Chapel and ACTS

Chapel at Eastside Christian School

At Eastside Christian School, Chapel is more than a weekly gathering, it’s the heartbeat of our community. Every week, students come together to worship God, grow in their understanding of Scripture, and be challenged to live out their faith in practical ways.

Each school year is centered around one unifying theme that shapes our Chapel messages from September through June. During the 2026–2027 school year, our theme is “We Can Be Heroes.” Throughout the year, students will journey through the lives of men and women from the Bible, discovering how ordinary people trusted God with extraordinary faith. Each month focuses on a different biblical hero and the character qualities they displayed, helping students see how God calls each of us to live lives of courage, faithfulness, compassion, and purpose.

All School Chapel

On the first Chapel of every month, our entire school gathers together for All School Chapel. These special gatherings include worship, a message centered on the month’s theme, and a time of celebration as we recognize students who have faithfully demonstrated Christ-like character. Our Chapel Awards celebrate students who are intentionally living out the virtues we’ve been studying, encouraging the entire school community to put their faith into action.

Following Chapel, students meet in their cross-grade ACTS Groups, where older and younger students build friendships, encourage one another, and participate in activities that reinforce the month’s theme. (Learn more on our ACTS page.)

Split Chapels

The remaining Chapels each month follow our Split Chapel schedule. Kindergarten through 4th grade students gather together first, while students in grades 5–8 meet after. This allows worship, teaching, illustrations, and discussions to be tailored to each age group, creating a more engaging and meaningful experience for every student.

What Makes Chapel Unique?

• Weekly worship and Bible teaching every week
• A year-long theme with a new monthly focus that builds toward a larger spiritual journey
• Age-appropriate teaching through our Split Chapel model
• Monthly All School Chapels that celebrate Christ-like character through Chapel Awards
• Cross-grade ACTS Groups that foster mentorship, belonging, and community
• Frequent opportunities for students to participate through worship, Scripture reading, prayer, games, testimonies, and creative presentations

We always welcome current families, grandparents, alumni, and prospective families to join us for an All School Chapel and experience the heart of our community. We’d love to worship alongside you and share what God is doing in the lives of our students.

ACTS (All Called To Serve)

At Eastside Christian School, we believe discipleship happens best through relationships. Our ACTS Program is designed to create meaningful connections across grade levels while giving students the opportunity to grow as disciples, leaders, and servants. Every month following our All School Chapel, students gather in cross-grade small groups where biblical truth moves beyond the chapel setting and into conversations, activities, and relationships.

ACTS has two primary goals: to cultivate a culture of discipleship throughout the school and to intentionally develop student leadership in our middle school.

A Community That Grows Together

One of the unique strengths of ACTS is the opportunity for students to know and care for classmates beyond their own grade level. Elementary students are placed into small groups with consistent middle school leaders and classroom teachers, creating an environment where friendships naturally develop throughout the year.

Our hope is that every student begins to see they have an important role in building the ECS community. Younger students are encouraged by older role models who invest in them, while older students learn that following Jesus means intentionally pouring into the lives of those around them.

Developing Student Leaders

ACTS also serves as a leadership laboratory for our middle school students. Throughout the year, students in grades 6–8 are challenged to move beyond simply attending Chapel and begin leading others.

Each month, middle school students take ownership of different aspects of their ACTS Group experience. They may lead games, facilitate crafts, teach portions of the Bible lesson, guide discussions, or simply create a welcoming environment for younger students. Along the way, they receive encouragement and coaching from staff as they develop confidence, communication skills, servant leadership, and a heart for discipleship.

Rather than waiting until adulthood to lead, our students are given meaningful opportunities to lead now.

How ACTS Works

Following the first All School Chapel of each month:

• Elementary students are divided into consistent small groups of Kindergarten–2nd Grade or 3rd–5th Grade students.
• Each group is led by a team of middle school student leaders alongside a classroom teacher.
• Activities, games, crafts, object lessons, and discussions reinforce the monthly Chapel theme in an age-appropriate way.
• Middle school leaders prepare throughout the month and receive guidance as they grow in leadership and discipleship.

ACTS is one of the ways we seek to live out our mission as a school. By creating intentional opportunities for students to learn from one another, serve one another, and grow together, we hope to cultivate a community where every student knows they belong, every student has someone investing in them, and every student is encouraged to become more like Christ.