From the beginning, prayer has been foundational to Providence Christian School.  Each week there are opportunities to pray corporately.  Join us each Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. or in the afternoons at 2:00 p.m. for prayer.

Join our email prayer update by calling the school office and giving us your email address.  Several times each year you will receive emails on how you can pray and updates on how God is blessing Providence Christian School.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF GOD’S FAITHFUL PROVISIONS FOR PROVIDENCE

The Meadow Wood Blessing

One of the most amazing Providence blessings centers around how the school came to be located at Camp Meadow Wood.
 

The story began nearly forty years ago when Dothan businessman Charles Woods deeded the Camp Meadow Wood property to the local Girl Scouts. The front 15 acres remained a terraced field all those years with the back part being developed into a camp well equipped to handle both overnight and daytime outings.
 

After many years, the land reverted back to Charles Woods. Mr Woods then contacted his long-time friend and television station associate, Ann Varnum. As a result of the call, Ann and her husband, Jerome, agreed to accept the responsibility of setting up a not-for-profit corporation to oversee the use of the former camp. Providence Board member, Carl Jones, and his wife, Melinda, were asked by the Varnums to serve on the new board.

The Year of Beginnings: 1995

In March of 1995 the session of the First Presbyterian Church made the decision to start a Classical Christian School, but felt that due to nearly full use of its own facility, the school needed to be located on other property.
 

Since a fundamental principle of the school was that the families involved would give primary leadership to providing school funding, it seemed that a Fall of 1995 start-up would be unlikely. The newly formed school board voted in an April meeting for July 1 to be the deadline for both hiring an administrator and for determining the school’s location.
 

In late April the Meadow Wood Board offered Providence the use of the front 15 acres of land for $1 per year for 99 years. A formal agreement was drawn up with Meadow Wood, Mr. Woods, the First Presbyterian Church Session, and the Providence School Board all agreeing to the proposal.

A few problems remained. No water or sewerage existed. There were no buildings nor a long range plan on how to best use the 15 acres.
 

In the course of a few weeks, God brought a very special team together. The group included a civil engineer, a builder, and a board member with the time and ability to oversee the project. The late George Gaut played a crucial role in getting the City of Dothan to move up its 1996 plans to run water to the point on Murphy Mill Road that would service the school. An anonymous donor provided the funds for a waste disposal system that has the ability to grow with the school for years to come. Other money was raised to pay for the buildings, the driveway, electrical hook-ups, and other related needs. A budget providing for a 3 year loan became feasible.
 

While there are too many blessings to describe in this brief overview, a few are worth noting. In May, a couple with no children or grandchildren in the school gave approximately $29,000 to be used to endow a scholarship fund. In July, Alfred Saliba Homes approached the Meadow Wood Board about being annexed into the city. This would, in turn, allow Saliba to also get a piece of property into the city limits. In return for Meadow Wood’s help,  Saliba agreed to pay for one half the cost of a nearly $30,000 turn lane. An anonymous donor contributed another fourth of the cost.

A Decade of God’s Providence

The blessings continue; Trinity Presbyterian Church of Dothan voted to close their church on South Oates Street and give their property to Providence. Trinity was the first church to get involved in Christian education in Dothan. They opened a kindergarten in 1959 and later expanded through the 6th grade. Their generosity and God’s enabling them to pass on a valuable asset to continue Christian education in Dothan blessed many.
 

The School has been blessed with a “widow’s mite” account as well. A widow in the community, who loves the Lord and children, made monthly contributions from her social security based income every month for almost a decade. She had no family enrolled in the school.
 

We are blessed with a facility that is literally a gift from God. He used people to bring it about, but in such a way that all involved say “to God alone be the glory.” The facilities of Providence serve as a clear reminder of God’s faithfulness in often doing immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.
 

Providence Christian School, now twelve years old, continues to grow in God’s blessings. Growth in student enrollment drives Providence Christian School’s expanding programs and facilities. We are thankful for so many
who have embraced classical, Christ-centered education in the Wiregrass area.