top of page
Search

The Ekklesia at Donum Dei

Updated: Mar 27

by Kristine Shiraki


“In our school gatherings, the practice of Scripture memory inclines our hearts and submerges our minds in what God’s Word says about the virtues we teach. Students and staff learn and practice hymns to join with the saints of old in worship as we respond to what it means to live virtuously for His glory alone. Increasingly, the adults in the room understand that this time of sowing the seeds and tilling the soil of our hearts is not just for the students, but for all of us.”

Turn your eyes upon Jesus / Look full in His wonderful face / And the things of earth will grow strangely dim / In the light of His glory and grace…


It’s 8AM on an average Monday morning, the start to a new week and a new month. Donum Dei students are seated in their class rows in the auditorium for assembly. Attentively, they settle in and begin to hear the story about the background of this hymn, written in 1922 by Helen Lemmel and inspired by the artist and missionary Lilias Trotter. The virtue of the month is Faith and they are learning about the courageous faith of this remarkable woman who walked away from the opportunity to become a world-renowned painter and toward the unknown as God led her to the unreached in North Africa.


It is in these regular rhythms of morning gathering that Donum Dei students and adults dive into a deeper understanding of our monthly virtues–what is wisdom, self-control, gratitude, joy, diligence, forgiveness? Are these gatherings merely for our benefit? Or is there more?


The ekklesia, or assembly of the people, in Ancient Greece was the space where citizens came together to make key decisions and take action on issues that affected their daily lives. The literal translation of ekklesia stems from the prefix ek- meaning “out” and kaleo- meaning “called”. The assembly of the people took place in the heart of each city-state, the agora—a common place of social connection and civic life. In essence, they were called out to this place so that they might then go out and do something.


Jesus first used the term ekklesia in Matthew 16:18, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church [ekklesia], and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” It is here that Jesus says he will build his assembly, his group of people, his church. If we connect the English translation of ekklesia to church, one could even conclude that this noun “church” (which has come to mean a building where God’s people meet once a week) is meant to be a group of people who are actively called out for a task, a purpose.


In our school gatherings, the practice of Scripture memory inclines our hearts and submerges our minds in what God’s Word says about the virtues we teach. Students and staff learn and practice hymns to join with the saints of old in worship as we respond to what it means to live virtuously for His glory alone. Increasingly, the adults in the room understand that this time of sowing the seeds and tilling the soil of our hearts is not just for the students, but for all of us.


And while our study of virtue challenges us on a personal level, fellow partners in the Gospel have joined our assemblies to share about and invite us into the good work God is doing in our great city. Our school community has learned about the work of YWAM SF, shared gifts and love through the programs of The Salvation Army, served meals at the Missionary Sisters of Charity, and crocheted beanies for little ones in Ethiopia served by the ministry of Crisis Aid International. Indeed, as we gather together and look at the person and example of Christ, we are called to grow in virtue and called out to bless our city and world.


If you have a chance to join our assembly, we hope you’ll catch what’s happening under the surface—the formation of hearts, minds, and souls who love God and love others.


You can join us on campus—Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8AM. Furthermore, we have two wonderful upcoming opportunities to serve, as a school community, with fellows saints in San Francisco.

 

Mrs. Kristine Shiraki partners with Donum Dei Classical Academy as our Assistant Principal and Logic I Homeroom and Humanities Teacher. Mrs. Shiraki began her career teaching middle school in South Central Los Angeles. She went on to earn a Masters in Education from Harvard University and has trained leaders and shaped state and local policy through targeted educational initiatives, consulted local school districts and governmental agencies in improving their systems and effectiveness, and has served on various boards and ministry teams with global reach.

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page