Student Christmas Banquet Hosted by the Servant and Leadership Team

On December 16, students from the Secondary Campus gathered for the Student Christmas Banquet, which was put on by the Servant and Leadership Team. After months of planning and hard work the Servant and Leadership Team busily worked throughout the day to set up the venue for the evening. At 6pm, dressed up in their finest suits and dresses, students congregated at Cedar Park church, which was transformed into an enchanting, winter wonderland with twinkling lights and decorations.

Full of life and community, the evening consisted of a formal, sit down dinner, table games, musical entertainment, photo booth and a variety of activities for the students to enjoy during the mingling time at the end of the evening. Brandon and Cole were the emcees for the night, taking leadership and providing humour. While eating the mouthwatering turkey dinner, the audience watched in awe as multiple student performers took the stage, showcasing their musical talents. The goal of this evening was to foster community by bringing the RCS Secondary Campus together and from the sounds of joyful chatter and laughter throughout the evening, I think they achieved it.

Miss Pershin
Secondary Teacher

Junior Boys Volleyball

Congratulations to the RCS Junior Boys Volleyball Team on their 2nd place finish at this year’s Junior Boys Provincials Tournament! When the team was setting their goals, not a single member said that their goal for the team was to be in the final of provincials – their goals were far higher than that! Their goals were to be positive, supportive team-mates who communicated well, built each other up, never became demotivated and never gave up. As they got closer to the final the team determined not to make the trophy an idol, but to play for God, to honour Him. Even until the last point was scored in the final, these young men kept working towards those goals, never ever giving up, working hard at being a team and trying to win the game with honour and integrity.  Over the course of the tournament I had multiple people come to me to compliment the team on their positive energy and sportsmanship. To win a volleyball provincial is very hard. Getting to a final is hard. There were lots of very talented, motivated teams at this year’s event. We needed everyone’s help. Every member served their team unselfishly, putting the team’s needs ahead of their own.

Thank you, Mr Suderman, for giving up your time to drive the team, for your support in every match, your prayers and for your wise counsel. Thank you, Ms. Contant, Mr. Paul, Mr. Grose and Mr Martens for all the work you did to make this trip possible for the team. Thank you, parents, for allowing the boys to attend, and thank you young men for the way you battled! Most of all, thank you, Father God, for your amazing kindness, grace, mercy, truth and wisdom.

Ms. Karen Prinsloo
Coach

Outdoor Ed Reflections from Students

Although the Garibaldi trip taught us a lot of Outdoor skills, the most significant thing I learned this trip was about the way that God moves in our lives. On the third day, most of us were completely done; our clothes were soaked, our bodies still ached, and the cold became increasingly difficult to escape. It was hard to wake up that day, especially knowing that we were going on a 14km day hike up to Panorama Ridge. If any of us were given the choice that morning, I’m sure we would have just stayed inside the warm confines of our sleeping bags.

We required a lot of encouraging that morning, but in the end, we reluctantly got on the trail. I still remember the moment we entered the meadows, and Ms. Contant exclaimed, “Welcome to Narnia!” From there onwards, the scenery became increasingly breath-taking; the Snow-capped trees, rolling meadows, and the looming Black Tusk inspired a sense of awe. More fascinating, however, was the changing scenery around us. The clouds cleared to reveal new beauty just as fast as they rolled in to cover beauty behind us. Our setting was in a constant state of flux, and we never knew where God would direct our attention next.

Coming home, I realized that this was a greater metaphor for how God moves in our lives. We often make quick judgements about people, vocations, or different situations in life. God wants us to be aware and discerning; however, he also wants us to be open to his movement. If we gave in to our initial judgement of being cold and tired that morning, we would never have seen the breathtaking vistas at Panorama ridge. We must never let our judgements or first impressions to impede his ability to work in us.

By going into nature and leaving distractions behind, our class was able to get a rare glimpse into how we interact with each other at a very simplistic level. Our situation, whether it be hiking up the trail, working in food teams, or making videos, forced us to talk to people that we might not otherwise spend time with. Part of this is branching out and broadening our social horizons; the other part is becoming increasingly aware that there is more to life than my singular experience. The default is to continue on a one-track mind, having certainty that situations like this are really all about me. Living in a small group presents a ton of opportunities to make the conscious decision to see other people’s perspectives. I remember having a conversation with someone who, in the middle of the sentence, exclaimed “wow, I never knew you were this funny!” and I followed with “and I didn’t know you were so funny either!”. We continued on and I learned all about her family, what her life was like, and why she was here. I think that in that moment, we both realized how ignorant we had been to each other’s experiences. For me, Garibaldi was about learning to step outside myself, and in doing so, understanding other people a little bit better. Once I realized this, I found myself searching for simple little ways to improve other people’s experiences- whether it be fetching something from their bag, lightening their load, or telling a joke to make a bowl of under-cooked pasta a little more bearable.

Swim Team

The swim team this year kicked off with the biggest group in years! During their weekly practices, we saw many students grow in their leadership skills by stepping up to coach and encourage one another. In particular, eleventh grade student Cheyenne trained the girls and helped them with refining their skills. Well done! Throughout the term, the swim team competed at two swim meets at Watermania. One of our students, John, even qualified for provincials this year! While the swimmers were honing their skills during practice, discouragement never pulled them down; instead, they chose to persevere despite challenges. Congratulations to all the swimmers for going all in during the practices and competitions!

Ms. Athena Tam
Coach

Academics and God’s Kingdom

For every advantage and strength there may be a disadvantage or weakness. As proud as I am of our academic achievement I hope that as a school community we continuing to understand the necessary order of priorities. Every decision has a hidden cost with time, approval and effort that is not always visible. I write this so you may know my heart and my prayer for our school to have balance in their education. Having a quality Christ centered school must have the right order and priority. RCS students need to have a variety of experiences that include youth group, church involvement and opportunities to serve others. May the priority of our academics not come at the cost of us seeking after God. Accordingly it is my prayer that as a campus,

We seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33.

Mr. Jason Paul
Principal

Senior Girls Volleyball

The Sr. Girls Volleyball team came home winning bronze in the lower division of provincials! That means over all the team was 11th for the single “A” division. Congratulations to all of the girls on their wins in Kelowna. These girls fought hard, and showed Gods kindness through every game. I was very proud to have seen their growth on and off the court this year and am excited to see the continued growth for the Sr. Girls Volleyball team in the seasons to come.

Ms. Miriam Severson
Coach

Senior Boys Volleyball

Congratulations to the Sr. Boys Volleyball team on a successful season. This year’s young volleyball team matured in their play and approach to the game under Alumni Sam Roosma and Connor Ewert. The coaches passed on the RCS legacy and tradition of quality volleyball and sportsmanship. After winning the Lower Mainland zone tournament it was exciting to be able to watch them at the provincial tournament via online streaming. The team demonstrated an appreciation for the intense competition from their skilled opponents in their attitudes.

After going undefeated in pool play and the first round of playoffs, the team played the hometown team and last year’s champions. The Eagles fought hard and showed appreciation towards the fans and officials. They ended the tournament by winning against Credo to place 3rd. Additionally, Leo was named to the 2nd all-star team, Matthew to the first all-star team and Shawn the tournament’s top defensive player. Thank you to Mr. Ong for sponsoring this team.

Ms. Michelle Contant
Athletic Director