“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.’” — Romans 15:13
There are few better feelings than lending a helping hand to those in need. As we make our way through the season of giving, we should challenge ourselves to embody the spirit of Christmas and teachings of Christ by giving back to those who could use some extra kindness in their lives.
Giving back can be as simple as writing Christmas cards to seniors or paying for someone else’s coffee in the drive-thru. We can also donate gifts or toys, or we can volunteer our time at one of the many worthy organizations doing amazing things in our communities.
And we shouldn’t limit giving to the holiday season either; make it a practice year-round! Our Division is currently in the third year of our Three-Year Faith Plan — “Disciples Through Works.” We have been humbled to witness our students regularly encountering Christ through many wonderful acts of service and Catholic social justice projects.
It’s inspiring to see and hear of the incredible work being done in our schools. These good news stories fill our hearts with Christ’s light, and we love to share them with the communities we call home and the people we call our friends and neighbours. We eagerly look forward to seeing the wonderful things that will happen in our schools in the coming year.
The STAR Catholic Board of Trustees wishes you and yours a warm and wonderful Christmas, and many blessings in the New Year ahead. May your hearts and homes be filled with the peace and love of Christ.
This column was submitted by STAR Catholic Schools. Marilyn Burke is the local trustee on the STAR Catholic Schools Division board. STAR Catholic Schools has more than 4,400 students in 12 schools located in Beaumont, Drayton Valley, Leduc, Lacombe, Ponoka and Wetaskiwin.