Advent

We had a very busy class this week at Religious Ed!

We began our class by gathering around the prayer table and thanking God for how lucky we are for all of the things he has brought us in our lives. Then we prayed for people in our lives who need extra prayers.



We talked about Advent this week because the first Sunday in Advent is Sunday, November 28th. Next week! We learned that Advent is a time of preparing for Christmas. We each made an advent wreath in class to bring home and "light" each week during Advent. We learned about the meaning of each candle and brought home a sheet with a prayer to say each week as we are lighting the candles.



After that, we had a visitor come to talk to us! Sister Marianne came to talk to us about Advent and about preparing for Christmas. She showed us a special advent wreath and read us a book about the story of Jesus' birth. We learned that the third candle on the Advent wreath is pink to remind us that we are *almost* there! It is almost the time to celebrate Jesus' birth!

While reading the story, we learned that Jesus was laid in a manger. Sr. Marianne gave us a good idea we could use at home. She said that if we have a manger at home, every time during Advent that we do a good deed, we can add a piece of straw. By the time Christmas comes, our good deeds will have made a wonderful place for baby Jesus to sleep!

We also decorated little blue squares of paper with Thanksgiving wishes for the family who is going to receive the Thanksgiving food we brought to class. We were very excited and honored to be able to bring something to help a family have a Thanksgiving meal who might not have otherwise. We brought up our food and gathered around the boxes. Then we read our notes aloud and taped them onto the box.

Homework:

-Page 120 (end of the Chapter on Advent. Discuss the Chapter as a family).

-Continue to review your First Eucharist and Reconciliation books

-Work with your child to pick our a toy for a child who may not receive toys otherwise and bring it to class December 4th.

-Don't forget to bring back the form regarding participating in the Christmas Eve enactment.

Have a wonderful and family filled Thanksgiving!

Make sure to take some time to thank God for everything you have been given.