September Encouragement & Cavod Updates

Dear Friends,

The past few weeks have been full and rich! We wrapped up the summer with a trip to the beach with our leadership team. It was a refreshing time of fellowship, prayer, and sunshine! I came home so thankful for this team that God has knit together for His purposes at Cavod.

I hope you also had a wonderful Labor Day weekend! We sure did. Dave and I celebrated with his family—over 120 people gathered (and that wasn’t everyone!). With 13 siblings, spouses, kids, and grandkids, the days were filled with a cornhole and quoits tournament, a water slide, bounce house, tons of food, and lots of meaningful conversations! This tradition has been going strong for more than 30 years, and I love the closeness, laughter, and legacy it represents. Below is a photo of Dave & his siblings from oldest to youngest, and also a photo including spouses. 😊

This month we also celebrated something very dear to our hearts… our son Derek’s 8-year cancer-free milestone. Eight years ago, Derek was diagnosed with cancer, and today we rejoice that he is fully healed! We had dinner with dear friends Merv and Kathy, along with Derek, Ashley, Makayla, and Ethan to mark this amazing moment! Feeling extra blessed to have Derek with us, healthy and thriving; it is a gift that words can hardly capture. Truly, God is faithful! 💛

And now—we are back in full swing! Classes kicked off last week and I’m thrilled to share that we opened with record enrollments at both our Manheim and New Holland locations. The hallways, café, and classrooms were buzzing with chatter, hugs, and joy as students reconnected and welcomed new friends into the Cavod family.

In my own quiet time, the Lord has been reminding me of the importance of standing firm in Him, especially in challenging seasons. Ephesians 6:12 has been so encouraging to me:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

The work we do… changing culture through the arts and glorifying God through dance, theatre, and music… it isn’t always easy, but it is worth it!

I also shared with our staff the importance of guarding our hearts. Proverbs 4:23 says:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

We want to stay free from offense, judgment, or distraction so we can remain aligned with God’s calling. To grow together, I gifted our staff The Awe of God by John Bevere—a powerful reminder that a healthy fear of the Lord keeps us grounded and grateful.

✨ Exciting News: Cavod is expanding! We’ve signed a lease for an additional 6,000 square feet right next to our Manheim space. Beginning in January, we start construction to add a black box theatre, two studios, and private lesson rooms. Please keep us in prayer as we step into this new season.

❤️ Adopt-a-Student: One of my favorite programs at Cavod is Adopt-a-Student. It allows us to bless students who wouldn’t otherwise have the means to take classes. If you’d like to invest in the lives of children and families in our community, I’d love to share more with you. Please email me at connie@cavod.org. Thank you!!

My prayer for you today is simple:

“Lord, use me and protect me. Keep me from judgment and offense. Help me to fix my eyes on You, to live with a kingdom mindset, and to worship You in every season. Amen.”

Be encouraged, my friends. Grab your coffee and let’s keep moving forward… with God! He is our hope and strength! Hallelujah!

Much love,