BRIEF HISTORY
On September 6, 1954 at 9:00 am 39 students representing 24 different families met in the former Delaware Mennonite Church building in rural Delaware Township. The families were from Juniata, Snyder and Union counties and the students ranged in age from first grade to tenth grade. The school was later named Delaware Mennonite School.
In 1980, a new organization was formed whereby the school came under the direction of an association of patrons. The school now being representative of multiple churches and congregations changed the name to Juniata Mennonite School.
The School continued to grow in numbers requiring a larger facility. Land was purchased in the rolling hills of McAlisterville and construction began on what is now the present day JCS. In 1988, the doors to this facility opened with an eye on God's blessings and a faith that He would do still more to advance the spread of Christianity through the lives of our student population.
This larger space provided for opportunity for higher enrollment and an improved learning environment. As God blessed and growth continued, the need for additional office space, library space and still more classroom space was met by an expansion of the facilities. This paved the way for the later addition of High School making JCS a K-12 school. Still being blessed by God, JCS is now Fully Accredited opening the doors of opportunity to students for College and University attendance with full recognition of JCS credentials. Truly, JCS has fulfilled our mission of bringing honor to Jesus Christ by educating with excellence and nurturing our students' God given abilities. And we partner with families, the church and the community to raise up generations of men and women with a biblical worldview who love Christ and serve others.
JCS is grateful for our Mennonite Heritage. The Mennonite traditions hold true to such principles as peace, honor, integrity and service. And we have found these same principles throughout all the congregations we have served over the years. While JCS was formed by Mennonite churches unifying to train up children, it has partnered with many other denominations over the years and indeed is representative of the unifying spirit of Christ throughout all Christians. The JCS motto is "Solid Foundations, New Horizons" which represents not only our mission of providing children with both a solid foundation in Christ with a view of Christ on the horizon, but also JCS's solid foundation in the Mennonite tradition, and the New Horizon of unifying Christians with a common goal.
"For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." - Romans 15:4
STATEMENT OF FAITH
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory. God originally created Man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, he transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his nature was corrupted and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. Justification before God is only possible through faith, by grace, in the finished work of Christ on the Cross. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost. They that are saved will be resurrected to life, and they that are lost to damnation. We believe in the spiritual unity of the believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God immutably creates each person to reflect His image as male or female. We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one’s sex, or disagreement with one’s biological sex is sinful and offensive to God. We do not consider homosexuality, bisexuality, and transgenderism as acceptable alternative lifestyles or sexual “preferences.” They are incompatible with the divine design for sexuality and the marriage covenant, as well as unhealthy and destructive to individual persons, families, and society. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single exclusive and lifelong union. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Compassion compels us to support the healing of those who wish to change their destructive behavior. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Accordingly, hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated.