Christian Identity

"Good Morning, Church!" Why an Episcopal School?

Episcopal School traditions define our education. You will find references to “the Episcopal tradition” throughout this website. But just what exactly does that mean? C. S. Lewis said it well:

"You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.”

At Holy Comforter Episcopal School, spiritual formation is at the core of the entire educational experience.

So, what's so different about "the Episcopal tradition?"

We strive to foster spiritual formation in a grace-filled and inclusive manner. That “inclusive manner” is a distinguishing hallmark of the Anglican approach to education over many centuries.

We are Christian, our spiritual underpinnings rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and the belief that God loves each one of us and desires to be in relationship with us. The Holy Bible informs and guides our experience as a community of faith in regular chapel services and regular celebrations of the Holy Eucharist.

Episcopal schools exist not merely to educate, but to demonstrate and proclaim the unique worth and beauty of all human beings as creations of a loving, empowering God.

All Are Welcome!

Holy Comforter Episcopal School is a private day school for students in preschool through eighth grade. While all students and faculty attend our school chapel services, we desire that all persons of all denominations, non-Christian faith traditions or of no religious tradition feel embraced, respected and valued. All are invited to participate actively in our worship services. We encourage all who attend or work at Holy Comforter School to seek clarity about their own beliefs and religions and to honor those traditions more fully and faithfully in their own lives.

Matthew 22:37-39

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39
Quote 2

God our Father, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you, and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Holy Comforter Episcopal Church

Spiritual Foundation

We want everyone at our school to build lives of genuine meaning, purpose and service in the world they will inherit. A spiritual foundation is essential to such a life. Accordingly, we believe we were created to:

List of 5 items.

Be a community that honors, celebrates and worships God as the center of life.
Be a model of God’s love and grace.
Serve God in Christ in all persons, regardless of origin, background, ability, or religion.
Strive for justice and peace among all people and to respect the dignity of every human being.
Students will see these beliefs modeled not only in our worship, but in our shared life as a school community. The care of souls – the nurture of the spirit – is woven into the fabric of life together.

List of 3 items.

How is the Chapel Program Structured?

Preschool, kindergarten and elementary students attend age-appropriate chapel services three times a week. Middle School students attend Chapel twice in their six-day rotation. While strongly rooted in Judeo-Christian teaching, we also celebrate the diversity of our community. Students of all faiths are invited to participate in chapel in ways that are appropriate to their religion.

Eucharist is celebrated periodically throughout the school year in Chapel. Younger children receive a blessing in lieu of the elements and older students may also choose to receive a blessing.
What Does Religious Inclusion Look Like at Holy Comforter?

A large part of celebrating the uniqueness of each child is recognizing the similarities and differences among us, and finding opportunities to understand the traditions of students with different religious backgrounds.

Prospective families who are researching HCES discover an environment where all faiths and traditions are welcomed, and a religion program that is informational rather than rooted in indoctrination.
Do Students Attend a Religion Class?

PK - 5th grade classes participate in classroom devotions throughout the week, share joys and concerns and pray for one another. Children enjoy learning different blessings to sing before meals.

Our 4th through 8th grade students attend a weekly religion class whose aim is to improve students’ biblical knowledge, while encouraging and equipping them with tools to put their faith in action.

Meet Our Chaplain, Mother Beth

The Rev. Beth Pessah graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Guelph in 1990 and a Master of Divinity from Wycliffe College, University of Toronto in 2011. Mother Beth was ordained a transitional deacon in May 2011 and ordained a priest in April 2012 in the Diocese of Toronto, Anglican Church of Canada. She is the wife of Stephen, who is also a priest, the mother of Matthew and Nathan and has a sweet Shih Tzu fur-baby named Maxine. Mother Beth is an avid reader, an occasional golfer, a watcher of both Marvel and DC comic movies and TV shows, and a lapsed cross stitch embroiderer with hopes of resuming the craft. She loves travel and discovering the beauty of US cities.

Mother Beth came to faith through a backyard Vacation Bible School and has remained active in Children’s Ministry and Youth programming throughout her life; volunteering with Youth for Christ and Campus Crusade for Christ during her high school and college years and then later working in the head office of Pioneer Clubs Canada. Ministry for and with children and youth has been a focus in both her lay and ordained positions within the church; teaching Sunday School, leading youth groups, and teaching at various Vacation Bible School programs. Mother Beth loves to help people of all ages grow and develop in their faith journey and learn more about Jesus.