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The 2-3 year old class presents an opportunity for our youngest students to come together and learn about their Orthodox Faith in a secure and structured environment. Topics of this class include: Coming to Church, God Created the World, Christmas, Jesus Loves Me, Easter, and God Made the Changing Seasons. Each class includes a good morning routine, attendance, icon veneration and prayer, circle time with a story board, songs with finger play, craft projects, communion, and a snack.

The Pre-K program concentrates on the theme and experience of love. God loves the preschooler, his family, and the world. The preschooler begins to recognize God’s love through seeing his family, others and all things around him as God’s gifts. He experiences God’s love in playing with others, family relationships and activities, and participation in Church worship and life.

Joy is the main theme of the kindergarten program. God’s love is the source of our joy. The kindergartner experiences joy through family activities, and through Church worship and life. Aspects of worship and stories from Scripture highlight specific examples of and reasons for joy centered on Christ. The kindergartner learns to celebrate God’s gift of joy and thus feels a sense of trust and well-being.

The focus of first grade is on creation as God’s gift. God made the world and everything in it as an example of His love and goodness. As the child discovers the world around him, the child understands that family, friends, church, school, and all other things come from God. Through the daily experience of God’s world, the child understands that God is real, loving and caring. The child’s faith in God is awakened and is expressed through prayer, worship and thanks.

Second grade concentrates on the theme of loving God as the child’s obedient response to God. Through the examples of men and women of the Old and New Testaments, as well as examples of the Orthodox Saints, the second grader begins to understand sin and forgiveness in light of God’s love. Through such examples, and through acts of worship and life, the child learns to respond to God with love and obedience which is the foundation of morality.

In third grade the emphasis is placed on sharing based on the life of the Church. As the third grader becomes open to the outside world and peer group relationships, he or she learns about God’s people and their relationships in the Old and New Testaments, as well as in the history of the Church. Through study of the life of the Church, the child experiences sharing, giving, dialogue, and dealing with relational difficulties in a positive manner.

The theme of fourth grade, Growing with God, exploits a period of deeper moral and spiritual growth in the life of the child. By concentrating on prayers and sacramental acts related to human growth (Pre-Baptismal services, Baptism, Chrismation, Liturgy, and Confession), the children begin to gain a sacramental vision of life. They come to understand the world, and their own growth in light of their faith, prayer, and sacramental life. Students are also given their own Orthodox Study Bible at the beginning of the year which is used on a regular basis in class so that students learn to use and appreciate the Bible.

The fifth grade theme, Responding to God, concentrates on the stories of the heroes of the faith in Scripture and Tradition as examples of faith, loyalty, self-sacrifice, obedience, love, justice, and social responsibility. Through the study of these great figures, the child learns to respond to God in terms of personal faith and the basics of Christian morality, the Ten Commandments and the teachings of Christ. Students also learn of the Parables of Jesus which offer basic truths for application to daily living. Each lesson concludes with discussion questions and time to reflect on how the parables are still applicable today. Finally, students take time to learn about the major Orthodox Saints including discussion of the major feast days and how they point toward the source of our faith, Jesus Christ.

The focus of the sixth grade is on the importance and consequences of choices in light of the Christian faith. The sixth grader, as a pre-adolescent, becomes more aware of one’s personal freedom to make right and wrong choices. Friendships are very important and peer pressure increases. Through the many examples and teachings of Scripture and Tradition, the child is helped to recognize the basic Christian moral and spiritual values and to make the right choices for his or her life. Students also explore the power of prayer and learn specific Orthodox prayers like the Jesus Prayer and the history behind them. In addition, sixth grade explores the pathway to successful Christian living through Scripture, Tradition, Doctrine, Church History and Liturgical Life. Lessons focus on our Church Fathers, the Liturgy and other Services, and the first Christian writers. Students learn that worship goes beyond the Divine Liturgy and is important to a Christ-centered life.

This class is designed to make students truly think about their FAITH. There two grades in the same class, and they operate on a two year cycle of topics centered on living the Orthodox faith. The sacraments are covered in-depth along with the Ten Commandments. This class also provides Orthodox views, teachings and history in a manner that relates to the everyday life of students. Teachers encourage and expect classroom discussions from students and information is often handed out for the students as well as their families. The class incorporates special days into its curriculum, such as Saint Luke’s day, Lenten periods and current events. Every class is started with a short prayer in the chapel and ends with a questions and answer session where students are encouraged to ask whatever questions they have.

The 9^th grade curriculum targets two goals: firm knowledge of the Orthodox faith and spiritual maturity. The content of the textbook used in the class is taken from the fields of theology, spirituality, liturgy, church history, and Scripture. The Way, The Truth and The Life provides a basic understanding of our faith in lessons that both inform and inspire. The 9^th grade curriculum is split into four units: Life and Salvation, Salvation and the Church, Walking the Path of Salvation and For the Salvation and the World.

The purpose of the 10^th – 12^th grade class is to introduce our students to the issues and situations of the world in the context of their Orthodox Faith. All discussions will be structured using a defined curriculum to address difficult topics such as comparative religions, marriage and family life, creation and evolution, genetic engineering, abortion, addiction, sex and homosexuality. The class brings together the totality of Tradition which encompasses Scripture, Church Fathers, Doctrine, Icons, and Church Services. Students will know and understand the unique Orthodox aspects of a religious life, and will be able to apply the teaching of the faith to everyday life.

Students should arrive at church no later than 10 AM to hear the Epistle and the Gospel.

Upon arriving at Church, students should venerate the icons in the narthex and light a candle.

Students, at all times, should be respectful and remain silent when they are inside the Church. Students should not enter Church or speak in the Narthex during the following times: The Epistle reading, The Gospel reading and The Great Entrance.

After the Gospel is read, Father will address the students with a sermonette.

Students are expected to be respectful to their Sunday School teachers as well as their peers at all times.

Teachers will give each student three warnings during a class period for disruptive and/or disrespectful behavior. After that point, he/she will be escorted to the Sunday School office where he/she will remain, until his/her teacher feels that he/she is ready to return to class.

Students who wish to partake of the sacrament of Holy Communion should be prepared to do so. Before entering the Church to receive Holy Communion, students should have their hands out of their pockets so that they can bless themselves. When approaching the Holy Chalice, students should tell Father their name and hold the red cloth under their chin.

At the conclusion of Holy Communion, students should immediately proceed downstairs with their teachers to their classrooms.

At no time is a student allowed to leave class early or unexcused unless a parent has provided an early dismissal note to the child’s teacher before the beginning of the class period.

Commencement of Classes: September 7, 2008

Sunday School Catechism Classes will commence on September 7, 2008, which is the first Sunday after the Greek Affair.  Please have your children arrive at Church no later than 10 AM so that they can hear the Epistle, Gospel, and Father’s sermonette.

Student Registration: September 7, 2008

Registration forms will be in the August and September Epistle, and will also be available in the Church office.  Families who are already registered do not need to re-register this year unless some aspect of your information has changed.  Mail all registration forms to the Church attention to the Sunday School.

Registration will take place in the Educational Center.  There will be tables set up with volunteers available to answer any questions you may have.

Agiasmos: September 7, 2008

Immediately following his sermonette, Father will offer his blessings to Sunday School students for the beginning of the new school year.

Open House: October 5, 2008

On October 5, 2008 parents and grandparents, alike, are invited to come to Sunday School with students.  Hopefully, this will provide an opportunity for them to meet the teachers and visit the different classrooms.  Teachers will provide copies of the Archdiocesan Curriculum to any parents/grandparents who wish to have a copy.  They will also offer additional information about the Sunday School program as well as outline individual goals for each class.  Our staff is looking forward to meeting you and discussing any questions or concerns that you may have.

Sunday School Programs and Events

September:

 $ Registration:  Registration will take place on Sunday, September 7, 2008 in the Educational Center.  There will be tables set up with volunteers available to answer any questions you may have.  Please fill out a form if you are not on our mailing list.  If you are updating information, please take the time to do that as well.

October:

 $ Open House:  The annual Sunday School Open House will take place on Sunday, October 5, 2008.  Parents and grandparents are invited to attend classes with their children and grandchildren.  Copies of class curricula will be available in the Educational Center.

December:

 $ Christmas Communion Breakfast:  The CCB will take place, Sunday, December 7, 2008.  Come one, come all, and meet jolly old Saint Nick!  The CCB is the Sunday School’s sole fundraiser.  It is a great deal of fun for children of all ages.  The CCB will start at approximately 11 AM with a pancake breakfast followed by live entertainment.  Students are not charged to attend the event.

$ Christmas Pageant:  The Christmas Eve Divine Liturgy begins at 6 PM on Wednesday, December 24, 2008 followed by the pageant at approximately 7:30 PM.  This year’s annual Christmas pageant will once again be organized and directed by Angelique Demetris.  All students are invited and encouraged to take part in the pageant.  The selection process for the pageant especially the major roles are based on attendance.  Attendance is considered from the entire previous year when making selections.

$ Oratorical Festival:  Preparation for the Oratorical Festival begins in early November.  The festival is for grades 7-12 and is split into two divisions: the junior division (grades 7-9) and the senior division (grades 10-12).  The Oratorical Festival provides students an opportunity to explore aspects of our Orthodox faith.  Each student is responsible for writing a speech that is presented at a local level at Saint Luke’s.  If the student wins, they must be prepared to move onto the regional, diocesan, and even national level depending on their success.  The Oratorical Festival is a commitment that requires a good deal of work but is an extremely worthwhile task.  It teaches students research skills, public speaking, as well as knowledge of their faith.  If you would like to read further information, please try the following link http://www.goarch.org/en/archdiocese/departments/religioused/oratorical. 

February:

 $ Kid Mission:  Delaware Valley Youth Commission sponsors the annual Kid Mission each year at a local parish.  The Commission also designates a topic for students and assigns each Church a specific aspect of that topic to research.  The date for this year’s Kid Mission is T.B.D.

March & April:

 $ Sunday of Orthodoxy:  Sunday of Orthodoxy will be celebrated this year on March 8, 2008 this year.  All Sunday School students will participate in a procession around the Church holding holy icons depicting Christ, the Theotokos and all of those saints who have walked the Christian life before us.  We rejoice in the Icons that bring God and His Saints into our lives, and give us a glimpse into heaven on Earth.  We celebrate the return of the holy icons to the Church and begin the Lenten season remembering our Holy Orthodox faith which guides us towards our relationship with Christ.  On this Sunday, students are asked to bring an icon from home so that they can take part in the procession.

$ Lenten Readers:  Throughout the Lenten season, students in 5^th grade and above will be asked to read Psalms and prayers at certain Lenten services.  Again this is a wonderful way to get our students more involved so that they truly understand the journey we should all be on during Lent.

$ Saturday of Lazarus:  Saturday, April 11, 2008.  As we celebrate the Saturday when Jesus raised Lazarus from his bed, we also come together in anticipation of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem.  Immediately following the Divine Liturgy, students will go into the Educational Center where we will fold palms together and enjoy a Lenten luncheon.

$ Myrrh Bearers:  Each year on Good Friday young ladies in grades 3-6 are invited to take part in the Apothoklesis Service and the Holy Friday Evening Service.  The Myrrh Bearers represent all that is good and holy in our Christian faith.  They were there, “early in the morning”, to find the empty tomb and to receive the word from the Angel that He is Risen and to announce that message.  They faithfully ministered to Him and followed Him throughout His ministry on earth.  There are two separate services that the girls may take part in, or if they choose, they may take part in both.  We would like to have as many girls involved as possible and will not limit the amount that can participate.

$ Holy Friday Helpers:  The Holy Friday Helpers program takes place on Good Friday, which falls this year on April 17, 2008.  In an effort to better understand our Lenten journey, we are devoting the day to learning what we should do during throughout Lent.  In the morning, we will start with a short lesson after which students will then go into Church to help the Philoptochos decorate the Epitaphion.  Students will then head back down to the Community Center for crafts and lunch.  The day will finish at approximately 1 PM.  Notes from Father Christ are available for students who need an excused absence from school.