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by Carole A. Buleza

This article is the second in a series based on Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, by Christian Smith with Melinda Lundquist Denton (Oxford University Press, 2005. The book received the 2006 Christianity and Culture Book Award.  The first article, “Christianity’s Mis-begotten Child” appeared in the March 2011 issue of The Word.

I knew that I would be writing more articles based on this book, which I consider exceptionally insightful and valuable. Soul Searching is the project report of professors at the University of North Carolina who received a grant to investigate how important faith is to American teenagers, why, and in what ways. The book received Christianity Today's 2006 Christianity and Culture book award.

The data for the report was gathered from 3,290 teenagers in the United States. The majority of the teenagers categorized themselves as Christian (82%); Protestants comprised the majority (52%) and Catholics were second (23%). The third largest category, those who considered themselves not religious, accounted for 16% of the respondents (31).

The book offers not only statistics but excerpts from the many interviews that were conducted, and the reflections of the authors. From my experience of working with teens and having two of my own, their analyses are correct, and their reflections are extremely valuable. Furthermore, they believe the beliefs held by the teenagers reflect those of the baby boomer generation, making the book valuable not only for youth ministers but also for pastors.

A Lamp to My Feet

With this zine, students develop the attitudes and confidence needed to light their path with the lamp of Scripture. They can then access God’s message to the world by asking how each reading relates to them: “What does this text say about Christ, and how does it apply to my life?”

The zine explores general motivations for and goals of Bible study. It then suggests study habits and methods, and explains various formats and translations of the Bible. The zine introduces the Old and New Testaments, the kinds of books they contain, and how the books came to be there.

The Teacher Guide provides interactive lessons and further practice using the tools needed to tangle with difficult passages—study notes, cross-references, and a concordance. (Age 12+)

A Lamp to My Feet Student Zine (M13)

22 pgs Qty 1-74 $3.95 each / 75+ $2.95 each

A Lamp to My Feet Teacher Guide (M13)

1 unit with 5 lesson plans $9.95 each

We invite church school directors, teachers, and parents to read over the new information for this year's Creative Festivals. There are many improvements, so be sure to browse through the entire Creative Festivals site!

On the day of Theophany we learned that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We also learned that when Jesus stepped into the Jordan River, the water was made clean. On the feast day, January 6, we remember that one day all of nature will be made clean and new again. Here is how we celebrate the feast....

Click here to read more (PDF)!

See also Why Do We Have Our Homes Blessed by Phyllis Onest

For the first four centuries of Christian history the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord was not a separate Church feast.

It was celebrated with Epiphany in one great feast of God’s appearance on earth in the form of the human Messiah of Israel.

The celebration of the Nativity began to be celebrated on Dec. 25 to offset the pagan festival of the "Invincible Sun" that occurred on that specific day. The Church consciously established it in an attempt to defeat the false religion of the heathens.

The Troparion of the Feast calls us to adore Christ, “the True Sun of Righteousness" (Malachi 4:2), who is Himself worshiped by all elements of nature, rather than worshiping the sun and stars. The three Wise Men or Magi (i.e. Sages) were astronomers, people who studied the stars.

During the Nativity Fast, your family can put up a Jesse Tree. The Jesse Tree represents the family tree, or genealogy of Jesus Christ beginning with creation and continuing through the Old Testament, to the coming of the Messiah. The tree is named after Jesse, the father of King David. A drawing of a tree or a tabletop tree can be used for this activity. Each day throughout the Nativity Fast, add a new ornament to the tree. The ornament represents a person or a religious symbol and is accompanied by a reading from scripture. Ideally, these ornaments are handmade from various materials: paper, felt, crafts sticks, etc. prior to the Nativity Fast or can be purchased from multiple websites. Gather your children together each day to hang a new ornament and to reflect on the reading.

Advent Reading for the Jesse Tree

This icon is by the hand of Nicholas Papas. It is located at St. Philip Antiochian Orthodox Church, Souderton, PA.
www.comeandseeicons.com/bvm/phn97.htm

This icon depicts the many prophecies of the Virgin birth of Christ. There are twelve Old Testament prophets, shown holding things that reveal their identity and the prophecy they foretold of the Theotokos and the virgin birth of Christ.

by Shelley Pituch

Glory to God, An Amazing Pilgrimage, and Life in the Shed are three books in a series of The Adventures of a Little Ringtail.  The books are adapted from The Amazing Story of a Little Hedgehog, originally written in Russian by Monk Lazar.  In the first book, the characters learn a lesson about the importance of prayer and what life is like without it.  They discover how God guides and helps them by working together for the “Glory of God” in prayer.  The second book, the characters set out on a pilgrimage to an Orthodox monastery.  Along the way, they meet obstacles that could tempt them, but they are not worried.  Finally, in book three, the characters learn that good deeds and love can turn old enemies into friends.  This books series would be appropriate for preschoolers through grade 4.  The themes and lessons taught in the stories could be adapted for the multiple age levels and would be excellent for Sunday School, Homeschool, and personal home use. 

Feasts of the Orthodox Church:  an educational coloring book, covers the 12 major feasts of the Orthodox Liturgical calendar.  With each feast, there is a description and information about the feast, as well as a coloring sheet and provided lines for student responses.  Sunday school teachers and homeschool teachers are permitted to copy the sheets for non-commercial use, making it a useful resource in instruction.  This book would be perfect for Kindergarten through Grade 2.

Fr. Thomas Speaks to Institute ParticipantsReport and Photos by Shelley Pituch

View Photo Gallery

The 2011 Orthodox Institute, held at Antiochian Village, near Ligonier, PA, over the weekend of November 3 – 6, was advertised as “an event like no other” and it proved to live up to its claim in more than one way. The theme was “Scripture through the Lens of the Holy Land” and this was the first time that the Orthodox Institute was a multi-jurisdictional collaboration between the host of the event, the Antiochian Department of Christian Education, and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the Orthodox Church in America Department of Christian Education, and the Orthodox Christian Education Commission.

The following articles are archived selections from Orthodox Family Life. The first deals with secular education in the public school setting. The second article pertains to Orthodox Home School, which is becoming increasingly popular and more common. Whether your children are part of the public school system or receiving their instruction at home, there are specific challenges unique to each setting. 

Making the Most of Your Children's Public School Education

by Ann Marie Gidus-Mecera

While the trend of many Christians today, including a growing number of Orthodox Christians, is to home school their children, many have chosen (or do so out of necessity) to educate their children through the public school systems.

Any concerned Orthodox parent is aware of the negatives attached to a public school education, and very often struggle with this on an on-going basis. While the purpose of this article is not to defend the benefits of a public school education, it will attempt to help Orthodox parents turn those negative factors into positive learning experiences.

Festal Icon Timeline: Click image to enlarge

By Shelley Pituch

Materials

• Piece of poster board, cut into a 7” wide strip that is the length of the longer edge
• Pencil
• Marker
• Glue
• Clothespin
• Small brown piece of construction paper
• Pictures of icons portraying Pascha and the 12 Great Feasts of the church year:
  

Creative Arts Festivals Logo, 2011-2012The Christian Education team of the Antiochian Archdiocese, headed by Director Carole Buleza, is passionate about transmitting the faith to the next generation, and the resource-rich Christian Education section on antiochian.org reflects this. An extensive upgrade to the Christian Education pages launched to coincide with the start of the Sunday School year, includes an entirely new Creative Arts Festivals section developed by Editor Andrew Frishman.

Youth workers who want to integrate the creative festivals into their Christian Education program will find the revamped section useful both for Sunday School as well as SOYO events.

Highlights of the new material available are:

• Guidance for newcomers in "New to the Festivals?"
• "Summary of Modifications for the 2012 Festivals"
• Updated judging rubrics and lesson plans
• Suggestions for educators in "Using the Theme" and "Job Descriptions"
• Advice for students on "Inspiring Writing"
•  Plus an improved sidebar for helpful navigation!

In the main Christian Education section, a book review highlights Christian Education in the Small Membership Church and registration is available for Orthodox Institute 2011, a pan-Orthodox event featuring an interactive Holy Land tour.

A new brochure and updated registration form are now available for the 2011 Orthodox Institute: "Scripture through the Lens of the Holy Land." For further information and to download brochures and forms, please visit www.antiochian.org/christianeducation/oi2011.

Part 3: Where Does It Take Place?

Click here to read Part 1
Click here to read Part 2

In her book Christian Education in the Small Membership Church, Karen Tye discusses the beginnings of the Sunday School, and the reasons it became relegated to formal Sunday morning classes exclusively.  In this section, she encourages us to expand our vision of Christian Education beyond the traditional Sunday morning box, to examine the one-room schoolhouse model , and the homeschooling concept of education.

The one-room school model is firmly fixed in American history, as it was the way early small communities collaborated to educate their children.   This form of education is certainly custom made for the small church school, which must of necessity have groups with a range of ages, as did the one-room schoolhouse.  In this sort of setting, older children learn while helping younger ones, and younger children have the older students as ready-made role models.  Each student learns at his own pace, and receives individual attention from the teacher, and there is very little presented in the group lesson format. 

Part 2: It's all About People!

Click here to read Part 1

In her book Christian Education in the Small Membership Church, Karen Tye reminds us that Christian education, like so many other things in life, is not primarily about programs or curriculum, it is about people.  When you are talking about a smaller church and its educational program, this is even more the case.  In a smaller church, you do not have the large numbers to draw from for participation, everyone knows everyone else, and in general, healthy interaction with the people involved becomes even more crucial.  The history of the parish comes into play, and so do the personalities of the parishioners.  Positively, in smaller programs, the talents and good will of the people are often the greatest assets of the church school.

Tye feels, along with most educators and psychologists, that there are three aspects of the human being that must be taken into account when teaching them- especially children:

Part 1:  Who Are We?

In her book Christian Education in the Small Membership Church, Karen Tye reviews the tendency of churches in America to want to “Super Size” their churches, much as we do our burger meals. She emphasizes however, that small churches are not just smaller, but also, different from their larger counterparts, and that we must realize this as we plan any programs in our churches, perhaps especially Christian Education programs. Smaller is not only different, but in some respects, better for the purposes of educating our children. While there are certainly differences between our Orthodox Churches and the Protestant ones she focuses on, most of the generalities she discusses run true for us also.

The first step in planning Christian Education programs in the smaller church, Tye says, is to evaluate what you have in your particular church.  There are certain characteristics of all small churches:

1. There’s a strong sense of community
2. It’s like a family
3. It has deep traditions
4. There is a high percentage of participation
5. The organizational structure tends to be simple in nature
6. Worship is the prime activity

While some of these characteristics may show up very strongly in one church, another may find different characteristics more true for them.  Deciding what your church “is,” involves evaluating the degree to which each is applicable in your case.

Immortal Conqueror Poster SampleThe Holy Land Poster Project

by Carole Buleza, Chair, Department of Christian Education

Connecting us to Jesus Christ

When I was young, I found a book about the Holy Land; the images of the holy sites fascinated me—Bethlehem, Golgotha, Cana—these were the places where Jesus walked and lived! He was real!

Images of all sorts surround us today. If your children text, tweet, and Facebook, they live in a world of distraction—is Jesus even on their radar? Let’s get back to basics—our faith, and our life itself, rests in a person who lived 2,000 years ago and lives still. Donate a poster to your church school and begin to surround the children with images that remind them of the reality of Jesus!

The Department of Christian Education plans to offer a few posters each summer for homes, classrooms, church hallways, and offices. A limited amount has been printed. They are available for a donation of $5, and come safely to you in a mailing tube. The smaller poster photo prints will be sent in a cardboard mailing envelope. Please print out the order form and send a check to the Antiochian Department of Christian Education. The address is on the form.

Click here for the order form.

The 5 x 7 prints, for a donation of $2 each, are ideal for personal use—framed for an icon corner, a bedside, for bookmarks, for gifts. When you pray, meditate upon the image and be drawn into the reality of Jesus.

Today we interview Amy Mary Ries, the creative force behind Orthodox Christian Craft Supply, the online source for craft kits specifically for Orthodox Christians.

Sullivan: When you became involved in church crafts, can you tell us the setting? Were you in a parish program, or were you home schooling Christian Education for your children?

Amy: I’ve been involved with church crafts my entire life. I enjoyed them as a child and went on to use them as an adult teacher and volunteer. When we came to our parish as converts, I immediately got involved with children’s activities, since it is something I truly enjoy. We have one child in public school and two children who are homeschooled. Whether we school at home or take advantage of public and private school options, all Christian families homeschool, because we all live the Faith at home and teach it to our children. I try, then, to provide materials for all educational needs. Homeschoolers, families, schools, and parishes. Big groups or individuals. There’s something for everyone.

Some years ago when I was the Eastern Region Teen SOYO spiritual advisor, I was asked to put together a Teen Retreat Manual that could be used by Church School Teachers as well as SOYO members to hold retreats for their teens which were based on Moral Issues. The Eastern Region Teens at that time chose the topics they wanted covered in the manual. This manual became a how-to manual for setting up retreats as well as outlines for talks during those retreats. That manual was later published by the Antiochian Archdiocese of Christian Education and sold through the bookstore.

Today the Orthodox Christian Education Commission (OCEC) is conducting teacher training programs for our Church School teachers throughout the US and Canada. In the second set of Teacher Trainings, we cover moral issues. At the Orthodox Institute held each November at the Antiochian Village, I have been asked to address moral issues once again. From those talks and discussions and in the preparation of materials used for the OCEC manual, The Way, The Truth, and The Life, I put together the following booklet that I have used in workshops, Teen classes and retreats.

As I was asked to prepare the material for this July posting, I wanted to share this material with our readers. I have run it off as a booklet and given it to our teens to read. This can be done a week in advance, or, since it is short and concise, it can even be given to the teens at a retreat or conference to read the night before the discussion is held. It is by no means an exhaustive work on moral issues, but I think it touches on and introduces ideas for discussion.

I hope you find it useful in your ministry with our children.

In Christ, 

V. Rev. Fr. George Alberts

Welcome to

“Scripture through the lens of the Holy Land”

The Orthodox Institute for 2011

November 3-6, 2011

Antiochian Village, outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Download Brochure (PDF)

Download Flyer (PDF)

Download Course Descriptions

Download Registration Form (PDF, Revised 10.12.11)

Biographies of 2011 Presenters

Items Available for Sale at 2011 Orthodox Institute (PDF, Rev. 10.19.11)

Orthodox Craft CDs Description (PDF)

Bible Story Rug (PDF)

Registrations WILL be accepted after the deadline, October 14. PLEASE REGISTER  as soon as possible so we may make adequate preparations.

PLEASE NOTE: We have just been notified of some changes in regard to transportation to and from Pittsburgh International Airport. If you need to revise the form you sent in, please contact Amy Stiffler, at events@antiochianvillage.org, or by phone at (724) 238-3677.

The transportation section of the revised registration form now reads:

AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION REVISION 10/12/11

FLIGHT INFORMATION

If you are arriving by plane, (Pittsburgh International Airport) please fill in the following information:

Arrival Departure

Date________ Flight # _____________ Time_________ Date________ Flight # _____________ Time___________

Options for transportation to the Village:

1) Car rental. One website provides information on car rental for all companies at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Please go to www.internationalairportguide.com/pittsburgh_pit.html. This is the recommended option. We are attempting to help people carpool using rental cars. We are doing this through the Facebook page. If you are willing to share in a car rental, please go to: Facebook: Orthodox Institute 2011, EVENT (not the “Church/Religious Organization” version.)

2) Super Shuttle. Limousine service is the only option with this company. You can have up to 3 people for a charge of $234 each way. Their website is www.supershuttle.com/en/PITAirportShuttlePittsburgh.html; or phone: 1-800-258-3826. Pittsburgh’s airport code is PIT.

3) Antiochian Village Shuttle. Cost, $50 roundtrip. Please check if you will be using the AV Shuttle for transportation. □ YES

The shuttle has scheduled the following times at this point: Thursday, November 3rd, 3:45 and 6:00 p.m.; Saturday November 5th, 3:00 p.m.; Sunday, November 6th, 12:00 noon.

The Village has advised us to allow two hours travel time due to traffic. It is worth the trip!

Read an interview with Fr. Thomas Hopko, and Maria Khoury's Letters From the Holy Land!

Read the Fr. Hopko Interview

September 15: Which Soldiers Do You Like?

August 11: Promoting the Husband's Village

June 29: Taybeh in the New Millenium

April 23: Paschal Greetings

April 11: The Remarkable Miracle

March 21: A Mothers Day Confession

March 6: Revolution Continues in Great Lent

An Event Like No Other! “Scripture through the Lens of the Holy Land”

Everyone I have spoken to about the 2011 Orthodox Institute at Antiochian Village is very excited about this “event like no other!” Mark your calendars now for November 3-6, 2011 at Antiochian Village, outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

We “took it up a notch,” last year primarily by offering presenters well-known in the field of iconography. This is now our model. In keeping with last year’s new and improved (and very successful) Institute, this year we will again offer the following: 1) presenters well known in the field of Scripture, 2) book signings, 3) a wine and cheese reception, 4) a review of new materials for Church Schools, and 5) gifts throughout the weekend.

It’s so easy to get caught up in our vacation plans and grow lazy in our church attendance and spiritual life during the summer months.  As the following story reveals, God never goes on vacation and we shouldn’t find excuses to take a vacation from church.  How can we continue on our journey with Christ during the summer months?  Try implementing some of the ideas below and use them for inspiration in finding additional ways to keep your family close to Christ! 

This article is adapted from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Center for Family Care at www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/family

Where does God go for summer vacation? A little girl I know pondered that same question not too long ago. Sarah loved Sunday School; she went every Sunday. She liked being in church with her parents… but when summer came- it would all end!

Why wasn't there church? Why wasn't there any Sunday School? Where did her friends go? She really was concerned. She wondered why the choir stopped singing on Sundays. Even worse, she wondered why there wasn't church in the summer… when in actuality, her parents would just stop going to church in the summer!

The summer was their "time off". Time to lounge in the sun. Time to plan family vacations and weekends away. It was time to concentrate on rest and relaxation. But for Sarah, it was strange not to go to church, see her friends, or be with God.

On the day that her family piled into the station wagon to visit their grandmother, Sarah asked her mother, "Mom, where does God go for summer vacation? "

Her mother chuckled at the question, and told her God doesn’t go on vacation.

Listen to or read the following podcasts and articles for further illumination on the subject of Creation and our role in it as Orthodox Christians:

• Ecology & God’s Creation, Parts 1 & 2, Fr. John Chryssavgis, Orthodox Christian Network podcasts, http://www.myocn.net/
• The Earth is the Lord’s:  Caring for God’s Creation; a 5- part Study Unit from Education & Community Life Ministries; OCA, 1995 (www.orthodoxed.org)
• Animals & Man:  A State of Blessedness, Joanne Stefanatos, DVM, Light-n-Life
• Celebrate the Earth; Dorrie Papademetriou; SVS Press
• Keeping the Garden by Fr. John Oliver, http://www.antiochian.org...
• Christian Ecology:  An Orthodox Christian View by Fr. Gregory Lazarus Murphy, The Word Magazine, March 2004, pgs. 5-9, http://www.antiochian.org/node/19464
• http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/earthday/
• The Goodness of God’s Creation, by Fr. Philip LeMasters, Regina Press; podcast on Come Receive the Light, http://www.myocn.net/
• http://Orth-Transfiguration.org/
• "Green Christianity," vol. 9, no. 1 (Fall 2009): http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/praxis/Praxis-2009-9-1

For the Lord is a great God, and a great king over all the earth.
In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the hills are His also.
The sea is His, for He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.   (Ps. 95: 3-7)

There is nothing that our great God has created in heaven and earth that does not have its purpose.  He gave us the four seasons; one for planting; one for growing; a season to reap the harvest and a season for the earth to rest and be ready for renewal. 

He gave us the sun to warm us and light for the labor of our day.  He gave us the moon and the stars in the evening to soften the darkness we need to rest from our labors. 

He gave us the animals to help us in our labors.  He gave us the plants for food and to bring beauty to our lives.

We are the breath of God, created in His image.

Everyone I have spoken to about the 2011 Orthodox Institute at Antiochian Village is very excited about this “event like no other!” Mark your calendars now for November 3-6, 2011 at Antiochian Village, outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. NOW is the time to approach your parish council about setting aside funds.

More information

Download Brochure (PDF)

Download Flyer (PDF)

Download Registration Form (PDF, Revised 9.3.11)

Download Complete Description of Course Schedule and Events

Here are some highlights:

Many of our parishes invent their own vacation church school programs. Some have vacation church school every day, some have three days in a week, others set aside two week nights. Why have Vacation Church School? From the GOA Catalog:

Summer vacation’s slower pace and mild weather make it the best time to schedule a camp-like program. In addition, most Orthodox parishes suspend their church school activities for the summer, so VCS provides a summertime “boost.” VCS is the perfect way to bring together Orthodox children, parents, grandparents, teachers and others in an intensive environment for a total immersion experience in Orthodox faith, learning and fun. It’s also a good way to work with neighboring Orthodox parishes, planning one area-wide VCS program.

Please see pages 24-25 of the GOA catalog (PDF) for vacation church school resources. And check out the new vacation church school program, “Behold the Light” by the authors of “The Ark of Salvation: Feasts of the Theotokos” at www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused.

1: Journey through Holy Week

http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/zines/holyweekzine

Follow Christ and the Church through each stage of Holy Week—from the Saturday of Lazarus to the Agape Vespers service—with this new full-color guide from the Department of Religious Education. In the zine-style booklet, author Stephania Gianulis pinpoints the relevance and meanings of the services, hymns, and scripture readings. Special features on each page illuminate icons, traditions, and history.