Vol. 11, No. 5 Tappahannock, Virginia, December 2008

Dear St. Margaret's friends and families,

We must always be sure to make time for what we value! How often I’ve said these words over the years as we’ve looked at how we use time here at St. Margaret’s School. During these three short December weeks, the structure of our days coupled with the Episcopal Church’s Advent traditions provide us with the quiet, reflective time that allows us to fully appreciate the spirit of the season. In Advent, we are reminded that this is a time of preparation, of waiting for the birth of Christ, for the light his arrival will bring into the world and into our lives. We are also asked to consider how we will use our own lives for the benefit of others.

We’ve had good company this month to frame these reflections for our community. Our own Chaplain Johnson introduced the Advent season and its traditions in our first service this month. On Dec. 7, St. Margaret’s and St. Johns joined to celebrate the Eucharist with Bishop Jones. Our local Methodist minister joined us for morning prayer mid-week; and on Friday, our newly-elected Bishop Coadjutor, The Rt. Rev. Shannon Johnston, spent the morning with our faculty and students. In our final week together, Latin Chapel will bring the Christmas pageant to life in costume, words and song. Finally, on our last evening, luminaries will light our path to St. John’s Church for Lessons & Music. Yes, we will have made time for what we value in our formal services, our academic classes, our community activities.

In boarding school, the schedule we set for ourselves shields us from the ever accelerating pace of this season and encourages us to find the quiet time to experience its true spirit. Beyond our formal gatherings, as we sit together to make ornaments for the tree or fill stockings for children in need or make cookies for someone we love, we take the time to share our stories and reflect on the gifts we each enjoy. Of course, we have all been anticipating what this long break will hold, and my wish for each of you is that you, too, will find the quiet moments to share your traditions, stories and memories. We’ll look forward to hearing some of them when we return in January!

Sincerely,
Margaret R. Broad,
Head of School


 

Happy Holidays:
St. Margaret’s celebrates Christmas.......

Feliz Navidad:
International students talk about their Christmas traditions.......

Giving Back:
Students demonstrate the importance of community service......

Admission reminders:
Picture Yourself Here at St. Margaret's .......

Annual Fund:
Thank you for making a difference .......

Alumnae Events:
Join your friends for these events .......

THE CURRENT

	ADMISSIONS Picture Yourself Here St. Margaret's School Visits Spend the night...                                                           .... or a day at St. Margaret’s this winter Overnight Visit: March 29 Saturday Visit Days: Jan. 10 and Feb. 7 Contact us today: (804) 443-3357 admit@sms.org

DEVELOPMENT OFFICE: Support SMS this Holiday Season Don’t forget to make your Annual Fund Gift to St. Margaret’s before Dec. 31. We are well on our way to meeting the Annual Fund goal of $330,750. We need your help now to push us toward the finish line! Visit www.sms.org/giving to make your gift online or call the Development Office at 804-443-3357 for more information.

ALUMNAE Please join your SMS friends for these events Young Alumnae Day Wednesday, January 7 at noon Return to campus, see your friends, and share your college or work experience with current juniors and seniors. Alumnae Council Meeting Saturday, February 21 at noon Lewis-Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond Join the Alumnae Council members for lunch. Golden Thistle Society Luncheon Wednesday, March 18 at noon Westminster-Canterbury in Richmond This event will honor alumnae who graduated 50 or more years ago.