Advent
Today marks the first day of Advent. This is a season of joyful waiting, a time of hope when we anticipate the arrival of the Christ Child who comes into our lives each day and who will come again in Glory.
During this first week of Advent, we light the first purple candle on the Advent wreath. This is the “hope” candle. The light of this candle reminds us of the coming of Jesus, the light of our world, who brings us hope. The candle also reminds us that we can be sources of hope for others.
The Virtue of Hope
This month we celebrate the virtue of hope. Hope is very much a spiritual virtue. It is the theological virtue by which we place our trust in Christ’s promises and rely not on our own strength alone, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Hope is strongly associated with the Advent Season: the readings from the Hebrew Scriptures and the early Gospels look forward in hope to the coming of Christ.
‘One Starry Night’ Christmas Concert
Mark your calendars for St. Nicholas CES’ Christmas concert that will take place on Thursday, December 14, 2023. The Primary (K-3) concert will be at 1:00pm, doors will open at 12:30. The Junior/Intermediate concert will be at 6:30pm, doors will open at 6pm. Both concerts will be held in the school gymnasium. Parents and guardians are invited to join us for this magical event.
Luke 4:18 Committee
As we prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus, we are reminded of those that are less fortunate. Please help us support two special fundraising initiatives for St. Vincent de Paul. Firstly, we are organizing a raffle with a unique and coveted prize – a spot in the first or second row of this year’s Christmas concert! This is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the holiday melodies performed by the students up close and create cherished memories with your family.
Each raffle ticket is priced at just $1, making it an accessible and fun way to contribute to a great cause. All proceeds will go towards supporting the charitable initiatives of St. Vincent de Paul, ensuring that our community comes together to make a positive impact this holiday season.
Secondly, we will be selling small candy canes for $0.50 each at lunch to also support this great cause. Every purchase of a candy cane goes towards making a difference in the lives of others through St. Vincent de Paul.
We encourage you to participate in these two initiatives and appreciate your generosity and commitment to making a difference in our community.
Volunteers in the School
As a Catholic Learning Community, the York Catholic District School Board encourages, welcomes and supports volunteers in our schools.
At St. Nicholas we acknowledge volunteers as valued partners who assist staff to enrich the learning experience of our students. If you would like to volunteer at some point in the school year we ask that you submit a Vulnerable Sector Check to the Principal prior to volunteering. In addition you will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement annually to indicate your agreement to an understanding of keeping all information related to the staff and/or students in the school confidential. All volunteers shall comply with the York Catholic District School Board Policies, Procedures and Guidelines.