Ideas

Bible Activities

1. Discovering Biblical Meaning in Liturgical Verses – 13 pages of verses and scriptural references

during the services of Nativity 

2. Examining the Nativity of the Theotokos – through hymnography and iconography and Scripture.

This is a wonderful Christmas project we've been doing at St. Nicholas for many years.  It's our way of reaching out to those less fortunate in our local community, and it truly gives us meaning in this busy season.  Please pass the word around to others who might want to organize this for next year in their parishes.  If you live close by and would like to join us, we can use lots of manpower.  Just let Ed and Georgette know so they can be prepared. Samia.

Here is Ed’s letter:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Our St. Nicholas Kids’ Club Christmas program schedule for this year is as follows:

 Thursday, December 10, 2009, 6:30 – 8:30 PM, Sort Clothes (Dinner Served)

Friday, December 11, 2009, 6:30 – 8:30 PM, Wrap Gifts and Decorate (Dinner Served)

Saturday, December 12, 2009, 7:00 AM – 12:00 Noon, Christmas Program

(Breakfast served to all in attendance)

We are asking for each of you reading this email to help make this a memorable day for the children and families that will be in attendance from our surrounding neighborhood.  We will be distributing over 600 toys as well as clothes that have been donated by our parishioners and serving breakfast to all in attendance that day.  We need help on each of the three days listed in the schedule above.  This is an opportunity for you and your children to help serve the needs of our community.  If you can’t be in attendance then we ask that you support us by making a financial contribution.

On Sunday, December 6, 2009, St. Nicholas Day celebrations at St. John Chrysostom Church in York, Pennsylvania were featured in the York Daily Record. The article highlights the local tradition of the parish's children commemorating the feast day through charitable giving:

...at a local church, children swapped roles with the beloved saint Sunday, presenting him with gifts instead -- gifts that will ultimately be distributed to needy families by Access-York and the Victim Assistance Center.

"I can see you've been teaching the children to love others by giving to the poor," St. Nicholas told the Rev. Peter Pier, pastor of St. John Chrysostom Orthodox Church in Springettsbury Township...

A member of St. John Chrysostom church suggested the idea of children giving gifts to St. Nicholas years ago.

"It is definitely a good message to the children because they so often hear Christmas is about getting, getting getting," said parishioner Mike Buleza.

Click here to read the entire article.

For our second annual Saints Festival at my church, I used as the theme “Fishers of Men.”  The children dressed in costumes as a saint or biblical figure. We then had a costume parade into the hall where they stood on stage in front of their parents and other parishioners. The children were asked to share at least one fact about their saint or biblical figure.