Statement of Faith

Florence Maitland’s Statement of Faith

1. My Philosophy of Christian Education

Christ centered and child oriented environment
       I believe that God and Christ are every part of who we are, as unique and beautiful individuals spiritually connected to all other people and the world as a whole. I believe that an education that acknowledges and appreciates cultural and individual diversity in the name of Jesus’ and God’s grace and teachings not only establishes a nurturing environment that strives to guide children in loving their spiritual and whole selves but also those of others and the entire world. 

Education that will nurture a child academically, spiritually, socially, aesthetically, emotionally and physically
       Love of Christ and God go hand in hand with love of the self. With love of the self, there is more self motivation and determination to extend oneself spiritually through learning and growing with others. Children will succeed more academically, make more friends, acknowledge beauty around them in all of God's blessings and be not only emotionally but also physically healthy through the positive energy that a strong faith radiates from within the self.

Active parental involvement
       I have always been a strong supporter of parental involvement within an educational setting. Not only do parents get to be a part of their child's academic and social growth, but they also get to see how their child is growing in God's love and learning how to extend their spirituality to love themselves and others unconditionally. Parents are significant sources of God’s love as children grow, providing their child with expressions of God’s love for them through guidance, support, and encouragement. 

Developing children’s unique potential
       Through God's love, strongly rooted in the unbiased and nonjudgmental support of a teacher, friends (classmates) and parents, children come to love and appreciate their true selves, thereby opening up their hearts to their unlimited potential and endless possibilities in their lives. Not only is it important to acknowledge and appreciate each child's unique talents, but it is also important to give them opportunities to try new things so that they know they can do and accomplish anything they set their minds to. Oftentimes we never realize our full potential until we extend ourselves into the unknown and risk leaving behind what is familiar. This requires a strong faith in God, which each child will come to learn as they try new things and have the knowledge that God, teachers, family and friends love them no matter what.

Living a life of service, fellowship, stewardship, discipleship and obedience to God 
       We are all forever learning how to be true expressions of God and Christ's love. As we continue to be willing to learn and grow from our experiences, forgive and unconditionally love ourselves and others, we come to understand what it means to live in service, fellowship, discipleship and obedience to God. It is a letting go, a surrendering of our lives unto Him and an opening of the eyes of our hearts so that we may live His will for us, whatever that may be. Once we surrender our lives unto God, life becomes synchronous with God's grace. It is important that we teach our students and children that God and Christ are not only someone we follow and aspire to be like, but whom we can call our friend in times of need and in times of true joy. Indeed, children live a life of service and fellowship to their friends, so why not to God as well, thereby establishing an even stronger connection with Him. 


2. My personal story of how I came to Faith in Jesus Christ and what God is doing in my life today

        Coming to Faith in Jesus Christ has required and still necessitates a continuous extension of my spiritual self in genuinely compassionate, nurturing ways, not only to myself but to others and the world. Coming to know Jesus Christ has required a lot of prayer, devotion, reflection and faith. When I was younger, I was actively involved in Kitimat’s First United Church. I was not only a part of the youth group and choir, but I also occasionally taught Sunday school and was the youth representative on the church board for two years. Connections with others of similar faith continued as in many summers I attended Molice Lake Church Camp, where spiritual prayer, songs, crafts and friendships flourished. It was in 2004 that I took a leap of faith and went overseas for my first time with people from the United Church to develop our spiritual selves in Taize, France for one week (www.taize.fr). Our time there consisted of living simply, helping out with at least one community chore (i.e. serving food) and attending church 3 times a day to sing, pray and sit in silence for 10 mins. Each day we would listen to the spiritual knowledge of a brother and then reflect on the lesson with a small group of people from different countries. While in Taize, I came to learn of the importance of taking time out in the day to sit still and be at peace, despite how busy our lives can become. It is in this silence that I have found how to be more deeply connected to God. I also learned how to live and eat simply without desiring more but instead appreciating what I do have and not taking anything for granted. What I found to be the most profound about Taize was how people of many different religions and cultures from all over the world could come together in one small place in complete peace to learn how to be true expressions of God’s love to each other. Although religions may be different, we are all God’s children, ultimately believing in one truth. 
        In the present moment, God is opening up my heart to see and truly appreciate his miracles and blessings all around me, in everyone and everything. Each day I pray that I may be a true expression of His compassion and unconditional love to myself and others so that they too may feel blessed and cherished and in turn, share God’s love with others. With a strong faith in God’s grace, I am able to let go and surrender my life unto him so that I may live His will for me, whether I know what that is or not. I believe that the joys and struggles I experience in life are all a part of His plan for me; my trust in Him opens my heart to prayer and allows me to feel secure in uncertainty and have faith that everything is and will always be okay. I know that God is speaking to me as I grow spiritually through continuously reaching out to others (i.e. volunteering as an adult adoptee with AFABC), expressing compassion in my daily life through random acts of kindness and peaceful presence, reading spiritual books and sharing my spirituality with others through teaching Sunday School at St. Andrews United here in Prince George and educating children in the public school setting. 

I am living my life like a prayer. 

In Spirit, Light and Truth,
Sincerely,
Florence Maitland