800 Juliana Drive, Woodstock, Ontario

Phone: 519-539-1492

     

December 2020

O Holy Night!

O Holy Night was originally a French Christmas carol written in 1847. It’s rumoured that a French soldier in the trenches of the First World War began singing O Holy Night (along with several other carols) and kicked off the Christmas Eve Armistice of World War I. Historians to this day debate exactly what happened, but the story goes that French, British, and Belgian troops lay down their weapons and mingled with their German counterparts for a short time on Christmas Eve, and may have even played a friendly game of soccer!

During the Christmas season, no matter where you go, shoppers, travellers and listeners are subjected to relentless Christmas music and at the same time, reminded of the coming Messiah! Maybe the song “O Holy Night” has crossed your airwaves recently. Did you ever stop to consider the words? One line, in particular, stands out to me: “a weary world rejoices.”

Many feel weary this Christmas. 2020 has been a difficult year. It’s been a year of loss for all of us, whether that was a job, a loved one, a relationship, or our sense of peace and security. As we head into the Christmas season, it can be difficult to muster up feelings of holiday joy.

And you know what? That’s okay. We don’t have to have it all together, or even feel particularly festive, to feel that thrill of joy and hope at our Savior’s birth. In fact, these moments of pain make the miracle of Jesus’ life and death feel all the more relevant and important. For what else could make us feel such awe and wonder, even in the midst of trouble?

What a beautiful reminder of the splendour of our Savior’s birth. That after the world lay in sin and darkness, it was struck with a “thrill of hope.” This event was the fulfilment of many prophecies and reason for rejoicing. The birth of Christ brought and continues to bring about a “new and glorious” day (reference: biblestudytools.com). As you go about your Christmas celebrations this year, keep your eyes on Jesus, God’s gift of hope and salvation for our weary world.

Blessings to all for the Christmas break. Looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us in 2021!

                                                                                                                                     Carol Verbeek, Principal

 

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God's Love and Faithfulness

Once again, our WCS community came together, for 2 evenings last week, in our shared mission to nurture faith, engage learning, and grow in community … to the glory of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.  Parents and teachers share a commitment to nurturing the faith development of our students.  Parent-teacher conferences are an opportunity for us to speak honestly about the progression of this development.  The “Living in Community” section of the progress report offers a window for parents to understand how their child is responding to and contributing in Christian community.

Proverbs 4:13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.  Learning at WCS occurs through a biblical world-view that requires the learner to question, gather information, and reflect on God’s design of His world and all things contained in it.  Progress reports give parents an understanding of how and what their child is learning through a biblical world-view.  All subject areas can be considered ‘bible class’.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.  The parents and teacher experience a close sense of community during a year of teaching a student.  God is present in that close community.  His presence during conferences allows parents and the teacher to develop a Godly vision of learning progress, goal setting, and support for the student.  

Once again, God has demonstrated his love for and faithfulness to WCS.  During a time of social distancing and uncertainty, God provided a way for our community to meet and discuss the training up of His children.  God has blessed us with the technology, flexibility, and adaptability to fulfill the mission of WCS.  Once again, God has demonstrated his love for and faithfulness to WCS!

Then you, being rooted and grounded in love, will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Eph 3:17-19

 

                                                                            Mrs. Racicot

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