Monday, April 24, 2017

Parent Connection April 24th

Run the Straight Race
          The track team started practicing last week for a quick season. I found myself stressing to the runners to be sure to run straight down the track, focus on the finish line, don’t look around to see what other runners are doing, just run straight to the finish.
          As we celebrated the victory of Pastor Oldfield on Saturday, I was reminded about how he had run his race, his life. Certainly, the words of the writer to the Hebrews can be seen in the way Pastor Oldfield ran the race, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1b-2a.
          None of us knows the exact course our lives will take in this world, or what crosses we may have to bear. One thing is certain: we must focus on Jesus and push on to the goal. We must “Run the straight race through God’s good grace; Lift up your eyes and seek his face. Life with its way before us lies, Christ is the path and Christ the prize.” Hymn 457, st. 2

Zoo Visit
          Grades PK-4 will enjoy a zoo visit here at school on Thursday.  This visit’s animal is a snake.

Open Enrollment
Enrollment for the 2017/2018 school year is now open.  Please enroll your student if he or she is returning next year so we can begin to prepare for the school year. 


Early Dismissal
          On April 28th, school will dismiss at noon for teacher in-service.

Track Season
          Track practice continues on Tuesday and Thursday at Cuddy Park 3:45 – 5:00pm. 
          The Faith will be participating in a meet on May 6th.

Teacher Appreciation Week
          May 1st – 5th is teacher appreciation week.   Here are the activities PTF has planned:  Provide lunch or breakfast for the staff each day, decorate the classroom doors, and collect money so the teachers may enjoy a dinner out together.
          Please take the time next week to give a special thank you to our teaching staff.
          Families will be contacted this week as how they can help in their classrooms.  If you would like you may contact Sheila Lillo at
229-7901 with any questions.

Upcoming Events
          Parking Lot Sale on May 20th, 9:00-3:00.  Parents we will need volunteers!  Make plans to help for an hour or two. 

          End of school year picnic, May 24th at 11:30am.  Look for sign up opportunities soon.

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Parent Connection April 18th

Life Has Won!
          Once again it seems that winter is losing its grip on Anchorage. Each day the sun comes up earlier and stays up later. Even though mornings can still be rather crisp, the day warms quickly with the sunshine we are experiencing. Each day more and more birds return from their vacation journey to warmer climates. Soon we will hear about the bears waking up grouchy and hungry so it’s time for us to stop feeding the birds and start being more careful with our trash. Before you know it, the grass will need mowing and the flowers will be blooming. Springtime is a time of new life in Anchorage.
          It is also a time when we remember the new life that God has created in us. Through the work of the Holy Spirit using the Word, we have this new life in us. This new life changes everything, our attitude, our fears, our wants, our hope, and our relationships. It all starts with Jesus. St. Paul writes to Timothy, “This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” II Timothy 1:9b-10. Jesus won this new life for us through his holy sinless life and his innocent suffering and death. God raised him to life from the tomb to show us that his sacrifice was acceptable and we are his own. Let the new life shine in everything you do.

Early Dismissal
          On April 28th, school will dismiss at noon for teacher in-service.

Kids’ Day at the Dena’ina
          Thank you to all who helped and visited our booth! 
Alaska Junior Theater
          Grades K-4 will be attending the presentation of “The Tree and the Donkey Who Loved to Sing” on April 20th at 10:15am.  Permission slips should already be turned in.  Remember car seats if needed.

Hot Lunch April
          Hot Lunch is this week.  Please return the hot lunch slip by Thursday.

PTF Meeting
          The next PTF meeting is scheduled for April 19th at 7:00pm. This is an important meeting as we will be planning Teacher Appreciation Week (May 1st-5th), Parking Lot Sale (May 20th), and End of School Picnic (May 24th).  We need your help for these events to be a success!

Open Enrollment
Enrollment for the 2017/2018 school year is now open.  Please enroll your student if he or she is returning next year so we can begin to prepare for the school year. 

Track Season
          Track practice begins this Thursday at Cuddy Park 3:45 – 5:00pm.  Be sure to return the permission slip by Thursday.
A field event clinic will be held this Saturday at Eagle River Christian School, 10:00 – Noon.  Please use this opportunity to practice and improve your skills.   The school will not be able to provide transportation for the clinic.

Funeral Services

          For those who would like to attend, a funeral service for Pastor Oldfield will be held here at Faith Lutheran Church on April 22nd at 2:00pm.

Monday, April 10, 2017

Parent Connection April 10th

What if?
          Have you ever played that “game”? What would you do if you won the lottery? What if you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
          It can be fun to speculate about different trivial things but what about serious thoughts? The apostle Paul does that in his first letter to the Corinthian congregation when he asks, “What if Christ had not been raised?”
          His first thought is that if Christ had not been raised then our “faith is futile, you are yet in your sins.” This truth is the foundation upon which our faith and hope are built. The resurrection of Jesus tells us that God accepted his payment for our sins and that we are declared righteous. Our major problem has been solved.
          Paul also says that “those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.” The gravestone over Abraham would read “Lost”; over John the Baptist’s headless body, “Lost”; over the graves of my parents and loved ones, “Lost”; and over my own grave, “Lost”. Without a risen Savior, there is only one epithet to our life, “Lost” for eternity.
          Paul concludes with “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” How sad would it be if we spent our lives hoping for a future that could not happen? How foolish would that be?
          Thanks be to God that Christ has been raised. We know our faith and hope are secure; we and all believers will be raised to life eternal with Jesus our Savior. Celebrate your new life in Christ this coming Easter season!

Pennies for Patients
          We raised $274.17 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Thank you to all who participated.

No School Days and Early Dismissal
          April 14th and 17th there will be no school.  April 28th, school will dismiss at noon for teacher in service.

Kids’ Day at the Dena’ina
          Faith Lutheran School will be hosting a booth at Kids’ Day on April 15th.  The event runs 10:00 – 4:00pm and highlights programs for children in Anchorage.  We will need volunteers to help throughout the day. Please let Mrs. Z know if you can volunteer for an hour or two to help out at Faith’s Booth.  We also need plastic colored eggs for the craft which can be dropped off in the office or with Mrs. Z.

Easter Celebrations
          For those of you looking for a place to celebrate Easter, Faith Lutheran Church invites you to join us on April 16th.  Faith will have Easter services at 8:00am and 10:30am.  Breakfast will be served between services beginning at 9:00am.  We look forward to seeing you!

Alaska Junior Theater
          Grades K-4 will be attending the presentation of “The Tree and the Donkey Who Loved to Sing” on April 20th at 10:15am.  Please return permission slips by April 13th.

Library Visit
          The upper graders will be visiting the library on Thursday.  Be sure to bring all library books to return.

Parking Lot Snow
          Parents, please pay extra attention in the parking lot.  We are trying to melt the snow a little quicker.

Hot Lunch April
          Parents, we have a volunteer for hot lunch this month on April 20th.  If you would still like to help, please contact Sheila Lillo at 229-7901. The menu for this month is pizza.

PTF Meeting
          The next PTF meeting is scheduled for April 19th at 7:00pm. This is an important meeting as we will be planning Teacher Appreciation Week (May 1st-5th), Parking Lot Sale (May 20th), and End of School Picnic (May 24th).  We need your help for these events to be a success!

Open Enrollment
Enrollment for the 2017/2018 school year is now open.  Please enroll your student if he or she is returning next year so we can begin to prepare for the school year. 

Track Season
          As you are well aware, there is still snow on the ground.  Track season is delayed until the ground/track is dry enough to run on and not cause damage.  There will be no meets before May.

Funeral Services

          For those who would like to attend, funeral services for Pastor Oldfield will be held here at Faith Lutheran Church on April 22nd at 2:00pm.

Monday, April 3, 2017

Parent Connection April 3rd

Remember Your Leaders….
          “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” Hebrews 13:7.
          These words came to my mind this weekend after I learned that Pastor James Oldfield had left this world of pain and sorrow to live with his Lord in heaven. He had served this congregation from 1992 until early in 2016. Some months before that time, he was diagnosed with a brain cancer. At that time, his cancer made him unable to carry out all of his duties for this congregation. In his battle with this disease, his Lord kept him strong in his faith and finally, on Saturday morning, delivered him from his suffering and took him to his eternal home where he stands before the throne of God, joining his voice with the voices of all the saints and angels, praising his God and Father.
          During his time as our pastor, our shepherd, he focused a great deal of time and effort educating the members of this church in Bible study. The Lord knew that this church needed to be strengthened in its foundation, it needed to be rooted deeply in the Word. He provided for that need in the calling of Pastor Oldfield.  Pastor Oldfield liked to tell us that we were some of the most well-trained, Bible-based, orthodox Christians in Alaska. So as we mourn his leaving us, let us also hold onto the faith he professed before us, that faith that led him home.

Pennies for Patients
          The drive is finished, we will announce the donation total in chapel on Thursday.

Jr. Choir
          Thank you to the Junior Choir members for singing at King of Kings on Sunday. 
Comfy Day
          By popular demand, we will have a makeup spirit day due to the snow day last week.  This Friday will be comfy day, wear the comfiest of clothes.  No onesies please.

Sports Nights
          This week, Tuesday and Thursday, during the regular practice times, we are inviting the soccer and basketball teams and their parents to come and play. We will have some skills competitions for the team members and some open games. Tuesday will be for soccer and Thursday will be basketball. Also, Thursday night will be a pizza feast at school after the games. Please join us.

Singing in Church
          This Sunday is Palm Sunday, April 9th.  The preschool and kindergarten students will be singing in church.  Please be sure to have your child here by 10:15am.  The service begins at 10:30am.

Kids’ Day at the Dena’ina
          Faith Lutheran School will be hosting a booth at Kids’ Day on April 15th.  The event runs 10:00 – 4:00pm and highlights programs for children in Anchorage.  We will need volunteers to help throughout the day. Please let Mrs. Z know if you can volunteer for an hour or two to help out at Faith’s Booth.  We also need plastic colored eggs for the craft which can be dropped off in the office or with Mrs. Z.

No School Days and Early Dismissal
          April 14th and 17th there will be no school.  April 28th, school will dismiss at noon for teacher in service.


Spaghetti Fest
          A big thank you to all who contributed to the spaghetti fest!  We were able to raise $2000.
          A special thank you to Kristi Gartman, Gabrielle Bauer, Judi Hegerberg and Mrs. Z for all their work planning and serving the delicious food.   

Easter Celebrations
          For those of you looking for a place to celebrate Easter, Faith Lutheran Church invites you to join us on April 16th.  Faith will have Easter services at 8:00am and 10:30am.  Breakfast will be served between services beginning at 9:00am.  We look forward to seeing you!

Hot Lunch April
          Parents, a volunteer is needed for hot lunch this month on April 20th.  Please contact Sheila Lillo at 229-7901 if you are able to help. The menu for this month is pizza.

Open Enrollment

Enrollment for the 2017/2018 school year is now open.  Please enroll your student if he or she is returning next year so we can begin to prepare for the school year.