Tuesday, July 22, 2008

A Special Donor


Rick Bernhardt, Senior Administrator of Morningstar Daycare and Lititz Christian School which are both ministries of Grace Church, sent the following letter to all school and daycare families regarding our auditorium renovations.

Grace Church and its educational ministries have been blessed with 96,000 square feet of building space, where they meet people where they are and move them to where God wants them to be. Without question, one room that most ministries depend on greatly is the multipurpose room, which is often referred to as the auditorium or gymnasium. It is evident that seventeen years of athletic events, vacation Bible schools, worship services, youth activities, etc. have contributed to the need for room renovations, as well as upgrades. I am thrilled to announce that renovations of the auditorium/gymnasium have begun. Detailed research, professional advisement, and one generous donor are making this long-time dream a reality. Renovations include a new floor, retractable basketball goals mounted on the side walls, retractable bleachers, center volleyball court, safety mats, a new scoreboard, and fresh paint. Large multimedia screens will serve as curtains to mask the athletic accessories while enhancing the room’s sound and aesthetics when the room is used for auditorium events (worship services, graduation, chapel, etc.)

I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to introduce you to the donor of this incredible project, Mr. Henry Weber. He and his lovely wife, Frances, have had a passion for Christian education for several decades. His ongoing, generous gifts to the school and the church have been greatly appreciated. When Mr. Weber agreed to fund the project I made it clear that I wanted him to be a part of the planning, as his years of experience, attention to detail, and ability to dream would be great assets to the project.

Henry Weber has been an elder at Grace Church for 8 years, having attended the church for 18 years. Mr. Weber received Christ as his Savior in 1931 at the Lititz Mennonite Church. He attended Webster School, a one-room country school, and graduated from Eastern Mennonite High School. He is married to Frances and they are parents of Sylvia, Joseph, Christopher, Anita and Eileen. They have 7 grandchildren, two of which are alumni of Lititz Christian School and one who is currently a Junior and who also attended MorningStar. A favorite Bible verse of Mr. Weber’s is Isaiah 40:31, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” At the age of 87, he has logged over 32,000 hours flying time. Mrs. Weber is the epitome of the expression, “Behind every successful man there stands a successful woman.” Just stop Mr. Weber sometime and ask him to whom he owes his success. Without a doubt, he will give honor to the Lord first and then quickly tell you about his bride, Frances. This special woman began touching people’s lives at the young age of 16 when she became a vocal soloist, sharing her beautiful voice with anyone fortunate enough to hear her sing. Her gentle spirit and godly nature have been a blessing not only to Mr. Weber but to all who know her.

While gymnasium equipment will be installed in August, the projected completion date for the floor is July 24. If all goes well, volleyball players will have the privilege of initiating the floor during their volleyball camp the later part of August. Praise be to God for the great things He is doing at Grace Church.

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