God alone

Builders, we are grateful for your partnership through your prayers, gifts, and building bridges to those who do not know about Greenhouse. Thank you!

During October and early November, most Greenhouse families will be involved with our annual Serve-a-Thon. Pray as they select their service projects. Pray as the students send out letters asking for people’s support. Pray that the letters will be met with favor. Pray as everyone serves side-by-side at various sites. Pray that the ministries and individuals we serve will be blessed by the acts of service offered in the name of the Lord.

The Psalmist’s words in Psalm 62 contrast sharply with the common life most of us experience in suburban America. I encourage you to read this passage slowly and prayerfully.

Psalm 62:5-8 (NASB)

My soul, wait in silence for God alone, 

For my hope is from Him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

My refuge; I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my glory rest on God;

The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your hearts before Him;

God is a refuge for us.  Selah.

For many, silence does not come easily, neither does waiting. Surrounded by screens of distraction, how do we train our souls to “wait in silence”? To wait for God alone? What practices or habits could we adopt to promote silent waiting? 

When we realize – at a heart level – that our very salvation and our glory rest on God, that He is our strength, that He is the refuge that we seek, then we can freely pour out our hearts, trusting absolutely in Him. May that be our posture both in solitude and the noise of our daily lives this month.

The Lord Leads Us

Builders, we are very grateful for your partnership through your prayers, gifts, and building bridges to others who do not know about Greenhouse.

The 2026-27 school year fully launches right after Labor Day. We have one new teacher and several new staff members as we head into the fall. Please pray that they will get acclimated quickly and build strong rapport with colleagues and the students and families they serve. If you want to pray for them by name:

• Alicia Oberkircher is teaching logic-level history & lit students.

• Elizabeth Allen is assisting in the business office.

• Raina McGrath is serving at the front desk on Wednesday and Friday.

• Charlene Oh is stepping into the role of play producer.

• Julie Roper is serving as the lead teacher for grammar-level as well as the dean for the electives program.

We believe that the Lord has led each of these women to Greenhouse. They would say the same. Consider how the Lord leads us in the familiar words of the 23rd Psalm.

Psalm 23 (ESV)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

In this psalm, David, an experienced shepherd, rehearses that it is the Lord who leads us … to lush pastures, quiet waters, restorative and righteous paths. He leads us through the fearful places, and in the face of opposition. In that firm knowledge the experience of His goodness and mercy is ensured daily as we live in His presence. Where is the Lord leading you right now? Trust Him completely in this season. May we diligently and expectantly watch for Him, and know first-hand what it’s like to dwell in His house now and forever.

Welcoming the Lord

Thank you, Builders, for faithfully supporting Greenhouse through your prayer, provision and promotion.

We are thrilled that 34 new families will be joining Greenhouse in 2026-27. Please pray that the social gatherings and orientations this month will help each new household begin to find its place in the community. Pray particularly for those families making the transition to homeschooling or co-schooling for the first time. Pray that the new students will be able to establish friendships quickly and that returning students will extend bona fide hospitality.

Showing hospitality and providing for the stranger were very important in the Middle East in biblical times. (And continue to be so today.) Consider Jesus’ words when the disciples quietly debated who was the greatest among them.

Mark 9:35-37 (NIV)

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Consider who in your life is encompassed by the “all” when Jesus says to be the servant of all. Who specifically are those you may be tempted to consider small or of little account in your daily life? When we choose to take the last place and attend to those who are small, often our hearts get humbled because we face our selfishness and pride. This is a merciful gift from God. And as we extend ourselves to others welcoming them, we welcome the Lord Himself. May we increasingly become leaders who see and serve the little ones (whether young or old) who populate our days.

Waiting for the Lord

To those who have newly joined the prayer team, as well as those who have been praying for years, we are so thankful for your quiet and vital ministry in supporting Greenhouse.

The summer is a great time to make improvements to the building and grounds. Please pray with us about a few projects. Pray for David Bendele and his crew as they freshen up the rhetoric history room with new flooring and repainting the walls. The crew will also install more security cameras on campus. For over two years we have been seeking a permit to replace our parking lot. (Being in a flood zone complicates issues.) Two more steps remain before a permit is issued. Please pray that the project will in fact be completed this summer.

The process with the parking lot has involved a lot of waiting. Waiting well is not an easy skill to develop in a culture with overnight this and instantaneous that. Yet our souls need to learn how to wait for the Lord, and to trust His timing.

Psalm 130:5-6 (ESV)

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning,

more than watchmen for the morning.”

In moments of quietude, what do you yearn for? Like a nightwatchman awaits the dawn, what captivates your heart? Have you learned to wait for the Lord and hope in his Word? What practices do you need to start, or stop, in order to have the listening space to wait for the Lord? Ask Him to strengthen you to take the small steps toward that end. As a community of believers may we be quick to wait for the Lord, and encourage one another to do so regularly.

How Much More

We have welcomed a number of new Builders since Flourish ’26. Thank you for interceding on behalf of Greenhouse. It’s an important work you do. Thank you.

This month, I would like to ask you to pray about two newly opened positions. We thought we were all set for next year; and then life circumstances changed (positively) for two of our employees. Please pray with us for a American Lit teacher for our freshman cohorts, and a part-time HR coordinator. Pray that we will effectively get the word out, and that we will clearly see how God is working. Pray for discernment as we conduct interviews and classroom exercises.

As I said, we were surprised by these openings. Thankfully, God is not. His unseen work has prepared us and the eventual new employees to trust Him in this process. That too is one of His fatherly gifts to us. Remember how Jesus describes the heart of His Father.

Matthew 7:7-11 (NIV)

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

Let those words sink in. In your asking, seeking, knocking, remember that you approach a Father who gives good gifts to those who ask him. Consider whether there are ways in which you have misperceived Him. For some of us, when we have been knocking for a long time, our belief that there is an answer may begin to flag. Or we begin to doubt the goodness, or attentiveness of the Lord. In those seasons, may our eyes be open to see when the multi-grain bread He provides differs from the twinkie we requested.

Healed and Thankful

We have a special name for those who faithfully support Greenhouse by giving, praying and advocating. We call them Greenhouse Builders. Thank you for being numbered among them. Your intercessions are a gift to this quiet ministry.

This month, 23 seniors will complete their time at Greenhouse, and 31 students will finish eighth grade. Please pray for the students and their families as they mark important milestones. Pray that the seniors will finish well. Pray that they will make wise decisions as they enter the next season of life. Pray that they will grow faithfully as servant leaders throughout their lifetime. At our Year-End Celebrations we offer personal words of affirmation to each eighth grader. Please pray that what Mary Kiel (for the girls) and Tom Spacek (for the boys) share will encourage each student as they transition to high school.

Commencements, birthdays, and anniversaries are milestones with familiar features. Other milestones are unexpected and powerful. Among those are the transforming encounters with Jesus Christ that many have experienced. Consider this passage in Luke.

LUKE 17:12-19 (ESV)

As [Jesus] entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

No doubt, all ten lepers were thrilled to be free of disease and rejoiced over their good fortune. But one, realized that the Giver was more important than the gift, and returned giving praise to God. Perhaps being a spiritual half-breed in that culture made him all the more amazed to be the recipient of God’s kindness and healing. May we remember anew the ways in which the Lord has brought His healing to us, and may our hearts swell with gratitude and praise. Let us be quick to share our stories to the praise of His glory.

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P.S. In response to last month’s prayer email, many of you were praying about Flourish ’26, which was held last Monday. We bless the Lord that the evening was truly encouraging and God-honoring. About 20 people joined our cadre of intercessors (Welcome to you!), and so far over $106,000 has been raised toward the $125,000 goal.

Not So With You

We are grateful for every Greenhouse Builder who prays, provides, and promotes. Yours is a vital role in the ongoing work of this ministry.

Our annual spring fundraiser, Flourish, will be held on April 27. I want to invite you to surround this event with your prayers. Kindly pray that the various student musicians and presenters will participate with joy and confidence. Pray that Dr. Root’s keynote address will be encouraging and thought-provoking. Pray that many will want to attend and be blessed in doing so. Pray that invitations will be warmly received. Pray for those helping behind the scenes. Pray that there will be robust giving and prayer support for the mission of Greenhouse.

There are many ways to misstep when organizing a fundraising event. One can substitute manipulation for invitation, self-reliance for godly dependence, fear for faithfulness. Being aware of our unsanctified propensities is a gift. From our post-Resurrection vantage point 2,000 years after Christ, it is easy for us to find fault with Jesus’ disciples. For example, when we read about James and John asking for places of honor, we wonder how they missed the point.

Mark 10:41-45 (NIV)

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

In his shocking humility, Jesus upends our notions of greatness. If you want to be great, then pick up your towel and basin and start washing feet. Christ Himself is the greatest example of a servant, who not only serves but sacrificially lays down His life for the sake of others. As we pass through Holy Week and into Eastertide, consider those places where you resist serving, and invite the transforming presence of the Risen Christ to soften and strengthen your heart. May we rush headlong into the greatness that comes only by habitually serving the people around us, trusting in the power of God’s Spirit.

An Arrow Prayer

Your support as a Greenhouse Builder is not something we take for granted. Thank you for giving, praying and promoting.

Every March the students perform in the play. This year’s play – Here, in the Gates – is set in ancient Israel and includes some of the history of Nehemiah. Please pray that the directors, Ellie Tate and Robin Wiper, will be able to draw out the students’ best collaborative efforts. Pray for the students to rehearse faithfully, and to perform with joy, offering the play as a gift to their audiences. Pray for Michelle Keil and Sydney Lawrence as the producers, and for all the volunteers helping with aspects of the play. Pray that the community will be strengthened as everyone works together.

During one of our chapel times (Opening Doors) in play season, we point students to the life of Nehemiah when he petitions King Artaxerxes to be able to return to the ruins of Jerusalem to rebuild the city. The passage suggests that Nehemiah shot a quick “arrow prayer” to the Lord in the midst of his fraught conversation with the king.

Nehemiah 2:2-5 (NIV)

I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

The king said to me, “What is it you want?”

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

In the reign of Artaxerxes, appearing sad in the presence of the king could be a capital offense. That’s why Nehemiah was frightened. He tells us that, in the middle of the conversation, he prayed to God (a quick arrow prayer) and then answered the king. His heart’s reflex in a stressful encounter was to turn to the Lord before responding. Is that your heart’s reflex? Are you so accustomed to speaking with the Lord that it is He to whom you turn when distressed? May it be so for each of us. And may we be ruthless in repenting of habits of heart which blunt our communion with the Lord who loves us.

Draw Near to God

Builders, we appreciate every time you have prayed, given, or advocated for Greenhouse. Thank you.

Our servant leadership motif in 2025-26 is Believing. This month we invite you to pray for all those connected with Greenhouse to be strong in their faith. Some of our students and alumni do not claim follow Jesus Christ at this point in their lives. Others are wrestling with difficult questions or overwhelming circumstances. Please pray that we may all be strengthened to trust God as he reveals himself in the Scriptures, through his Son, by his Spirit, and among his people. May we find our rest in him alone.

At Greenhouse we have been memorizing Hebrews 11 together, related to the theme of Believing. It is often referred to as the “Hall of Faith” chapter as it rehearses the lives of many who placed their trust in the Lord God. The God of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Sarah, Abraham, and the others is the same God we worship. He is as utterly worthy of our trust, allegiance, and adoration today as he was in Bible times.

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Are there situations in which you are tempted to doubt the existence, or perhaps the goodness, of God? Let us draw near to him at those very moments because in the act of drawing near we acknowledge his existence. There are times we cry out like the father in Mark 9, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” In approaching the Lord, we attest that our hope is fixed on him. It is he who rewards those who seek him. May we increasingly rest in that truth this year.

The Will of God for You

Thank you for being a Greenhouse Builder. Thank you for giving, praying and promoting. We cherish your partnership in the ministry of Greenhouse.

This month we invite you to pray for the elective program. Several courses will start in January:  Applied Psychology, Basic Art Skills for Kindergarteners, Contra Dancing, Improv, Orchestra, Painting, Rivendell Readers and Writers Guild, and Rock Climbing. Please pray that teachers will build strong rapport with their students, and that students will get acclimated to their new classes. Pray as we discern what new classes to offer next school year. 

Let’s consider these admonitions from Paul as we embark on the New Year.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

It is not unusual to hear Christians, especially young people, talk about trying to discern the will of God. Thankfully, the Lord has told us in some jarring general terms exactly what His will for us is:  Rejoice, pray, and be thankful … always, continually, in all circumstances. As we embark on a new year, ask for the Spirit of the Lord to show you where you may be constraining joy, neglecting prayer, or struggling to give thanks. When we soft-heartedly and trustingly follow Him in these simple yet profound practices, we live in His will for us. May it be so among the greater Greenhouse community throughout 2026.

In Quietness

Thank you for your ongoing intercession on behalf of Greenhouse. We appreciate your doing the work of prayer as we seek the Lord’s favor.

This month, please pray for the members of the board. Their governance role is important as they seek to safeguard the mission of Greenhouse and discern how the Lord is leading into the future. Ask the Lord to prepare new people to join the Board in the months ahead, as several veteran members reach the end of their terms.

In the church calendar, Advent is a season in which God’s people prepare their hearts to celebrate Christ’s first coming and anticipate His second coming. We must step outside the frenzied currents of our culture, if we are to gather some moments of solitude. It takes great intentionality to be quiet in our day. Listen to the Lord’s rebuke of the obstinate nation in Isaiah’s prophecy.

 Isaiah 30:15 (NIV)

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”

During this Advent season, contemplate whether you resist the rest and quietness to which He calls us. Are there places where you need to repent, turn about? Are there ways in which you are looking to yourself for strength, rather than trusting in the Lord? Searching questions, asked in quietness, can reveal our neediness and prepare our hearts for the Lord. May it be so for all of us!

Take Heart

We are so thankful for your role in supporting Greenhouse with your prayers and gifts. This month we ask you not only to pray, but also to advocate for Greenhouse with any families you know who would be well-suited to our mission.

Along that line, we ask you to join us in praying for additional students to join the core program in January. Specifically, we are praying for 6-9 students in first and second grades, as well as a few in eighth grade and one each in third and fourth. Pray that suitable families aligned with our servant leadership mission will apply before the November 15 deadline.

This school year, we are memorizing Hebrews 11, which many refer to as the Hall of Faith, followed by this passage…

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NCB)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that weighs us down and the sins that so easily distract us and with perseverance run the race that lies ahead of us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

Are you aware of anything you need to “throw off” or any sin which is distracting you in the race? If so, in what ways could you better fix your eyes on Jesus? After all, He is the author of our faith, and it is He who has written the story in which we live. Therefore, let us trust Him fully as we live out our stories. Sometimes mid-story, we may be tempted to lose heart, or grow weary. That’s when we do well to consider Christ.

For the sake of the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, ignoring its shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Reflect on how he endured such great hostility from sinners so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

In our life together at Greenhouse, in our families, neighborhoods, churches and workplaces, may we consider Christ and take heart this month.

Drawing Near to God

Thank you, Builders, for every time you have prayed, given, or promoted on behalf of Greenhouse.

During October and early November, most Greenhouse families will be involved with our annual Serve-a-Thon. Pray as they select their service projects. Pray as the students send out letters asking for people’s support. Pray as everyone serves side-by-side at various sites. Pray that the ministries and individuals we serve will be blessed by the work done on their behalf.

In his letter, the apostle James speaks candidly about how we can pray ineffectively, even wrongly. Let’s read and heed his admonition:

James 4:2-8 (NIV)

You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?  But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

To be numbered among the adulterous people, sinners and double-minded is humbling. None of us wants to be characterized in that way. And yet, our friendship with the world, and our desire to please ourselves, set us at odds with the way of Christ. Thankfully, God shows favor and mercy when we humble ourselves, confessing the prideful postures of our heart. As we prayerfully invite the washing and purifying work of God’s Spirit, He draws close to us and our prayers more closely reflect Him and His Kingdom. May this be true as pray for Greenhouse, as well as for those whose life’s journey we share.

Belief and Unbelief

Builders, we appreciate your prayers, provisions, and promotion for Greenhouse as we start the 2025-26 school year.

This month please pray that our new faculty and staff will get acclimated quickly and begin building good rapport both with colleagues and the students and families they serve. This fall we welcome five new employees: Melissa Aldana (Anatomy & Physiology Teacher), Jori Root (Designer), Olga Shroff (Applied Psychology Teacher), Jessica Smith (History & Lit Teacher), and Emily Wencel (Spanish 1 Teacher).

Throughout 2025-26, we will focus on “Believing” as our servant leadership theme. Many of us will memorize Hebrews 11, that great catalog of those who believed God. Perhaps you wonder whether your faith is in fact comparable to that of the saints of old. Perhaps you more closely identify with the man in Mark 9 who hoped to have his son delivered from a demon.

Mark 9:21-24 (ESV)

And Jesus asked [the man], “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

The man was on the right track. He had come to the right person. He believed that the hope for his son’s healing could be realized through the remarkable person of Jesus, despite the failure of Jesus’ disciples to help. Jesus’ invitation to believe comes amidst wavering faith: “All things are possible for the one who believes.” How deeply do we believe Him? Is our heart’s posture similar to the man who cries out “I believe; help my unbelief”? What is God calling you to trust Him for in this season? Rest in the promises of His Word. He is worthy of our utter belief. May we believe in Him, more than we believe in our ability to believe.

How People Know We Follow Jesus

We are thankful for all who give to, pray for, or promote Greenhouse and support our mission.

Before the school year begins, I invite you to pray for the community which will be formed at Greenhouse this year. Pray that God will be honored, students will be built up, and families and teachers will be encouraged. Pray for the 80 new students to quickly feel at home and begin building friendships with classmates. Please pray for the Lord to bless the Community Care Coordinators as they help new families get connected and acclimated. Ask the Lord to help us become “a community marked by integrity, humility, and love.”*

1 John 3:18 (ESV)

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

John 13:35 (NIV)

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Sacrificial, demonstrable acts of love, large and small, reflect the One who has perfectly loved us. It is such acts of love, inexplicable outside of Christ, which bear witness to the One we follow. Ponder if there is someone who God is asking you to love by way of a deed or a truth today. Watch for the opportunities and circumstances He provides. Purpose in your heart to do more than talk, to reinforce your words with meaningful action. Pray that the whole Greenhouse community increasingly demonstrates the love of Christ throughout the new school year.

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*that’s a phrase from our mission statement.