, we see light. Psalm 36:9

6310 E. 30th StreetTulsa, OK 74114www.acatulsa.org918.832.4600

Non Profit Org.US Postage Paid

Tulsa, OKPermit No 1957

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The Augustine ForumFall 2011

Augustine Christian Academy