Dear ACA Parents, November, 2008

Psalm 9 states; “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart.” Giving thanks to God is a central theme in scripture. It is easy to recognize why; a thankful heart leaves little room for worry, fear or bitterness. In Hebraic thought it was customary to bless and thank God for everything. The tradition was that one should thank and bless the King of the Universe at least 100 times every day beginning each morning by blessing God for the new day. It might revolutionize our lives if we blessed God 100 times a day for all He does for us, gives to us, and even withholds from us. I’m reminded of Fiddler on the Roof where the young tailor asks the old rabbi, “Is there a blessing for a new sewing machine?” Such simplicity provides focus – the King of the Universe who loves us all. Perhaps giving thanks 100 times a day would drive all those worries over money, health and future into their proper order for us as we learn to trust the Lord even more.

Our major fund raising event, “The Ultimate Legacy; Impacting the Future One Student at a Time,” provided an exciting and entertaining evening for all. Student talent both in speaking and song, bidding on the many silent auction items and being exhorted and humorously enticed to purchase items in the live auction led to the climax of the evening which was a challenging, inspirational message from Mr. Jim Stovall. Many thanks to all who participated in any way to make this a successful evening.

If you were unable to attend the fundraiser, it’s not too late to support ACA with your monetary gifts! Since tuition covers only a portion of our budget, we depend on gifts that come in to supplement the tuition. We particularly need funds to be able to offer scholarship and financial aid to families. Remember ACA for your year-end giving. Your gift is tax deductible.

All the holidays are just around the corner and I want to impress upon you that your presence is most welcome to the following events:

Grammar School Grandparents Day – Wednesday, November 26th. Grandparents, parents, “grandfriends”, aunts & uncles are all welcome to attend our Grandparents Day. Refreshments will be offered beginning at 9:30 a.m. with the program beginning at 10:30 a.m. Attending is a great way to encourage our Grammar school students. Our secondary students will still have classes. School will be dismissed at noon for the Thanksgiving holiday. Lunch will not be offered and after school care will not be available.

Christmas! Two very special events:

Tulsa Festival Ringers concert – Monday, December 1st. The Tulsa Festival Ringers bell choir will present their first concert of the Christmas season in the ACA auditorium beginning at 7:00 p.m. This outstanding group performs at various venues during the holidays, including several churches and the Brown Bag concert series in downtown Tulsa. ACA’s own Mrs. Karen Swenson is part of this bell choir and we are happy to host their concert. ACA families are welcome to enjoy the choir as they ring in the Christmas season.

Festive Christmas Celebration – Friday, December 5th. This first annual all-school Christmas program will include carols, recitations, drama, dance, instrumentalists, and more presented by ACA students and parents. This program will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at the Will Rogers United Methodist Church at 11th & Yale. Plan to come, worship, and enjoy the festivities, fellowship, and refreshments. A special offering will be received to bless our teachers and staff at Christmas. Most of you are aware that our teachers and staff see their positions at ACA as a ministry and not just a job. We would like to bless them at Christmas with a special monetary gift.

Final Exams – Wednesday through Friday, December 17-19th. Please see the schedule (available in the school office) for the three final exam days. Please note: there will be no lunch offered on the 18th or the 19th, and there will be no after school care offered on the 19th.

Christmas Break – December 20 through January 4th. Second semester will begin on Monday, January 5th.

Just a reminder to those going on the Israel trip next spring: The registration form and deposit are due by December 3rd. There is a teaching meeting on Sunday, December 7th at 3:00 in the ACA auditorium. This is a required meeting for those going on the tour, but it is open to anyone who might be interested in learning more about Israel.

May the Lord bless each of you with a thankful Thanksgiving. Don’t forget the 100 blessings to God for all He has done and for who He is.

Shalom,

Larry J. Ehrlich, D. Phil. Administrator