"Of the greatness of his government and peace the will be no end." Isaiah 9:7a
During His time on earth, Jesus restores peace everywhere He went. He calmed tumultuous storms; He brought healing to the sick; He raised the dead to life; He forgave sinners their sins.
Jesus came to restore not just peace as we understand a cessation of hostility, but a rich, full, abiding harmony of life. His first coming began this process of restoring peace between us and God; His second coming will bring wholeness as He intended His creation to be
But Jesus' reign of peace is not reserved for His future kingdom; it begins here and now for all those who follow Him The Prince of Peace bring us peace with God, the end of spiritual enmity and striving to secure God's favour through our good works, as well as peace of mind and heart, a state of being at rest despite difficult circumstances because we know that God is in control.
Just as He is the Prince of Peace, so He call us to be makers of peace all around us (Matt 5:9)
(Unwrapping the names of Jesus, p78-79 by Asheritah Ciuciu)
Notes from Tammy • P2
Books and Crannies • P3
Programs of Interest • P4
Student Corner • P6
Calendar - Up and Coming Events • P12
FROM THE DESK OF TAMMY
Library
The Roots library is an amazing resource for the Roots families and we are blessed to have over 4000 items to access for free throughout the school year. This month alone over 1000 items have been distributed to families. As the Roots library use increases, so has the number of damaged materials brought back to the library. To help Roots offset the costs to replace these damaged materials we are asking all families who use the library to replace any damaged materials. Please review the Library Usage Policy on the Members Section of the Roots website.
Thank you to Alisa Weening, Marlies & Madysen Schalk and Ruth Baaman for all of your hard work in the library to pull and restock materials for us each month!
Reimbursements Update
Due to the current postal strike, Roots will not be issuing printed cheques for reimbursement until further notice. We encourage everyone who submits a reimbursement to choose the direct deposit option. Funds will be automatically deposited into your bank account by the end of each month (if the reimbursement was submitted by the reimbursement date of that month).
Fine Arts Week Calgary
The long awaited Fine Arts Week is back in Calgary and registration begins December 2nd. Be sure to register sooner than later as this event sells out quickly. These 4 days are jam packed with art, activities and fellowship for the whole family. Classes are offered for children ages 4+. If you have any questions about the Fine Arts Week, contact Juli Contos at JuliC@RootsHomeEd.com.
Ski Days Are Here
The ski days are back in 2025 and we are excited to see so many options being offered to the Roots community. As you decide which ski days to participate in, ensure you have read through the full event page for each venue. There are differences in what is required of parents and families for the locations, when you register you are agreeing to the terms outlined on the event page and will be held to that expectation.
BOOKS AND CRANNIES
By Justine Baamann
As the nights get longer and the snow starts to fall, I can't help but start to think about the Advent and Christmas season
I grew up in Canada in a family with Dutch roots and my husband grew up in Ukraine and Germany. Perhaps many of you have also grown up with traditions like the Dutch Sinterklaas, the German St Nikolaus, or the Ukrainian Grandfather Frost Sinterklaas and St Nikolaus have special days of their own (December 5th and 6th respectively), when treats are found in the shoes that good little boys and girls put out the night before. And Grandfather Frost is celebrated through the New Year time
This festive time around the world is traditionally full of lights, good smells, delicious food, and time off to spend with family and friends.
Maybe you look forward every year to skating, watching The Nutcracker or The Sound of Music, singing Christmas carols, or gathering around a cozy fire
As a self-avowed bookworm, some of my favourite winter memories fall around Christmas time; reading A Christmas Carol and other books while curled up on the couch, marathoning through Pride & Prejudice for the eleventy-first time, or having a bake fest with friends
The Roots library has many interesting books for making some new memories this year, while keeping in mind the whole point of Christmas; the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Read about a Pioneer Christmas, plan some new Christmas activities, learn some new carols, or find out who St Nicholas really was
And whether you celebrate the Christmas season or not, remember Christ, who humbled himself to come to earth as a little baby. The Light of the world, come into our darkness, and the best reason for our joy
Every blessing
After a five year hiatus, God & Government Youth is back and we are accepting applications now!
This is a unique opportunity for students in Grade 11 or 12 to join ARPA Canada next February 2025, as we jump into the world of politics in Ottawa, and hear from ARPA staff and other passionate Christians working in the city.
Get ready for a formal banquet downtown, engaging interactions with Members of Parliament, and a chance to explore the beautiful sights of our nation’s capital. If you’re considering a future in politics or are curious about working with organizations like ARPA Canada, this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss!
WHO: Grade 11-12
WHERE: Ottawa, Ontario
WHAT: Develop your understanding of Canadian politics and grow in confidence sharing a biblical perspective in the public square!
COST: This conference is free. Attendees are responsible for their own travel costs.
PROGRAMS OF INTEREST
Do you have a teen who dreams of being a published novelist . . . but has no idea how to get there?
Many young writers long to inspire readers and sweep them off to new worlds and far away adventures, just like their favorite authors have done for them.
But they feel stuck.
They don’t know how to go from having big dreams to actually taking concrete steps toward writing great novels. What are the keys that enable some authors to succeed when so many others fail? If your teen could benefit from more direction, then we’d like to introduce you to the WriterScore.
The WriterScore is a free tool we’ve created here at The Young Writer to help young writers measure their growth and development. This tool has helped hundreds of writers pinpoint the areas they need to grow in, empowering them to develop strategic plans for how to shore up their weaknesses and build on their strengths.
The WriterScore assesses a writer’s strengths and weaknesses in ten different categories of the writing life, including Strategy, Writing Habits, Learning, Mentorship, and more! Once your student finishes the free assessment, they’ll receive a numerical score that reveals where they’re at on their journey as a writer.
Whether they’re a Dreamer, and they’re just getting started with writing and are excited to learn more . . .
Or they’re an Achiever with multiple completed major writing projects, clear goals, and solid writing habits . . . Or they’re a Starter or Planner somewhere in-between . . .
The WriterScore will help them discover the areas where they need to grow in order to become a well-rounded writer who’s prepared to craft excellent stories. (And it only takes a few minutes to fill out!)
Your teen writer doesn’t have to keep trying to figure this out on their own. If they’re ready to learn what stage of the writing journey they’re at . . . And what steps they need to take next to actually move forward . . .
You can copy the following link to do an assessment: https://theyoungwriter.typeform.com/to/rjWy2dL0
STUDENT CORNER
Roots' Artist
During her art activities, Eden, grade 6, did such a wonderful job. What a great painting! Way to go Eden! Thank you for sharing your talent with us
If you like to draw, paint or are doing an interesting project, please share with us. Send a picture and add few informations to rootsnewsletter@proton.me and we will publish in the next newsletter.
DECEMBER 2024 CALGARY
These evenings are an opportunity for moms to come together between support group meetings. Feel free to bring a craft or project to work on or just come and visit with others. We would love to see you there. This is a drop in event and will run once a month on the last Tuesday of the month from 7-9 pm starting in January at Bonavista Evangelical Church 1509 Lake Ontario Drive SE. Mark your calendars for the following dates- January 28th, February 25th & March 25th. Contact Kimberley Somers if you have further questions: kimtobisomers@gmail.com. Reimbursement
ROOTS OFFICE CLOSED
Calgary Craft & Chat is Back!!
DECEMBER 2024 EDMONTON
Reimbursement Submission Deadline
Winter Gym Program Registration Deadline
Launch Pad
ROOTS OFFICE CLOSED
Math Fair
Support Group Reminder
The next support group meeting is in January 2025 (no meetings in December). The January support group will be a time for fellowship and to create a work of art. Check the dates for a meeting near you in the Members section of the website under Support Group.
HOUSEKEEPING
Something else you want to see in here? Send it our way!
rootsnewsletter@proton.me
Congrats to Eden Isfeld and Justine Baaman for winning a gift card Thankyou for your submissions!!!
Each month you can be entered to win a $10 gift certificate by contributing to the newsletter!
