Monday, December 19, 2016

Parent Connection December 19th

The Most Marvelous Night
As I pondered what I might write for this week’s devotional, it occurred to me that there is no way that I could ever improve on the message that we heard once again on Friday evening from the mouths of our children. The fulfillment of the Lord’s promises in the words of the prophets is the reason that we celebrate this holy season. So once again, read about and ponder the events of that most marvelous night ever:
“At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancĂ©e, who was now obviously pregnant.
“And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.’
“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.’
“When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’
“They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.”      Luke 2:1-20 (New Living Translation)

Early Dismissal and Christmas Break
          December 23rd school will dismiss at noon.       Christmas Break begins at noon December 23rd with school resuming on January 9th

Fish On!
Mr. Zarnstorff’s class will be going to Otis Lake on Wednesday afternoon for a fishing expedition.  Please remind your students to dress warmly!  Permission slips must be turned in by Wednesday morning.

Singing at Dimond Center
Thursday afternoon grades K-8 will be singing at the Dimond Center. Permission slips are due by Wednesday, drivers are needed.


Gifts for those in the service
          Instead of exchanging gifts between classmates we wanted to give to those serving our country.  We will be sending care packages overseas to soldiers that are currently deployed.  Please feel free to donate various items, money to get items, or help cover the shipping costs of the package.  If you know of anyone serving away from home who would benefit from a care package please contact the office.
·         Powered drink mixes
·         Protein bars
·         Beef jerky
·         Candy or gum
·         Snacks(pretzels, chips, nuts, etc)
·         Magazines
·         Playing cards and card games
·         Homemade goodies(cookie or brownies)
·         Personal care items(chapstick, lotion, etc)

Junior Choir
          Junior choir will be singing at Peace Lutheran Church in Eagle River on January 22nd during the 10:30 service. 

Birthdays
          We would like to wish two students God’s richest blessings on their upcoming birthdays
Elin F. - December 25th
Kathrin K. - December 27th  

Bake Sale

          Thank you to all those who donated all the yummy baked goods.  PTF was able to raise over $470.  This money will be used to support the school and preschool.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Parent Connection Dec 12th

Out of the Dark
We are a little over a week away from the shortest day of the year, the day with the least amount of daylight. This morning driving to work was made more difficult because an ice fog formed so your headlights were made less effective. It was hard to see where you were going because the light from your car, or truck, could not penetrate as far into the darkness as usual because of the fog.
By nature, all of us are wandering around this world in thick darkness, so thick that it is as if we are blind.  In this blindness, we have no hope of improving our lot, we can do nothing to get out of this darkness. The darkness is our sin and guilt. We are by nature lost and condemned creatures.
But John tells us in his Gospel that, “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.” John 1:9. Through that true light, our blindness is taken away and darkness is banished. When we are brought into the light by God’s power, we become members of God’s family.
Paul reminds us of this situation in his letter to the Ephesian congregation, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Ephesians 5:8.
As we once again celebrate the birth of our Savior, let us remember the reason he came into this world: to bring Light and life to us!

Joy to the World!
          The Christmas season is one of joy and Christ is the center of that joy! Join us in the fellowship hall on Saturday, December 17th from 10 am to 12 pm to decorate Christmas cookies and make stained glass candle holders. For more information, please contact the office.
School Christmas Service
          The school Christmas service is this Friday, December 16th at 6:30.  The service will be held here at Faith in the fellowship hall.  Students can start arriving at 6:00. Students should go to their classrooms when they arrive and be here by 6:15. Dress in your Sunday best. 

Bake Sale
          PTF will be having a bake sale after school on December 14th and on the 15th if there is enough left over.  This is a great opportunity to get baked items for Christmas.  Be sure to stop in after school on Wednesday to get some goodies!  We will have table set up in the main church entry.
We need donations of baked goods so get your favorite holiday recipes out!  You may drop off donations any time between now and Wednesday. Contact the office if you have any questions.

Hot Lunch
          Hot lunch is this Thursday, December 15th.  The on the menu is Chicken Fajitas.  Please return the hot lunch slip by Wednesday.

Early Dismissal and Christmas Break
          December 23rd school will dismiss at noon.  We will have a regular full day of school this Friday, December 16th.

          Christmas Break begins at noon December 23rd with school resuming on January 9th.  

Monday, December 5, 2016

Parent Connection Dec 5th

It’s Too Soon!
I have a basketball player who has said it several times this season. He insisted that the games ended too soon. I don’t think he ever said it about practice. But the games went by too quickly for him. He thrived on the excitement and the thrill of the competition. He and the rest of the team worked really hard to improve their skills and learn the schemes of offense and defense. But it ended to soon again on Saturday after an overtime loss.
During this time of Advent, it is good for us to prepare for our celebration of the first coming of our Savior into this world. But I feel it is probably even more important for us to prepare for His second coming on the Last Day. I’m certain that when that day arrives in all of its glory, there will be some who say, “It’s too soon!” None of us knows when our Savior will be coming for us so we need to be ready. We can only be ready when we realize our sinfulness, and repent of those sins, and receive forgiveness from God for those sins. When Jesus comes on the last day, it will be too late to get ready. We need to be prepared every day, as if you expected Him to come today. “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly…and they will not escape.” I Thessalonians 5:2-3. The Child in the manger is the only escape. Come, Lord Jesus!

Field Trip
          The students will be visiting the Dome tomorrow at 10:00-noon.  Parents, we could still use a couple more drivers.  If you are available please contact Mr. Z or the office. We look forward to enjoying some great play and exercise in a warm dome!

Bake Sale
          PTF will be having a bake sale after school on December 14th and 15th.  This is a great opportunity to get baked items for Christmas. 
We will need donations of baked goods so get your favorite holiday recipes out!  Contact the office if you have any questions.

PTF Meeting
          Our next meeting is December 8th at 7:00.  We will begin planning the activities for the rest of the school year.  The meeting will last for one hour.  We need volunteers to help organize upcoming events.  Please plan on attending.

Joy to the World!
          The Christmas season is one of joy and Christ is the center of that joy! Join us in the fellowship hall on Saturday, December 17th from 10 am to 12 pm to decorate Christmas cookies and make stained glass candle holders. For more information, please contact the office.

Brrrr……It’s cold
          Please be sure your child is coming to school with proper winter gear for outside.  If the temperature is above zero the children will be outside playing. 
          Due to the cold temperature your child may need long sleeves or a sweater for the classroom as well. 

Student Messages
          If you need to contact your student during the day, please do so during the noon break for lunch and recess.  If you need to leave a message for your child do so before 2:30.

Tardiness/Absences
Classes start promptly at 8:30.  Students who miss the start of the school day often feel rushed and can become unfocused and stressed for the day.  Please make every effort to have your student to school on time.  This means adequate planning, especially on days with inclement weather.
If your child will be absent from school, contact the school before 8:30.  Please make every effort to collect your child’s assignments on that day so the missed assignments may be completed at home.
For planned early dismissals and absences, send a written note in advance of the absence.  Children often forget to inform their teachers or do not remember the details. 
Please make school as important to your child as work is important to you, even in the primary grades.  Tardiness and absences though sometimes necessary, are frustrating and stressful to students, teachers, and the classroom as a whole.  Frivolous excuses for tardiness and absences can teach children their educational responsibilities aren’t important and can be detrimental to the value they place on education in the future.  Please act in the best interest of your child in this regard.

Financial Peace University
Faith Lutheran Church will offer the popular Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class early in the new year, Tuesday evenings at 6:30 from January 10th through March 7th.  The class covers biblically-based principles of money management, beneficial to all from young people starting out on their own to older couples.  For more information about the class, please visit the Stewards of Faith blog at http://stewardsoffaith.blogspot.com/.
There will be a preview on December 13th at 6:30 for those who are interested.

If you would like to sign up, please speak with Mrs. Lillo in the office.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Parent Connection November 28th

What do you want or “need” for Christmas?
Do you have problems answering that first question? Sometimes we may not know what to ask for. We wouldn’t want to insult or offend the person asking the question by asking for something too inexpensive (underestimating their love for us?) or too extravagant (overestimating their desire to present us with a gift). Maybe we just don’t want to ruin the surprise by knowing what we are getting.
What about the second question? What do you need? If left up to us, we would never get that one right. In his great wisdom, God knew what each of us needed for Christmas. And he did something about our need. In Isaiah 7:14 God says, ”The Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” This passage points us to what God saw as our “need”, our greatest need. Each of us needs deliverance from our sin and guilt. We need a Savior who would take away our guilt and ransom us from our rightful punishment. No normal son would fit the need. Immanuel means “God with us.” God came to earth, wrapped himself in human flesh, and became a man in order to suffer, die, and rise for us, to save us from our sins.
As we prepare to celebrate this blessed birth, let us remember why this birth came about: He came to be our Savior so we can live with Him in heaven!

Junior Choir
Thank you to all the singers who lent their voices in worship on Sunday!  The choir will sing in January at Peace Lutheran Church in Eagle River.  There is no choir practice this week.

Thanksgiving Donation Drive
          Thanks to all the donations we received, we were able to put together over 100 blessing bags for those less fortunate. 

Basketball this week:
          We have practice on Tuesday. 
The tournament begins Thursday, December 1st.  The girls’ first game is Thursday, Dec 1st @ 7:15.  The boys’ first game is Dec 1st @ 4:45.  All games will be played at Lumen Christi.  There is an admission fee for the tournament, this fee covers the cost of the gym. 
Adults - $5 / Students - $3 / Seniors - $1

Spirit Week
          Let’s cheer our basketball teams on with spirit week. Do your best to dress in the theme for the day.  If you decide not to participate you should wear your school uniform on Wednesday or Thursday.
Wednesday: Camouflage Day
Thursday: Backward Day
Friday: School Colors Day
Go Huskies!

Financial Peace University
Faith Lutheran Church will offer the popular Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class early in the new year, Tuesday evenings at 6:30 from January 10th through March 7th.  The class covers biblically-based principles of money management, beneficial to all from young people starting out on their own to older couples.  For more information about the class, please visit the Stewards of Faith blog at http://stewardsoffaith.blogspot.com/.
There will be a preview on December 13th at 6:30 for those who are interested.
If you would like to sign up, please speak with Mrs. Lillo in the office.
Tardiness/Absences
Classes start promptly at 8:30.  Students who miss the start of the school day often feel rushed and can become unfocused and stressed for the day.  Please make every effort to have your student to school on time.  This means adequate planning, especially on days with inclement weather.
If your child will be absent from school, contact the school before 8:30.  Please make every effort to collect your child’s assignments on that day so the missed assignments may be completed at home.
For planned early dismissals and absences, send a written note in advance of the absence.  Children often forget to inform their teachers or do not remember the details. 
Please make school as important to your child as work is important to you, even in the primary grades.  Tardiness and absences though sometimes necessary, are frustrating and stressful to students, teachers, and the classroom as a whole.  Frivolous excuses for tardiness and absences can teach children their educational responsibilities aren’t important and can be detrimental to the value they place on education in the future.  Please act in the best interest of your child in this regard.

Student Messages
          If you need to contact your student during the day, please do so during the noon break for lunch and recess.  If you need to leave a message for your child do so before 2:30.
          If you would like to visit the classroom let the teacher know in advance.

Picture Retakes
          Retakes are scheduled for December 6th in the morning.  If you would like a retake you must let Mrs. Lillo know by Friday.  You can stop by the office or email her at faithlutheran@gci.net.  If you do not RSVP you may not be able to have a photo taken.

Bake Sale
          PTF will be having a bake sale after school on December 14th and 15th.  This is a great opportunity to get baked items for Christmas. 
We will need donations of baked goods so get your favorite holiday recipes out!

PTF Meeting
          Our next meeting is December 8th at 7:00.  We will begin planning the activities for the rest of the school year.  The meeting will last for one hour.  We need volunteers to help organize upcoming events.  Please plan on attending.

Field Trip
          The students will be visiting the Dome next week.  Be sure to have permission slips returned on time.  We will also need parents to drive.

Library Trip
          Mr. Zarnstorff’s class will be visiting the library on Wednesday.  They will also be going out for lunch.

Birthdays

          God’s richest blessings to Evan O. who celebrates his birthday on November 29th.  Happy Birthday!

Monday, November 21, 2016

Parent Connection November 21st

A Fishing Tale
I got out onto the ice last Saturday. I went fishing for a little while in the afternoon. It was a beautiful day to be on the ice, not too cold, not too windy. I drilled some holes and cleaned out the ice chips. I set up my poles, checked the depth, and baited the hooks. But I was a little worried when I took out my jar of salmon eggs. I had left them in my coat pocket and lid wasn’t on very tight. The eggs had dried out and shriveled up. It was hard to even separate them from the jar to put them on the hook. I didn’t think that they would look very attractive to the fish. I wondered what I would have to do if the eggs proved useless in attracting fish to my hook. I did have a few other lures that I could have used if needed.
          I don’t know if you are aware of it, but Satan is a very good fisherman. He is a very persistent fisherman, he spends hours each day in search of his prey. He knows his prey very well too. He has studied his prey and knows exactly what bait to use in each and every situation to entice his prey into taking the bait. His lures are fashioned specifically for each of his individual targets. When he gets his prey to take the bait, he is not one who practices catch and release, he wants to keep every last one that he hooks. We are the ones he is after, the ones he wants to lure away from our God.
          Our God doesn’t want to let us go. He also seeks after us. With his Gospel message he cuts Satan lines and removes his hooks from us. He forgives us when we have taken Satan’s bait and fallen for his temptation to sin. He saved us from the eternal consequences of sin. He wants us to enjoy eternity with him in heaven. He gives us strength to resist the lures of Satan. Even though Satan continues his attack, we can rest secure in our Savior arms.

No School
Thanksgiving is this Thursday.  There is no school on Thursday and Friday.  Chapel will be held on Wednesday.

Junior Choir
Junior Choir will be singing at Faith on November 27th at 10:30.  This will be the rededication service for the school.  Singers will need to wear their choir uniforms.

Special Thanksgiving Worship Service
          Sunday, November 27th at 10:30, Faith Lutheran Church will have a special thanksgiving service, during this service there will be a rededication of the school.  The school will host an open house following the service and a potluck.  All are encouraged and invited to attend.

Thanksgiving Donation Drive
          We have so much to be thankful for!  This is the time of year to share our blessings with those in need.         Faith Lutheran School will be assembling bags for those less fortunate.  Items we will include in the bags are:
·         small water bottle
·         small cans of pop-top food such as beans or Vienna sausages
·         dried fruit
·         beef jerky     
·         individual packages of hot cocoa mix, tea, and coffee
·         small packages of nuts or trail mix
·         socks (adult size)
·         mittens
·         hand warmers
·         travel size toiletries
·         toothbrushes and toothpaste
·         lip balm
Donations may be brought for your offering on Wednesday at chapel.

Basketball this week:
          We have practice on Tuesday. 
The tournament is scheduled for December 1st – 3rd.  Girls first game is Thursday, Dec 1st @ 7:15.  Boys first game is Dec 1st @ 4:45.  All games will be played at Lumen Christi.

Financial Peace University
Faith Lutheran Church will offer the popular Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class early in the new year, Tuesday evenings at 6:30 from January 10th through March 7th.  The class covers biblically-based principles of money management, beneficial to all from young people starting out on their own to older couples.  For more information about the class, please visit the Stewards of Faith blog at http://stewardsoffaith.blogspot.com/.

If you are interested in signing up, please speak with Mrs. Lillo in the office.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Parent Connection November 14th

By the Light of the Silvery Moon…
          Did you see it? Did it look brighter than usual? Did you notice how much bigger than usual it was?   I’m talking, of course, about the “super” moon. This morning’s full moon happened when the moon was closer to the earth than it has been for many years. Since it was closer than usual, scientists told us that it would appear brighter and bigger. I confess that I was not up at whatever time was the exact moment of the full moon, but as I drove to school this morning God treated me to a wonderful view of his might and power.
          The Psalmist David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19:1-4.
          When we look at the moon, the stars, or the sun, God wants us to remember him, he created them for us. All people can see these wonders of God and understand their message to us: God created all things and we will one day stand before this God to answer for the things we’ve done. Unfortunately, nature cannot tell us about our Savior who will stand before God with us and will speak on our behalf. We can only learn about Jesus and all that he has done for us in God’s Word. For me, there was a reminder of that too this morning, I saw the star shining on the mountain in Arctic Valley, a reminder of the coming days of celebration of our Savior’s birth. May all of us remember the Lord each day of our lives and listen to nature’s declarations and to the Word of God.

Insect Invasion
November 19th, 10:00 – Noon for toddlers to 12 year olds and their parents. The morning will have activities, snacks, devotion, and crafts.  Contact Melissa Mittelstadt for more information.  FaithLutheranPreschoolAK@Gmail.com

Basketball this week:
          We have practice on Tuesday and Thursday. We also have a game on Wednesday, Nov. 16th, against Birchwood at Birchwood. The boys’ game will begin at 4:00pm with the girls’ game to follow.  On Friday, November 18th, we will have games at Lumen Christi against Lumen.  The girls will play first at 3:30 and the boys will follow at 4:30.

Junior Choir
Junior Choir will be singing at Faith on November 27th at 10:30.  This will be the rededication service for the school.  Singers will need to wear their choir uniforms.

Math-a-thon
          Thank you to all those who participated in the Math-a-thon program this year. Our goal was to raise $500.00, we raised $856.50! This is enough to buy one child size wheelchair and supplies for 20 infants. Thank you!

Geography Bee
          The geography bee for 3rd – 8th grades will be on Wednesday at 1:15.  Parents are invited to attend.        

 Thanksgiving Donation Drive
          We have so much to be thankful for!  This is the time of year to share our blessings with those in need.         Faith Lutheran School will be assembling bags for those less fortunate.  You may bring these items this week and next week.  Items we will include in the bags are:
·         small water bottle
·         small cans of pop-top food such as beans or Vienna sausages
·         dried fruit
·         beef jerky    
·         individual packages of hot cocoa mix, tea, and coffee
·         small packages of nuts or trail mix
·         socks (adult size)
·         mittens
·         hand warmers
·         travel size toiletries
·         toothbrushes and toothpaste
·         lip balm
         
November Hot Lunch
          November hot lunch is on November 17th.  This lunch is provided by the PTF.  We ask that your student bring a donation item for our bag drive mentioned above.  The lunch will be ham, mac n’ cheese, green beans, rolls and pie. 

Special Thanksgiving Worship Service
          Sunday, November 27th at 10:30, Faith Lutheran Church will have a special thanksgiving service, during this service ere will be a rededication of the school.  The school will host an open house following the service and a potluck.  Our Junior Choir will be singing during the service as well.  All are encouraged and invited to attend.

Brrrrr…It Is Cold Outside

          Parents, be sure your student is bringing proper winter gear to school.  Students enjoy their time outside when they can keep warm and dry with hats, gloves, winter coat, boots, and snow pants.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Parent Connection November 7th

Extra hour?
          So how did you spend your bonus hour this weekend? Did you very judiciously plan out how to get the most out of your extra sixty minutes? Did you just sleep away that extra time like many? Or did you squander those extra three thousand, six hundred seconds? Or might you be wondering why I’m so curious about something as insignificant as one hour?
          How precious is your time? Maybe a better question is how precious is the time that God has granted each of us? We call it our “time of grace”. God has given each of us our lifetime for us to come to faith in him and to serve him, our time to experience his grace, his love for us. So how precious is this time? None of us knows how much time we have been allotted by our heavenly Father. We may have many years ahead of us or only a few weeks, days, or hours.
          The psalmist David said, “But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands.”  Psalm 31:14-15. We know that God is in control of all things and has promised to make all things work for our good. He is working for us to arrive in heaven when our time here is finished. Let us remember how precious this time is and ask our God to help us use his time wisely.

Parents’ Night Out
          This Friday, Nov. 11, we will be holding a parents’ night out. Please sign up on the hall signup sheets near your child’s classroom. Parents may drop their children off for a fun evening.  Kids will enjoy an evening with snacks, a movie and a craft.  The theme is “Drive In Theater”.  This is sponsored by PTF, free will donations will be accepted at the door.  Children must be potty trained to attend.  Contact Leah Snyder to volunteer or for more information.  LeahGSnyder@gmail.com

School Picture
          On Thursday, November 10th we will be taking a photo of the entire student body.  Elementary students must wear their blue uniform shirt.  Preschool students, will wear a black shirt.

Mock Elections
          FLS will hold mock a presidential election on Tuesday.  Help your student choose a candidate by discussing the election with them.

Basketball this week:
          We have practice on Tuesday and Thursday. We also have a game on Wednesday, Nov. 9th, against Birchwood at Birchwood. The boys’ game will begin at 4:00pm with the girls’ game to follow.  Go Huskies!

Insect Invasion
November 19th, 10:00 – Noon for toddlers to 12 year olds and their parents. The morning will have activities, snacks, devotion, and crafts.  Contact Melissa Mittelstadt for more information.  FaithLutheranPreschoolAK@Gmail.com

Faith Gear
This is your last chance to order your Faith gear! Orders must be place by Wednesday. Contact the office if you have any questions or need help with your order.

Junior Choir
Junior Choir will be singing at Faith on November 27th at 10:30.  This will be the rededication service for the school.  Singers will need to wear their choir uniforms.

Library Trip
          Mr. Z’s class will be going to the library on Wednesday.  Please gather all books to be returned.

Math-a-thon
          Thank you to all those who participated in the Math-a-thon program this year. Our goal is to raise $500.00 for this cause. Thank you!

Brrrrr…It Is Cold Outside
          Parents, be sure your student is bringing proper winter gear to school.  Students enjoy their time outside when they can keep warm and dry with hats, gloves, winter coat, boots, and snow pants.

Thanksgiving Food Drive
          We have so much to be thankful for!  This is the time of year to share our blessings with those in need.         Faith Lutheran School will be assembling bags for those less fortunate.  You may begin bringing these items next week.  Items we will include in the bags are:
·         small water bottle
·         small cans of pop-top food such as beans or Vienna sausages
·         dried fruit
·         beef jerky    
·         individual packages of hot cocoa mix, tea, and coffee
·         small packages of nuts or trail mix
·         socks (adult size)
·         mittens
·         hand warmers
·         travel size toiletries
·         toothbrushes and toothpaste
·         lip balm
         
November Hot Lunch
          November hot lunch is on November 17th.  This lunch is provided by the PTF.  We ask that your student bring a donation item for our bag drive mentioned above.  The lunch will be ham, mac n’ cheese, green beans, rolls and pie.  If you would like to donate any of the lunch items, help with food prep or serving contact Sheila at 229-7901.

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Parent Connection November 2nd

Surrounded by Enemies
          There was a time in Israel when they were at war against the king of Aram and his armies. The king of the Arameans would tell his commanders to go and set a trap for the Israelite army. Elisha, God’s prophet at the time, would send a message to the Israelite king and warn him of the trap.
Time after time the king of Aram was foiled in his attempt to trap the Israelites.
          He got so frustrated that he even accused his own men of warning the enemy about their movements and plans. The men told him that it was the man of God that was foiling their plans. So the king made plans to capture Elisha where he was staying in Dothan. During the night, he sent a large group of chariots and horsemen to surround the city.
In the morning, Elisha’s servant went out and saw the multitude of chariots and soldiers and reported it to Elisha. Elisha told him, “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha asked God to open his servant’s eyes and show him the hills around the city filled with horses and chariots of fire, the armies of God were there to defend and protect them.
Things haven’t changed. God’s army is still defending and protecting the people of God. There are many enemies surrounding us, wanting to harm us, trying to tear our faith out of our hearts. When we face these enemies, may God open our eyes to see his armies surrounding us and defending and protecting us, keeping us safe from the enemies’ attacks.

Thank you!
          Thank you to all who worked hard to make our “Trunk or Treat” event so successful. For all the time and effort, for the contributions of candy, cookies, and cakes: Thank you all!
          For all of the children who came and sang for our Reformation service on Sunday afternoon, thank you! I had many compliments from those in attendance about your enthusiasm in singing praise to our Lord.

Birthday this week
          JJ Strong celebrated his birthday yesterday, November 1. I hope you had a wonderful day, JJ!

Basketball this week:
          We have practice on Thursday, Nov. 3. We also have a game on Friday, Nov. 4, at 6:00 p.m. against Anchor Lutheran at Anchor on Arctic Boulevard.

Math-a-thon
          Those participating in the Math-a-thon program this year please return the completed Math-a-thon materials by this Friday, Nov. 4. Our goal is to raise $500.00 for this cause. Thank you!

Parents’ Night Out
          Looking ahead to next week Friday, Nov. 11, we will be holding a parents’ night out. Please sign up on the hall signup sheets near your child’s classroom. Parents may drop their children off for a fun evening.  Kids will enjoy an evening with snacks, a movie and a craft.  The theme is “Drive In Theater”.  This is sponsored by PTF, free will donations will be accepted at the door.  Children must be potty trained to attend.  Contact Leah Snyder to volunteer or for more information.  LeahGSnyder@gmail.com

  
Insect Invasion
November 19th, 10:00 – Noon for toddlers to 12 year olds and their parents. The morning will have activities, snacks, devotion, and crafts.  Contact Melissa Mittelstadt for more information.  FaithLutheranPreschoolAK@Gmail.com

Faith Gear
The time to order your Faith gear has been extended to November 9th.  Another email with the links will be sent out this week.

Be Diligent
Parents, please continue to check your children for head lice.  Instruct your children not to share hats or brushes.


Monday, October 24, 2016

Parent Connection October 24th

I Dreamed about…
          In the Bible we read about some of the many dreams people had, special visions which God sent them. Many of the people who received these dreams were people in leadership positions. Often these dreams troubled the minds of those receiving them, especially those who did not know the God who sent them.
          Along with these dreams, God would send someone to tell the meaning of such dreams. Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh and his servants; and Daniel interpreted the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar.
With these dreams God was providing warnings about things to come or promises of good to happen.
          But what about our dreams, does God still communicate through them? God certainly could still use dreams for his good purpose. But everything we need to know from and about God is already available to us in his recorded Word. Certainly, some dreams trouble our minds, we wake up and can’t get back to sleep because of the dream. But do those things come from God to perplex us?
          I know one thing for sure. God is in control of everything and there is nothing that can take us out of his hand. He commands his angels to guard us and protect us. His promises surround us. His love provides for us and calms our troubled minds. He reminds us that we have nothing to fear because he is with us always and everywhere. He is going to bring us safely to our eternal home to praise and thank him forever.

Birthdays this week
Saraya Hegerberg October 24th
Viviana Mata October 27th
Have a blessed day!

Conferences
If you have not signed up for a conference time, please do so at: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090844aaae2aa0fc1-parent

No School – October 31st and Nov 1st
The annual meeting of the Alaska Conference of Pastors and Teachers will take place on October 31 and November 1, next week Monday and Tuesday. There will be no school those two days. There will be basketball practice on Tuesday at the regular time at APU’s Mosley center.

Reformation Service
            The school will be singing for the Reformation Service on October 30th at 4:30pm.  Please make every effort for your student to attend.  Arrive at 4:15 pm, no uniform is required, just attire appropriate for a church service.

Trunk or Treat
          Trunk or treat is October 28th 5:00 to 8:00 P.M.  This is open to all kids and kids at heart.  Put on your costume and come enjoy getting treats in a safe environment.  Remember no fake weapons or inappropriate (gory or evil) costumes. We will have popcorn, hot cocoa, cake walk, pumpkin decorating, photo booth and more to enjoy.
          Parents:  We need volunteers to decorate their trunks and to help with a couple of the activities.  We will also need small baked goods for the cake walk to be dropped off on the 27th or 28th.  Oh and candy!  Please bring all candy donations to the office.
          Signup to volunteer online at: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0a49aca922a6f49-trunk or contact the office.

Spirit Wear
          New Faith Lutheran School t-shirts and sweatshirts have been designed.  We are trying something new this year.  You will order your items online, and pay online through CustomInk.  You should have received an email last week with the links to the shirts and the sweatshirt.  These items are optional for you to buy.  If you would like to order but prefer not to do so online, please contact the office.

Basketball
          Practice continues on Tuesday and Thursday, 4:00 – 5:30pm at APU.
         
Math-A-Thon
          The printed booklets have been ordered and should arrive this week.  You may start recruiting donations for your support to St. Jude’s.  Our goal for this year is to raise $500 to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The completed Math-A-Thon is due on November 4th due to the delay in receiving the booklets.

BoxTops
            Please bring any BoxTops you have been collecting into school and place in the collection box or give to your teacher.  The deadline for this submission is October 28th