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Raggant Standard

December 2022

 

Letter From The Headmaster (U.H.)



And now for still more discussion of Christian feasting. 

 

If you spend more than a few weeks around ECS, you hear someone talk about feasting: Reformation Day, the Christmas Feast, the Fundraising Feast, feasting elements to the first and last days of school, the Fiction Festival…it doesn’t end.  Nor should it. But the secular celebrations of Thanksgiving and Christmas don’t qualify for what they’re talking about.  I’m talking about positioning ourselves to receive from our Father, who loves to give good gifts to His children.  

 

Feasting is an important ingredient to the Christian culture we are looking to give our students.  It’s handy, and it’s healthy. It’s a lot of other things, too.  

 

Feasting involves hospitality.  We welcome people to our table whether they are deserving or not, because this is how God welcomes us.  And we put out candles and linens and sparkling glassware and good food because these people are special.  

 

Feasting involves party planning.  Though feasting is not always a big meal, it is sometimes.  There are plenty of life skills required to prepare a meal for more than one person, and those are skills that will come in handy if our kids keep on partying unto the jealously and salvation of the unbelievers around them.  Allow 45 minutes for the bread to bake; let the steaks rest but don’t let them get cold; figure on about 12 ounces of meat per person if you want leftovers; put the little fork on the outside for the salads; figure most people will want the Cabernet, but have a Chardonnay available; cook the veggies in a skillet on high heat for added flavor; master a delicious recipe for gluten-free cupcakes and surprise everyone; fold the napkins to look like swans. Good skills. Handy skills. 

 

Feasting involves orienting praise.  When we feast, we are thanking the Giver of good gifts, and sometimes we use words.  Regardless, we use attitudes.  We eat freely with thankful hearts, not selfish ones.  This is often aided with good (even decadent) food and drink, with music and singing, with merriment and laughter, and by beauty…whether candles or colorfully-plated presentation.  

 

This may sound over-the-top, but that’s sort of the idea.  And if you want to see what it looks like, graciously executed with an economy of space and resources, you should come to our Christmas feast on the last day before Christmas break.  Our juniors are doing their level best to give the Raggants a feast, even with standing room only in the Mead Hall.  It will show plainly that feasting is more of a mentality than it is a presentation. 

 

As a father of three Raggants, I am so grateful that my kids are building some feasting muscle that their father has tried to pack on when long past his muscle-building prime.  Though they’re at a genetic disadvantage, they enjoy some serious chronological and cultural advantages.  Also, they’re not alone; along with their friends, they’re swimming in waters that have been chlorinated with Feasting.

 

Done well, this feasting is fun, and it strengthens our witness and showcases the grace of God.  When we feast, we boast in the Giver of good gifts.  We glory in the favor of God…something that is ours in Christ that we did not earn and that we do not deserve.  We are recipients not because of anything we have done, but only because God is gracious.  This makes the cheesecake sweeter and the ham saltier.  Like fine wine, it gladdens our hearts, and puts a song in our mouths.

 

One last thing that deserves its own column, but I’ll just mention in closing.  It’s a short step from feasting to giving presents at Christmastime.  Both are done in a spirit of thankfulness and of godly generosity.  Like feasting, gift-giving should be done from a grateful heart…one that realizes what we deserve, and what God has given us instead.  

 

I’m fond of saying that thankful people are more fun to bless.  By our thankfulness and our own generosity this season, let’s delight the heart of God by making it fun for Him to bless us.  May our heavenly Father look on our feasting and smile.    

 

Risus est bellum!

U.H. 


Christmas Concerts

This year's ECS Christmas Concert will be Tuesday, December 6th at Word of Life Lutheran Church in Marysville at 6:30pm. Students, please arrive at 6pm in Event Uniform and gather in the area where refreshments will be served.

We will be having cookies and light refreshments at the end of the concert - please sign up here if you would like to help provide treats!

 
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The Comeford College Community Choir Christmas Concert is planned for December 15th at 7pm at Trinity Evangel Church - it is free, and all are heartily invited to attend!
Hospitality Club

December is a splendid time when we set aside time to be with family and friends and celebrate the day of our savior's birth.  This is such a great opportunity for us to learn to become better and better at showing God's love to our neighbor through gifts and serving as well as through conversations with those around us.
Hospitality Club will be meeting this Friday, December 2, at 9:00 am.  Mrs. Jessica Deatherage will be teaching us how to make wreaths, a skill that can be reproduced over and again as well as translated to other skills in flower arranging.  Ladies, bring your $15 and a delicious treat to the Van Klaveren Nursery (2nd entrance): 13515 84th St. NE, Lake Stevens, 98258.

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Junior Hospitality Club will be meeting at their usual time, Wednesday, December 14, 12:40-1:20.  We will be making a craft together, learning something that also can be made again on your own so that you can an idea when you need to give others something special.
I am looking forward to seeing you all soon and festively!
Mrs. Herr
Grammar Speech Meet
 
Speech selections are due on December 8th to each teacher.
 

Category Guidelines: Speeches will be broken down into the following categories. All Grammar Students are required to participate, and may perform in only one of the categories:

  1. Poetry (grades 1-6)
  2. Bible memorization (grades 1-6). From: KJV, NKJV, NAS, ESV
  3. Fable and Folklore (grades 2-4)
  4. Historic, Patriotic or Literary Oration, (grades 5-6) 

 

Length Guidelines:

  • 1st grade: Poetry & Bible: 50 – 125 words      
  • 2nd grade Poetry & Bible: 75 – 175 words 
  • 2nd grade Fable: 100 – 250 words        
  • 3rd grade Poetry & Bible: 100 – 225 words
  • 3rd grade Fable: 125– 300 words
  • 4th grade Poetry & Bible: 125 – 275 words       
  • 4th grade Fable: 150 – 350 words
  • 5th grade Poetry & Bible: 150 – 325 words
  • 5th grade Historic Oration: 175 – 400 words
  • 6th grade Poetry & Bible:  175 – 400 words 
  • 6th grade Historic Oration: 200 – 500 words
Christmas Events
 
The Advent season is a bustling one around ECS! Here is some of the upcoming fun:
 
  • Christmas Concert with Mr. Harsh: December 1st beginning at 1:30. Mr. Harsh is incredibly talented, and this Assembly is a highlight of every year!
  • Bake Sale: December 5th - 8th. Open to students and parents - if you are interested in baking something for the sale, please sign up on the bulletin board! All proceeds go to the Student Event Fund.
  • Babysitting Fundraiser: December 9th at the Guardhouse. Grace Olson and a posse of Secondary volunteers (and a few adults) are offering babysitting from 5 - 8pm so you can wrap presents, shop, or have a date night! Children will be fed pizza, play games, and watch a Christmas movie. Any payment is by donation only, and all proceeds go the UK Trip Fund. If you would like to reserve a spot, contact Grace: gnaomiolson@gmail.com
  • Secondary Secret Santa: organized by the Senior Ladies, this year each of the Secondary students will be giving three small gifts: candy on December 1st, your favorite item in your person's favorite color on December 8th, and a small final gift on December 15th. Grammar students, check with your teacher to see if you are doing a gift exchange!
  • Christmas Feast: December 15th. This year will be hosted by the ECS Juniors, and will involve games, entertainment, and a feast for lunch; no need to pack food this day!
  • Christmas Break: December 19th - January 2nd

Raggant Romp

Travelers, our next UK Trip Meeting is slated for January 29th at the Hevia home. Potluck dinner will run from 5-5:45pm; I will be sending out a sign-up at the beginning of the month for food, so check your emails!

Our Meeting should last from 5:45 - 7:30pm where we will have the following brief presentations:
  • Ethan DeyArmin: St. Paul's Cathedral
  • Bazen Hevia: Bunhill Fields
  • Merian Bowers and Claire Pakinas: Tower of London
  • Ellie Sarr: Westminster Cathedral

Also remember, your next payment of $500 is due!
 
Upcoming Events
 
12/1: Dress Uniform & Special Christmas Concert featuring David Harsh at 1:25pm
12/2: Hospitality Club Wreath Making workshop at 9am at Van Klavern Nursery at 9am
12/5 - 12/8: Bake Sale
12/6: ECS Christmas Concert at 6:30pm at Word Of Life Lutheran Church in Marysville. Students, please arrive at 6pm in Event Uniform
12/8: Grammar Speech Meet Entries Due
12/9: Babysitting Fundraiser from 5-8pm at the Guardhouse
12/15: Dress Uniform & Christmas Feast!
12/15: Comeford Community Choir Christmas Concert at 7pm at Trinity Evangel Church 12/19 - 1/2: Christmas Break
1/3: School Resumes

December Birthdays

  • 12/4: Josephine Strom
  • 12/8: Isaiah Ripley
  • 12/9: Lucas Bertash
  • 12/10: Liza Lomakin
  • 12/14: George Long & Zion Kulishov
  • 12/15: Analise Nunziato 
  • 12/19: Maggie Liden
  • 12/20: Paxton Moore
  • 12/27: Poppy Bone
  • 12/28: Jayne Rothenberger & Amelia Lawson
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Evangel Classical School · 9015 44th Dr NE · Marysville, Wa 98270 · USA

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