WEST BATH

Most of the students and children who attend Compass Point Academy and Day Care are not part of the Gospel Light Fellowship.

Many of them, in fact, are not even Christians — though the hope is that they will be, some day. And while Compass Point certainly provides a Christian education, some parents are sending their children there for another reason.

“Someone from the state was in recently — we always get great evaluations from the state,” said Brenda Cross, who is co-pastor of Gospel Light with her husband, Arden. “She told us the state is seeing an escalation of morals and manners being sought by parents, so parents are choosing Christian day care and schools.”

The motto of Compass Point Academy, not coincidentally: “Academic excellence with moral guidance.”

About 40 children go to the day care, Cross said. There are 18 students in the academy, which is pre-K through 12.

Two Compass Point Academy graduates have gone on to teach at Christian schools. Callie Maguire, daughter of associate pastors Don and Gayla Maguire, teaches at Compass Point. Candace Michaud teaches at a Christian school in Brooks.

“It’s been one of the greatest outreaches and ministries we’ve ever had,” said Cross, “and Arden and I have been ministers since 1983. “Ard and I had a passion inside to really see a Bible-believing church that set forth a ministry like Jesus did. The time of talking about what should be has ended. It’s time to be.”

Cross said that she and her husband had been at prayer about starting a church. As good fortune would have it, the Maguries entered the picture. The Maguires had served as their instructors at Bible college.

The Crosses had started Gospel Light, located at 412 State Road, in the spring of 2001. The church began with 12 people, and now there are 70 in the congregation.

They and a few other dedicated people helped get the church built from the ground up.

Gospel Light included a home school since the get-go. The day care is in its seventh year. Then came the academy.

“The four of us were together one day,” Cross recalled, “and they fell into tears because of God’s calling. Compass Point is the eighth Christian school they have started. It’s a funny thing now that those who were our professors are our associates.”

The school and day care provide an uplifting experience for the church.

“We always have had a passion for children,” Cross said. “We have many ministries, but the church family has a passion for this. We believe strongly that it’s an offense not to reach them in the ways of the Lord.”

Compass Point Academy and Day Care has attained model status through the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) program.

Gospel Light Fellowship itself is blessed with the Crosses, the Maguires and a dedicated congregation. The Crosses feel particularly blessed.

“In 1996 someone hit Arden head-on in Brunswick,” Brenda Cross recalled. “It crushed his leg and broke his neck. He had kidney and bowel failure, and was not expected to live.”

Live, Arden Cross did.

“He learned to walk again,” his wife said. “He is quite a proponent for the miraculous power of God.”

Brenda Cross feels the same way. As a child, she was cured from leukemia.

Sunday morning worship at Gospel Light Fellowship is at 10:30 a.m., and Sunday school is at 9:30 a.m.

lgrard@timesrecord.com