PLEASE BRING EVERGREEN BOUGHS FOR OUR ADVENT SPIRAL
On Sunday, November 30th at 5:00 pm (for the Kindergarten) and 7:00 pm (for the Grade School), we will celebrate our Advent Festival. This festival helps us prepare ourselves inwardly as we remember and honour the light during the darkest time of the year.
The celebration has the children walking the Advent spiral that we create from evergreen boughs (pine, spruce, cedar, etc.). If you have access to these types of trees, please consider doing a little (or a lot) of pruning and bringing us your boughs to help build our spiral. Or perhaps you know a landscaper, neighbour, or relative who has boughs they could donate to us.
Please bring any boughs you can offer (big or small, many or a few) to the north side of the main school by the staff entrance doors. Thanks for your help.
ADVENT FESTIVAL
The gift of light I thankfully hold
And pass to my neighbour its shining gold,
That everyone may feel its glow,
Receiving and giving, may love and grow.
When all our friends have lit their light
No more shall continue the darkness of night,
But joyful all folk the message shall hear:
“The Light draws near!”
A time of preparation for that which is to be born (Christmas), the festival of Advent helps us to prepare ourselves inwardly. We remember and honour the Light during the darkest time of the year. Historically this was a time of fasting, of quiet contemplation - a time for taking the little flame that began to shine brightly during Michaelmas on an inner journey towards the Divine Light.
Advent lasts for four weeks (23 to 28 days) and provides an opportunity for young and old to participate in some of the inner preparation that so often gets lost in the commercialism that can cloud the significance of the season.
Those closest to the mystery of birth understand this festival effortlessly. As adults, we may look to small children for inspiration to help us face what can often be a challenging time of year. We can be strengthened by their innate capacity for confident anticipation, their trust in the goodness of life, and their ability to accept mystery. Advent is a time to enable the bright fire of the human spirit to light the darkness. As we light each of the four Advent candles on each successive Sunday, we bring the light to the darkness and lighten the path for ourselves and for others.
Our school’s celebration of Advent involves the children walking the Advent Spiral. A spiral of greenery is laid on the floor, in the middle of which is a large, lit candle. As each child proceeds to the centre of the spiral in the darkened room, they light their own candle from the central light and then place it somewhere in the spiral on their way back out. As more and more children walk the spiral, the room becomes filled with light. Students and their siblings over the age of five years are welcome to come and walk the Advent spiral. As adults, as we watch the children, we may explore the deep spiritual symbolism of walking a dark spiral toward the light. In keeping with the mood of advent, quiet reverence is required for this celebration.
THANKS FOR YOUR CUPS CHARITY HELP
Many people from our school have accomplished a wonderful thing in the last two months. Organized by CWS mom Cindy Winther and our Students’ Council, we have donated many warm clothing items to the CUPS association. Not too long ago some of our Council members joined Cindy downtown to give the clothes to people in need. We were even able to chat a little with these people who were very friendly and nice but not able to afford winter clothing for themselves or their children. They were so grateful. This was a great experience for me and many others. We thank you so much for your participation in this charity. A big thank you goes out to Cindy who organized everything. You have all helped so many people, so we are hoping we will be doing this again in the years to come.
From the Students’ Council
CLASS FIVE “GREEK OLYMPICS” BOOK/BAKE/CRAFT FUNDRAISER
Class 5 will be heading to Duncan, B.C. in the spring to take part in the annual Grade Five Waldorf Greek Olympics, along with a number of other Waldorf Schools from B.C. and the northwestern States.
Our Class would like to raise some funds to add to the school’s Student Field Trip Fund. We will be collecting used books, DVD’s and games, all in great second-hand condition, from now until March to have a big sale in the early spring. Please help us reach our goal by not only donating your own used treasures but also by collecting them from friends, family, neighbours and co-workers. Do you have a craft cupboard full of unfinished projects? We’ll take those too: fabrics, sewing, buttons, needles, yarn, beads, scrap-booking items, and patterns – just to name a few.
All can be dropped off directly at Class Five or at the school office.
Thank you in advance, from Class Five
NEW EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL SUBMISSIONS TO THE WEDNESDAY NOTICE:
notice@calgarywaldorf.org
Submission deadline: Monday at 1:00 pm; if Monday is a school holiday, deadline is the preceding Friday at 1:00 pm
INFORM NEWSLETTER
Click here for Inform – A Newsletter for Waldorf School Communities – October 2008 issue
