We couldn’t have asked for better weather for our 2019 ILS Field Day! It was a fun-filled day of races, games, and competitions, including a giant Jenga tournament, soccer, a dunk tank, giant lawn bowling, tug-of-war, sack races, water balloon tosses, face-painting, popsicles and much more! Thank you to all our teachers and parents for helping make the day a memorable one for all our students!
On November 18th, our ILS Lower School teacher, Yonas Mekonen, and our Immanuel Lutheran Church Kantor, Stephanie Lange, were united in marriage at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Pastor Christopher Esget performed the ceremony. Please join us in extending best wishes to Mr. & Mrs. Mekonen!
Pastor Christopher Esget
November 18, 2018
Immanuel Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Alexandria, Virginia
I imagine that from the time she was a young girl, people were saying that Stephanie sings like an angel. She looks like an angel, too – the kind you might find at the top of the Christmas tree, or in the sky singing to shepherds at Bethlehem.
But those of us who know Stephanie know that she’s no angel. If she was, she couldn’t be part of the seraphim—they’re the angels of fire. Fires have a way of getting out of control around Stephanie. (It’s a good thing Yonas is a good cook.)
Besides, does an angel make her sisters sing backup while she cranks out love songs from Titanic?
But the truth is, Stephanie’s spectacular. Once she’s in your life (or your balcony!), you don’t ever want her gone. Yet here’s why Stephanie is no angel: because angels in the Bible are completely different from today’s sentimental images. Angels are not sweet but scary. Angels are not feminine but masculine. Their voices don’t soar to the top of the church but rumble low, shaking pillars. God’s angels are big and strong. Angels look more like Yonas than Stephanie.
You know I’ve joked about putting stickers on the church with your picture on them, Yonas – you know, the body-building picture where you’re flexing your muscles. They’d be perfect at the door, like a security sticker that says “Protected by Yonas.”
This week's Six Questions Series features Upper School teacher, Mr. Aaron Schultz. Now in his fourth year at Immanuel, Mr. Schultz teaches math, science and PE, as well as leads our new sports program this year.
Our Six Questions Series features the outstanding teachers, faculty, and board members who serve our students, families and community. We hope you enjoy this chance to get to better know these wonderful individuals who so faithfully serve our school and our community!
Upper School students at Immanuel study a new sport each month in Physical Education classes. For the month of October, the Upper School students worked on their soccer skills, everything from dribbling the soccer ball, to passing, to shooting, to goal-keeping. To set a goal for our students, a game was scheduled with Alexandria Country Day School on October 29. Needless to say, with an upcoming game against ACDS, the students’ motivation was high to push harder and learn intently in PE classes. The students knew as well as I did that they had to take advantage of every moment in PE to get ready for their opponent just a few blocks away on Russell Road.
