Red Hill Lutheran 2021-2022
March Issue
A Message from Our Principal
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2
Almost everywhere in Orange County, the last few weeks, you can see snow on the local hills and mountains… A very rare occurrence! The majesty of our God is evident in this beautiful display! Some of you may have even enjoyed a “snow day” with your family and friends recently.
Where do you go for help when you need it; what do children witness in this regard? If you have a flat tire, you call AAA. If you have a clogged drain, you call a plumber (or maybe your husband!). Where do we go for help when our world seems to be falling apart? Who is the expert in matters of life? The Psalmist makes it very clear when he says, “(Our) help comes from the Lord!” There is never a time when we are outside the loving care of our Heavenly Father. We never face our trials and temptations alone. He stands guard over our lives. He is our keeper, our Hope! He does not slumber nor sleep. He preserves our souls. His love is unconditional. God has promised victory and blessing to all who trust Him with their lives. It is a matter of urgency, then, that we live our lives in this refreshing knowledge! It is a matter of urgency that we share this HOPE and PROMISE with our children, friends, and neighbors!
Let’s clearly demonstrate to everyone around us, and be reminded again when we see those snow-covered hills and mountains in our view …where does our help come from? “Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
This March newsletter is full of fun and exciting information about all aspects of the church and school ministry here at Red Hill Lutheran. Please spend some time to careful read and respond as necessary to items pertaining to your family. Thanks for your ongoing prayerful support and partnership in the eternally important process of Christian education.
Blessings,
Dr. Paul Marquardt, Principal
A Message from Our Pastor
The Season of Lent
On Ash Wednesday, March 2nd, we begin the sacred season of Lent. Ash Wednesday is a Christian holiday (holy day) observed by the Christian Church for centuries. The name, Ash Wednesday, comes from the ancient practice of placing ashes on the forehead in the shape of a cross. The ashes symbolize that we are mortal creatures, created by God and dependent upon God for our life—we are creatures and not the creator (Genesis 3.19)! Because we forget this truth, we sin. Because we sin, we separate ourselves from God. However, God sent Jesus to get us back! The ashes on our foreheads are made in the sign of the cross to remind us that Jesus loved us so much, He died for our sin and rose from the tomb on Easter, defeating death and the devil.
The word Lent comes from the Middle English word, “Lente,” meaning “spring time,” and is a forty-day period of spiritual reflection on the life of a disciple of Jesus. The forty days of Lent mirror Jesus’ forty days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness prior to the beginning of His public ministry. The Gospel of Mark describes this event in the life of Jesus:
“At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, 13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.” (Mark 1.9-13)
After Jesus’ Baptism, He is sent by the Holy Spirit into the desert where He does battle with Satan. Coming out from the wilderness, Jesus would resolutely set His face toward Jerusalem and the cross. Lent allows us time to explore and understand Jesus’ journey from the desert to the cross to Easter, absorbing its meaning and power.
In the early years of the church, Lent was an intensive, forty-day period of instruction in preparation for Baptism on Easter. Consequently, Lent was a time to reflect on, and prepare for, Baptism and the lifestyle of following Jesus as Lord and Savior.
As with every season in the Church Year, Lent is an annual reminder of a daily truth: Jesus came to live the life we cannot live and die the death we deserve. Because of what Jesus has accomplished for us, we are forgiven, justified, death is defeated, and an entirely new way of living is offered to us in love!
Our hope and prayer is that the Being Challenge will equip us to be with Jesus so that we may deepen our relationship with Him, as well as being like Jesus in our day-to-day lives, empowering us to be the disciples Jesus has called us to be! I hope to see you!
As always, you are in our prayers!
God’s blessings to you!
Pastor Seth
LENT Schedule, Services & Events
Our Lenten emphasis this year at Red Hill Lutheran Church is the “Being Challenge.” The Being Challenge is a forty-day, all-congregational campaign that will focus on the “challenge” to adopt and practice five, “key-stone habits:” Commit to Community; Study Scripture; Prioritize Prayer; Seek Solitude; and Choose Church. Each week we will explore one of the “key-stone habits” through the Sunday sermon, as well as a more in-depth focus on Wednesday evenings in Lent. Additionally, a workbook and other web-based resources will be offered that reinforce the six disciplines for all ages in our congregation.
During the Lenten season (and any time!), you are invited to join us for our Sunday morning Worship Services (in person and livestreamed) at 8:30 a.m. (Classical) or 10:00 a.m. (Contemporary). Sunday Children’s Ministry is at 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, March 2nd, we offer Ash Wednesday Worship, with the imposition of ashes, at 12:00 noon and 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Also beginning on Ash Wednesday, we will offer a family dinner at 6:00 p.m. in the Christian Life Center (CLC), followed by Ash Wednesday Worship at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
On the following Wednesday evenings, March 9th through April 6th, we will continue with our Lenten dinners at 6:00 p.m., followed by a Bible study for all ages beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the CLC (adults), “K.I.D.S. Zone” (grades K-5), and “Peter’s Parish” (Middle school). The evening concludes at 7:30 p.m.
2021-2022 School Theme
We are God's Masterpiece
"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10
March Christian Character Quality: Responsibility
Bible Verse:
"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control"
2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)
Congratulations to our February CCQ Winners for Love
K-5 Grandparent/VIP Day
RHLS Singers performance of the National Anthem at the Harlem Globetrotters Game on February 19th
Thank you to all who came to our Grandparent's Day! We braved the wind, and it turned out to be a GREAT day!
Check out our Red Hill Lutheran Church & School YouTube Channel, including our Wednesday School Chapels!
March Dates to Remember:
2: Ash Wednesday Chapel
4-11: Spring Online Auction
11: Middle School Academic & 5-8 Sports Awards Ceremony
14-16: 6th Grade Trip- Astrocamp
14-16: 7th Grade Trip- Catalina
15-16: 5th Grade Science Camp
17-18: Spring Break: No School (No Camp)
25: Preschool Spring Sing
31: Spring Portraits (Information to come)
Registration for Fall 2022
Enrollment is OPEN for next year. Make sure you save your spot!
Please contact Lori Browne with any questions. Lbrowne@redhillschool.org or
(714)544-3132 x111
Summertime is Coming!
Summer Camp Program
Registration will open this week!
9 Weeks starting Tuesday, June 7, 2022 - Thursday, August 4, 2022 from 7:30-5:30
Red Hill Lutheran (RHL) School provides summer camp for all students entering Preschool through 5th Grade. In addition, Middle School has several weeks of 1/2 day camp. The camps are open to current student of RHL and the community. All are welcome!
Spring Online Auction: March 4th-11th
Mother-Son Bowling Night
Father-Daughter Dance
Pacific Symphony: Class Act Program
We are happy to announce that we have a flyer (below) for all of our 2019-2020 Class Act schools which provides a free ticket (plus an opportunity to purchase an extra ticket for just $5)!
What's Going On?
Attendance: Please submit all absences through RHLS app Absence Form, this informs the office, nurse and teacher.
Free Dress:
Every Monday, K-8 students may wear free dress only with a Free Dress Pass
Every Friday, K-8 students, may wear free dress with a Free Dress Pass or $2.
All money raised will go to the ASB for student activities and service projects.
Spirit Shirt Fridays:
Students may wear their spirit shirt with uniform bottoms every Friday, no free dress pass required.
*All free dress days must adhere to our dress code guidelines in the RHLS Student Handbook
Lunches: Tuesday, Chick-fil-A, $8 for 8 piece nugget or chicken sandwich meal, 8th Grade East Coast Fundraiser
Thursday, Pizza, $7 for 1 slice or $8 for 2 slice meal, PTF Fundraiser
To Order your Chick-fil-A or Pizza log onto Boonli - one sign-on allows ordering via credit card, changing orders, cancelling orders, seeing order history, duplicating orders etc.
Monday-Friday, Choicelunch Service - Variety of entrees, sides and drinks available daily.
To Order your lunch click HERE The online ordering system and mobile App make it easy for parents to order school lunches.
Choicelunch ordering update: You must now order 3 days for a full menu before meal day.
*Please make sure to send your child(ren) to school daily with a mask and water bottle. Please label all belongings, including sweatshirts.
RHLS Covid Safety Plans- Updated, please click here and visit the "Health" tab on the RHLS website for more information
Lost and Found
Please mark your child's name on all sweatshirts, jackets, lunch boxes, water bottles, P.E. clothes...
Items that are not claimed from the Lost & Found after two weeks will be moved to the gently used uniform closet.
Middle School News
Crean Lutheran High School
All 6th and 7th grade families are invited to a fun-filled evening featuring a pep rally, games, prizes, Chick-fil-A dinner, information tables, and more!
This lively glow-themed pep rally is Friday, March 4, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. in the Saints Event Center/Gym. Each student will receive a t-shirt and swag bag! Get your glow on (6th graders wear gold and 7th graders wear blue) and come for the fun and fellowship!
Preschool News
Save the Date!
Friday, March 25th
Tiny Tots (Rooms 11 & 12) 9:30 am
PK (Rooms 9 & 10) 10:30 am
TK (Room 5) 11:30 am
Click on the image below for Volunteer Opportunities. Get your Parent Service Hours!
Parents in Prayer
Parents in Prayer: Parents and church members are invited to join our "Parents in Prayer" group. This group meets every Friday, from 8:30-9:30 am in Peter's Parish.
The purpose of the group is to pray for our school, teachers, administrators, staff and students on a weekly basis. You may also submit prayer requests on the RHLS APP.
Please contact Katie Gillin with questions at katiemgillin@gmail.com.
Happy Birthday RHLS Faculty & Staff
10: Ms. Jessica Britton (Enrichment, Support Staff)
13: Mrs. Desiree Robledo (Preschool Teacher, Room 10)
15: Mrs. Christine Aguilar (1st Grade Teacher)
30: Mrs. Chantey Darling (Enrichment, Support Staff Supervisor)
American Heritage Girls
Join us!
Red Hill Lutheran Church News
Ash Wednesday Services, March 2nd
FAQs of LENT
As a summary description, here are some “FAQs” about Ash Wednesday and Lent:
1. What is the Lenten season, and why is it set apart?
It is a period of six weeks preceding Holy Week and Easter, and is set apart as a special season of fasting, penitence, and prayer.
2. Why is it called Lent?
Because it always comes in the spring of the year, and the old, Saxon word lent means “spring.”
3. With what remarkable event in Jesus’ life does the Lenten season
correspond?
The forty days which He spent fasting in the wilderness.
4. Why is the first day of Lent called Ash Wednesday?
From the tradition and practice that prevailed in the early church of sprinkling ashes on the heads of penitents the first day of Lent, as a symbol of repentance and sorrow for sin.
5. Are there any examples of this custom mentioned in the Bible?
Yes, the example of Daniel and of David and the people of Nineveh, to which Jesus Himself refers in Matthew 11:21.
6. If Lent is only forty days, why does it begin forty-six days before Easter?
There are six Sundays in Lent, and as all Sundays are feast and celebration days in honor of the Resurrection, they are taken out. To make up for these Sundays, six days are added to the beginning of the season.
7. How should the Lenten season be observed by Christians?
As a special season for drawing near to God by acts of penitence, charity, and spiritual devotion, and by fasting and abstinence from all things that tend to draw the heart from God.
8. Why does the church require us to observe the Lenten fast?
Because repentance and acts of devotion to God, are essential to growth in faith. And because these duties are apt to be neglected and forgotten unless some special time is set apart for their observance.
9. What objection do people sometimes raise against the observance of Lent/Lenten fasting?
They say that it is a useless and superstitious custom, and that Christ nowhere commanded his disciples to fast. Additionally, nowhere in the Bible are we directed to place ashes on our forehead and/or observe Lent.
10. How do we answer this objection?
While not a Biblically commanded observance (nor is Christmas Eve or Thanksgiving Day), the focus of this season is entirely Biblical (Repentance and discipleship). And, as mentioned above, the observance of Lent has been practiced by the church for centuries as preparation for Baptism and the celebration of Easter, as was the sprinkling of ashes as a sign of repentance, similar to the Prophet Job (Job 42:6). Fasting was a common practice among God’s chosen people (Exodus 34:28; 2 Sam. 12:16;1 Kings 19:8; Ps. 35:13; Joel 1:14; Jon. 3:5). Jesus fasted and so did his disciples. He did not command his followers to fast; He assumed that they would and gave directions on how to fast (Mathew 6:17).
You're Invited!
Youth & Family Ministry Middle School
Middle School Ministry
MIDDLE SCHOOL MINISTRY
6TH-8TH Grade
Meets Tuesday Nights
6:00 - 7:30pm
At Peter’s Parish
For more information contact Student Ministry Coordinator, Phil Gaylor.
Email: pgaylor@redhillchurch.org
Red Hill Lutheran Mobile App
FOLLOW US!
Red Hill Lutheran Church and School
Email: jelser@redhillschool.org
Website: www.redhillschool.org
Location: 13200 Red Hill Avenue, Tustin, CA, USA
Phone: 714-544-3132