This morning we gathered again for our weekly chapel. This month we are focusing on servant working: being the hands and feet of Jesus.
First, we were reminded to be more than a bobble-head. Bobble-headed people are those who agree with all the wonderful ideas of servant work that need to be done, but there is no follow up action. We are servant working and that requires action!
The grade 8 class presented a skit on what superheroes might be like
if everyone became active servant workers.
Those poor, unemployed superheroes! (Wouldn't that be wonderful?)
Grade 2 shared their art display on servant working. Each student painted a picture of themselves and attached ways that our bodies can be the hands and feet of Jesus. Each student shared one of the sentences s/he wrote about servant working:
My knees are servant working when I kneel in prayer for someone else.
My hands are servant working when I set the table without being asked.
My voice is servant working when I sing at Shalom Manor to the seniors. .
My feet are servant working when I carry out the trash.
We then reflected on some of the ways Beacon students have been servant workers,
especially in the past month.
We then met in our gift groups in various places around the school and created prayer lists for things to pray for in the coming weeks and how we can continue to be servant workers and prayer warriors.
Our weekly chapel focused on Servant Working through Acts Of Kindness.
At the beginning of chapel, we were reminded God's story, of which we are a part, in this video:
The Grade 4's presented the story of "Papa Panov" which further explored this theme:
Professor Squinch sent us another video:
We were then challenged as classes to find opportunities to serve others in small and larger acts of kindness for the next week and beyond. What can you find to do to bless someone in an Act of Kindness?
Here are a few ideas for you to join us at home and out in our community in random acts.
On Friday November 30th, the grade eights went to Temple Anshe Sholom in Hamilton.
A travelling exhibit — from the Anne Frank Centre in New York City — came called Anne Frank: A History for Today gave the students a glimpse into Anne Frank’s life during the Holocaust.
Alongside was a second collection Art and Propaganda in Nazi-Occupied Holland where visitors saw original posters and paintings by Dutch artist Henri Pieck that were distributed by the Nazi-controlled Dutch government during the war.
Madeleine Levy, co-chair of the Hamilton Jewish Federation’s Holocaust education committee, said “Everyone has to look at history in order to fundamentally capture who they want to be today, and what kind of a community we want to have today,”
Afterward we were invited to come into the sanctuary. Our guides showed us where the rabbi spoke and the cantor chanted. They showed us the ark where the special Torahs were kept. Mr. VandenBurg wore a prayer shawl. We tried to read their song book and discovered that the book was read in reverse then what we were use to. We experienced hospitality from beginning to end and felt that we now had some special Jewish friends.
The though line we are focusing on this month is Servant Working. Wednesday morning we had our weekly chapel where we were challenged to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our day to day living.
This video challenged us to think with a servant working heart.
We brought our boxes with gifts for the Rose City Ministry children, full of gifts that we gathered for children in difficult situations. We had more items than we needed to fill our boxes so we will be able to fill some extra boxes as well!
We will continue to focus on how we can serve those in community around us. How are you servant working in your life?
At our membership meeting on Tuesday, Beacon Christian School Board Chair, Ray Dykstra, graciously accepted three disbursement cheques totalling more than $25,000 on behalf of the membership. Nearly half of this amount was designated by a donor (of appreciated securities) to be applied against current debt while a good portion of the remainder is targeted for bursary purposes.
We are so thankful for our supporting community! To learn more about the foundation and how you can help Christian education at Beacon or in Niagara, go to http://www.schoolfoundation.ca/
The Grade Two class has been learning about what the earth declares about God by studying what the earth is made of, God's great recycling plan for turning dead things into living things and how we have all had a part in hurting creation. The students thought of many things they could do to help care for the earth and decided on two projects they wanted to do. In October, they sold hot dogs to raise money to plant a tree in the courtyard. Over $100 was raised, which will be used to purchase a tree and other greenery which will help purify the air. They also wanted to challenge the rest of the school to a litterless lunch day. The video below is a result of their desires to make a difference.
Why don't you join us in a litterless lunch day next Friday?
This morning was our weekly chapel. This month, our throughline is Justice Seeking.
Some of our students have been spending their recesses during the last month singing because they love to worship through song. This morning in chapel, we were blessed to listen to the work this group has done.
A beautiful offering of song!
Part 1:
Part 2:
Our grade eight class again shared a dramatic version of what justice seeking looks like.
Next week, our weekly chapel will be on Tuesday at 8:45 am. We will have a special group from Smithville Christian High School join us. We hope you can join us, too!
Our grades 1-5 classes have been learning a song written and composed by local musician Gail Poulsen. Today these students performed the song and it was recorded for Gail's upcoming CD.
Another wonderful way to share the gifts God has given us!
This morning we had our weekly chapel. Meeting each week this year has been such a blessing. It has been wonderful to see some parents join us each week! Please feel free to join us any or all Wednesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. for our weekly chapel. What a wonderful way to worship and grow together.
This week we were treated to Grade 8's dramatic presentation of God worshipping.
This is the last of our Gr. 8 Guest bloggers blogging about the Toronto trip.
Toronto trip
Leah S.
1. The purpose of our Toronto trip was to see new places and to prove we could get to Toronto without using a car or van. I think it was really fun doing all the public transit. It was a new experience. The bus was very comfy. They had nice feet rests, lights. Lots of space, and the seats could recline. On the train it
didn’t even feel like it was moving. Four people sat towards each other so they could talk and it was lots of fun. On the subway it wasn’t as comfortable but we were only on for 10 minutes we got to see some new people. When we were getting out we learned that the doors automatically close if you don’t go out fast enough. Luckily someone’s lunch got stuck in the door and one of our leaders pulled the doors apart. On the way back we didn’t get stuck in the subway. It was the same experience, but on the bus we all got separated from each other so we had to sit with different people, on the bus people we didn’t know just
sat there on there phones with their ear buds in. On the bus we all sat with people with our class. We all talked and had fun. I took some good pictures. We saw factories, lakes, buildings, and stuff like that. It was lots of fun because we got to have a new experience with our friends.
2. Joys-There was lots to do there like the food festival, in the school that Mr. Fullen taught in they were making a big art project. We got to see a man who invented his own instrument that used water instead of air. There was really good food there too. We all enjoyed our lunches a lot.
Struggles- There is a lot of people so it is overwhelming, some people are homeless, and we saw that there was lots of pollution. Our pictures show lots of bikes which means people they bike everywhere, it’s expensive to park your car and for a taxi, there are busy streets, lots of buildings, and cool architecture. One of the pictures shows a telephone pole covered in advertising and pictures and the other shows a poem I graved in the ground by a publishing place which was really cool.
3. Rhoda taught us that the trees in Toronto aren’t happy because there is concrete over them and no dirt. There is not a lot of clean air. Mr. Fullen’s class showed us lots of cool architecture, cool places like a place where they publish books. They showed us there school which is shaped like a peacock which was really cool.
From time to time, we will feature guest student bloggers. It's great to hear from our students themselves on life here at Beacon!
Toronto Trip
Haley M.
Hi Beacon blog readers. When Mr.Vandenburg took our class to Toronto, we went on the go bus, train and the subway. The bus was a coach bus, and it was really comfy. We got to sit with someone from our class on the way there and back. We also saw a boat that had been burnt; it was by a restaurant. On the train on the way there, we all got to sit together. But on the way back, we had to sit by a French lady that was middle aged. It wasn’t that bad, but our class was so quiet. The best part of being on the train was that it felt like it wasn’t moving well maybe a little. On the train, you have barely any leg room.
Then in Toronto we went on the subway, and we almost got left on the train. The people on the subway seemed tired, annoyed and bored. When the subway train started, some of the kids in our class screamed, and the people on the train looked at us funny. There were lots of people in the station and on the trains. It is hard to get around all the people, because they all move so fast.
Some of the joys of living in Toronto are that there are lots of interesting things to look at and places that are walking distance. Some of the struggles of living in Toronto are that there are people living on the street that are ignored. My pictures show that there are lots of tall, short, old, and new buildings in Toronto. Other people’s pictures showed that there are some cool places and art in Toronto.
Mr. Fullan’s class and Rhoda (our tour guides) showed us and told some really cool stuff. Mr. Fullan’s class showed us how there school was shaped like a peacock and a cool museum. Rhoda brought us to the food festival, and there was a guy with a cool water instrument. Mr. Fullan’s class showed us bikes that were painted as an art project that were all over the city. They also showed us were you can rent a bike and told us that you can put them in a different rent a bike section. Thank you for reading.
Today was a chance for our Beacon cross country team to give it their best. Beautiful trails in Dundas Conservation Area, many area Christian schools, and awesome team spirit provided a great backdrop for our students to run. Whether it was their finest race, their first race, or a race that brought tears, all of our Beacon students persevered and finished.
Though running a race is an individual effort, all the students encouraged each other to run hard. The teamwork was awesome!
At the beginning of the week, the team heard Hebrews 12:1-2. They were reminded that Christ is the one who receives the glory - and He is the one who gifts them with the strength and energy to run. He will run alongside them, and He has already run the most important Race for them.
A special congratulations to Lauren who ran away with third place in the Junior Girls division. Congratulations!
