Former and current students, staff and parents celebrated the 50th anniversary of Maranatha Christian School at Garafraxa Street recently with an official tree planting ceremony and festive afternoon and barbecue.
After being a Saturday school for a number of years, Maranatha officially became a day school in the community of Centre Wellington in 1968.
Parents who desired to educate their children from a Reformed Christian perspective purchased their first building for $5,300 on 2nd Line in Fergus, housing 29 students in grades five through eight, a principal and one teacher.
Students picked the name Maranatha, which means “the Lord will come soon.”
In 1986, the current property on the east side of town was purchased for the growing student body, including Grade 9 and 10 for Emmanuel Christian High School.
With the addition of kindergarten and Grades 11 and 12, the building quickly filled up.
In 2009, Guelph members of the school society started their own school and in 2016 Emmanuel purchased and renovated the former public high school and moved out.
Currently, Maranatha Christian School has 226 students, nine full time staff, nine part-time staff and a membership of 204 families.
