New student Mark Sonnenmeir, from Morristown, Tenn., is glad that God can use even a small change like a school schedule to direct his path to Clear Creek.

“I was born in Lockport, N.Y. in 1997, where most of my family is from,” said Mark. “My family was not in church while we lived in New York, and most of my family there still is not. We moved to East Tennessee in 2001 when I was 4 years old. When I was in kindergarten my friend, who sat next to me, started talking to me about Jesus. Since then my whole family has been saved and baptized.”

“When I was 16, I started leading the Bible drill program at my church,” said Mark. “I had already been working with children in the church for three years, and this new opportunity was exciting. I had also been attending an automotive technology school to prepare for a career in the automotive industry. My school schedule suddenly changed and conflicted with my time of service at the church. Therefore, I had to make decision whether I was going to continue teaching the Bible drill classes or attend school. After a lot of prayer, I felt called to step down from teaching at the church and go to school.”

“When I began school that semester, I found out my teacher was a bi-vocational minister of a local Baptist church,” said Mark. “During my time at school, I began to feel my call into the ministry. My teacher put me in contact with the local Baptist association, and he began mentoring me through school as I prepared to graduate and begin a new journey God had in store for me. After I first mentioned my call, Clear Creek was the first (and only) school God had revealed to me through all the connections He placed in my life.”

 “I look back and I see how God’s hand masterfully directed me here through a small change of a school schedule to totally change my life,” said Mark. “I am so thankful God has brought me here. I love the discussions that we get to have in Small Church Ministry class. I am learning what it really looks like to minister to people on a personal level.”