Dear Trinity Families and Friends,
The Christmas season is upon us and it is a time during which we often become more reflective. In Beginning School through Grade 8 schools such as Trinity and throughout the land, students grow excited at the prospect of what is to come. Stores begin to thrive with gift givers, streets are festooned with additional lights and decorations, messages of good will abound. When people greet one another, there is a special feeling in the, “Greetings”; warm thoughts begin to infuse our days. The Christmas holidays in many ways seek to invite us all in a common feeling of affection.
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes;
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.
As we approach this holy time in our calendar, I ask for you to read this familiar hymn as a poem. So often we sing the hymns of Christmas during this time of year and the music often overshadows the words. If you pause and reread the words to this hymn several times, you will be able to paint the picture about the miracle of the birth of Jesus. I have also found that this hymn can give us many insights into answering the questions of our children as Christmas approaches. Take the other hymns of Christmas and read them as poems too and an entirely new portrait will be painted for you through language.
Here at Trinity you will see and hear about advent. The word ‘Advent’ is from the Latin ‘Adventus,’ which means ‘coming.’ Advent is the beginning of a new liturgical year (in the Western churches), and encompasses the span of time from the fourth Sunday before Christmas, until the Nativity of Our Lord is celebrated. Like Lent, Advent is a preparatory season. It has significance because it is a season of looking forward and waiting for something greater; both for the annual celebration of the event of Christ’s birth, and for the time when Christ will come again. Let us all reflect on the most powerful life force which is love.
Faithfully,
Mark Ravelli / Head of School
Trinity Episcopal School
720 Tremont Street Galveston, TX 77550
409.765.9391 https://tesgalv.org