When Gordon and Cathy VanderBrug moved to Lexington in 1980, one of their top priorities was finding good Christian schools for their three children to attend. They sent the younger two to North Shore Christian School in Lynn, where Cathy taught PE part time. They enrolled seventh grader Jackie at LCA. Cathy immediately began volunteering in the lunchroom, along with many other mothers. She also helped with fundraisers. It took only two years for Gordon to be asked to serve on the Board of Trustees.
By the time he accepted the chairmanship in 1986, Gordon had concluded that the Board’s purpose was encapsulated in holding the school’s welfare in trust. It was time to review what that meant. He and another trustee, Don Sorrie, took the lead in raising standards in three areas: finances, academics, and obedience to God. Fellow trustee, Kirk Ware ’72, describes the change.
Before Gordon became Chair, Board meetings were very efficient, pre packaged – and short. Everything had been decided ahead of time, so all the full Board had to do was approve the plans. Gordon led much more analytical, thorough discussions about things that mattered so we could come to the best possible decision, one that all of us could understand and assent to. Meetings became much longer, as in 3-4 hours! We felt like we were doing great things for the school and the Lord, so long meetings were okay.
At first, as the Board emphasized more robust Christian academics, the school lost families that did not appreciate how integral to the school’s identity Christian had always been. Some families also left because their understanding of Christian education meant shielding from “worldly influences” rather than guiding students to deal wisely and confidently with those sinful influences that flow from all human hearts. Throughout his years of service Gordon led the Board tirelessly to fulfill their duty to God and to LCA. He spearheaded Vision 2000, a plan to grow the school and strengthen it. This plan caused the faculty and administration to take a hard look at all activities at the school. Sustained efforts to make faith-infused learning a vibrant reality in and out of the classroom saw a marked increase in excellence.
Meanwhile, Gordon and Cathy saw that the school’s fundraising drives netted small gains, and its connections to alumni and donors were somewhat haphazard. He persuaded her that with only 10 hours per week, she could improve both. Cathy laughingly reports, “I started out volunteering part time, and by the end of two years, I was a full-time employee!” With the help of various people, the new development office consolidated and computerized the lists of donors, alumni, current and potential parents, and supporters. Cathy hosted the first few class reunions, which became famous for her wonderful strawberry pies. Because she believed so firmly in the value of solid Christian education, Cathy overcame her deep dislike of asking people for money. She multiplied the number of scholarships the school offered, expanded and upgraded the alumni news magazine, and professionalized the development office.
When Gordon retired as chair, he wrote down what had guided him and the Board in order to help future Boards keep the school true to its mission. Some of the key insights he shared were:
- Keep the Christian Perspective – This is the heart of Lexington Christian Academy; it is what distinguishes us from other quality secondary schools. It starts at the top, and by that I mean the Board of Trustees.
- Do not let the Christian Perspective be Interpreted as isolating Ourselves from the World – God did not place us in this world to isolate ourselves from it, he placed us here to reclaim it for him.
- Work for Academic Excellence – Our parents and students expect it. More importantly, God expects it. Do not let anybody even entertain the thought that the Christian perspective in any sense reduces the expectations for academic excellence; on the contrary, it enhances them.
- Faith and Fiscal Responsibility – Being fiscally responsible and having faith that God will bless the future efforts of his people at the Academy is one of those apparent contradictions. But it is just that, an apparent contradiction. God expects both. He gave us minds and hearts to plan and to pray.
The faith, determination, and loving work of Gordon and Cathy VanderBrug, and the many who worked alongside them, were pivotal in LCA’s blossoming as an outstanding Christian institution. May their influence long outlive them.
Written and edited by the story.lca.edu Timeline Team. To read more about the rich history of LCA and its faithful stewards who made LCA the place of excellence it is today, visit story.lca.edu.