Advent 2017 at ASA

Advent 2017

Beginning the Church's liturgical year, Advent (from, "ad-venire" in Latin or "to come") is the season encompassing the four weeks leading up to the celebration of Christmas.

The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to the anniversary of the birth of Jesus and also to the joyful expectation of Christ’s second coming at the end of time.

Advent is a wonderful time for the students and staff at All Saints Academy to put our core values, of Faith, Learning, Loving and Serving, into action on a daily basis. Prayers of hope, peace, joy and love are prayed weekly around the Advent wreath. Students participate in a reflection activity at the beginning of each week to help them grow in faith and share love with others. Their written reflections are displayed in the gyms at both campuses in a large paper chain to remind us that at ASA, We Are One.

Students in Kindergarten through 4th grade will be going to Aquinata Hall, on the Marywood campus, to perform their Christmas program and shine the light of Jesus to the Dominican Sisters. Middle School students will be spreading Christmas cheer as they sing Christmas carols to the residents at Vista Springs. While visiting the senior citizens, students are going to share beautifully colored ornaments. The 6th grade leads middle school students in a daily Jesse Tree reflection at morning prayer during Advent and students in 3rd grade through 8th grade will have the chance to celebrate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation at school before Christmas Break.

All Saints Academy is working in partnership with Kids Food Basket throughout the year. Students decorate bags for sack suppers on a regular basis. During Advent, each grade level is collecting a particular food item that will be used to make trail mix. On December 15, a representative from Kids Food Basket is planning on working with all students to prepare and pack the trail mix. The trail mix is going to be included in the sack suppers. The trail mix bags ASA students create will be given to students in need so they have access to healthy food over the Christmas Break. Kids Food Basket currently serves nearly 7,500 children in the greater Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Holland areas.