The theme for our  2023–2024 school year is “Connected,” inspired by John 15:5.

The theme “Connected” highlights the importance of staying connected to God and to one another when we face challenges and difficulties and when we share in joys and triumphs! It encourages us to continue to cultivate an environment of faith, love, and fellowship, where students can learn, grow and thrive in our classrooms.* We asked our 5th and 6th grade students what “Connected” means to them and here are some of their responses.

“When we are all connected, we all have a stronger faith in Him. Jesus is the vine and we are all the branches because we believe in Him.”

“To me connected means to be a part of something, or attached to it. Like how we are connected to God because we are his children and we are a part of His family. We should try to live our lives the way He would want us to.”

“Trying to be more connected to Jesus by trying to be like Him through learning the commandments and trying to follow them as best as you can, going to church and reading the Bible. I think it also means being connected with each other by showing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. “

“Connected means to me that because we are connected to Christ, we are  connected as a school, connected as friends, and connected as a family.”

“It means to have a relationship with somebody.To me being connected to God means I pray, read the Bible, go to church, tell people about him, and spread the news of God.”

“Connected is the feeling you have when your relationship is strong with God. It is comforting to know that He is with you and will never leave your side”

“if you know and believe in Jesus, you are connected to Him. When you  are connected to Him, you can do anything because of Him.”

“It means to me that we are connected to God when we  have faith in him, following his commandments to the best of our ability, and continue to have a relationship with him in the good times and the hard ones.”

“To me it means that we are all connected to God, and through God we are connected to each other like a family- intertwined with Christ in the center. “

“I believe that being connected is helping others, showing the fruits of the Spirit, and teaching people about Christ so that we can keep growing in our faith and help others grow in their own faith.”

“I think it means that we are all together as a family of God and he is the vine and we are the branches – He’s the father we are his children, without Him we can’t do anything, but together we can do everything.”

“I think connected means that at St. John’s, we are all connected to Jesus and through Jesus. The school keeps us growing in our faith and we are able to share that with others, creating more connections.”

“Connected to me means that we need that connection with God, and we can’t do anything without God. He helps us and we are connected by him and through him. We are connected to the Holy Spirit too, it helps us with our faith and this entire school is connected by faith.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

*2024 LCMS National Lutheran Schools Week Resource Manual