Principal's Corner
Thankful for Children and Homework?
A colleague shared a research article with me titled “Don’t Help Your Kids With Their Homework.” The title caught my eye both as someone in professional education, and as a parent of two children who are now grown adults with families of their own.
I recall countless evenings of helping my kids review their work, often times wondering ‘what is the point.’ It was often very challenging for me to not ‘just do it’ and move things along for them, even though I knew better. I knew that the struggle was as important as the content being taught. I knew from my formal teacher training that children learn as much, if not more, from struggling with concepts and being challenged, as they do by being given the ‘correct’ answer and ‘moving on’. Nonetheless, the temptation to jump in and ‘rescue’ my children was great and got greater the later in the evening it became. One strategy that seemed to help me find common ground in my own mind was to get my kids to step back a bit and ask questions about their homework. Such as: What didn’t they know and what did they know about the problem? Why did they think the concept was being taught? What if I just did their work for them, what would really happen in their lives? To my surprise, teachers shared with me that my children sometimes also asked similar questions of their teachers in the classroom. This led to interesting conversations, and more often than not, they completed their homework themselves and earned their own grades.
Based on my experience and education, I believe children need the love and understanding of parents to support them throughout life. The article referenced above, shared findings that indicate that one powerful type of parental involvement is when parents go to great lengths to seek out effective schools for their children, while others accept the status quo at the school around the corner. I know that RHLS parents have gone to great lengths to seek out RHLS as a school of choice for their child, this is a choice and form of parental involvement that will have lasting effects; eternally lasting effects.
As we approach Thanksgiving, I hope that we are all thankful for children and their homework. Thankful to have the opportunity to be challenged by both children and their homework. More so, thankful for a community of Christian believers here at Red Hill Lutheran Church and School who together form a foundation of support and encouragement to live for Christ each and every day.
November Dates to Remember:
5: Baptism Class-All Ages, 11:30-1:00 pm
7-8: Christmas Shopping Club
10: No School/Campus Closed Veterans Day Observed
15: Thanksgiving Chapel/Operation Christmas Child Shoebox dedication
17: End of Trimester 1
20-22: Preschool-5 Thanksgiving Camp
20-24: No School: Thanksgiving Break and Staff Development
December Looking Ahead:
Save the dates for Christmas shows
12/1: Preschool Christmas Program, Rm 9 & 10: 9:30 am; Rm 5: 11:00 am
12/1: Christmas "Carols & Dessert" Night, 6:30 pm
12/3: Photos with Santa, 1:30-4:30 (reservations required)
12/5: Middle School Christmas Showcase, 6:30 pm
12/8: Middle School Academic & 5-8 Sports Award Ceremony, 2:10
12/8: 3-5 Christmas Show "The Christmas Clinic", 6:30
12/9: K-5 Parents Night Out, 5-8 pm
12/15: K-2 Christmas Show "The Mysterious Animal", 10:30 am
12/15: Minimum Day (No Daycare)
12/18-1/2: Christmas Break (No Camp)
Pastor's Corner
Dear Red Hill Lutheran School Families,
God’s Word reminds us that…
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” (Hebrews 12.1)
The “great cloud of witnesses” that the book of Hebrews describes, are those men and women who lived faithful lives, serving our Lord and others, and now rest from their labors in heaven. According to Scripture, they are saints.
In the ancient, Christian calendar, November 1st is recognized as “All Saints Day.” All Saints Day dates back to approximately 610 A.D. when the Pantheon in Greece, turned into a Christian Church, was dedicated to all saints. The 1662 Book of Common Prayer describes that this Christian holy-day (holiday) calls us to gratefully remember those who have died in the Christian faith and “the unity of Christians of all ages, countries, and races in Christ, and the perfection of that unity in heaven." Every follower of Christ is a member of God’s family, a family that transcends time and space; a spiritual family that is current and ancient. All Saints Day is an annual reminder of this incredible truth.
While All Saints Day honors those who have died in Christ, every believer in Jesus is considered a saint. In Ephesians 1.1, Saint Paul opens his letter to the church in Ephesus this way:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The word “saint” comes from the Greek word hagios, which means “consecrated to God, holy.” As the Ephesians text above illustrates, typically, this word is plural, i.e. “saints,” referring to the church. Saints are not perfect people; saints are people being made perfect through Jesus Christ. The theological term for this is sanctification. As disciples of Jesus, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, the divine image within each one of us, corrupted by sin, is being restored to reflect the One whose divine image was never corrupted—Jesus! One day, that perfection (sanctification) will be completed in heaven, where with the “communion of saints” we will surround the throne of God celebrating and praising God (Revelation 20 and 21)!
Again, while all Christians are saints, All Saints Day is a time to specifically remember those who have died in faith, thanking God for their lives and witness. As Lutherans, we believe the Bible doesn’t teach us to pray to the saints (Matthew 6.6), rather, we are encouraged to remember the saints and to allow the memory of their faith to spur us on to deeper faithfulness and hope. Hebrews 11, sometimes referred to as the “Hall of Faith,” reminds us that God’s faithful saints persevered in the face of conflicts and hardships because of their faith and the faithfulness of God:
“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight...They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11.32-34, 38-40).
One of the great hymns of the church, "For All the Saints" is traditionally sung in honor of All Saints Day. It encourages believers to look across 2000 years of Christian history and think of the millions now enjoying rest and salvation in the presence of God. It’s also meant to provide encouragement to believers here and now to press on, looking forward to the glorious day when all things will be made new! It is this Christian hope that is reflected in the hymn, “For All the Saints...”
“And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, Steals on the ear the distant triumph song, And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong. Alleluia, Alleluia!”
As we honor All Saints Day in November, take time to thank God for the saints in your life, especially those who are now with Jesus—parents, siblings, children, spouses and friends. Hold on to the hope that we will see our loved ones again in God’s glorious kingdom! Thank God that He has called you to be a saint. If you are going through a difficult time right now, or someone you love is struggling, consider the saints of the Bible and the saints in your own life that have left you an example of perseverance and faithfulness, remembering that one day, God will heal the brokenness in our lives and in this world! Finally, consider the awesome reality that one day you will be remembered for your faithfulness and perseverance.
On All Saints Day and every day, may we pause to remember that we are members of God’s family—past, present, and future—we are saints!
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1.9-14).
Have a great November!
Sincerely in Christ,
Pastor Seth
Red Hill Lutheran Church and School
Email: rhlsoffice@redhillschool.org
Website: www.redhillschool.org
Location: 13200 Red Hill Avenue, Tustin, CA, USA
Phone: 714-544-3132