Mission Statement: The Lancaster Academy for the Performing Arts exists to provide musical, theatrical, and fine arts instruction and performance opportunities, with a goal of excellence, in order to honor God and be a blessing to the community. Statement of Faith: We are a Christian arts academy and we teach a Christian world and life view. It is necessary that the parents agree to support the premise that their child will be taught from the perspective provided in our statement of faith. The Board of Directors is sensitive to areas of difference among Christians. We focus on areas of agreement, not on issues which divide; however, it would be unacceptable for students or parents to seek admission if not in agreement with our non-sectarian statement of faith. This statement is commonly known as the “Apostles Creed” and dates to the early centuries of Christian believers. It conveys the historic and unchanging core beliefs of Christianity. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended to the dead On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Statement of Final Authority: Please note that the Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs, but provides a minimum standard. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God, speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind. For purposes of the Lancaster Academy for the Performing Art’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Board of Directors is the Academy’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s application. Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality: Because of the current culture’s confusion on these particular issues, the Board of Directors created a separate statement to make it abundantly clear where we stand: • We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). • We believe that God wonderfully foreordained and immutably created each person as either male or female in conformity with their biological sex. These two distinct yet complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26–27). • We believe that the term marriage has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18–25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Corinthians 6:18, 7:2–5; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that God's command is that there be no sexual intimacy outside of or apart from marriage between a man and a woman. • We believe God offers redemption and restoration to all sinners who will repent of their sin and seek His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11). We also believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). We believe that the function and integrity of the Lancaster Academy for the Performing Arts is preserved by providing a biblical role model to our students. To that end, it is imperative that all Academy faculty, volunteers, and all other persons employed/contracted by the Academy in any capacity, as well as at least one parent or guardian from each family acknowledge and commit to uphold the Core Beliefs as a condition of participation in the Academy (Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22) to which you agree to commit to and uphold these Core Beliefs.