On Thursday evening, February 11th, Osceola County Christian Educators held the first Hour of Power at Cornerstone Church. This special praise and worship concert for the public schools was a partnership between the Praise Team and Tech Teams of Cornerstone Family Church in St. Cloud, FL and the Osceola County Christian Educators to bless the public schools and to announce Osceola County's first Honor the Grads program on May 9th.
Our MC, Eddie Cortes, facilitated a Kahoot interactive online game as a "pre-test" to see the background knowledge of the participants about religious liberties. Seven questions were posed that represent the seven guidelines of the US Department of Education.
The Seven Freedoms Are:
1. Students can pray, read their Bibles or other religious material, and talk about their faith at school.
2. Students can organize prayer groups and religious clubs, and announce their meetings like any other club.
3. Students can express their faith in their class work and homework.
4. Teachers can organize prayer groups with other teachers.
5. Students may be able to go off campus to have religious studies during school hours.
6. Students can express their faith at a school event.
1. Students can pray, read their Bibles or other religious material, and talk about their faith at school.
2. Students can organize prayer groups and religious clubs, and announce their meetings like any other club.
3. Students can express their faith in their class work and homework.
4. Teachers can organize prayer groups with other teachers.
5. Students may be able to go off campus to have religious studies during school hours.
6. Students can express their faith at a school event.
7. Students can express their faith at a graduation ceremony.
Cornerstone's Praise Team kicked in with two songs and then Pastor Carlos Duran opened the concert up with encouragement for the public schools, scripture and prayer.
Eddie introduced Liz Salvato and Mignon Austin, educators from Osceola County, who discussed the first two guidelines of FREE to Speak and prayed for our superintendents, school board, principals and assistant principals.
Cornerstone's Praise Team did two more awesome songs and then Eddie introduced Karen Seddon who prayed an ABC prayer of adoration, introduced the purpose of the concert, explained the 1:16PM prayer movement, Around the Word in 180 Days and introduced the first Honor the Grads program for Osceola County. Our St. Johns Christian Educators group has been honoring their grads for the past 15 years. This amazing program has been a source of encouragement and testimonies that can melt any heart. To find out more, read about last year's Honor the Grads.Eddie introduced Patrick Blake who reviewed FREE to Speak's 3rd and 4th guidelines, read scripture and prayed for our teachers and paraprofessionals. Cornerstone's Praise Team did two more songs and then Eddie invited Gracia Miller, Nan Parker, retired educators from Seminole County and Lorri Pate, teacher at Harmony High School. Lorri introduced FREE to Speak 5th guideline which explains the Released Time Education program, probably the most little known and underutilized tool for Biblical and devotional education available to public schools. For more information, visit the Released Time Education website.
Finally, Marshall Mabry, worship leader for Cornerstone, played the God's Not Dead 2 trailer and the Praise Team closed with "God's Not Dead, He's Surely Alive!" Eddie introduced Pastor Danny Rivera, former school resource officer for Osceola County for a powerful closing prayer.
This beautiful event blessed the Osceola County schools and can be easily replicated any where with a partner between Christian Educators and a local church. For assistance, ideas and support, do not hesitate to contact Karen C. Seddon.
Prayerfully yours,
Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.
PS. Don’t forget to spread the word about the 1:16PM Prayer Movement and Around the Word in 180 Days:
• Go to www.one16pray.com and www.aw180days.com for more information.
• Visit, "like", and add comments the 1:16PM Facebook page and the Around the World in 180 days Facebook page.
• Sign up for text message prayer prompts from Remind 101
May God bless you with success His way this 2015-2016 school year.
Note: To more fully understand the 16-9 Movement, please read the first blog entry by clicking here.
Christian Educators Association International is the only professional association in the United States specifically for Christian educators in public schools. CEAI protects our members first in prayer, next with excellent professional liability insurance and other benefits while helping them live out their high calling as a Christian in the public school.
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