The HLCS Light
September 2026
Dear Harbor Light Family,
This week, we had the incredible opportunity to host Dr. Kathy Koch from Celebrate Kids Ministry at Harbor Light church and school. As an educator, I was especially excited. I came with my notebook ready, eager to learn and gather ideas that I could bring back to our classrooms and students.
But instead of walking away with pages of strategies for working with kids, I walked away with a few reminders that I believe the Lord wanted me to hear.
One of those reminders was simple, but profound:
God, in His perfect love, made each of us exactly as He intended.
That is something I want our students to know—not just in theory, but deep in their hearts.
God made every student who walks through the doors of Harbor Light. He gave them unique personalities, abilities, interests, strengths, and ways of thinking. Their intelligence matters. Their creativity matters. Their compassion matters. Their questions matter. Their gifts matter.
There is a reason for the way God designed them.
Sometimes we can become so focused on grades, accomplishments, athletic ability, behavior, or what comes easily to a child that we forget to step back and see the whole person God created.
Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand.”
Our students are God's workmanship.
That gives parents, educators, and our entire Harbor Light community both an incredible opportunity and responsibility. We get to steward what God has entrusted to us—to notice the gifts He has placed in each child, encourage those gifts, help develop them, and point students toward the purpose for which God created them.
This is at the heart of what we mean when we say, “Preparing Next Generation Leaders for Christ.”
We aren't simply preparing students for college, careers, or the next chapter of life. We are helping young people understand who God created them to be, how He has gifted them, and how they can use those gifts to know God and make Him known.
What a privilege it is to be part of that work together.
As we begin this school year, may we be a community that sees what God sees: young men and women who have been intentionally created, deeply loved, and uniquely gifted by their Creator.
May we faithfully steward every child God has entrusted to Harbor Light—loving them well, challenging them to grow, pointing them to Christ, and reminding them that they were made on purpose, by a God who loves them perfectly.
That is the work. That is the privilege. And ultimately, that is for His glory.
Kelly Dutcher
Administrator, Harbor Light Christian School
Our HLCS Calendar is updated continually and can be viewed at http://www.harborlightchristian.org/calendar
9/17 - Picture Day
9/18 - Family Fun Night | Current Families Only
9/29 - No School
10/1 - Coffee Time | 1st Grade | 8:05 AM
10/1 - Pastor Appreciation Chapel | 2:00 PM
10/8 - Coffee Time | 2nd Grade | 8:05 AM
10/16 - Coffee Time | 3rd Grade | 8:05 AM
10/22 - HLCS Local Missions Day
Junior Varsity/Varsity Volleyball
9/17 JV/V | Tri-meet Onaway | Away | 5:30 PM
9/18 JV/V | Tri-meet Wolverine, Saginaw Nouvel | Home | 5:30 PM
9/22 V | Alanson | Away | 5:30 PM
9/24 JV/V | McBain NMC | Away | 5:30 PM
9/26 V | St. Ignace Tournament | Away | 9:00 AM
9/29 JV/V | NMCA | Away | 5:30 PM
10/2 JV/V | Ellsworth | Home | 5:30 PM
10/3 JV | Pickford Tournament | Away |9:00 AM
10/5 JV | Boyne City | Away | 4:00 PM
10/8 JV/V | Tri-meet Pellston, McBain NMC, HLCS | Home |5:00 PM
Middle School Volleyball
9/17 Alanson | Home | 5:00 PM
9/21 Boyne Falls | Home | 5:00 PM
9/25 Central Lake/Ells. | Away | 5:00 PM
9/28 Mackinaw City | Away | 5:00 PM
10/1 Alba 7th Grade Only | Away | 5:00 PM
10/3 Harbor Light Inv. | Home | 9:00 AM
10/6 7th vs. 8th | Home | 5:30 PM
10/8 Petoskey St. Francis | Home | 4:00 PM
10/10 NL Tournament | Away | TBA
10/12 Pellston | Home | 5:00 PM
Before traveling to a game, check the HLCS athletics calendar
Harbor Springs Football
9/15 Middle School | Harbor Springs vs. East Jordan | Home | 5:00 PM
9/17 JV | Harbor Springs vs. Tawas | Away | 6:00 PM
9/18 V | Harbor Springs vs. Tawas | Home | 7:00 PM
9/21 Middle School | Harbor Springs vs. Tawas | Home | 5:00 PM
9/24 JV | Harbor Springs vs. Benzie Central | Home | 6:00 PM
9/25 V | Harbor Springs vs. Benzie Central | Away | 7:00 PM
9/29 Middle School | Harbor Springs vs.Oscoda | Away | 5:00 PM
10/2 V | Harbor Springs vs. Lakeview | Away | 7:00 PM
10/6 Middle School | Harbor Springs vs. JoBurg | Home | 5:00 PM
10/8 JV | Harbor Springs vs. Mancelona | Away | 6:00 PM
10/9 V | Harbor Springs vs. Mancelona | Home | 7:00 PM
10/13 Middle School | Harbor Springs vs. Boyne City | Away | 5:00 PM
10/15 JV | | Harbor Springs vs. JoBurg | Away | 6:00 PM
10/16 V | | Harbor Springs vs. JoBurg | Home | 7:00 PM
St. Micheal Cross Country
9/19 High School | Glen Lake Invitational
9/24 MS/HS | Mackinaw Club Invitational
10/7 MS/HS | Mancelona Invitational
10/10 High School | 2026 Portage Invitational
10/17 MS/HS | Rudyard Autumn Classic
Check the CO-OP calendars for more information:
Amber Martin
Years at HLCS
2 years
Home Church
Genesis Church of Petoskey
Fun fact about yourself?
I love Jesus and what he did for me. I love working with kids, they are a joy to the world. My husband and I have 3 children whom 2 attend Harbor Light and one little guy still at home. My kids and I love our garden in the summertime and playing outside, in the winter we mostly stay tucked in and cosy.
Education or Background?
A Central Michigan University graduate but God prepared me in many other ways in my life to work alongside the kids at Harbor Light!
What brought you to HLCS?
We moved from Indiana to Michigan and wanted a place for our kids to love on Jesus at school too. Never thought I’d work here at that time in my life.
What do you love most about working at HLCS?
I love at Harbor Light we get to plant seeds in the students about our God, so someday they can share that with others in our big world.
HLCS staff read many books throughout the year. Sometimes they are books for fun or books for learning, sometimes we are previewing books for our students. We are sharing our favorites with you! This months favorite books come from the front office staff.
*These books are not endorsed by HLCS, we are simply sharing titles of books we enjoy*
Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp. Read by Erin Barnes.
Great pick for parents of teens.
Is God Real by Lee Strobel. Read by Katie Karlson.
There is another version of this written for teens.
Read by numerous school staff.
Sea Captain's Wife by Tilar Mazzeo. Read by Julie Spencer.
Non-fiction read set during California Gold Rush.
The Scrooge Conspiracy by Anna Elliott and Charles Veley. Read by Kate Britton.
A cozy mystery.
Lead Like Jael by Emma Waters Foundation. Read by Suzanne Bucci.
7 Timeless Principles for Today's Women of Faith.
Here’s a peek at some of our favorite moments from the past month—capturing HLCS values in action and the joy of everyday life at school! 📸✨
Kindergarteners line up after lunch.
2nd graders during flashlight Friday.
3rd graders organizing books of the Bible.
4th graders review capitalization.
Elementary chapel talks about being part of one body of Christ and what that means for being a good friend.
High school students working on math homework during study hall.
Please bring us your Oleson's receipts, we can cash them in for money to help cover the 6th grade's Mother's Day brunch. Bring any of your receipts to the front office any time this school year! If you have many, please put them in an envelope.