CEA SPRING NEWSLETTER

APRIL, 2010
Standing Firm, Moving Forward - Philippians 4:1

The mission of the Christian Educators Association is to inspire and support Christian educators and encourage community by providing opportunities for spiritual and professional growth based on God's Word.

Letter from the CEA President

On behalf of the CEA Executive Board, greetings to you all!

The CEA Executive Board has been working hard to adapt and introduce changes to our convention in order to remain a relevant and vital organization.

A new option that we began last year was professional development for teachers. SB-CEUís from the State of Michigan, facilitated by Calvin College, were offered. We also offered graduate credit from Calvin College through a workshop that coincided with the Convention. It was a good start and we hope to continue and enrich these options.

We are also looking at the site of our convention. The Milwaukee site will no longer be used since it was deemed inadequate to accommodate us. We have begun plans to consider Holland Christian High School along with some neighboring sites and Trinity Christian College as options. While we may have an opportunity to save a substantial amount of money using these sites, we need to do a little more work and planning to ensure that these sites will meet the needs of the convention.

We have paid attention to suggestions for the convention and the plans for the 2010 CEA Convention (Standing Firm, Moving Forward) are taking shape. We are making some changes to our opening Mass Meeting worship time, since many of you expressed that it was just too long. We have many good sectional speakers committed for 2010 CEA, so we pray Godís blessings on an inspiring convention that supports us in the work of Christian education.

We will no longer print a booklet for the 2010 convention. All the information will be available at - http://ceateachers.org for you to make your plans. At the convention we will have a simple, one page schedule available. The keynote speaker will be Jeff Wiema and capstone speaker will be Dale Cooper. Two noteworthy featured lecturers will be Dan Walcott and Syd Hielema.

While planning some changes to the convention we continue to ask "What do we really want to accomplish with the convention?" If we satisfied all the suggestions we receive, we would need to be all things to all people. We canít and donít want to do that. Let me clarify what we see as the purpose of our convention.

1. To be renewed in our commitment and passion for teaching children in the light of Christ.
2. To talk with others who are doing the same work. (Many of us are the only ones in our buildings who do what we do.)
3. To hear speakers who will challenge us to think and challenge us to remain firmly positioned on the philosophical foundation of our work.

It has been a pleasure to serve with the many gifted and creative people on the Executive Board and the Convention Planning Committee. And I encourage you to take an opportunity to serve the CEA in this way. You will be blessed as I have been.

George Guichelaar, 2010 CEA President

Future CEA Convention Dates

• 2011 - October 13 & 14 - South Bend, Indiana
• 2012 - October 18 & 19 - MANS - Grand Rapids, MI
• 2013 - October 24 & 25 - South Bend, Indiana

Convention Planning Committee Report

• The CEA Executive Board has announced that the dues will not increase for the 2010 CEA Convention. The dues will remain at $80.00 per member.
• For the past few years we have offered our CEA booklets both in print format and electronic format through the CEA website - www.ceateachers.org. In 2010, all of the convention information will be available on the CEA website. You will not receive a printed booklet in advance. You will receive a small printed summary of the schedule and sectionals available when you arrive at the convention. Be sure to check the website before you drive to South Bend.
• We are planning a fantastic worship time during the Mass Meetings that you are sure to enjoy!
• The 2010 CEA Convention will begin at 8:30 a.m. on both days, Thursday and Friday, October 21 and 22, 2010.
• The number and quality of speakers willing and committed to speak at the 2010 CEA Convention is terrific.
• We are proud to be able to offer a lunch period at the convention this year. There will be a time during the lunch period where there will be no sectionals scheduled. The exhibit hall will be open. Also, we will not have the full offering of Loaves and Fishes this year, rather we will offer time and space for an informal Loaves and Fishes gathering during the lunch period. For example, if you are a media specialist, look for a media specialist sign on a round table on the lower level of the Century Center and gather there to talk with others in your position at other schools during the lunch period.
• The CEA committee continues to work with OCSTA, our Canadian counterpart, to publish the Christian Educators Journal.† The publication has a new editor and a new look.† We hope everyone enjoyed the February issue.

CEA Book Club

The CEA book club will be returning to the 2010 CEA Convention. Plan now to read Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. We are looking forward to a great discussion in October.

CEA - Calvin College Partnership

1. Calvin College will again offer a for credit workshop in connection with the 2010 CEA Convention. The workshop will tie in with the theme of Standing Firm, Moving Forward.  More details can be found on Calvin's website. There will be a discount of 20% to schools who have three or more participants in the workshop.

2. SB-CEU's may also be earned during the convention through Calvin's Graduate Teacher Education Program by attending a variety of designated sectionals