DECEMBER 2023
St. Augustine School
Newsletter
Principal's Message
HAPPY ADVENT, St. Augustine families!
Waiting. Nobody likes waiting. Lines. Traffic. Doctor’s office. Waiting drives us crazy. So, we fight it. Rushing, running, planning, speeding, doing. 5G networks. Same-day shipping. One-minute meals. Instant gratification. Waiting time is wasted time, and none of us can afford to waste even a minute. So what do we do when God asks us to wait?
God’s waiting is an active waiting. It requires not that we do nothing, but that we do only what we can do. Waiting actively means not trying to do God’s work for Him. It requires that we know our limits, which, in turn, requires slowing down and listening. This Advent let us learn to more actively wait by leaving the results up to God — the grade, the award, the promotion. We actively wait by not doing. Advent is a time of waiting. Let it be a time of active waiting.
As Catholics we are an Advent people. Part of LIVING OUR FAITH, our year theme, is to celebrate our Catholic traditions. During this final month of the year, let us not forget to focus on living in hope and waiting for the coming of Jesus. His arrival is preceded by prayerful and watchful, active waiting. In a world that treasures activity and productivity, waiting is often considered as passivity; waiting, however, injects meaning into every arrival. Though crammed with the challenges of these challenging times, our duty this month is to keep our children and family’s attention not only on health and safety, but also on Advent in preparation for Jesus’ birth and arrival into our lives.
May you and your family have a safe and blessed Advent. May you prepare for Christ’s coming, and may His grace and hope permeate your home this season.
Have a wonderful and holy Christmas with your families, St. Augustine! I wish you a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year!
Mr.Yaptinchay
ADVENT EVENING OF SONG AND PRAYER
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8 AT 7:00PM
This year’s Advent Evening of Prayer will be
at the church on Thursday, December 14 at 7:00pm. It will also be broadcast live on the Parish YouTube Channel.
It will be a combination of narration and songs presented by your children.
We are asking all families to join us in-person or to tune in for an hour of prayer during this special time of year as we prepare for Christmas.
PLEASE NOTE:
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Because of challenges accommodating entire families in the church, we will also be live-streaming the evening so it can be accessed from home, and we ask that a maximum of 2 to 4 people from each family attend. Please, also share the Parish YouTube link with anyone who would like to join us online from anywhere in the world.
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Students are asked to be dropped off AT SCHOOL (not the church) between 6:20pm and 6:30pm.
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The courtyard will be open as of 6:15 for parking. Park in the neighbourhood and walk in if the courtyard is full.
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The church doors will open to parents at 6:40pm.
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Students are asked to wear the colour theme assigned to their grade level.
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The evening will begin with a welcome and prayer at 7:00pm
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Pick-up will be at the school at 8:10pm. Please, go to your child's classroom to collect your child and to sign him/her out with your teacher AFTER the entire presentation ends.
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As per tradition, if you wish to make a donation to the Oblate Missions in Kenya, please, bring the envelope that will be sent home with your child next week or simply place a contribution into the collection basket at the designated time during the Advent Evening.
MOVEMBER AT SAS Thank you to all who participated in our annual MOvember Day the last week of November. It was a fun day for an important cause. Thank you, SAS! Enjoy our story and photos here: MOvember 2023
CHRISTMAS MARKET
Our Christmas Market took place this year on December 1. Thank you to all who donated things for the students to purchase for the special adults/ family members in their lives. Proceeds from the Christmas Market this year will go to Parish Refugee Program. Complete details can be found here: SAS Christmas Market 2023
ADVENT GIVING INITIATIVES: SANCTA MARIA HOUSE AND CHRISTMAS HAMPERS
Sadly, there are children right here in the Lower Mainland who struggle to get their basic needs met. Again, this year, we would like to help some of these children who are experiencing very difficult circumstances in their lives. We want them to have a special Christmas, too.
Our donations will be their Christmas gifts and will continue until Dec. 20. Complete details of our Advent Giving initiatives can be found here: Advent Giving 2023
SAS BOOK FAIR
Our annual Scholastic Book Fair will take place Dec. 4-8. Stay tuned for details.
RED AND GREEN DAY Students are asked to wear green and/or red (no uniform) on Friday, December 22.
LAST SCHOOL MASS BEFORE CHRISTMAS FRIDAY, DEC. 22 AT 9:15AM
Please, join us in-person on the last day of school to celebrate mass as a faith community on Dec. 22.
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
Friday, Dec. 22 is the last day of school before Christmas Break. It is also a 12:00pm dismissal with the first stagger beginning at 11:55am.
NO SCHOOL
Friday, December 15
is a Pro-D for staff. There is no school that day.
