Greetings PAACH homeschoolers. I hope your family is doing well and has found your groove for this school year. I also hope you have found other like-minded families to be in community with. Even though I have spoken about community in previous articles, I want to dig a little deeper into our need for community. This article will address three questions: Why do I need community? What are the benefits to my family homeschool? How can I get more involved?

Why do I need community?

In the beginning, God created man in His image and then said, “it’s not good for man to be alone.” (Gen 1:26, 2:18) Part of the theology of the Trinity is that God has always existed in community; three persons in perfect relationship. We have a relational God who has created us for relationship as well. We are meant to thrive in marriage, in family, and in community. He even gave us the ten commandments to teach us how to relate to Him and others, how to live in community. Jesus summed them up in two commands: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus also set an example for us by gathering around himself a small community, not only because they needed Him, but also because He needed them. Paul wrote several of his epistles from prison expressing his desire to be in community and appreciating those who brought community to him. The author of Hebrews also emphasized the importance of community when he warned believers not to forsake gathering together. (Heb 10:25) God’s Word is full of examples and commands regarding community, so it must be a priority for us.

How does community benefit my family homeschool?

For starters, this same passage in Hebrews says that community is an opportunity to “stir up one another to love and good works” and to “encourage one another.” (Heb 10:24-25) We all need encouragement and stirring up on a regular basis. Homeschooling is difficult (Can I get an amen?), but as the proverb goes, “many hands make light work.” Solomon wrote that “two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.” (Eccl 4:9-10) Another great benefit of community is that you get to learn more in a shorter time when you are pooling your successes and failures. You learn more together with others than by yourself because you are learning from one another’s experiences. Your children also get more diverse experiences and socialization. These benefits can be summed up in this: you and your family will be served in community. On the flip side of this, you and your family will also have opportunity to serve others. Jesus set the example for us to serve others when He washed the disciples’ feet and told them to serve each other and serve others. (John 13)

How can I get more involved?

Look for opportunities to gather with other homeschoolers. PAACH has tried to plan an event once a month to get together with others in the Peoria area. Also, join a co-op, a choir, a debate club, or robotics club that meets regularly. If you get to the stage where you are ready to get involved in serving, PAACH has several volunteer opportunities available. Most of our events are dependent on volunteer service and offer benefits or scholarships to all who volunteer their time. We also have open positions on our Convention Committee. And if you are an experienced homeschooling couple who have a passion for serving the homeschool community, you may want to consider joining the PAACH Board. These are all ways to get involved in building up the homeschool community. There is also the opportunity to financially support PAACH by donating on the website. These donations help us to pay for some of these events so we can offer them for free or at a low cost. However you choose to be involved, your support and involvement is vital to building the homeschool community.

As always, the PAACH board desires to help and support you throughout your homeschooling journey. We also want to see you become a part of a growing community that enables your family to thrive. We pray that your family learns together, grows together with others in community, and glorifies Christ in everything you do.

James Cox
PAACH President