Early Christmas Gift from Mr. Ocampo

Shalom Class!

To make sure you do your Final Output for the Creative Synthesis VERY WELL, and in keeping with the spirit of the season, I am officially extending the deadline for your Scrapbooks to December 17 for all classes.

Your preparatory outputs (journal entries) will be returned on Monday and Tuesday during class time. As you get them back, please do the following:

1. Write the Introduction of the Scrapbook by describing the promise to the Patriarchs as you prepare to unfold the story of how it is fulfilled through the journal entries.

2. Revise the individual journal entries so that the journal, as a whole, will be consistent and coherent.

Example: You may want to change first person singular references (I's) to make them first person plural references (We's).

The length of the articles should also be proportional. Cut down articles that are too long while add on articles that are too short. Polish the grammar and finalize the lay-out. No prescribed font style, size or color.

3. Mount your memorabilia in the scrapbook. Do not forget to write a short but complete description (3-5 sentences) for each memorabilia and how it is important/meaningful for that part of Israel's history. Also, make sure that the memorabilia itself appears in the story as narrated in your journal entry so its importance is highlighted.

4. Conclude by writing the final prophecy and/or prayer as described in the rubrics.

5. Finally, decorate your scrapbook with pictures, cut-outs, drawings, etc. to make it even more beautiful.

Enjoy your work and let your learning, talents and creativity shine! God bless you.

Advent Prayer Service

Shalom Class!

Are you beginning to feel and notice the cool December breeze? Christmas is in the air once again and Advent is an opportune time to help us prepare to receive Christ truly in our hearts as we celebrate his birth.

Here are the guidelines for this quarter's Prayer Service, which will be part of your class agape on December 21. God bless.

Advent Prayer Service
To be celebrated as a class on December 21. Class Prayer Text due on December 17.

Sample Christmas Card
Cards are due on December 17 also.

Recommended Site for Christmas Clipart
(You are free to use other sites/ sources or even do your own drawing and lettering!)

Scrapbook Ideas

I found a webpage online that has an Old Testament Scrapbook.

They made use of doors, windows, rotating wheels, pull-tabs, pop-ups and other exciting scrapbooking strategies that are fun and easy-to-learn! I'm pretty sure you can do even better by letting your creativity and artistic talents shine.

Of course, content is also very important, which I think can be a little lacking in this scrapbook, as you will see. Your journal entries must provide for that.

Check it out for ideas!

Sample Bible Scrapbook

Advent, Xavier and Deadlines!

Advent is coming on Sunday... a beautiful season to rediscover our inner thirst for God and pray for his real indwelling in our lives. Monday is also the feast of Saint Francis Xavier! May he inspire us to give our lives generously to Christ in the service of others.

As festivities arrive, our deadlines are also fast approaching:

Dec. 5 - Individual Journal Entries (Creative Synthesis)
Dec. 7 - Reflection Paper
Dec. 14 - Group Scrapbooks (Creative Synthesis)

For those who may have lost their handouts, here are the softcopies of the guidelines:

Experiencing Israel's Journey
(Creative Synthesis)

Choosing Covenant:
Burning the Barbs and Thorns that Crush It
(Reflection Paper)

Some pointers:

1. The individual journal entries for the Creative Synthesis should NOT be mere paraphrases or rewrites of the original Scriptures. You should narrate them in such a way that you bring out the most important part of the experience and discuss the important issues behind it (as we did in class, but in your own creative way this time).

2. Submit to your group leaders so you can submit them to me altogether as a group. Try to help each other even if the grade for this component is still individual.

3. Let us not procrastinate so we will not find things more difficult towards the end.

The coming of Advent increases our longing for Christmas in hopeful expectation and the feast of Francis Xavier is a true cause for great rejoicing. Meanwhile, let us do all things with generosity and excellence so we may truly be able to celebrate these two great feasts with abundant joy. God bless you all.

The Covenant Broken and Renewed

Again and again, God offers his Covenant to man, from the beginning of Creation, and now to be established formally, once and for all, with Israel on Sinai mountain. All too soon, however, his chosen people fail again in their response to the Covenant. Will God finally give up on them?

Here is the powerpoint presentation for this part of our lesson:

The Covenant Broken and Renewed
Fidelity and Infidelity in the Context of the Covenant

Mazal Tov: 2nd Quarterly Test Achievers

Shalom Class and welcome back to school!

Mazal Tov to all students who got very high grades (93% and above) in the recent Second Quarterly Test. Special mention goes to H1G for a very impressive performance as a class, 1/5 of them getting 93% and above. Continue to "let your let shine so that you may give glory to your heavenly Father." God bless all of you.

H1A
Fernandez, John Patrick
Lim, Alfred Vincent
Quiaoit, Daniel Mark

H1B
Orosa, Rafael Andre
Uy, Jason Russel

H1C
Chiong, Michaelvin

H1D
Qui, Martin Daniel
Yu, Charles Richmond

H1E
Tan, David Reginald
Teh, Jeffrey Alester
Ventanilla, Juan Miguel

H1G
Co, Marc Terence
Lao, Eric Michael
Lim, Tristan Jonel
Onglao, Mario Juvenal III
Rosal, Thomas Abraham
Santiago, Benedict Leonard
Tan, Christian David

Second Quarterly Test

Shalom guys!

QT Week is here again! To help you in your studying for our CLE Exam, I have prepared a short review sheet that gives you an overview of our lessons for this quarter to help you see everything as they fit in the big picture of Israel's Covenant-relationship with God as it progresses in history.

May the much hoped for Promised Land of the Semestral Break inspire you as you go through this Desert Experience which you have to undergo. God bless all of you.

Review Notes
H1CLE- Introduction to the Bible and the Old Testament
2nd Quarterly Test