At CCS, Imago Dei Week is a time full of fun and educational activities showcasing many different cultures around the world. The phrase “Imago Dei” is Latin for “Image of God,” and the goal of the week is to celebrate that, even though we are different, we are all children of the same God and made in His image. 

On the last day of the week, the entire school takes time for the Celebration of Nations where students explore different activities and stations around the campus and learn about the life and culture of countries all around the world. There was live dancing from the Charlotte African Drum and Dance Collective that the entire school had the opportunity to see. Some students and teachers even had the opportunity to dance along with the group and learn some dance moves. They performed many native African dances to live drum music. When Jordan Luna, a junior at CCS who worked the soccer station, was asked about his experience during Imago Dei Week, he said, “I really enjoyed the experience of sharing the gospel in my native language [Spanish]! It was a really fun experience to be able to be a part of God’s diverse image as a part of his creation throughout the Imago Dei Week!” 

The 7th graders also presented their international projects for their geography class. Students were assigned a specific country and researched the country’s history, culture, and food. The school was able to walk through the Auxiliary Gym and ask students questions about their chosen country. This is a great project for the 7th graders as it builds communication skills as well as appreciation for other countries and cultures around the world. In the Main Worship Center, there were also many booths the students could interact with. Every booth represented and focused on a specific country, such as Italy, China, and Mexico, with some students and volunteers that were from each country. Students were able to enjoy food from these cultures, as well as learn about their lifestyle and clothing. Over in the Student Center, students could play sports and do activities originating from other countries, such as golf and soccer.

Overall, the Celebration of Nations was a fun and meaningful time for the entire school. It is important to learn about these different cultures and places because God calls us to be disciples of our nearest, our neighbors, and the nations. So we need to know and respect other cultures.