Christmas Joy 2023
Merry Christmas Concordia!
Over these last three days of the 1st semester during our JOY videos, this advent season, and the entire year, it is our hope and prayer that you and your family have been able to see the hope, love, and most importantly, the JOY that we have at Concordia Lutheran High School.
We have much to celebrate and to be thankful for as we look back on 2023. Our school is growing with our fourth largest enrollment in school history, and our largest in the last five years. We have families joining us from 47 different ZIP Codes, and 17 different communities from the greater Houston metro. Our ministry is truly impacting our greater community as we prepare our students for their next stage and steps of life.
This past year, we have had many, many successful programs and groups including Choir and Band state championships, Art team state runner-up finish (the highest in school history), and Cheer state runner-up finish just a few weeks ago. Additionally, we’ve had many teams and students advance in playoffs and tournaments, representing Concordia well all over the state and nation.
A friend shared in a recent sermon, that the Greek word for joy is chara. Additionally, the Hebrew word for joy is also chara. What is interesting about this, is that both of these ancient languages that were prevalent during the day of Jesus and the early church growth, whether you spoke, Hebrew, or Greek, there was a shared understanding of what true joy meant.
As you celebrate Christmas and the end of 2023, we hope and pray that you are able to see the true joy that is meant for all people. In all the hustle and bustle of getting ready for hosting or traveling, or maybe this years’ festivities felt little different with a missing seat at the table, or there is an uncertainty of what the future will bring in 2024, the gift of our Savior in a manger on a starry night is a true gift of joy. May the Holy Spirit work in your life so you can see that true joy!
As we look ahead to 2024, there are many exciting things happening in our ministry. Our winter and spring sports will compete in their seasons, our Winter Musical will be Disney’s The Little Mermaid, our band will go on tour to Chicago, our Global Embrace mission trip team will build a home in Costa Rica, and our fine art programs will compete in their state competitions. Finally, we are hopeful for another full freshman class for the 24–25 school year.
Over the last 13 months, we have been in the silent phase of the largest campaign in Concordia history, the Setting The Stage campaign. Over $6.3 million has already been committed and given towards this project that will revolutionize our fine arts and indoor athletics programs, as well as benefit our entire campus with additional spaces that are overdue. We look forward to sharing more information with you about this project, but we are still $1.2 million away from breaking ground and publicly moving forward with the construction. Thank you to those donors that have already pledged and contributed, and we cannot wait, except with expectant JOY, for this project to soon begin. We are asking you to joyfully and prayerfully make a year-end contribution to Concordia’s ministry to support this project.
We have much JOY to share this year! Enjoy our videos that emulate that JOY and click below to make a year-end contribution to the Setting The Stage campaign.