This stained glass cross is a beautiful piece created by our art teachers and mirrors a project each of our preschool students does with tissue paper each year. More than just beautiful art, this cross is a reminder of what is important to us at Byron Center Christian School (BCCS).
A little more context…
In June, we unexpectedly lost a beloved member of our preschool staff, Lynnell Berkompas. She was deeply loved by her family, and we ask that anyone reading this note continue to lift them up in prayer. She was also loved by the staff at BCCS and by the students she served. Lynnell was known by her peers for the care, patience, and genuine kindness she showed our youngest learners in both their best moments and their challenging ones. As we enter the 2026–2027 school year, we continue to mourn her loss.
One of these crosses was given to Lynnell's family, and the other will hang at the West Campus. It will serve as an important reminder of two things.
First, it will help us remember a friend and co-worker. It will help us honor Lynnell by loving and serving students with the same care, patience, and kindness that she demonstrated so faithfully.
Second, it will remind us of what matters most at BCCS. The cross reminds us of our calling to point students to Christ. It reminds us that our work is about more than teaching lessons and filling classrooms. We are called to teach our students about Jesus and help them understand what it means to love and serve Him. And even in the face of loss and pain, the cross reminds us that we have hope.
Today, we are busy welcoming students into a new school year. We are completing Phase I of the With Faith campaign and opening a beautiful 20,000-square-foot addition at our West Campus. A building that has served our community for nearly 80 years will now serve students for generations to come. It will provide wonderful new spaces for our students to learn, grow, and thrive. However, buildings are not what matter most. Classrooms are not what matter most. Even math and reading, while important, are not what matter most. What matters most is the work God is doing in the hearts and minds of each child entrusted to our care.
So, are we excited about a beautiful new addition? Yes! We are incredibly thankful for the outpouring of support that has made this project possible. Are we excited about all that 2026–2027 will bring? Absolutely! We cannot wait to help every child thrive in community again. But do we know what matters most? Absolutely. Because of Christ, we know where our hope lies.
This cross will be a simple and powerful reminder: a reminder that we miss our friend and a reminder that our call, in partnership with parents and churches, is to point students to true hope. Our work is to teach them to love God, love others, and serve Him in response to His gift of grace.