Objectives:

1. Students should recognize the characters in the icon and tell its story.
2. Students should know that we celebrate this feast on September 8.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. Discuss the icon to see how much the students already know: St. Anna is the central figure, an elderly woman robed in blue and lying on a bed. The figures surrounding her are nurses. The Theotokos appears as an infant in the arms of a nurse being pondered by her mother and also with a nurse in a cradle being pondered by her father, St. Joachim, who appears in the lower right as an elderly man with white hair. Why are Joachim and Anna so old?

 

3. Tell the story, if they don’t already know it:

Joachim and Anna were a righteous couple.  But despite years of prayers, they had no children and were getting quite old, too old for children. They went to the temple constantly, praying and offering sacrifices for a child. Now, for the Jewish people, not having any children was considered a disgrace; the couple must be very wicked if God would not bless them even with a child. One day, Joachim brought yet another offering to the temple.  The priest was so angry to see him yet again that he threw Joachim out of the temple.  Joachim went to the hills outside the city and there prayed and fasted for forty days.  An angel appeared to him and told him that they would have a baby, and this baby would be blessed by God.  The angel appeared at the same to Anna at home.  They ran to meet each other at the gates of the city, full of joy.

            Nine months later, the baby was born.  She was given the name Mary.  The righteous couple promised the Lord that this child would be dedicated to Him; this promise was later fulfilled with the presentation of Mary at the temple.           

 

4. Scripture readings:

Gospel: Luke 10:38-end, 11:27-28

Epistle: Philippians 2:5-11

Old Testament: Genesis 28:11-17, Ezekiel 43:27-44:14, Proverbs 9:1-11

 

5. Songs of the Feast:

Troparion: Thy nativity, O Theotokos, hath proclaimed joy to the whole universe; for from thee did shine forth the Sun of Justice, Christ our God, annulling the curse and bestowing the blessing, abolishing death and granting us life everlasting.

Kontakion: By thy holy birth-giving, O pure one, Joachim and Anna were delivered from the reproach of barrenness; and Adam and Eve were delivered from the corruption of death; thy people do celebrate it, having been saved from the stain of iniquity, crying unto thee, The barren doth give birth to the Theotokos, who nourisheth our life.

 

6. Discussion questions:

Why is this feast first in the liturgical year? What is the importance of the Theotokos? In what way, does our hope begin here? How does our view of the Theotokos differ from the views of the Protestant denominations?

What are some other stories of women who prayed and were granted by the Lord “miraculous” babies? (Sarah, Hannah, and later, Elizabeth) In what way do Joachim and Anna fulfill Adam and Eve? How does Jacob’s ladder (Genesis 28) relate to the Theotokos? (She is the ladder who reunites heaven and earth.)

What does the reading from Philippians, which doesn’t even mention Mary, have to do with her feast? God empties Himself (known as “kenosis”) to become human; Mary is the instrument of this Incarnation.

The Roman Catholic has in recent centuries adopted the doctrine of the “Immaculate Conception”, referring to the conception of Mary. This stems from their concept of  “original sin”; if we are all born with the guilt of sin (and not just the predisposition to sin), then Mary would be sinful and Jesus would be born with sin as well. Discuss the Orthodox concept of sin, Adam and Eve, and why we have not needed an “Immaculate Conception” for Mary. This is important for teens to understand in preparation for discussions with Roman Catholic classmates.

 

7.   Close with prayer.

 

 

THE ELEVATION OF THE HOLY CROSS

Objectives:

 

1. Students should be able to identify each character in the icon, telling the story.
2. Students should know the Troparion of the Holy Cross and “Before Thy Cross”.
3. Students should know that the date of the feast is September 14.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

 

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. Review the icon of the feast: St. Macarius is in the center holding the cross, Helen on the left with crown, Constantine on the right with crown, citizens of Jerusalem, and the city of Jerusalem in the background with the domed Church of the Holy Sepulchre right above the Cross.  You might begin and ask what the students already know about the story and its participants, setting the stage for the telling of the story.

 

3. Review the story of the finding of the holy cross, first reminding students of the historical context (Who was Constantine? What did he do? What was the Council of Niceae and its outcome?):

 

This feast originated on the occasion of the finding of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. This event, according to early Christian historians, occurred during the time of Constantine the Great. He, feeling a great reverence for the Cross of Christ because it had brought him many victories and also desiring to express his thankfulness to God for the peace in the church after the first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325 AD decided to erect a church on Golgotha. This is the place where Jesus was crucified, along with the two thieves.

 

To lay the groundwork for this project, Con­stantine's mother Helena journeyed to Jerusalem in 326. Upon arriving in the Holy City, she was struck with a deep desire to find, if that was pos­sible, the Cross of Jesus. She learned that it was the custom of the Romans of Jesus' time to bury the crosses near the spot upon which the execu­tions had taken place - this information was sup-plied to her by an elderly Jewish man who had spent his entire life in the city.  In addition, she was told that the Holy Cross was beneath a pagan temple, erected by the Roman Emperor Hadrian many years before. Helen had the temple torn down and set about the task of excavation, digging. The troops who did the actual digging pleaded with her after a while to give up her dream, for they kept finding nothing in the ground but ancient pottery. St. Helena, however, insisting upon her royal privileges, prevailed and work continued. Finally, the soldiers found not one but three crosses. It was not possible to know upon which of the crosses the Lord Jesus had been crucified, for the tablet with the superscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" was found separately.

 

There was naturally great excitement in the city with the news that the crosses had been found, but no one could figure out a way of discovering which of the three was the Cross of Jesus. But the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Macanus, was an in­spired man. He ordered a very sick but pious woman to be brought to the place, and there -in the presence of the Queen and a great crowd of people - proceeded to touch the sick woman with each of the crosses. The first two accom­plished nothing, but when the third one touched her - she was healed of her sickness, made whole.

 

When they were bringing the crosses back to the city - for at that time Golgotha was still "outside" Jerusalem, as it was the Roman custom to perform crucifixions on the outskirts - a more wonderful miracle took place which conclusively proved which of the three crosses was Christ's. The procession heading into the city, led by Patri­arch Macarius, ran into another procession -heading away from the city, a funeral. The patriarch again went through the same procedure as he had with the sick woman, but this time with the man who was being buried. When the third cross touched the dead man, he awoke, as if from sleep.

 

With the news of these two great miracles, crowds and crowds of people began piling into Jerusalem. Because of the size of these crowds, and the smallness of the Cathedral Church, it was not possible for everyone to even see the Cross, let alone venerate it. So the next day, the Patri­arch and a number of his deacons raised up the Cross over their heads during the service so that all could see - and all the people began singing, over and over, "Lord, Have Mercy." Thus was born the custom, lasting to the present day in some churches, of singing these same words over and over when the Cross is lifted during the ser­vices on this day.  The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built on the site where the true cross was found.

 

But the special hymn of the days during which the Cross is in the center of the church is "Before Thy Cross, We Bow Down In Worship, 0 Master, and Thy Holy Resurrection, We Glorify!" This hymn even replaces the Trisagion ("Holy God") during the Divine Liturgy on these days. This hymn originated some ten years after the above finding of the Cross, when a Church of the Resur­rection of Christ was consecrated in Jerusalem in 335 A.D. Many Bishops came from all over the world to consecrate this church to God, and when they returned to their home parishes this hymn went with them.

 

Why “basil” at the Feast of the Cross? The herb, basil has long been associated with the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The word “basil” is derived from “Vasileios,” the Greek word for a king or person of royal lineage.

According to the liturgical tradition, the Holy Empress Helena, Mother of the Saint and King Constantine, found the location of the True Cross by digging for it under a large growth of basil. Basil plants were reputed to have sprung up at the foot of the Cross where the Precious Blood of Christ fell, along with the tears of the Mother of God. On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross it is customary in the East to rest the image of the Holy Cross on a bed of basil before carrying it out for the veneration of the faithful. Also, in some areas, branches of basil are used throughout the temple as a festive decoration as well as to provide a heavenly scent in honor of the Feast. Blessed basil leaves may also be arranged in a bouquet at the foot of the “Golgotha” cross. Dried leaves taken from the feast can also be used by the faithful as a sweet incense to burn at home as a blessing.

Why not plant some basil today in an egg carton to take home and water? Plant it next spring in the yard and have a lovely plant for next year’s feast.

 

 

4. Read the gospel and epistle readings for this feast (have students read aloud in turns):

            John 19:6-35

            I Corinthians 1:18-24 – What does Paul say about the importance of the cross?

       Old Testament Scriptures regarding the Holy Cross:

            Exodus 7:5, 7:19-20, 8:6-22, 10:21-22, 14:21,26, 17:11-12

            Numbers 21: 2-31

 

5. How many New Testament references to the cross can you find?  This can be a contest, with a time limit.  Have each student select one or more and read – no repeats!

 

6.   A Musical Feast (Sing them, if you’re so inclined.):

Troparion: O, Lord, save thy people, and bless thine inheritance.  Grant victory to all Orthodox Christians over their adversaries and by virtue of thy cross preserve thy habitation.

     Kontakion: Do thou, who of thine own good will wast elevated upon the Cross, bestow thy bounties upon the new people which is called by thy Name, O Christ our God; make glad with thy might our believing kings, granting them victory over their adversaries. May thine aid be a panoply of peace, a trophy invincible.

In place of the Trisagion: Before thy cross, we bow down in worship, O Master, and thy holy Resurrection we glorify.

Exapostilarion: The cross is the preserver of all the universe.

                          The cross is the beauty of the Church.

                          The cross is the might of kings.

                          The cross is the steadfastness of believers.

                          The cross is the glory of the angels and the sting of Satan.

7. Discussion questions:

What are some Old Testament “forerunners” of the cross? How was the cross (and the crucifixion) predicted in the Old Testament? In what way was the cross the fulfillment of the Old Covenant?

Who is our adversary?  How is the cross the sting of Satan? How did the cross preserve the universe?

Where do we see the cross, in church and elsewhere? What are some words that contain the word “cross”? (crossroads, crosshairs, crosswalk) Any significance?

 

     8.   Close with prayer.

ROMANS 2:6

Scripture verse: “(He) will render to each one according to his deeds.”

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize the verse and understand its meaning.
2. Students should understand the concept of heaven and hell.

 

Background on the book:

The letter to the Romans was written by the Apostle Paul around AD 55-57 while he was in Corinth on his 3^rd missionary journey.  Since there was no public post office in the Roman Empire, Paul used the upcoming visit of a Christian in Corinth, Phoebe, to Rome by ship to send his letter. He addressed his letter to all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, living in Rome.  Paul had not yet visited Rome, but he wanted to share a detailed explanation of the Gospel message.  He hoped to visit Rome after he went to Jerusalem; in fact, he did visit Rome but not in the way he had planned. (How?) Find Rome, Corinth, and trace Paul’s 3^rd missionary journey on a map.

 

 

As WB Bolmer summarizes in his history of the Western Church: “As soon as the infant Church possessed a mind capable, by reason of scholastic training, of forming a system of theology, that great work was begun. Saul of Tarsus, bringing to bear upon the new revelation the trained acuteness of a ripe intellect, immediately commenced to compare, and combine, and analyze, until he evolved the theology which guided his preaching throughout his entire ministry. If a definite and logically-exact system does not underlie the argument of the Epistle to the Romans, it may be boldly affirmed that no human intellect has ever yet shown itself equal to the sublime undertaking of evolving systems of anything.”

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Review the background of the book of Romans, our first epistle.
3. Have each student briefly read silently a single chapter and summarize it for the class. The teacher can summarize the chapters for which there are not enough students (suggest teacher do chapters 4, 7,8 – 4 is easy and 7,8 particularly hard). See if students can find the main theme of the chapter and use some general discussion questions to enhance understanding:
   • Chapter 1: the gospel of Christ vs. the wrath of God – How can all people, believers and non-believers, discover God? What are the results of living without God? How do we live in the righteousness of God? (by faith) What evidence do we see in today’s world of people living without God?
   • Chapter 2: Our own conscience condemns us when we try to live by the law – What is the basis of God’s judgment? What is the purpose of the law for the Jews? How can the Gentiles (non-Jews) know the law of God? (their own conscience)
   • Chapter 3: All are unfaithful – What was the purpose of the Jewish people? Who is justified by obeying the law? What is “grace”? (unmerited favor) What is a propitiation? How are we justified when we all sin? Is God only for Jews? Only for Orthodox Christians?
   • Chapter 4: Abraham is a model of faith for us all – Review the story of Abraham.
   • Chapter 5: We are all justified by the death of Jesus – How did sin enter the world? (Adam and Eve) How are we justified before God? Who died for us? What hope do we have through the blood of Jesus? Is all suffering bad and to be avoided? What is the spiritual result of suffering?
   • Chapter 6: The baptism chapter – What is the meaning of baptism? How are we “born again”? Before baptism, we were slaves of what? How should we live now that we are willing servants of God?

•      Chapter 7 and 8: The will of the soul vs. the will of the flesh – As Christians, what is the greatest desire of our souls? (to do good) What is the desire of the flesh – our still-  present passions? Can we, on our own, defeat the desires of the flesh? Do Christians continue to sin even after baptism? Can the students identify some things that they know they should not do, and yet find themselves doing? (lying, cheating on a test) Do we groan confessing the same sins over and over without victory no matter how hard we try? How can we walk in righteousness? WHO is our helper? (Holy Spirit) Read to the students two very important verses in chapter 8: 28 and 38-39. God’s faithfulness through His Spirit in our lives is repeated over and over, ending with the proclamation in Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
•  
• 4.  Read today's verse out loud, in the context of vs. 2-16.  Read also Romans 1:18-21, James 1:21-27, Romans 3:9-19. Can you find examples in the Old Testament of God’s judgment? (Adam and Eve, Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s wife, Passover, David/Absalom, Belshazzar…)

 

5. Discuss the concept of God’s judgment: What do you say to the person who asks, “If God is loving, how could He send people to hell?” Is this even the right question or should we ask instead, “Why would anyone reject God’s love?” Does God really want anyone to go to hell? (John 5:24, II Peter 3:9) What about predestination? Do we really have any free will? What about the people who have never heard of Jesus? How does Paul argue that all men are without excuse? (No one can look at nature without knowing there is a God.) How does God judge? Can we fool God? Is it enough to look good on the outside? Is it enough to feel good about God in one’s heart, no matter how one lives? Karl Marx said that religion is the opiate of the people and that dwelling on heaven and a reward in the afterlife keeps us from seeking justice on earth? Comment. If all have sinned, how then can we escape God’s judgment? (blood of Jesus) What was the purpose of sacrifice in the Old Covenant Temple? Who is the Lamb of God?

 

 

5. Discuss the concept of heaven and hell: Is there any reason to believe in hell? What about reincarnation; do we get a second chance, or third…? What is heaven like? Boring? What is hell like? What do you think about when you think of the afterlife? Should we think more about the here and now or about the afterlife? Will the afterlife be more or less real than our earthly lives? (I Corinthians 13:12) Will we scare people into heaven by talking about hell? For references, read Matthew 25:46, Luke 16:24-26, I Cor. 1:18, Phil 1:23-24, and II Peter 2:4-9.
6. Close with prayer.

ROMANS 14:12

 

Scripture verse: “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should be able to recite the verse and to discuss its significance.
2. Students should be able to list some concrete areas in which they need to be more responsible, and some ideas for progress in these areas.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2.   Review again the background of the book of Romans from the last lesson.

3.   Starting with Chapter 9, again have each student read and summarize a chapter. This allows the students to begin to read Scripture for meaning and context and understand its significance. Not enough students? Again, the teacher can summarize and discuss the other chapters. Chapters 9,10, and 11 would be good ones to be quickly summarized by the teacher.

• Chapter 9,10, 11: God’s promises to Israel – How has God shown His faithfulness to Israel through the ages, from Abraham through Moses? Who did God send to Israel to remind them of His faithfulness? (prophets – which 2 quoted here?)Who rejected the word of God? Who accepted and believed? To whom did Paul preach? Discuss the tree with native and grafted branches: What is the root? Who are the natural branches? Who are the grafted branches? Paul is dealing with Jewish believers and Gentile believers – how about Orthodox Christians of Orthodox Russian/Greek/Romanian/etc. vs. converts? Do we see some of the same tensions???
• Chapter 12: the love of the body of Christ – What is the body of Christ? (the church) What are some of the gifts? How is Christian love manifested among us? Give examples from our own time and parish…
• Chapter 13: Relationship of Christian and the civil government – Where does the government get its authority? How should we respond to the exercise of that authority? Should we pay taxes…even if we disagree with their use?
• Chapter 14: the fasting chapter, read at the beginning of Great Lent – Why read then? How should we fast? How should we respond to those who fast more or less rigorously than we do?
• Chapter 15: Skip this chapter if time or students are lacking…review of Paul’s work with the Gentiles
• Chapter 16: Greetings to fellow Christians and the benediction – See if you recognize any of the believers: Priscilla and Aquila (with whom Paul stayed in Corinth), Rufus (son of Simon of Cyrene, who was he?) Dissect the benediction phrase by phrase.

 

4.    Scripture lesson: Romans 14:4-13. What is the context of today’s memory verse? In Rome there were Christians who felt they were free in the Lord to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to break the Jewish law.  Other Christians were upset by this and their faith was being threatened.  Even though Paul calls the “free” Christians “strong” and the younger believers “weak”, who does he reprimand? Can we truly enjoy freedom without responsibility? Are there people today who brag about what they are allowed to do, without thinking of the consequences?

 

5.   What is “responsibility”? Should teenagers be as responsible as adults? What reasons do teens give for irresponsibility? (too young, someone else’s fault, anger, bad luck?) In what areas can teens take responsibility for their own lives and to what degree? Making my bed? Cleaning my room? Family life? Environment? My own feelings? Drugs and alcohol? Problem of world hunger? War in Bosnia? Choosing own friends? Reaching darkest Africa for Jesus? Reaching my friends for the Gospel of Jesus? Some Scriptures discuss areas of responsibility of every Christian; how well do we measure up? (Genesis 1:28, Exodus 32:22, Matthew 25:15, Matthew 27:24, Philippians 1:27)

      Where did “not my fault” thinking begin? (Garden of Eden) Do we see this also in the adult world? Think of some examples: Warring nations blaming each other, workers blaming managers and managers blaming workers for poor productivity, Congress blaming the President and the President blaming Congress, one racial group blaming another for its woes, etc. When does this tendency to blame others begin in our own lives? Do sisters blame brothers to get out of trouble or vice versa? Students blame teachers for bad grades? In this Scripture, the “weak” believers were blaming the “strong” and the “strong” felt the “weak” were holding them back from their freedom in Christ. Sound familiar?

What are some areas in your own life where you can begin to take more responsibility?

 

     6. Close with prayer.

 

 

I CORINTHIANS 5:12

Scripture verse: “For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize the verse and understand its meaning and context.
2. Students should know a bit of the history of the book of I Corinthians.
3. Students should have some concrete ideas about how they can talk to their friends about wrong behavior.

Background on the book:

            This letter was written by St. Paul to the struggling church at Corinth while he was staying in Ephesus for 2 ½ years during his third missionary journey around 55 AD. Paul had visited Corinth for about a year and a half during his second missionary journey and planned to visit again the following winter.  Corinth was one of the greatest trading centers of the world. It was located on a 4-mile-wide isthmus separating northern and southern Greece; because of the dangers of sailing around the tip of Greece, many ships were pulled out of the water at Corinth and hauled on rollers across the land bridge! Corinth was famous for its markets and luxuries, but also for drunkenness, pagan idols, and immorality. The young church there had serious problems dealing with these issues. Find Corinth on a map.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

2.      Review the background of the book. Trace the journey of Paul and the city of Corinth.

3.      Have each student read a chapter, summarizing it for the class. Too many or few students? Divide the longer chapters or have the teacher summarize the shorter chapters (or less important ones), asking some questions for discussion on each chapter to bring home the salient points.

·         Chapter 1: Disunity in the church – Who were some of the apostles who preached in Corinth? What has happened to the Corinthian church as a result? What do ALL of the apostles preach? (Christ crucified) WHOSE is the church? Do we see any of this today? I am of Russia, I am of Greece, I am Roman Catholic, I am Baptist, I am Methodist – is this a unified Christian church?

·         Chapter 2 and 3: The foundation of the apostles – What did Paul preach? Who reveals the truth to man? (Holy Spirit) In whom do we boast? What’s the job of the apostles? (to lay the foundation) What’s our job? (to build on it) How is each of us building?

·         Chapter 4: The life of an apostle – of what did Paul’s life consist? Does he live a life of wealth and honor? Of comfort? Contrast with our own lives.

·         Chapter 5 and 6: The multitude of sins of the Corinthian Church – Paul has heard some very sad things about his children in Corinth, among these are sexual immorality, idolatry, excessive drinking – all of us can agree here. What about LAWSUITS, listed right along with the others. Do Christians even today sue other Christians?

·         Chapter 7: A difficult chapter to discuss with teens due to its sexual explicitness. If your teens are young, SKIP this one.

·         Chapter 8: What to eat and not eat – Also read before Great Lent, Why? We no longer have meat sacrificed to idols…but we do have fasting periods. Are we “better” if we fast better? Should we boast? Should we look down on those who fast less carefully?

 

4.      Scripture verse: I Corinthians 5:9-6:3.  Now Corinth is facing a problem. In trying to be loving, they were allowing members of the body to live in sin rather than “hurt” them by judging their actions. Paul knew the importance of a godly life as a witness to the world. But how do we “lovingly” judge each other? Read Ephesians 4,15, 25, Proverbs 15:1. What does Jesus Himself say about judging others? Who is our judge?

 

5.      Should we talk to our friends about wrong behavior? Under what circumstances? Make a list on the board of several potential situations and poll the class as to whether they would approve or disapprove of these actions if witnessed in a friend: shoplifting a small piece of jewelry, told an off-color joke about another person, lied to his parents about where he was, smoked cigarettes, cheated on a test, gossiped something told in confidence, failed to do his homework, took his parents’ car without asking, other situations suggested by the class? Were some easier to decide on than others? How should a teen respond when seeing a Christian friend in each of these situations? A non-Christian? What would be some possible ways to approach these situations? What do you risk by talking to your friend about his sin? Is it worth the risk? Should you go to his parents, priest? Under what circumstances? (e.g. taking car and not licensed to drive? What if he were killed? How would you feel then if you had/had not “tattled”?) Try role-playing some of these situations to see how they play out. Should Paul have just let the Corinthians go their merry way in love?

 

6.   Close with prayer.

 

I CORINTHIANS 10:13

 

Scripture verse: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

 

Objectives:

1. Memorize the verse and understand its content and context.
2. Students should apply the verse to one area of temptation in their lives in the next week.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer: the Lord’s Prayer would be appropriate here. What does it say about temptation?

 

2.      Review the background of the book from last week’s lesson.

 

3.      Again assign students to read a chapter and summarize for the group. Skip chapters if there are too few students and have the teacher briefly summarize. Be sure to use a couple of questions to be sure the students have read and understood. If you need to drop chapters, chapters 10, 14, and 16 would be easily done by the teacher.

·         Chapter 9: Spiritual discipline – What is the goal of someone who runs a race? What is our goal? How do athletes prepare for a race? Students probably do athletics and can answer this from their own experience. How then should WE prepare, physically and spiritually in our lives? Concrete ways – list them!

·         Chapter 10: The failures of the people of Israel – review the story of Moses and the 40 years in the desert. How can their many failures, complaints, and temptations benefit us as examples?

·         Chapter 11: Correct behavior in church – What does Paul say here? Head coverings for women? Is this done in your parish by many, most, all? Proper preparation for the Eucharist – what were the problems in Corinth? In our parish? How do we prepare for Communion?

·         Chapter 12: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ – Who brings the gifts? What are they? Who is the body of Christ? What are we? Does the body have need of each part? Does the church have need of each of us? Any ideas what part of the body you may be growing to become? Your own spiritual gifts

·         Chapter 13: Read this chapter in unison out loud. The LOVE chapter.

·         Chapter 14: Orderly worship – WE have a Liturgy for order, but the 1^st century church was just developing an order of worship. What is speaking in tongues? Do we also have prophecy?

·         Chapter 15: The Resurrection is central to our faith – the central belief of Christianity – that Christ died for our sins and rose again. Recite the creed. What is Christianity without the Resurrection? Was Jesus just a teacher with nice sayings? In whom do all die? (Adam) In Whom are we all made alive? Sing together the Paschal Troparion: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!)

·         Chapter 16: Skip this chapter if time or number of students do not allow. See if you recognize the places and people Paul mentions. After all this is a LETTER, so he’s greeting his friends.

 

4.      Scripture verse: I Corinthians 10:13 – read it together

 

5.      What are some stories of Old Testament people who faced temptation or tribulation? How did they fare? Did it matter whether they turned to God or to their own strength? (Adam, Moses, Daniel, the 3 youths, Jonah, David with Goliath, how about David with Bathsheba?) What was the temptation they faced? (denying God, sexual, running away in fear…) Do we have similar temptations? What about New Testament people or figures from Church history? (Peter and his denial, Judas and his betrayal, Stephen and martyrs in general, St. Daniel the Stylite sitting on the pillar, find some more) Of what were they tempted? Did they turn to God or not? Outcome?

 

6.      Discussion questions:

       What is temptation? What are tribulations? Are they different? Have

students brainstorm some temptations and tribulations that they themselves face. Are there examples in the Bible or in the history of the Church of people who faced similar temptations and tribulations? What happened?

When we face problems in our lives, should we ask God what should be done or should we “stand on our own 2 feet”? Should our Christian beliefs make a difference in the choice we make? Doesn’t God know what our problems are anyway; do we need to ask His help or will He work them out for us without our even lifting a finger? Does God promise that He will miraculously make all problems go away? Do we need to work hard to solve our problems? Does He promise to help us?

 

7.       Close with prayer.

 

II CORINTHIANS 1:5

 

Scripture verse: “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize the verse and understand its meaning.
2. Students should understand the context of the book and be able to apply the sufferings of Paul to their own lives.

 

Background on the book:

            This letter was written by St. Paul in the same year as I Corinthians, after he received a report from Titus about the state of the church in Corinth.  Paul had now left Ephesus, having been almost killed in the great riot, and was visiting the region of Philippi and Thessalonica. The problems of immorality and idol worship had been dealt with, but new problems were surfacing. Paul sent Titus right back to Corinth with his response. Later that year, Paul himself would visit Corinth, and there write the letter to the Romans. Find Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, and Thessalonica on a map.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

 

2.      Review the background of the book.

 

3.      Scripture Lesson: Again have each student read one chapter and report to the class. The reading should take 5 minutes or so. Extra chapters can be done by the teacher or skipped, depending on class time and number of students. Below find 6 selected chapters to focus on:

·         Chapter 1: Sharing of suffering by prayer – Do Christians suffer? What is one reason Paul gives for his suffering? (that, after he is comforted by God, he can comfort others) How can each of us share in the burden of the suffering of other Christians? (prayer) Re-read our litany. Do we pray for others who are suffering? Do YOU in your daily prayers?

·         Chapter 4: The light of the gospel – What does the chapter say is the light? Who is Paul preaching? Who sent the light? Why? What are the earthen vessels? (human beings, like us) Why does God use US to shine His light?

·         Chapter 5: Faith in the Resurrection – What is our earthly house? What is the new creature? What does it mean, “We walk by faith and not by sight.”? Is this easy?

·         Chapter 9: The cheerful giver – For what was Paul commending the Corinthians? Who supplies our needs? What is the reward for stingy giving? For generous giving? How do we measure up – in monetary giving? In giving of our time and talents?

·         Chapter 11: Paul’s qualifications as an apostle – what are some of the qualifications Paul lists for his apostleship? Why is Paul talking such foolishness to the Corinthians?

·         Chapter 12: Paul’s reason for boasting – is Paul’s boast in visions and revelations? What IS Paul’s boast? What’s a thorn in the flesh? While we do not know what Paul’s was (physical weakness, spiritual enemies???), if we search our hearts we might be able to name our own.

 

      4.   Scripture verse: II Corinthians 1:3-7

 

      5.    Can the students think of characters in the Bible who suffered from “feel bads”? What about Job, Elijah, David, Peter? Review their stories; does God always promise               us a bed of roses without the thorns?

6. Discuss the emotional life of a teenager: What are some emotions the students experience? What life stresses are they responding to? Can the students share some      experiences in their own lives that made them feel bad? (breaking up with a boy/girl friend, arguing with a parent over the rules, getting a bad grade on a test, being fat/ugly/too tall/too short, moving to a new town, being rejected by a club, not “making the team”, arguing with a friend, etc.)  How do their bodies react to these emotions (stomachaches, headaches, palpitations, fainting, cold sweat, etc.) Is this normal?

 

7.      How do we deal with the “feel bads” as Christians? Are Christians never supposed to feel bad? How are “feel bads” different for Christians than for non-Christians? Do we feel bad because we have no faith?

 

8.   Close with prayer.

 

GALATIANS 2:16a

 

Scripture verse: “knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ…”

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize the verse and understand its context.
2. Students should be able, with God’s help, to combine this Scripture with the Scripture in James that says “Faith without works is dead” for a true picture of Orthodox salvation.
3. Students should know an Orthodox response to the question, “Are you saved?”

 

Background on the book:

            St. Paul wrote this letter to believers in the region of Galatia from his home church in Antioch, just before the first ecumenical council in Jerusalem. (What did that council decide? The obligations of Gentile believers to the Jewish law) Paul had started the churches in Galatia during his first missionary journey around 48 AD. Even though the book comes after the letters to the Romans and the Corinthians, it was written before those epistles, probably just as he was starting his 3^rd  missionary journey.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

 

                2.   Review the background of the book. Paul is about to go to Jerusalem to defend his theological position that Gentile believers do not have to obey all the Jewish law,                          when he hears of the problems in Galatia.  How does he respond?

 

3.   Scripture lesson: Again have each student read a single chapter, summarizing it for the class. Chapters 1 and 6 are easily done by the teacher if there are too few                  students.

·         Chapter 1: Warnings against false teachers – What problem was the church in Galatia facing? Review the conversion of Saul and his subsequent ministry                 as  St. Paul.

·         Chapter 2: The Council of Jerusalem – Who was there? What was decided? Who decided? Who went to spread the gospel to the Jews? To the Gentiles?

·         Chapter 3: The Law and Sonship – Who are the sons of Abraham? Who are his sons by faith? What was the purpose of the law of Moses? How do we            become sons of God? Sing the great hymn: “As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” It comes from this chapter

·         Chapter 4: Sons of Ishmael and Sons of Isaac – Who freed us to become sons and not slaves? (Jesus) Who continues to help us to grow in sonship? (Holy Spirit) Paul compares sons of the promise with sons of slavery to two Old Testament sons. Who was the father of both? Who was the mother of Ishmael? Who was the mother of Isaac? Which was the son of the promise of faith?

·         Chapter 5: Works of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit – What are listed as the works of the flesh? The fruit of the Spirit?

·         Chapter 6: Boasting in the Cross of Christ – What did Paul boast about? Do we boast also in the Cross, or are we ashamed of it? Do we wear our crosses proudly? Cross ourselves when we’re not in church?

 

4.   Scripture verse: Galatians 2:16

 

           5.    Review your Church history.  What was the Protestant Reformation? When did it occur? (around 1500 AD) Who were its leaders? To what excesses in the Roman Catholic                   Church in the West was Martin Luther responding? (e.g. the sale of indulgences to buy a place in heaven) How did the slogan “sola fides” (only faith) begin?

          6.      Legal acquittal or covenant relationship?  What is the concept of “justification by faith”? Is this a legal acquittal or a covenant relationship? Who initiates                         justification  – God in His mercy or us by our faith? Do Orthodox Christians believe we are justified by faith? By faith alone? Are we as Christians forced to obey the law                     and do good  works in order to get into heaven? Or are we empowered by the Holy Spirit as part of our salvation to do good works? What does James say proves that                         we  have faith?

Is salvation a decision, once in life, or a way of life? What is the meaning of “to be saved” to an Orthodox Christian? (The Orthodox Study Bible sees in this question 3 aspects: “I have been saved, being joined to Christ in baptism, I am being saved, growing in Christ through the sacramental life of the Church, and I will be saved, by the mercy of God at the Last Judgment.”) How would you answer your Evangelical Protestant friends who ask, “Are you saved?”

           

        7. Close with prayer.

 

EPHESIANS 5:3

 

Scripture verse: “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints.”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize the verse and understand the long and difficult words.
2. Students should be able to contrast the world’s view of sex and the Lord’s.

 

Background on the book:

            Ephesians was written while Paul was a prisoner in Rome 61-63 AD.  He wasn’t busy and had lots of time to write a letter from his heart.  The letter itself was carried to Ephesus by Tychicus, who was also carrying the letter to the Colossians and had with him Onesimus with the letter to Philemon.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

 

2.      Review the background of the letter; this is a carefully crafted letter, meant to be read aloud in the churches

 

3.      Scripture Lesson: Again have each student read a chapter and briefly summarize, with discussion questions to ensure understanding. Too few students. Chapters 1 and 3 are easily summarized by the teacher.

·         Chapter 1: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – all mentioned here. What are their roles? When are we “sealed” with the Holy Spirit? (Chrismation)

·         Chapter 2: Unity of the Church – In Whom are we united? HOW are we all saved? (by faith) Who does Paul refer to as those who were near? (Jews) Those who were far off? (Gentiles) Who is the chief cornerstone of the church, of which all of us are building blocks? (Jesus Christ)

·         Chapter 3: Paul’s ministry – To whom was Paul sent? Where is he now? Despite his sufferings, what does Paul say surpasses knowledge? (Love of Christ)

·         Chapter 4: The Church, the body of Christ – What are the spiritual gifts Paul lists? Who is the head of the body? What are we? How do we show that we are now “new” men? Characteristics of the old man? Of the new?

·         Chapter 5: Darkness and Light + Marriage – What things are done in darkness? How do we walk in light? Can we really hide in the darkness from GOD? Who fills us with light? (the Holy Spirit) What are the characteristics of someone walking in the Spirit? (vss 17-21) Does this even vaguely resemble OUR lives? There follows a discussion of marriage, of interest in a few years…

·         Chapter 6: The Armor of God – What exhortations does Paul begin the chapter with for children and parents? Which is the 1^st of the 10 Commandments that has a promise attached? The more important part of the chapter deals with spiritual warfare. Who is our enemy? Is he real? What are our weapons? Review each piece of armor: Do we put it on every day? Truth and righteousness, reading the gospel, wearing the cross of faith, reading the word of God, beginning the day in prayer….just some ways we can put on our armor every day. What are some others? Can we make a start?

 

4.      Scripture verse: Ephesians 5:1-5

 

5.      Do the students know of any Old or New Testament characters with a problem in the area of sexual sin? (David!, the harlot in the Gospels, Mary Magdalene) How did God deal with this area of sin? Is it OK? Can it be forgiven?

 

6.      Godly relationships with the opposite sex (This is not sex education class!):

What views of relationships with the opposite sex are seen in the movies?

     In romance novels? In the lives of prominent men and women in politics,   

     theater, etc.? What is presented as normative about pre- or extra-marital sex?

What views of relationships are seen in the Bible? What is taught in Scripture about pre- or extra-marital sex? What is fornication? Does a romance novel have a different feel if you use the word “fornication”?

When did you first become aware of the differences between the sexes?  What are some differences, physical and tempermental, between the sexes? Fill in the blank: I can never figure out why boys (girls) ___________? Can a teenaged boy and a teenaged girl be friends without “getting serious” about each other? At what age should dating as couples begin and why? What is permissible Scripturally during a “date”?

 

7.      Close with prayer.

 

 

PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7

 

Scripture verse: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

 

Objectives:

1. Memorize the verse – one of the best-known in Scripture.
2. Establish a daily prayer time and prayer place.

 

Background on the book:

This letter was also written by St. Paul while he was a prisoner in Rome in AD 61-63.  The Church in Philippi had been founded by Paul around 50-51 AD during his visit on his 2^nd missionary journey (Remember the jailer in the earthquake?); this was the first church on the continent of Europe! St. Luke, author of the gospel of Luke, was the priest of Philippi during its first 6 years. Paul had visited Philippi twice again during his 3^rd missionary journey, AD 57-58. When the Philippians heard that Paul was in prison, they sent Epaphroditus with a gift of money to make his stay more comfortable.  While in Rome, Epaphroditus almost died, but he was healed and returned to Philippi, taking Paul’s letter back with him. Find Philippi and Rome on a map – a short journey?

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer. What about the Lord’s Prayer?

 

2.      Review the background of the book. Had God answered Paul’s prayers for Epaphroditus?

 

3.      Overview of the book of Philippians: Have each student read a chapter and summarize. Have more than 4 students? Split Chapter 2. Fewer? Have the teacher summarize the other chapters. Look for these points in the chapters:

·         Chapter 1: Christian attitude to suffering – How is God working through the suffering of St. Paul? Is all suffering bad? How does this differ from the view of our society? What is the Christian attitude to death?

·         Chapter 2: What is meant by the famous verse: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”? Who is our example in living a life of service and humility? How can WE look out for the interests of our fellow Christians? On a global scale (as did the Philippians in sending support to Paul in prison)? On a local scale in our own parish?

·         Chapter 3: Press on to righteousness – Where is OUR citizenship? What is the prize? Who can we look to as examples for how to “press on” to the prize? (the lives of St. Paul and, indeed, of all the saints).

·         Chapter 4: The prayer chapter – what do we pray for? Why? What is the result? What do we think about? Why?

 

 

4.      Scripture verse: Philippians 4:6-7 -- Have the students recall several anxious moments in the Old Testament, when God answered prayer (Abraham with Isaac, Joseph in the pit, the 3 youths in the fire, Daniel in the lion’s den, Hannah and Samuel, Jonah – to name a few) What about Joachim and Anna and Elizabeth and Zachariah?

 

5.      In the book of Philippians, can you identify 3 types of prayer? Give examples of each: asking, thanking, praising.  Which types do we see in the Lord’s Prayer? Recite the Lord’s Prayer.

 

6.      What priority do we give to prayer?

If we list the most important tasks of each day, would the list include spending time in prayer? Spending time with family? Looking good? Spending time with friends? Having a good time?

Do people who pray have happier lives than those who don’t? Do we enjoy being anxious? What happens to anxiety when we pray?

How can we make liturgical prayer more than “meaningless repetitions”? Read through the Litany; what types of prayer do we see? Anyone or anything left out? If we prayed in Church, do we have to pray at home, too? What are the two absolutely essential steps the saints have taught us for beginning prayer? (Be regular. Be brief.) Commit these to memory. What hope is there for someone who has great difficulty praying regularly? Where can we pray? When can we pray? Where and when do you pray?

 

7.      Make plans for a private prayer time and place at home this week. Be regular and brief!

 

8.      Close with (you said it) prayer!

 

 

 

 

COLOSSIANS 3:20

 

Scripture verse: “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize the verse, comparing it with the 5^th Commandment.
2. Students should know the application of the verse in their own lives, and its limitations.

 

Background on the book:

            The letter to the Colossians was also written while Paul was a prisoner in Rome. It is unique in that it was written to a group of believers whom Paul had never even met! Paul had sent Epaphras to Colossae years before (while Paul himself was in Ephesus on his 3^rd missionary journey) with the news of the gospel and a church was started.  Now Epaphras has come to Rome to tell Paul that the young church is having troubles.  But, while in Rome, Epaphras was also imprisoned and Paul had to send his return letter with Tychicus and Onesimus, along with the letter to the Ephesians. Where is Colossae?

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with Prayer.
2. Review the historical background of the book. Locate the places on the map.
3. Scriptural basis: Have each student read one chapter and report on its major points, hopefully initiating some discussion (Have more than 4 students? Break Chapter 3 into church and home components) Fewer? Have the teacher summarize the other chapters:
   • Chapter 1: What is the nature of Jesus Christ? Who is He? How is this stated in our creed?
   • Chapter 2: This chapter exhorts against false theology and false spirituality. What false theology did the Colossians face? What do WE face? (humanism, witchcraft, false religions) What about false manifestations of spirituality? Is all piety of God?
   • Chapter 3: What are the marks of true spirituality in the church? In the home? Where did we see this teaching before? (Ephesians) How can we identify worldly behavior?
   • Chapter 4: In WHAT should we continue earnestly? (prayer). How many of the people mentioned can we identify? Try for St. Luke, Onesimus, St. Mark, Barnabas.

 

4. Scripture verse 3:20 -- Review several Biblical families for pattern and outcome: Abraham and Sarah (What about their sojourn in Egypt?), Isaac and Rebecca (What was the outcome of the deception of Rebecca and Jacob?), Ruth and Boaz, David and Bathsheba (?), Noah and his wife and sons (Ham?) 
5. An orderly family:

In any organization, there must be order.  What order does God establish for the family? Who is the head of the family? Who established the pattern for Fatherhood? Is a father an absentee financial supplier? How is a father to order his home? Does a father ever make a mistake? Is a father ever inconsistent? (Students can give examples, if so inclined.) Should a father tell his children to do something he is not willing to do himself? (smoking?, going to church?)

 

What is the role of the mother in the family? How does she relate to husband? To children? How should children relate to her?

            

What is the role of the child in the family? What is obedience? Is our

obedience dependant on the “worthiness” of the father? What about the old saying, “Do as I say and not as I do”? Do we obey in these circumstances? Why or why not? What if the father commands us to disobey God? Do we obey?

 

            6. Close with prayer.

 

THE PRESENTATION OF THE VIRGIN

 

Objectives:

1. Students should be able to describe the icon and tell the story.
2. Students should know the date of the feast, November 21.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. The icon: Use it to see how much the students already know? Who are the characters? (Mary, Joachim, Anna, and the high priest Zachariah).

 

3. Review the story:

 

Several of the early Christian writings of Syria tell us that Mary, the Theotokos was brought to the Temple at age three to be educated, in fulfillment of a vow made by her parents, Joachim and Anna. Remember the story of the Nativity of the Theotokos – how Joachim and Anna had prayed for the birth of their daughter?  The feast was instituted in the late 4^th century.

            Mary and her parents approach the Temple in joy, accompanied by Mary’s small friends.  Zachariah and the Temple virgins meet her in the Temple courtyard.  The Temple is divided into three sections: the outer porch or courtyard, the Holy or nave where only Jews can come to pray and worship, and the Holy of Holies, behind a curtain, where only the high priest can enter, and he only once a year on the Day of Atonement.  But, little Mary climbs directly up the steps and into the Holy of Holies, astounding all the people and even the angels.

            Mary stayed at the Temple and grew up there, studying and worshipping.  She left the Temple at about the age of 15, when she returned to Nazareth and was betrothed to Joseph.

 

Discussion questions: Where in the Bible is this account found? (Nowhere, but in ancient Church tradition and the Apocrypha.) Why do we believe that which is not in the Bible? (It is part of the living Tradition of the Church’s memory.) Why do Mary’s parents bring her to the Temple?  If they love her so much, why give her up? (Similar situation: Hannah and Samuel in I Samuel 1:9-28)

 

4. Have students read aloud in turn the readings for the feast:

Gospel: Luke 10:38-11:28

Epistle: Hebrews 9:1-7

Old Testament: Exodus 40:1-5, 9-11, 16, 34-35; I Kings 8:1-11; Ezekiel 43:27-44:4

 

5. Songs of the Feast:

Troparion: Today the Virgin is the foreshadowing of the pleasure of God, and the beginning of the preaching of the salvation of mankind.  Thou hast appeared in the Temple of God openly and hast gone before, preaching Christ to all.  Let us shout with one thrilling voice, saying, Rejoice, O thou who art the fulfillment of the Creator’s dispensation.

Kontakion: The all-pure temple of the Savior, the most precious bridal-chamber and Virgin, the treasure-house of the glory of God, today entered the Temple of the Lord, bringing with her the grace which is in the divine Spirit: whom also the angels of God do celebrate in song; for she is the heavenly tabernacle.

 

6. Discussion questions:

What was the importance of the Ark of the Covenant to the Jewish people? The Temple? Who built the first Temple? (Solomon)Why didn’t God allow David to build it? Who rebuilt the temple after the captivity? (Zerubabel) Who built the Temple that Mary entered? (Herod, who built a Temple to show the Jews how pious he was and to show the Romans the importance of his reign) When was the Temple destroyed and by whom? (the Romans in 70 AD, fulfilling the prophecies of Christ in Luke 19:43-44)

What does Mary entering the Holy of Holies symbolize? (one possibility – that she who entered the Temple was preparing to become the house of the Lord)  What is now the true Temple? (the Church, the Body of Christ – I Cor. 6:19) The Ark of the Covenant was lost at the time of the Babylonian Captivity, who is now the Ark? (Mary, as she enters the Holy of Holies)  The ark was surrounded by carvings of what? (cherubim) Mary is hymned each week in the Megalynarion as what? (more honorable than the cherubim…)  So Mary is the newly recovered Living Ark, fulfilling the Old Testament and prefiguring the New Covenant.

 

7. Close with prayer.

 I AND II THESSALONIANS

Scripture verse (I Thess. 5:2): “For you yourselves know that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night”

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize the verse and understand its context and content.
2. Students should have some knowledge of the 2^nd coming of Christ.

Background on the book:

            Actually, if Paul’s letters were put in the order in which they were written, Galatians would be first, followed by I Thessalonians.  Paul had founded the church in Thessalonica (Find it on the map, now called Saloniki.) after leaving Philippi on his 2^nd missionary, during which Paul had changed his travel plans after seeing a vision of a young man in Macedonia calling out for help. Thessalonica was the leading city of Macedonia of its day, located on the Aegean Sea and on the Great Northern Highway of the Romans. Paul preached to both Jews and Gentiles, and the church there had both. After leaving Thessalonica, Paul was worried and sent Timothy back to check on the young church.  When Timothy joined Paul in Corinth, Paul wrote the 1^st letter to the Thessalonians, around AD 50-51.

            II Thessalonians was written by Paul about a year after the first letter, probably in AD 52.  Here he congratulates the believers for their continued spiritual growth and corrects a false teaching concerning the last days that had developed.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

2.      Scripture lesson: Have each student read one chapter and report on its salient points. We’ll begin assuming you have no more than 6 students for discussion purposes. If you have only 3-4 students, skip I Thess 3 and II Thess 1, having the teacher summarize these chapters.

·         I Thess. 2: The work of an apostle and its fruit – What is the ministry of an apostle like Paul consist of? How is it accomplished? Do we have any apostles, or anyone with an apostolic ministry today? How did the Thessalonians show that they had become true believers, and thus demonstrate the success of Paul’s ministry? (persecution endured)

·         I Thess. 3: The love of an apostle for the church -- How does an apostle FEEL about the believers he has ministered to? What did Paul do about this? (sent Timothy). Who is Timothy? How does Paul feel after Timothy’s return?

·         I Thess. 4: Sanctification – What is it? How is it manifested? What kind of life is pleasing to God?

·         I Thess. 5: The Second Coming – When will it be? How should we behave with this knowledge?

·         II Thess. 1: Christian response to persecution – Is persecution to be expected? How do we respond? What is the final result for the persecutor? For the persecuted? Where do we state this in the Beatitudes?

·         II Thess. 3: Discussion of orderliness within the church – How is a Christian life lived out in the church? How do we deal with those who do NOT work for the unity of the church? What’s a “busybody”? Is it easy to “not grow weary in doing good”?

 

3.      Review the background of the letter. Paul was busy with other ministries, but saw the difficulties of this young church as so important that he could spare his helper Timothy to take this letter to them.

 

4.      If you have a recording of Handel’s “Messiah”, play “The Trumpet Shall Sound” nice and loud for the class.

 

5.      Discussion questions:

What is the second coming of the Lord? What will it be like? Who will be

victor forever? Who will be defeated forever? When will the Lord come? Do we know? Can we know? Why should we even want to know? Why are there so many beliefs about Christ’s return? Why do so many Christians spend so much time studying endtime prophecies and trying to pinpoint His return? Should differences in belief about the 2^nd Coming divide Christians? Is the emphasis of the Nicene Creed on that He will come again or when He will come?

What if you heard on the news right now that Jesus had been sighted?

What’s the first thing that comes into your mind? Are there things you want to “finish up”? (school, marriage, having children) Do you know some people who are not Christian? Are you afraid for them? Do you think Christ will return in your lifetime? Why or why not? If He does not return soon, the world will ________? Are we living in the “last days”?

If you knew for certain Christ would return next year, would you live your

     life differently? Why didn’t Jesus tell us when He was coming back?

 

6.      Close with prayer.

 

I AND II TIMOTHY

 

Scripture verse (II Timothy 1:12): “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” (Note that Paul says “whom” and not “what”.)

 

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize and understand the verse.
2. Students should understand the context under which Paul was writing.

Background on the book:

            These are two of Paul’s pastoral epistles, letters to Paul’s co-worker Timothy for counsel and encouragement.  Paul had met Timothy when he visited Derbe during his 1^st missionary journey.  Timothy was about 18 years old and became a believer.  When Paul revisited Derbe on his 2^nd missionary journey, he took Timothy with him as a assistant. Timothy traveled with Paul and often stayed behind to work with new believers in one area while Paul moved on to another.  Timothy became a trusted and loyal friend.  While the book of Acts ends around AD 63 with Paul as a prisoner in Rome under “house arrest”, it is believed that he was acquitted the first time, returned to Asia Minor and Greece, where he was re-arrested (this time by the Romans) and taken back to Rome.  The first letter to Timothy was probably written in AD 64-65 from Macedonia before Paul’s second imprisonment in Rome.

            By the time he wrote II Timothy around AD 66 or 67, Paul was imprisoned in Rome in a dark and damp dungeon.  Nero had burned Rome and blamed the Christians. Paul knew that death by order of Nero was very near.  This would be his last letter.  It contains his last words of encouragement, instruction, and warning.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

2.      Review the background of the Epistle. Paul is about to die and these are his last words to his good friend, Timothy.  What a life!

 

3.      Scripture lesson: Have each student read and summarize the salient points of one chapter. Have fewer than 6 students? Let the teacher summarize the other chapters.

·         I Timothy 1: The law and grace – What is the purpose of the Mosaic law? (for the ungodly, to lead them to Christ) What is grace? (unmerited favor) Who did Jesus come to save? Who does Paul say is the chief of sinners? Where do we see these words, “of whom I am chief”? (Pre-communion prayer) Review the life of St. Paul and his conversion. How can our faith suffer “shipwreck”?

·         I Timothy 2: Faithful prayer – What’s it like? Where do we also see the line “kings and all who are in authority”? (litany), How should we pray?

·         I Timothy 3: Orders of clergy are defined here for the first time – What’s a bishop? Qualifications? Deacons? What about wives? Where is the FIRST creed of the church? (vs. 16). Where and when did we get our present creed? (Nicea, 325 AD)

·         I Timothy 4: What are the characteristics of orthodox doctrine and spirituality? Of false teachers? WHO is too young to teach?

·         Summarize for the students Chapter 5: Care of widows and honor elders.

·         I Timothy 6: Christian view of wealth – What do we bring into the world? What can we take out? What does it mean to say, “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil”? Review the story of the rich young ruler in the gospels. Do we trust in riches? In a good income and pension plan?

·         II Timothy 1: Summarize for the students, Paul is recounting his imprisonment and his love for Timothy and thanksgiving for Timothy’s ministry. Our memory verse comes from this chapter and will be discussed in more detail later.

·         II Timothy 2: Summarize for the students. Paul is encouraging Timothy to be hard-working in his ministry, like a winning athlete or victorious soldier, and not to give up; he is building on a solid foundation and need not be ashamed of the truth.

·         II Timothy 3: Moral decline and the Scriptures – Do we see in today’s society any of the characteristics noted in verses 1-7? How can WE discern the truth in this cacophony of voices? Here is a very famous Scripture verse, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

·         II Timothy 4: Summarize for the students – Timothy is a preacher, Paul is exhorting him to preach the truth, the Word of God. Do we see people seeking truth today? Where are they looking? Are they, as Paul says, heaping up teachers …of fables?

 

4.      Review other Old and New Testament men and women who knew whom they believed: Noah, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Elijah, John the Baptist.  What gave them courage in the face of death?

 

5.      Discussion questions:

Why did Paul die? Had he committed some sin or crime? Then why should

he be ashamed? How could Paul know that he need not fear death? Did Paul trust a set of religious beliefs or a person he had come to know intimately?

What is death? Are you afraid of dying? Are you afraid of suffering? Who is the ruler of death? When was death defeated? Review the Pascha song, “trampling down death by death”?

Does God promise us we will have no tough times? Did His saints have an

      easy life? What does He promise us?

 

6.      Close with prayer.

 

TITUS AND PHILEMON

Scripture verse (Titus 3:3,5): “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another…but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should understand the context and content of the verse.
2. Students should understand the concept of forgiveness. 

Background on the book:

            Titus was a Gentile believer who traveled with the apostle Paul.  He was a trusted co-worker, the one who delivered the scathing letter to the Corinthians. After Paul’s first release from imprisonment in Rome around AD 63, Titus joined Paul and Timothy in revisiting the churches of Asia Minor.  After leaving Timothy in Ephesus, Titus and Paul went on the Crete.  Titus remained in Crete.  This letter was written by Paul to Titus before Paul’s second imprisonment, reminding him of the things he should teach the believers in Crete. Later, when Paul was imprisoned a second time in Rome, Titus was sent to Dalmatia. Titus then returned to Crete and became the first bishop of Crete.

            The letter to Philemon was written by Paul during his first imprisonment in Rome around AD 61-63. Philemon was a wealthy Christian from the city of Colossae. He owned slaves, one of whom, named Onesimus, stole from Philemon and escaped to Rome.  There Onesimus became a believer and knew that he must return to his master.  Paul sends this letter asking Philemon to take Onesimus back and forgive him. It was written about the same time as the letters to the Colossians and the Ephesians and traveled with Tychicus and Onesimus to Colossae. Philemon would later be ordained bishop of Colossae and Onesimus bishop of Ephesus.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer. Review the background of the book and find the places on the map.

 

2.      Scripture lesson: Have each student read and summarize a chapter, answering discussion questions. Too few students? The teacher can summarize some of the chapters.

·         Titus 1: Need for sound elders to combat false teachers – How can WE identify sound elders? Good teachers from false ones?

·         Titus 2: Summary of proper Christian behavior – old women? Young women? Young men? Servamts? Why do we behave in this manner?

·         Titus 3: How are we saved? What is “washing of regeneration”? (baptism) What is “renewing of the Holy Spirit”? (chrismation) What is the purpose of “good works” for the Christian believer?

·         Philemon: only one chapter here, a single letter to one man, brought BY Onesimus and about Onesimus – What was the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus? Between Paul and Onesimus? What is Paul asking and why?

 

3.      In Jerusalem, there is a Wailing Wall.  In the classroom, put up a large sheet of paper and title it the “Wall of Shame”. The students can write up examples of people they know who have “really blown it”. Why do we do these things? How do we feel when we really “mess up”? Have we ever “messed up” badly? Do we have trouble forgiving ourselves, so much trouble that we wonder if God can possibly forgive us?

 

4.      Discussion questions:

Does everyone sin? Why is this important? Why do we sin, when we know we shouldn't? Should God forgive us if we sin even "voluntarily"? What was Jesus’s mission? What did that have to do with sin? Whose sin? Is there any sin too great for His cleansing? How do we access His forgiveness? (Confession) Is there any sin God will not forgive? Do we have any sin still before us we have not confessed and received forgiveness for?

 

            5.   Close with prayer.

 

THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

 

Objectives:

1. Students should be able to identify the characters in the icon and tell the story.
2. Students should know the date of the feast (December 25).
3. Students should be able to recite or sing the Troparion and the Kontakion.
4. Students should know the Christmas greeting: Christ is born! Glorify Him!

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. The icon: Ask how much the students already know about the story of the feast.  Who are the characters in the icon? The Theotokos and Child, St. Joseph (being tempted by Satan to doubt the virgin birth), Satan (in dark colors, the Prince of Darkness), a shepherd (facing the angels as they tell of His birth), the Magi (What is their symbolism? 1 beardless and young, one middle-aged, and one old, representing all mankind), the Angels, the cow, and the star.  Note: not all icons have the Magi.  Is it day or night in the icon?

 

3. Scripture readings:

Gospel: St. Matthew 2:1-12.  Read also Luke 2:1-20 from Vespers.

Epistle: Galatians 4:4-7

Old Testament prophecies: Psalm 109: 1-4, Micah 4:6-7, 5:2-4, Genesis 14:17-20, Isaiah 8:9-18, 9:1-6, 7:14, 60: 5-6, Numbers 24-15-17, Malachi 3:20. Listen to the songs of the feast for these references. 

           

4. Songs of the Feast:

Troparion: Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shown to the world the light of wisdom.  For by it those who worshipped the stars were taught by a star to adore thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know thee, the Orient from on high. O Lord, glory to thee!

Kontakion: Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One, and the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One!  Angels, with shepherds, glorify him! The wise men journey with the star! Since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child!

Canon: I behold a strange and wonderful mystery: the cave a heaven, the Virgin a cherubic throne, and the manger a noble place in which hath lain Christ the uncontainable God.  Let us, therefore, praise and magnify Him.

 

5. Discussion questions:

What is Advent? How long is it? How do we observe it? Where was Jesus born? Why there? How did God arrange for the prophecy of Micah to be fulfilled? Was he born in splendor like a king or was God’s Son, the greatest king of all, born in a very humble place? Why? (maybe so we can all reach Him personally) What was a stable in Jesus’s day? (a cave)

Luke traces Jesus’s geneology all the way to Adam, establishing Him as a man; Matthew to Abraham, establishing Him as a Jew.  How is He also our priest? (through Melchizadek)  Hebrews 7 establishes this clearly. 

Who were the Magi? (highly respected scholars and scientists of Persia, astrologers and the most educated men of their day) Symbolism of these men of high rank coming and bowing before a poor, naked child? (possibly prefiguring the redemption of all the nations, not just the Jews), Symbolism of those traveling from the Orient to the true Orient from on high, following the light of a star to the one true light?  In what way is the cave a heaven? The Virgin a cherubic throne (remember, the Ark from the Feast of the Presentation?)?

All of creation brings a gift for the birth of their Lord. What gifts? As we sing at Vespers, “Every creature which You made offers You thanks. The angels offer you a song. The heavens, their star. The wise men, their gifts. The shepherds, their wonder. The earth, the cave. The wilderness, the manger. And we offer you a Virgin Mother.” “Let creation exceedingly rejoice, for the Creator fashions Himself as a creature.” All creation is filled with joy!

Fr. Alexander Schmemann of St. Vladimir’s Seminary called Nativity the “Winter Pascha.” Parallels? Advent and Lent? The special greetings: Christ is born! Glorify Him! … Christ is risen! Truly He is risen! The canon, taken from a sermon of St. Gregory Nazianzus the Theologian, focuses on Isaiah, Habakkuk, the 3 young men, Moses, Jonah, the Virgin, much like the canon of Pascha. The parallels in the songs are striking. “We worship Thy passion, O Christ!” “We worship Thy Nativity, O Christ!”

The Church uses the entire season of Advent to prepare us for the coming of the Messiah. Advent begins with the feast of St. Philip, who invites us to “Come and see.” We then celebrate the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the temple, “the prelude of the good will of God”. At the feast of St. Andrew, the First-Called, Jesus Himself invites Andrew to “Come and see!” and Andrew himself invites his brother, Simon. It is at this feast that we begin to sing the songs of Nativity, “Rejoice, O Isaiah, and receive the Word of God…Adorn yourself, O Bethlehem…Enter, O Magi, and see salvation swaddled in a crib. Behold the star shining over the cave.” We celebrate St. Nicholas on December 6, a truly good man, who left not a single writing but shows all of us the power of Christ to transform us also into examples of love and compassion. “Adorn yourself, O Cavern. Make ready, O Manger. O Shepherds and wisemen, bring your gifts and bear witness. For the Virgin is coming bearing Christ in her womb” (Vesperal Hymn of Saint Nicholas Day). December 9 brings us to the Conception of Mary where we sing, “Today a royal robe of purple and fine linen is woven from the loins of David, the mystical flower of Jesse is blossoming from which comes Christ our God, the Savior of our souls.” David, son of Jesse, king and prophet, is the ancestor of our Lord through Mary. In fact, in many traditions a “Jesse Tree” is used instead of an “Advent Calendar” having “ornaments” for the patriarchs, prophets, and ancestors of Jesus.

Where is the peace on earth promised by the angel to the shepherds? Certainly not on earth at the time of Jesus (remember the Romans?) or since. St. John of Kronstadt answers that “every truly believing person who keeps Christ's commandments, every truly repentant sinner has the peace of Christ within himself, and no external troubles of this world can destroy it.” Do you have that peace inside yourself?

 

           

6. Close with prayer.

 

 

THEOPHANY

Objectives:

1. Students should be able to discuss the icon, knowing each character and its role.
2. Students should know the date of the feast, January 6.
3. Students should be able to sing the Troparion, since they will need that for their house blessing.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. The icon (Use this to see how much the class already knows and to retell the story.): Christ, the central figure, St. John the Baptist (why is he dressed in brown animal skin?), the angels, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, the river Jordan

 

3. Scripture readings:

Gospel: Matthew 3:13-end of chapter, for Vespers Luke 3:1-18

Epistle: Titus 2:11-3:7, Romans 6:3-11

Readings on John the Baptist: his miraculous birth (Luke 1:13-41),  his role as the new Elijah (Matthew 11:14, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23),

His own prophetic role in announcing Jesus (Mark 1:7-8, John 1:35-39, 3:33-35), his death (Mark 6:24-29)

Old Testament prefigurings: Genesis 1:1-3, Genesis 6:5-8:22 (the Flood (water) and the olive branch (oil)), Isaiah 1:16-18, Moses crossing the Red Sea – not actually a reading from the feast, but referred to in I Cor. 10:1-4, I Kings 18:30-39, II Kings 2:11-13

           

4. Songs of the Feast:

Troparion: When thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest.  For the voice of the Father bore witness to Thee, and called Thee His beloved Son, and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truthfulness of His words; O Christ Our God who hast revealed Thyself and hast enlightened the world, Glory to Thee!

Kontakion: Today thou hast appeared to the universe, O Lord, and thy light hath been shed upon us, who praise thee with knowledge, saying, Thou hast come and appeared, O unapproachable Light.

 

5. Discussion questions:

Who was the last and greatest prophet of Israel? (John) How were the Jewish people prepared to be “shown” the Messiah? Did John recognize Jesus when He arrived? In what ways is John the new Elijah? (Elijah’s mantle of prophecy was passed on to Elisha and from him in an uninterrupted chain of prophets, of whom John is the last)

How old was Jesus when He was baptized?  How had He lived up until this time? (as an ordinary working man, a carpenter, in Nazareth) Did Jesus need to be baptized because He was a sinner? Then why was He baptized? (He was fulfilling His responsibility to represent all of creation in being cleansed.)

What does Theophany mean? (Theos meaning “God” and Phanos meaning “to show”) How was the Trinity present at Theophany? Why do we bless the water at Theophany?  What do we use it for through the year? (house blessing, illness, etc.)  The feast is sometimes called “Epiphany”; what does that mean? (“Manifestation”) Why was January 6 chosen for the feast? (to replace the pagan feast of the winter solstice) The Roman Church celebrates the Magi on this date; when do we honor the Magi? (December 25)

In what ways is baptism like the crossing of the Red Sea? (Pharoah, representing Satan, was wiped out just as evil is drowned forever in the waters of baptism; the column of fire protecting the people as the Holy Spirit sanctifies the waters of baptism), John baptized with what? Jesus baptized with what?

 

6. Close with prayer.

 

HEBREWS 2:3

 

Scripture verse: “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation…”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize the verse and understand its content and context.
2. What is different about the book of Hebrews compared to the other epistles?

 

Background on the book:

            Hebrews is very different from the other New Testament books in that we have no idea who wrote it.  The Council at Carthage, which organized the canon of Scripture, attributed the letter to Paul; others suggest Barnabas or Apollos. It was written to Jewish believers probably from Rome before AD 70, before the destruction of Jerusalem.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

 

2.   Review the background of the book. How is Hebrews different from the other books of the New Testament?

 

1.      Scripture lesson: Again, take 1 chapter for each student, with teacher briefly summarizing if there are too few students. Five chapters are selected here for discussion – pick more if you have more students!

·         Chapter 1: The glory of the Father and of the Son – Who is the Majesty? Who is the Son? What did the Son do for us? What are angels? Where in the Liturgy to we state the nature of the Father and of the Son, as given to us in Hebrews? (the creed)

·         Chapter 2: The nature of Christ’s mission on earth – Why did God become man? Was Jesus fully God? (yes, verse 10) Was He fully man, sharing in our flesh and blood, in sufferings and temptations? (yes, vss 14-18) What is possible now for us, thanks to the mission of Jesus Christ? Where do we SHOUT this? (Pascha – “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.”)

·         Chapter 4: The power of the Word of God – Can we hide from the Word of God – Christ Himself? He knows our actions and even our thoughts. Does God expect us to be perfect, without weakness? If you have a class of discussers, this would be a great place to discuss our own weaknesses, since they aren’t hidden anyway, are they? Why can we approach the throne of God?

·         Chapter 7: The priesthood of Aaron and that of Melchizedek – Review the story of Aaron’s priesthood as the brother of Moses under the law and the story of Abraham and Melchizedek (Genesis 14: 18-20). What was the role of the high priests for the Jewish people in the time of Jesus? Who is OUR High Priest?

·         Chapter 10: The blood of Jesus – Of what use were the sacrifices of animals in the Old Covenant? Who offered His blood for our salvation? Why are we now able to enter the Holy of Holies? How should we live knowing the sacrifice Christ has made for us?

 

 

2.      Scripture verse: Hebrews 2:1-4

 

3.      Give a little quiz: How often do you think about? Answers: a lot, some, never

Wanting a closer relationship with God?

Praying to God?

Wondering if all this Christian stuff is a waste of time?

Going to Church?

Wishing you could have seen Jesus?

Feeling something is missing in your relationship to God?

Understanding God better by reading the Church fathers?

Whether the Christian life would be easier if I were a monk?

                       

4.      Discussion questions:

How are you walking with God? Are you hand in hand, or each going his own way, occasionally and accidentally side by side? Is God the most important person in your life? Why or why not? Should He be? What happens to a plant or a pet if you neglect it? (wither and die) How do you keep your relationship with an earthly friend strong and close? Do you put as much time and energy into your relationship with God?

 

5.      Keep a spiritual journal for a week and bring it next week.  How much time did you devote to your relationship with God? What is His priority in your life?

 

6.      Close with prayer.

 

 

HEBREWS 11:1

 

Scripture verse: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize the verse and understand its context and content.
2. Students should be able to define faith.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

 

2.      Scripture lesson: Hebrews 11: 1-12:2. Review the background of the book from the last lesson

 

3.  Scripture lesson: Divide Chapter 11 into sections, with each student reading the section, along with the Old Testament reading to which it refers:

Verses 4-6 -- Genesis 4:1-12, 5:22-24

Verse 7 -- Genesis 7:1-5, 8:15-22

Verses 8-12, 17 – Genesis 12:1-9 , 22:1-14

Verses 23-29 – Exodus 14:26-31

Verses 30-31 – Joshua 6:1-23

 

4.  As you read the Scripture lesson, review the stories of each of the Old Testament heroes discussed.  How did they exhibit that desired quality, faith. 

 

5.      Discussion questions:

What is faith? (the verse defines it; discuss its meaning) Is this the same as Mark Twain’s statement that “Faith is believing something you know ain’t so!” What are 3 things you learned about the nature of faith in Hebrews 11?

      Are there different types of faith? What is the difference between “believing that” and “believing in” faith? Which kind do the demons have? (James 2:19) Which kind did the apostles have? 

Do the stories of these great men and women inspire you, or terrify you?

If you took a test today in how much faith you had in Jesus Christ, what grade would you get? What grade would your friends give you? Is there any way they could tell? Why do Christian young people sometimes not take their faith seriously? (Brainstorm this – some suggestions include it’s not worth it, it may not be true, it’s too difficult to live a Christian life, it’s boring, Christians have no fun, I’m too busy with other things…)

 

6.      Close with prayer.

 

 

JAMES 1:22

Scripture verse: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only…”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize the verse and understand its content and context.
2. Students should identify at least one area in their own lives where they need to become a “doer” and make plans to act on that knowledge.

 

Background on the book:

This book was written by James, brother of Joses, Simon, and Jude and son of Joseph, Jesus’s earthly father.  He did not believe that Jesus was the Savior until after the resurrection, but later became bishop of Jerusalem and presided over the first council. He was known by his countrymen as “James the Just”. While he supported Paul in his work with the Gentiles, James, himself, was a devout Jew and worked mainly with the Jewish church.  James wrote this letter to Jewish believers scattered over the world probably around AD 55-60. Later, shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman army, James was tortured and martyred by the Sanhedrin.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

 

2.      Review the background of the Epistle. Who wrote it? To whom?

 

3.      Scripture lesson: Give each student a chapter to read and summarize for the class, with special attention to the major topic. Too few students? The teacher can summarize the shorter chapters.

·         James 1: Prescription for Trials and Temptations – Does God promise us a life without trials? What sorts of trials have you faced? Your family? Have you ever found yourself in doubt? What happened to “Doubting Thomas”? By what are we tempted? By what are YOU tempted? Does God tempt us? What prescription does James give for dealing with trials and temptations?

·         James 2: Famous verse, “faith without works is dead” – What does this mean? How do we SHOW our faith? Review Abraham and Isaac…how did Abraham show his faith?

·         James 3: The famous TONGUE chapter – What does James say about the tongue? In what ways can we hurt with the tongue? From where comes the wisdom that CAN control the tongue?

·         James 4: Judgment and humility – How does James say we can defeat the devil? Who is our judge? Who controls the future?

·         James 5: The healing chapter – What do we do when we are sick? At what sacrament is this Scripture quoted? (unction)

 

4.      Scripture verse: James 1:22-25.

 

5.   Discussion questions:

Have you read something in the Scriptures that really challenged you? Is

there something you need to “do” (or stop doing)?  What is it? Have you done anything about it yet? Write it down on a scrap of paper and tell the Lord that you want to do something about it and you need His help.

Are teens too young to have a meaningful ministry? What is the biggest obstacle standing in the way of teens helping others in the name of Jesus Christ? Will teens only serve for money? Do we become more like Jesus as we serve others in His name? 

What is the Social Gospel? (a desire of Christians to proclaim their love of Christ through their actions) Are there specific needs in our community? Bring several newspapers to class and have class members scan them for needs.  Select 2-3 to discuss.  How could we meet this need? What are alternative solutions or resources available? Which is most practical? How could we do this specifically? What is the biggest obstacle to our helping others in this specific way? Some specifics might be going on a mission to a Third World country, working in an inner-city day-care center, visiting a nursing home every Sunday afternoon, organizing a yard sale to raise money for the homeless, serving food to the hungry, doing yard work for shut-ins, planning a party for handicapped teens, etc. See what you come up with.  Then see if you can put the plan into action.

            Think again about faith and works…

 

6.   Close with prayer.

 

THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS

Objectives:

1. Students should understand the icon of the feast and its major characters.
2. Students should know the date of the feast, February 2.
3. Students should understand the connection between this feast and “churching”.
4. Students should be able to recite or sing St. Simeon’s prayer.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. Present the icon; see how much the students already know: St. Joseph on the extreme left (why is he so old?), Mary the Theotokos next to Joseph, the baby Jesus, St. Simeon the God-receiver, St. Anna the Prophetess, the entrance to the Holy of Holies, the most sacred section of the Temple.

 

3. Scripture readings:

Gospel: Luke 2: 22-40

Epistle: Hebrews 7:17

Old Testament: Exodus 13, Isaiah 6:1-12

 

4. Songs of the Feast:

Troparion: Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, full of grace; for from thee arose the Sun of Justice, Christ our God, lighting those in darkness.  Rejoice and be glad, O righteous elder, carrying in thine arms the Deliverer of our souls, Who granteth us resurrection.

Kontakion: Thou, O Christ God, who by thy birth didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb, and, as is meet, didst bless Simeon’s arms, and didst also come to save us; preserve thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom thou didst love; for thou alone art the Lover of mankind.

St. Simeon’s prayer (the “Nunc Dimittis”): Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people, Israel. (Sing it together!) Where does the title “Nunc Dimittis” come from? (the first 2 words in the song in Latin)

 

5. Discussion questions:

How old was Jesus when brought to the Temple?  Why was he brought? (the law of Moses – see Exodus) Who met them?  Why were they there? Compare and contrast with a churching? When do we sing St. Simeon’s prayer? What is the symbolism of the passing of the child from Mary to Simeon? (maybe the encounter between Jesus and his people),

The offering of the first-born son to God is a remembrance of what Old Testament event? (Passover), Why would Jesus, the author of the Law, have to obey the Law? Why did Mary and Joseph bring 2 doves instead of a lamb? (on the surface, maybe they were too poor to afford a lamb, but symbolically Jesus is the Lamb of God; they didn’t need another lamb! If you want, review the story of Isaac; so Jesus is brought to the Temple and received by the priest right in front of the altar, a prophetic vision of his future death on the cross.)

In what way is Simeon the “last watchman” of Israel? (See Psalm 129:5-7 – Israel is now ready to share its light with all the nations), Moses was not allowed to see God face to face and Isaiah needed a coal brought by a seraphim from the altar for purification, but Simeon holds God in his arms (As the Aposticha says, “Christ once appeared to the divine Isaiah as a burning coal held by tongs. Now he is given to the elder by the hands of the Mother of God”): Why is the rule of the Old Testament now void with the birth of Christ? (God himself has come as a man and has purified us through his own power to remove all sin.) 

What were the prophecies of Simeon and Anna about the Messiah?  How were they fulfilled?

How can we also “meet the Lord”? St. Theophan the Recluse challenges each of us to also receive the blessedness of Simeon and Anna. As we devote our lives more and more to the Lord, we will also meet Him in a very real sense. How are some ways we can begin to devote our lives to Him?

 

 

6.   Close with prayer.

I PETER 3:15

Scripture verse: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should be able to recite the middle section of the verse and to identify its context and content.
2. Students should be able to present the gospel to another teen credibly.

 

Background on the book:

            This letter was written by the apostle Peter, one of the Lord’s disciples.  Since Peter uses his Greek name, Peter, and not his Jewish name, Simon, we know that he is writing to Gentile believers, Greeks scattered throughout Asia Minor. Remember that Peter at Pentecost became the first leader of the church in Jerusalem.  He then traveled throughout Asia Minor and ended his ministry in Rome. Peter did not speak Greek well and used Silas to help translate and write down his message. (Remember Silas from Paul’s 2^nd missionary journey?) Peter wrote the letter from Rome sometime between his arrival there around AD 50 and his martyrdom AD 67 under Nero. The church was under persecution worldwide and Christians were suffering great trials. In fact, the letter may have been written immediately after the martyrdom of Paul and carried by Silas back to Asia Minor, along with news of Paul’s death.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

 

2.      Review the background of the Epistle. Who wrote it? Under what conditions?

 

3.      Scripture lesson: Again, for an overview of the book, have each student read a chapter, trying to gather the salient points and communicate them to the class. Too few students? The teacher can always summarize a chapter if needed.

·         Chapter 1: Genuine Faith in our Heavenly Hope is tested – What is our heavenly hope? How is our faith tested? Who is the Lamb of God? Whose blood was shed for us? How should we then live?

·         Chapter 2: Bondservants of God – Who is the chief cornerstone, rejected by the builders? What are WE? (living stones) Think a bit about that imagery of the Church. Why do we obey civil authorities? Why do Christian slaves obey their masters? Who is our true master?

·         Chapter 3: True righteousness – How should a Christian marriage be different from worldly marriages? Discuss the verse, “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” Examples of people who have suffered for doing good? (martyrs, confessors…how about in our own society?) Where do we state this in the liturgy? (The Beatitudes)

·         Chapter 4: Prepare for heaven by serving and suffering – certainly a far cry from the desires for happiness and pleasure sought by most of society. How should a Christian life look, as compared to that of a non-Christian? Do we serve each other with joy? ALL the time? Do we look forward to suffering, when it’s for the name of Christ? Or do we, like most of the world, look for the easy way out, avoiding all suffering if possible?

·         Chapter 5: The roaring lion chapter – Who are our shepherds? Who is the Chief Shepherd? How should we live as sheep? Who is roaring like a lion, trying to draw us away from our faith? (the devil) Who can perfect our faith?

 

4.      Scripture verse: I Peter 3:15

 

5.      What are some Old Testament examples of men and women who had to “give a good defense” of their faith? Look at Noah, Moses, and Daniel. Did they look pretty foolish and receive a lot of abuse from their so-called friends? Did they obey God anyway? How did it turn out for each? Who helped them?

 

6.      Discussion questions:

Have you ever been treated differently because you say you’re a Christian or because you go to Church.  How do you feel? Can others see such a difference in your life that they ask you the reason? Why or why not? Is there any shame in suffering a bit of embarrassment or insult for the name of Christ? Is there shame in suffering because you’ve done something wrong? What’s the difference? 

Have you ever told a friend about Jesus? How does Peter counsel us to approach the unbeliever – yelling and screaming or with gentleness and respect? Who will help you? Try some role-playing with each student approaching a supposed unbeliever in various situations – inviting him to church, explaining why we don’t get drunk, giving comfort because a loved one died…

 

7.      Close with prayer.

 

II PETER/ JUDE

 

Scripture verse (II Peter 2:1): “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should be aware of the risk of false teachers and how to protect themselves.
2. Students should know the gist of the major cults and heresies of today and how to defend the faith against them.

 

Background on the books:

            II Peter was written about 3 years after Peter’s first letter, probably AD 63-67.  He writes to some of the same believers but also uses his Jewish name, Simon. As he wrote this letter, he was in Rome facing certain death under Nero (Do you remember how Peter was killed?).

            The book of Jude was written by Jude, brother of James and son of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. Why was Jude (or Judas) a popular name among Jews in the first century? (Judas Maccabaeus, leader of the revolt against the Macedonian king Antiochus immortalized in the festival of Hanukkah)  Jude also did not become a Christian until after the resurrection of Jesus.  He wrote his letter, like that of his brother, to Jewish Christians. Jude was written about 18 years after the book of James and 27 years before the letters of John, probably AD 60-80.

            These 2 books are grouped together because of similar themes, although written to different audiences.  Their authorship has been well-recognized throughout Church history and the books speak of incidents involving the authors personally, but some modern scholars seem to think they may have been by the same author. How can we explain the similarity of theme without doubting their authorship?

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. Review the background of the 2 epistles – what is one common theme?

 

3. Scripture lesson: Again have each student briefly read a single chapter and summarize it for the class.
   • II Peter 1: Pursue godly life with diligence – Why is Peter stirring up the believers? What are some characteristics of a Christian life? What does Peter KNOW because he saw it with his own eyes?
   • II Peter 2: False teachers -- What is the fruit of a false teacher? What is the punishment for a false teacher? What are some characteristics of a false teacher?
   • II Peter 3: the Second Coming – What are some reasons for the Lord’s seeming delay in coming for the Final Judgment? How should we then live?
   • Jude: False Teachers – What is the reward for false teachers? Examples of God’s judgment from the Old Testament? How can we recognize false teachers? How should we respond?

 

4. Scripture verse: II Peter 2:1 – read it together!

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. Review the background of the 2 epistles – what is one common theme?

 

3. Scripture lesson: Again have each student briefly read a single chapter and summarize it for the class.
   • II Peter 1: Pursue godly life with diligence – Why is Peter stirring up the believers? What are some characteristics of a Christian life? What does Peter KNOW because he saw it with his own eyes?
   • II Peter 2: False teachers -- What is the fruit of a false teacher? What is the punishment for a false teacher? What are some characteristics of a false teacher?
   • II Peter 3: the Second Coming – What are some reasons for the Lord’s seeming delay in coming for the Final Judgment? How should we then live?
   • Jude: False Teachers – What is the reward for false teachers? Examples of God’s judgment from the Old Testament? How can we recognize false teachers? How should we respond?

 

4. Scripture verse: II Peter 2:1 – read it together!
5. Review the major cults and heresies the students may face in today’s society:

 

Cult	Unorthodox belief(s)
Moonies (Sun Myung Moon)	Moon is the 2nd Coming of Christ
Wicken	Witchcraft is still witchcraft!
Astrology	Ancient pagan beliefs
Jehovah’s Witnesses	Only God the Father
Mormons	The Book of Mormon, not the Bible
New Age/Unitarians/Bahai	Gnosticism with the supernatural
“Christian” Science	Mary Baker Eddy vs. Church Fathers

 

How do people get sucked in by these cults? Do members of the cults wear a big sign saying they are heretics? Often they claim to be Christians? How can we separate the heresy from orthodoxy? What does “orthodox” mean? Heterodox? By what criteria should we judge a “new” church? How do people in a bank learn to identify counterfeit money – by studying the counterfeits or by being very familiar with the real thing? Correlation? Those who are intimately acquainted with the truth can easily spot that which is false. There is truly nothing new under the sun. What were some of the early heresies? (Arianism, Nestorians, Monophysites, Gnostics) What did they believe? (Arius – Jesus was not truly God, Nestor – Jesus was 2 beings, Monophysites – Jesus is only God, Gnostics – Jesus is one of many perfectly good gods) What are some yardsticks we can use to measure a stated set of beliefs? Brainstorm here: Creed, Councils, Bible (Careful here, many heretics also can quote Scripture in their own “private interpretation” – do they have their own book or do they use the canon of Scripture established by the Church?)

Now we begin to tread on more difficult ground: What about Roman Catholics and Protestants? Do they also accept the Bible and the Creed? Are they heretics or cults? Are they orthodox? Do they have the fullness of truth, or part of the truth? How should we relate to them – as to believers or unbelievers?

 

5. Close with prayer.

 

I, II, AND III JOHN

 

Scripture lesson (I John 2:15-17): “Do not love the world or the things in the world…the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

 

Objectives:

1. Memorize the first line of the verse; know its content and context.
2. Consider re-prioritizing our lives; what do we love best?

 

Background on the book:

            Each of these letters was written by the apostle John, one of the twelve disciples and the author of the Gospel of John and the Revelation. John lived in Jerusalem with Mary the Theotokos until her death, then he moved to Ephesus.  Remember that John was the only one of the apostles who died a natural death at an old age, probably around 100 years old.  I John was probably written about the time John wrote his gospel, about AD 90-95.  II John and III John were also probably written around the same time. It is believed that John was writing to believers in Ephesus with his first letter; the 2^nd and 3^rd letters are more personal notes to friends he expected to visit shortly.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

 

2.      Review the background of the letters.

 

3.      Scripture Lesson: Again, have each student read a single chapter and summarize it. They should be getting more familiar by now with reading Scripture for meaning. Too few students? Teacher can summarize some of the chapters.

·         I John 1: The Light of the World – Who saw the life of Jesus unfold? Who is telling the story? What is the purpose of confession?

·         I John 2: Remain in the True teaching of Christ  – How can people tell that we follow Jesus? What is the truth of the nature of God the Father and God the Son?

·         I John 3 and 4: The LOVE chapters – How did the Father show His love for us? (by loving us so much that He made us His children) How do we know that Jesus loves us? (He laid down His life for us) How can the world tell that we are Christians? (by our love for one another) What casts out all fear? (love)

·         I John 5: Live in Faith – Look for the clear and definite reference to the Trinity in verses7-8. WHAT is the truth about Jesus? Was He just a nice teacher? Who bears witness in our hearts of the love of God? (Holy Spirit) How then should we live? How should we pray?

·         II John: Walk in Truth – What kind of heresy is John speaking against? That Jesus is not fully God and fully man) How do we show we love God? (walking in His commandments)

·         III John: Genuine Christian leadership and false leadership – contrast the statements of John about Gaius and about Diotrephes.

 

4.      Scripture verse: I John 2: 15-17

 

5.      Who are some people from the history of the Church who have zealously left behind the things of the world? Consider John the Baptist, St. Mary of Egypt, St. Seraphim of Sarov. Do we all have to become monks or hermits to obey this verse?

 

6.   Discussion questions:

Where does God fit in our lives? What are the top two most important things in our lives? How do these things affect our daily activities? How does our use of time reflect our priorities? How do we show someone/something that we love them? What do I really love?

What were my priorities 2 years ago? How have they changed? Why? What will they be 2 years from now? Why? Give specific examples. What will be my relationship to a church? What kind of career will I have? Will I be married? Which of my possessions will be yard-sale trash and which will I still value?

 

            7. Close with prayer.

 

 

THE REVELATION

 

Scripture Reference (Revelation 1:8): “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “Who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

 

Objectives:

1. Students should memorize the verse.
2. Students should understand the meaning of the Alpha and Omega seen in the central dome of most Orthodox Churches.
3. Students should understand the meaning and significance of “Pantokrator.”

 

Background of the book:       

The Revelation was written by St. John the Apostle while in exile on the island of Patmos (a small, rocky island about 40 miles off the coast of Turkey to which the Romans exiled criminals) during the fierce persecution of the Emperor Diocletian around AD 95. The early Church believed that the second coming of Jesus Christ was near, especially in these times of persecution. John is reminding them to hold fast their faith in tribulation and assuring them of the ultimate triumph of the Kingdom of God. While chapters 2 and 3 are clearly letters written to individual churches of the day, much of the book is prophetic and is full of vivid and sensational imagery. Because this book can be so easily misinterpreted (and has been in Church history), it is the only book not read publicly in the services of the Orthodox Church.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. Review the background of the book. Read the entire context of this verse, Revelation 1:8-20. What was John doing? (He was praying on Sunday,maybe at Liturgy?) What happened? Read Isaiah 6:1-8. What would have happened if these men had not obeyed God?

 

3. Why is Jesus called the Alpha and Omega? Review the Greek Alphabet. In what way is saying Alpha and Omega the same as saying Beginning and End? In what way is Jesus the Beginning? The End? Reread John 1: 1-3. Who is the Word? In case the church had any doubt, in these verses how did Jesus identify Himself with God the Father? See verses 13-16. In which Feast did Jesus also appear with brilliant white garments? (Transfiguration) Reread Matthew 17:1-9. Was John present at Transfiguration? What is the meaning of the seven golden lampstands? (Remember the great Menorah of the Temple) In what way is Jesus also identifying Himself as the Messiah, the Promised One of the Jews? His use of the Greek word, “Pantokrator,” meaning “Almighty”, is especially important here; in the Old Testament, this same word is used throughout to refer to Yahweh. Using it here has what significance? Reread verse 18: in which Feast do we celebrate He who was alive, then dead, then alive again? Look at the icon: Jesus is portrayed breaking the power of Death. How? Why would this verse adorn the center of most Orthodox churches?

 

4.  Read through chapters 2 and 3, assigning one church to each student:

Ephesus                 2:1-7                Provincial capital of Asia Minor

Smyrna                  2:8-11              Izmir in modern Turkey

Pergamos               2:12-17            Bergama in modern Turkey

Thyatira                 2:18-29            Commercial city southeast of Pergamos

Sardis                    3:1-6                30 miles SE of Thyatira in Turkey

Philadelphia          3:7-13              Modern-day Alashehier

Laodicea               3:14-22            Modern-day Eski-hisar

Find those places which still exist on a map. What is the Lord’s major message to each? Does any of these messages pertain to us today?

 

5. On November 8 the Church celebrates the Feast of the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the other Bodiless Hosts. This is the ninth month (counting from March, the beginning of the year in antiquity) to represent the nine ranks of angels – seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominions, powers, authorities, principalities, archangels, and angels. Angels are seen as pure spirits, but created spirits, created to worship and reflect the divine beauty and also sent forth to do the divine bidding. When have angels appeared in the Old Testament? The Archangel Michael, leader of the heavenly hosts, whose name means “like unto God,” is mentioned in both the Old Testament book of Daniel and the Revelation of John. Which archangel announced the birth of Jesus? (Gabriel) Angels ministered to Jesus in the wilderness, at Gethsemane, and announced His resurrection to the myrrhbearers. The Church also teaches that each of us, at birth, is given a Guardian Angel as guide and protector. According to the Revelation, seven angels serve before the throne of God and take part in the final woes of the world; in church tradition these are named Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jegudiel, and Barachiel.

 

6. Close with prayer.

 

 

 

BAPTISM

Objectives:

1. Students should know the Scriptural basis for baptism in the baptism of Jesus and Romans 6.
2. Students should be able to review the order of the service and its meaning.
3. Each student should be able to perform an “emergency” baptism.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. This is the first lesson on sacraments; spend a few minutes discussing what a sacrament is: Sacraments are the means established by God to help us enter into the life of Christ.  Through the Sacraments, all the benefits of salvation are imparted to us. Which is the sacrament of initiation? (Baptism) In which do we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit? (Chrismation) In which are we united with Christ and the entire Church? (Eucharist) In which is our life in Christ restored after sin? (Confession or Penance) With which does the Church establish its hierarchical unity? (Orders or Ordination) With which are we healed in soul and body? (Holy Unction) Which is a remembrance of our life on earth and our hope of the resurrection? (Requiem)

 

3. Scriptural basis: Ezekiel 36: 25-28, I Corinthians 10:1-2, Mark 1:4, Acts 19:4, Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:3-4, I Peter 3:21, Galatians 3:27

 

4. Order of the service (Who can remember what happens?):

Action	Meaning
1. We face the East.	Light comes from the East; God gives light to our souls.
2. Priest breathes on the face of the child.	God breathed life into Adam; Baptism will breathe New Life into the soul.
3. Priest’s hand on child’s head.	Child enters the shelter of the Church.
4. Exorcism:     Face West.       Spit on Satan.	Drives Satan away: West means Darkness; Satan is the Prince of Darkness. Shows our hatred of the devil.
5. Profession of Faith (Creed), facing altar.	Testify to our Faith in God, turning to Him and from Satan.
6. With his hand, Priest makes a cross in the water; he then blows on the water and prays.	All evil is driven from the water, which is made holy.
7. Oil is poured on the water.	Purifying of Baptism (water) is only possible through God’s Holy Spirit (oil).
8. Anointed of parts of body with oil.	Oil of gladness for healing, in preparation for His new life.
9. Dipping 3 times in the name of the Trinity.	All sins are washed away: buried with Christ (under water) and risen with Christ: Child dies to sin and is born again to God.
10. White robe of holiness.	Clean and pure new life in Jesus.

5. Songs of the Sacrament: As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ, Alleluia! Sung in the place of the Trisagion Hymn; sing it now.

 

6. Discussion questions:

Which major feast celebrates the baptism of Jesus? (Theophany) When is it celebrated? What is blessed?

Who represents the child if he is too young to speak for himself? (godparents) By what criteria would you choose the godparents of your children? How do you choose the name of your child? Why do we baptize infants? (God loves us even from the very moment of our birth.) Is baptism a divine pass to get into heaven, or must we as adults make a personal decision regarding the Christian faith?

Why is the first part of the service performed in the narthex and not in the sanctuary? (The child has not yet renounced Satan and is not yet a member of the Church.) Why do we come to the Lord naked? (Remember the Garden of Eden, before sin, when man was not ashamed of the body God had created?) Why do we use a candle in baptism? (Jesus is the light of the world.) Why do we keep the candle and use it at future feast days and our wedding? (Matthew 5:16 – Let your light so shine before men…) What Scriptural references can you think of for the use of oil in healing? (olive branch and Noah, Good Samaritan) Why are the members of our body anointed? (In baptism, not only are we cleansed from sin, but also we become useful members of Christ’s body, the Church.) Why is water so necessary for life?

In what way does the sign of the cross, performed on our body, “brand” us as belonging to Christ? Why a triple immersion? (Several possible symbolisms: the Trinity, the days of the Lord in the tomb) Comment on the theme: “Baptism is important, but don’t hang around the river forever.” What is the meaning of the white robe? (perhaps the shining robe of Christ at the Transfiguration, since we are putting on Christ’s nature or perhaps purity as in Psalm 51 or the multitudes in white robes in Revelation 7:9-17)

 

7. Practice performing an emergency baptism, complete with baby doll and cup of water (a place to immerse is unlikely in a hospital or other emergency situation). Say: “The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen” Pour or sprinkle water on the person 3 times, once each time you say the names of the persons of the Trinity.  Call a priest immediately to give the name of the newly baptized.

 

8.   Close with prayer.

 

 

 

 

THE ANNUNCIATION

Objectives:

1. Students should be able to identify the characters in the icon and tell the story.
2. Students should know the date of the feast, March 25
3. Students should know that Mary is the Theotokos and what that means.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. Review the icon: See how much the students already know.  There are only two participants, Mary and the Archangel Gabriel.  Mary carries a spool of yarn, Why?  Because just as sheep give their wool to clothe humanity, Mary gave her body to clothe the eternal Son of God in a garment of humanity.  What’s on the scroll in the center?  Whose prophecy does it depict? (Isaiah)

 

3. Scripture readings:

Gospel: Luke 1: 24-38 (also read 6-55)

Epistle: Hebrews 9:1-7

Old Testament: Genesis 28:11-17, Ezekiel 43:27 and 44:14, Proverbs 9:1-11

 

4. Songs of the feast:

Troparion: Today is the beginning of our salvation, and the manifestation of the mystery from the ages; for the Son of God becometh the son of the Virgin, and Gabriel proclaimeth grace.  Wherefore, do we shout with him to the Theotokos, Hail, O full of grace, the Lord is with Thee.

Kontakion: Verily, I, thy city, O Theotokos, inscribe to thee the banners of conquest, O defending soldier, and offer thee thanks as a deliverer from tribulations.  And since thine is the unconquerable might, deliver me from sundry oppressions, that I may cry unto thee, Rejoice, O groomless bride.

Prosomia of vespers: Then the bodiless Angel replied: when God so wishes the order of nature is overcome, and what is beyond man comes to pass, believe that my sayings are true, O All-Holy Lady, utterly without spot.  And she cried aloud: Let it be to me according to your word, and I shall bear Him that is without flesh, Who shall borrow flesh from me, that through this mingling He may lead man up to His ancient glory.

Oikos of matins:    Hail, restoration of fallen Adam:

                              Hail, consolation of Eve…

                              Hail, you through whom creation is renewed;

                              Hail, for through you the Creator becomes a newborn child.

                              Hail, you Bride unwedded.

 

5. Discussion questions:

What is a mother?  Role? Why did Jesus, God Himself, need a mother? (One cannot be born without one!) Who is the Mother of God?  What do we call her?  What does “Theotokos” mean? 

What word does “annunciation” come from? (“announce”) What is announced?  Who does the announcing? From Whom does the message come? Where is the announcement made? Is Mary free to make a choice to accept or not accept what God wishes from her? Would you have accepted and why or why not? It is truly "meet and right" to honor her!

What is the Incarnation? (God taking flesh) In what way was it not only the work of the power of God, but also the work and will and faith of the virgin Mary? This is called the “Fiat” – in Latin “so be it” – the union between the wills of the 3 persons of the Trinity (How was each involved?) and with humanity through the agreement of Mary. Jesus is truly, as the angel states, Son of God and Son of Man.

Why is Annunciation exactly 9 months before Christmas? (Discuss the concept of pregnancy and how it occurs; a careful discussion of virginity would be appropriate, not however descending into a sex-education class!) What is the point of the reading from Ezekiel – that only God entered the tabernacle, which remained closed? (as Mary becomes the earthly Tabernacle of God)

What is the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist?  How long had Elizabeth been pregnant when the Annunciation occurred? Compare and contrast the responses of Mary and of Zachariah when each heard from the angel. What is the Magnificat? (Luke 1:46-55) What are the circumstances where Mary sings this great song of praise and thanksgiving? (She’s visiting Elizabeth.) What is the Rosary, spoken by Roman Catholics the world over and where does it come from? (Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus)

What does the burning bush (reading from Exodus) have to do with the Annunciation? (the bush was filled with God and not consumed, so was Mary) How is Mary the restoration of Adam and the consolation of Eve? (Genesis reading)

Through Mary, Jesus is descended from both the tribe of Levi, and the priesthood of Aaron, AND of the tribe of Judah, descended from David the King, as prophesied long before and discussed by St. Ephraim the Syrian – see the reading from Hebrews. Jesus is, to His Church, both OUR high priest and OUR King!

 

            6.   Close with prayer.

CONFESSION

 

Objectives:

1. Students should understand the origin of confession and its meaning.
2. Students should know how to prepare for confession.   

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Scriptural basis: 2 Samuel 11:1-12:13, Psalm 51, I John 1:9, Matthew 18: 17, James 5:16, John 20:23, Matthew 16:19, John 8:11

 

3. Order of the service:

Actions	Meaning
1. Preparation: Trisagion, O Heavenly King, Psalms 23, 24, 116:10-19	We prepare to return to the Lord. Review the story of the Prodigal Son – Luke 15.
2. We confess our sins in the presence of our priest.	We act in obedience to Christ. Review the story of the Publican and the Pharisee – Luke 18:10-14
3. We receive forgiveness of our sins when the priest places his stole on our heads and prays to God to forgive us.	God promises to forgive us if we confess our sins; there is rejoicing in heaven – Luke 15:3-7; why does the priest compare himself to Nathan the prophet?

 

4. Discussion questions:

Confession is not simply a listing of sins, prepared ahead of time, to rattle off and receive absolution. It is an opportunity to re-examine my entire status as a Christian. Have I been a true disciple of Christ? In what ways have I given Him joy? In what ways pain? Confession reveals the truth about my relationship with Christ.

In preparation for Confession, what are some questions we can ask ourselves? Let the students try to come up with some of their own.  Then ask them some of these: How have I behaved towards God (Did I pray daily? Did I thank Him? Have I used His name in vain?) How have I behaved towards my family and friends? (Have I prayed for them? Have I been loving, honest, and respectful or have I lied and been unkind and disobedient? Have I shared with my brothers and sisters or been selfish? Have I helped at home, at school, etc.? Have I cheated or been lazy in my schoolwork? Have I made fun of anyone?) How have I behaved towards myself? (Have I been responsible? Have I cared for my body?) Am I truly sorry for my sins and really want to change my habits?

Why can’t we just confess in secret to God? (What about that pervasive self-deceiving psychological trick, denial, and accountability?) Who does the priest represent? (Christ)  Did Jesus have the authority to forgive sin? (Consider the healing of the paralytic and the woman caught in adultery.) What was the practice of the earliest Christians? (They actually stood up before the whole congregation and confessed their sins, truly walking in the light.) Why did this practice end and priests begin to hear confession privately? (Strangers coming to visit as the Church grew in numbers made public confession difficult.)

 

5. Close with prayer. What kind of friend have I been to Jesus this week – an unfaithful friend, an indifferent friend, a cowardly friend, or a true friend?

PALM SUNDAY

Objectives:

1. Students should be able to identify the characters and the action in the icon.
2. Students should know why we use palms on Palm Sunday.
3. Students should know that Palm Sunday is the day after Lazarus Saturday and the week before Pascha. Why?

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. The icon: What do the students already know? Christ the central figure, seated on a donkey (Why a donkey?), the disciples on the far left and the Jews on the far right, the children (one in a tree cutting palm branches and one spreading his cloak under Christ), the city of Jerusalem with the Temple with its onion dome.

 

1. Scripture readings:

Gospel: Matthew 21:1-11, 15-17, John 12:1-18 (also for Lazarus John 11:1-45)

Epistle: Philippians 4:4-9

Old Testament: Genesis 49: 1-12, Zephaniah 3:14-19, Zechariah 9:9-15

 

2. Songs of the Feast:

Troparion: By raising Lazarus from the dead before thy passion, thou didst confirm the universal resurrection, O Christ God. Like the children with the palms of victory, we cry out to thee, O Vanquisher of death: Hosanna in the highest, Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.

Kontakion: Upborne upon the heavenly throne, and seated upon the earthly foal, O Christ our God, receive the praises of angels and the hymns of men, exclaiming before thee, Blessed is He that cometh to restore Adam.

           

3. Discussion questions:

When did Jesus hear about Lazarus’s illness?  What did he do? What do we celebrate on Lazarus Saturday?  What happened? Who were the major characters? Was this the first person Jesus raised from the dead? (No, the son of the widow of Nain and the daughter of Jairus, but both had just died; they had not been dead for 4 days) Why is the 4 days important; why did Lazarus “already smell”? (The 4 days show true corruption, the rottenness inside us all, defeated by Jesus in the tomb, since He alone is without corruption or sin) Who did Jesus say that He was to Martha? (I am the resurrection…) 

What’s the shortest verse in the Bible? (piece of trivia, “Jesus wept.” Why did Jesus weep? (because God truly cares, He is the Lover of Mankind) How did the resurrection of Lazarus effect the response of the crowd on Palm Sunday? Explain the Troparion in your own words; the same Troparion is used for Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, why? What did Jesus show the world? (that God’s power is greater than death) Did Jesus enter Jerusalem on a warhorse surrounded with an army? Why not? (He came to bring His love, coming on a peaceful donkey) What was the significance of the donkey? Whose prophecy was being fulfilled? (Zechariah) How’d he get the donkey?

What does “Hosanna” mean? (“I ask you to save me”) Where did the greeting the people gave Jesus on Palm Sunday come from? (Psalm 118: 25-26) Thus Jesus is being recognized as King.  What is the significance of the greeting, “Son of David”? (Jesus is recognized as Messiah.) Did Jesus sneak into the city, afraid of its leaders since He know what they would do to him only a few days later? What would you have done in that situation? Does the raising of Lazarus and the triumphal entry into Jerusalem have any effect on the priests who will later condemn Jesus? (It is because of these and the response of the people, that He was judged and condemned.) What is the significance on Palm Sunday of Jesus’s reddish garments? (From Genesis 49: represent blood) Remember that with our palms of joy we are also called to suffering and death; we cannot have the one without the other!

 

4. How does our Church celebrate Palm Sunday? What is the significance of these customs?

 

            5.   Close with prayer.

 

PASCHA, THE FEAST OF FEASTS

 

Objectives:

1. Students should understand the icon, its characters and its significance.
2. Students should know the Troparion of the feast and “Christ is risen…”
3. Students should know the Paschal greeting and response, preferably in several languages.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2.   The icon: again begin with its review and discussion. Christ is the central figure, robed in white (Why?) surrounded by light (Why?), at His feet are the brass gates of Hades, the keys, and the locks that He destroyed.  Adam is being pulled from his tomb by Christ with His right hand and Eve with His left. The righteous from the Old Testament gather on the left; the 2 in the front are Kings David and Solomon. The righteous from the New Testament are those on the right, those who died after the Incarnation and before the resurrection; in front we find St. John the Baptist and St. Joseph. Note, that in Orthodox iconography, the actual moment of the resurrection is not depicted, nor the tomb. Rather, the descent into Hell, with the deliverance of Adam and of the righteous men of the Old Testament, which is the theme of the Divine Service of Great Saturday.

 

3.   Scripture readings:

      Gospel: John 1:1-17, Matthew 28

      Epistle: Acts 1:1-8, Romans 6:3-11

Old Testament: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Exodus 12:1-11, Daniel 3:1-88, review the story of Jonah

 

4. Songs of the Feast:

Troparion: Thy resurrection, O Christ our Savior, the angel in heaven sing, enable us on earth to glorify thee in purity of heart.

Another Troparion: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!

Kontakion: Though thou, O deathless One, didst descend into the grave, thou didst destroy the power of hell and, as victor, thou didst rise again, O Christ our God.  Thou didst greet the ointment-bearing women, saying, Rejoice! Thou didst bestow peace upon thy Disciples, and resurrection upon those that are fallen.

Megalynarion: The angel cried to the Lady full of grace, Rejoice, O pure Virgin. Again I say: Rejoice. Your Son is risen from his three days in the tomb. With himself he has raised all the dead. Rejoice, all ye people. Shine! Shine! O new Jerusalem! The glory of the Lord has shone on you. Exult now and be glad, O Zion! Be radiant, O pure Theotokos, in the resurrection of your Son.

 

5. Review the chronology of Holy Week (put the events on cards and have the students place them on a time line?) and the major players:

Jesus, the 12 disciples (who were they?), myrrh-bearing women (though they haven’t brought the myrrh year, who will they be?), the Pharisees (a group of religious leaders of the Jews particularly devoted to the Torah), the Sadducees (a wealthy priestly aristocracy, concerned with Temple administration and ritual), the scribes (educated civil servants), the Sanhedrin (a senate of 70 priests and laymen, presided over by the high priest), Caiaphas the High Priest, Pontius Pilate the Roman governor, Herod the King, Barabbas the condemned murderer, the 2 thieves, the centurion (the same one who had earlier sought Jesus out for healing of his servant according to tradition), and Joseph of Arimathea (a wealthy follower of Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin, “the noble Joseph”).

Holy Monday: Teaching in the temple (parable of the wedding banquet), questioned by the priests: Some sample questions were “By whose authority are You doing these things?” and “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?”  Read in Matthew 21 and 22 Jesus’s clever answers.

 

Holy Tuesday: teaching again, many parables about the kingdom, including the talents, the foolish virgins, the sheep and goats at the Last Judgment.

 

Holy Wednesday: Anointing of Jesus at the home of Simon the leper (therefore the church custom of anointing with oil this evening) and betrayal by Judas Iscariot to the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.

 

Holy Thursday: Arrangements for the upper room, washing of the disciples’ feet, the Last Supper, the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal by a kiss in the garden, the trial before the Sanhedrin. How do we celebrate Holy Thursday? Why the last Eucharist (before Pascha)? Listen closely to the 12 gospel readings on Holy Thursday night; they tell the entire story of Holy Week.

 

Great and Holy Friday: denial by Peter, suicide by hanging of Judas, trials before Pilate, Herod, and Pilate, crucifixion, and burial by the noble Joseph of Arimathea. What did Jesus say from the cross? (You’ll have to look in all of the Gospels to find all the sayings.) How do we celebrate Holy Friday? Why the bier and funeral procession?

 

Great and Holy Saturday: Descent into Hades and victory over death! Why are the vestments, candles, and altar pieces changed to white?

 

Pascha: Resurrection! The Church is in darkness.  Light spreads to all from the Trikirion, the 3 in 1 candle representing the Trinity. We process around the church like the myrrh-bearing women walking to the tomb. Eggs represent new life. We greet each other with:

                        English: Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen!

                        Greek: Christos anesti! Alethos anesti!

                        Russian: Christos voskrese! Voistinu voskrese!

                        Arabic: Al-masi-kam! Haq an qaam!

                        Romanian: Christos inviat! Adeverat inviat!

                 The Artos, or “leavened bread” in Greek is the large prosphoron decorated with an icon of the Resurrection or a cross that is blessed at the end of the Pascha service and displayed throughout Holy Week, to be broken and eaten on the Saturday of Holy Week. During His earthly life, Jesus referred to Himself as the “Bread of life”, and after His resurrection was revealed to the disciples at Emmaeus in the breaking of bread. After His Resurrection, the disciples left a place at the head of the table with His piece of bread as a visual reminder of His continued presence with us. In the Old Testament Passover, the unleavened bread is dead and lifeless, a shadow of the real Passover to come. In the New Pascha, the bread is leavened; it rises because of the living yeast within it.

 

            6. Discussion questions:

Why is the resurrection considered the central truth of Christianity? (Read I Cor. 15:13-19) How is this different from other religions? Was the resurrection a hoax perpetrated by the disciples? (Would each of them later die for what they knew to be a lie?) Or did the authorities move the body? (But why didn’t they then display it to the public when the disciples claimed He had risen and thus prove He was still dead?) Or did Jesus never actually die at all, but just faint? (All contemporary accounts, even those of the Jewish and Roman authorities of the time, agree that He most certainly died.) Did the apostles all have identical “hallucinations” after His death of His appearances? (Be realistic – all 500 who saw Him at 10 distinct times and places!) Can you identify some of His appearances – e.g. upper room, Sea of Galilee, road to Emmaeus, Ascension, etc? What about doubting Thomas? Hallucinations usually involve seeing things one really wants to see, not being convinced against one’s will!

What Old Testament characters/stories are referenced in the canon and why? (“the inspired prophet Habakkuk”, “David the ancester of God leaped and danced before the ark which prefigured thee”, “like Jonah from the whale on the third day you arose from the grave”, “resurrecting Adam the father of us all”, “He who saved the three young men from the furnace became incarnate and suffered as a mortal man”)

Whose homily is always read? (St. John Chrysostom) What is its theme? (Review the parable of the laborers in the vineyard; did those who arrived on the first hour receive a better reward than those who arrived at the eleventh hour? “O death where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory? Christ is risen and thou art annihilated…”)

7. Close with prayer.

 

MARRIAGE

Objectives:

1. Students should know the Scriptural pattern for marriage.
2. Students should know the structure of the marriage ceremony and the meaning of each part.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2.  Scriptural references: Genesis 1:28, 2:20-24, Genesis 12:1-5, Genesis 24, Luke 1:5-58, Ephesians 5:20-33, John 2:1-12, Revelation 19:7-9

 

3. The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is the sacrament of the family. What is the order of that sacrament?

Action	Meaning
1. Betrothal: The “natural” marriage at the vestibule of the Church when the husband and wife promise themselves to each other and rings are exchanged.	This takes place in the narthex since it is a worldly promise, but blessed by the priest, saying, “The servant of God (name) is betrothed to the handmaid of God (name) in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.”
2. Crowning: Special prayers remembering couples who have obeyed God, families in the genealogy of Jesus, and blessing this new family. He then places a crown on each head, saying, “The servant of God (name) is crowned unto the handmaid of God (name) in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”	The crowns are a sign of the glory of God’s kingdom, and the bride and groom are crowned as king and queen of their own little kingdom, into which later children will be citizens.  The crowns have 3 meanings;      King and Queen of Creation      Martyrdom      Crowns of the Kingdom
3. Prokimenon: Thou has set upon their heads crowns of precious stones; they asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it them.”	We are called to rule well in our own little kingdom.
4. Epistle: Ephesians 5:20-33	Each marriage should mirror the way Christ loved the Church.
5. Gospel: John 2:1-12	As at the wedding at Cana, the only real joy is given through Jesus Christ.
6. Common Cup: Bride and groom drink wine from a common cup	Originally this was Holy Communion, a real sign of union in Jesus Christ
7. Procession: The priest leads the bride and groom 3 times around the center table, while the people sing 3 hymns: “Rejoice, O Isaiah! A Virgin is with child…”, “O holy Martyrs, who fought the good fight and have received your crowns…”, and “Glory to Thee, O Christ God, the apostle’s boast and the martyr’s joy”.	The procession is reminiscent of the journey of life; they will live together with God forever.
8. Removal of Crowns: The priest removes the crowns, saying, “Be exalted, O Bridegroom, like unto Abraham, and be blessed, like unto Isaac; and multiply, like unto Jacob; walking in peace and keeping the commandments of God in righteousness. And to the bride, “And thou, O Bride; Be exalted like unto Sarah, and exult like unto Rebecca, and multiply like unto Rachel, and rejoice in your husband, fulfilling the conditions of the law; for so it is well-pleasing to God.”	The crowns are removed as a symbol that now, invisibly crowned, they must begin their new life in the world.

 

4.   Songs of the feast:

      Try singing the prokimenon (It’s in the marriage service book.); it’s not too hard.

 

5.  Discussion questions:

What does God mean in Genesis when He says, “It is not good that man should be alone”? Which Old Testament couples are referred to in the wedding service? (Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel) Why? What are some other Old Testament families who shared heartache and God’s blessing (Review the stories of Noah, Hannah, Ruth, etc.) What other couples are mentioned? (Joachim and Anna, Zachariah and Elizabeth) Why?  How are these good or bad examples of godly marriage?

In what way are the newly crowned couple the King and Queen of Creation? What did God command Adam and Eve in the garden? Who will be the citizens of their new kingdom? What is a martyr? (a witness, willing to suffer or even die) In what way are a husband and wife martyrs to each other and their children? Do we marry for self-satisfaction (sexual or otherwise) or to give ourselves in love for the other? In what way are the crowns the crowns of the Kingdom? Where are the bride and groom really crowned, on earth (which is passing) or in heaven (which is the true, eternal kingdom)?

In what ways is a Christian marriage a partnership of equals? (We are all equal before God and both belong to the other.) Does equality mean identical roles? What is the role of husband, as discussed in Ephesians? What is the role of wife? How can that be played out in today’s society?

What about “living together” before marriage? Is marriage old-fashioned? Is marriage simply a legal contract? Is there a need in our post-Christian society for a good, Christian marriage? What is “married love”? (We share Christ’s love and love each other through His love for us, not just sex.) Can an Orthodox Christian marry a believer from another church? (yes, if baptized) A non-Christian? (no)

And what about divorce? Does the Church condone divorce? Under what circumstances? How should we treat divorced people? What if our own parents are divorced – how do we feel? How should we treat the stepparents we gain? Can divorced people remarry in the Church? (Yes, with decree of divorce.)

6.   Close with prayer.

ORDINATION

 

Objectives:

1. Students should know the “orders” of the church and the function of each.
2. Students should be able to name the vestments of a deacon, priest, and bishop.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2.   Scriptural basis: John 15:16, Acts 1:26, Acts 6:1-6, Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5-9, I Timothy 3:1-13, I Timothy 5: 17-22, Revelation 3:7-13, I Peter 2:25 – the Scriptural basis for ordination of clergy and for bishops, priests, and deacons as clergy is clear and unmistakable. Indeed, in the earliest writings of the Church Fathers, these three ranks of clergy are cited and in use.

 

3.   The ordination service itself (for priests and deacons):

Action	Meaning
1. The person enters the sanctuary, bows to the bishop, and is led around the altar table 3 times, kissing each of the 4 corners of the altar table.	While this occurs, the songs from the marriage service are sung: “O holy Martyrs”, “Glory to Thee”, and “Rejoice, O Isaiah”. So the priest is married to the Church forever, giving himself wholly to the Lord in martyrdom.
2. He kneels and the bishop lays his hands on his head and ordains him.	Peter and Paul in the book of Acts also ordained in this same way.
3. Prayers: asks God to fill this man with His Holy Spirit and empower him to (list of duties).	Deacon’s prayer remembers St. Stephen, a deacon and the first martyr.
4. Bishop presents him with his vestments and all shout, “Axios!”	“Axios!” means “He is worthy!” for his new role, as evidence by his new clothes.
5. New deacon or priest takes his place in the Sanctuary and begins to serve.	He begins a lifetime of service to God, in the role to which he was called.

 

            In the service of ordination for a bishop, the bishops elect the bishop-to-be, he confesses his faith and promises to care for God’s flock, the gospel is placed on his head, hands are laid on him and prayers are said that he may “be an imitator of Thee, the true Shepherd”, he is given his vestments, and finally he is given his pastoral staff with the prayer, “Receive thou the pastoral staff, that thou may feed the flock of Christ given to thy care…”

 

1. Roles of the various clergy (Make three columns on the board, and brainstorm for these before just reading them aloud.):

Deacon	Priest	Bishop
Priest’s helper when he     celebrates church     services Servant of the Church	Assist the bishop Father of local church Divine Liturgy Administer sacraments     (except ordination) Teach and counsel Voice of the bishop	Teaching (rightly define) Government (diocese) Administer sacraments Ordination

 

2. Vestments: As the ordained minister puts on the vestments, he clothes himself in the robes of the spirit, becoming in a sense, a new man, God’s instrument. The bright colors reflect the radiant attire of the angels and the high priestly attire of Aaron. As each piece is added, prayers are specified. Note that the names of the garments vary from Orthodox jurisdiction and language.

Deacon: Sticharion (robe or cassock with wide sleeves), Orarion (long band of cloth hanging over the shoulder and held aloft when he prays out loud in church. In holding it aloft, the orarion becomes the wings of the angel, uniting the people to prayer. The cuffs are added to give the hands freedom of movement – the right cuff the strong right arm of the Lord and the left cuff that we are the work of His hands.

Priest: Sticharion (robe or cassock with narrow sleeves), stole or epitrachil (long like the orarion but joined down the front, with the prayer from Psalms that God will pour down oil from heaven upon the beard of Aaron, the first high priest), zone or pojas (belt symbolic of the gift of strength given by God for His service), chasuble (robe without sleeves, short in front and long in back, worn over other vestments), cuffs, and biretta (hat). If he belongs to the higher clergy, he will also don the epigonation, an oblong hung on the left side, denoting the mighty weapon of the Sword of the Spirit.

Bishop: Everything worn by a priest, except that instead of a chasuble a dalmatic (wide-sleeved robe symbolic of Christ’s robe without a seam), stole is called a pall or omophorion (very wide and hanging down in front and behind, for carrying wandering sheep), hat called mitre (looks like a crown and serves as an emblem of the power bestowed on the bishop by the Church), pectoral image (of Jesus and the Theotokos, to keep them close to his heart), mantle (free-flowing robe typifying the wings of an angel), and pastoral staff  (like a shepherd)

Colors of vestments? They do vary throughout the year. General Sundays are Gold -- along with the Meeting of the Lord and Ascension. Blue is for feasts to the Theotokos -- which 4 are they? Purple is for Great Lent and Holy Week and the Elevation of the Cross. White for Theophany, Transfiguration, and Pascha. Green for Palm Sunday and Pentecost. Red for Nativity.

 

 

 

 

 

3. Songs of the service: Especially important is the Trisagion Hymn, sung in harmony by all the bishops present.  Sing it now.

 

4. Discussion questions:

What was the role of the original deacons? How were new churches born in the New Testament days? How many churches were there in a city at first? The head of the city’s church was who? How did the need for more than one priest in a city develop?

Who is the head of the bishop? (Christ Himself) What is the primary function of the bishop? (to perpetuate the church) What does a bishop oversee? (diocese) Who has the ultimate authority within a diocese? (the bishop) Who can ordain and through whose authority? Why can’t just anyone ordain a man if everyone can see he has the “gift”? Can a bishop be married at the present time in the Orthodox Church? (no) Is that the teaching of Scripture? (No, Paul in his letter to Timothy talked about married bishops.) What is the name of our bishop? Who is the chief bishop? (no one) What is a Patriarch? Which cities were the original 5 Patriarchates? (Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem, Alexandria) Why? What happened to Rome? Does one bishop have all authority over all other bishops on a world-wide level? (no) What is the title of the Patriarch of Constantinople? (first among equals) Is he infallible? What does “episkopos” mean? (overseer)

What is the relationship between bishop, priest, and deacon? What sacraments does a bishop share with a priest and a deacon? How has the role of deacon changed through the centuries? What does the word “presbyter” mean? (representative) What does the word diakonos mean? (server or assistant)

How does one decide to become a priest or deacon? Can a priest or deacon be married? (yes, but he must remain in that state in which he was ordained) Can a woman be a priest? Why not? What gifts or talents would make one a good priest?  Do any of you feel “called” to the priesthood?

 

8. Close with prayer.

ASCENSION

Objectives:

1. Students should understand the icon and its characters and be able to tell the story of the Ascension.
2. Students should know that Ascension occurs 40 days after Pascha -- a movable feast date.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. Review the icon, seeing how much they already know: Christ is the central figure, clothed in white (Why?) and bestowing a blessing on the world with hands outstretched, the Theotokos just below Christ, the disciples (including whom as a replacement for Judas? Matthias)  Are they in the city or the countryside?

 

3. Scripture readings:

Gospel: Luke 24: 36-end, read also Matthew 28:16-end

Epistle: Acts 1: 1-12

Old Testament: Isaiah 2:2-3, Isaiah 62: 10-63:3, Zechariah 14:1,4,8-11

 

4. Songs of the Feast;

Troparion: Thou has ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened Thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, having become confident of the blessing. Verily, Thou art the Son of God, the Deliverer of the world!

Kontakion: When Thou didst fulfill thy dispensation for our sakes, uniting the terrestrials with the celestials, Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, inseparable in space, but constant without separation, and crying unto thy beloved, I am with you, and no one shall be against you.

 

5. Discussion questions:

What were Jesus’s promises on Ascension? (there are 3: to send the Spirit, to be with them always, and to return in glory) What did He tell his disciples to do? Where did the Ascension occur? (on the Mount of Olives, near Bethany) In what way is the Ascension the crowning of the Paschal mystery? Which of the apostles pictured in the icon could not possibly have been there? (St. Paul) Why? (He was converted on the road to Damascus, much later.) Why is he pictured in the icon? (He was a witness to the resurrection just like the others since Jesus Himself appeared to Saul.)

Where does Jesus sit now? (at the right hand of the Father) Where is that? (the point here is that it is not an earthly place; thus the angels asked the bewildered disciples why they were looking at the sky) A cloud came and removed Jesus from the sight of His disciples; where else do we see a cloud with a divine appearance? (Red Sea, Mt. Sinai and the 10 Commandments, Mary at the Annunciation, Transfiguration) What did the apostles do between Ascension and Pentecost? (wait!!!) Compare and contrast Ascension and Transfiguration.

 

            6.   Close with prayer.

PENTECOST

 

Objectives:

1. Students should understand the icon and its characters.
2. Students should know that “Pentecost” means “fiftieth” and is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Pascha.
3. Students should understand why Pentecost is called the birthday of the Church.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. Review the icon; what do they already understand? The disciples are gathered in the upper room (What last happened there? the Last Supper), in some icons each has a flame above his head (Why?), the book of the Gospels sits in the center, by which the Holy Spirit has revealed the spiritual presence of Christ to the world, the little crowned figure seated in the middle is the world! There is an empty place at the top of the horseshoe formed by the apostles; who will fill this place at the Second Coming? The icon shows only 12 apostles; how many believers were actually there?

 

3. Scripture readings:

Gospel: John 7:37-52, 8:12. Read also John 14:16-17, 15:26-27, 16:7-13.

Epistle: Acts 1:1-12

Old Testament: Numbers 11:16-17, 24-29, Joel 2:23-end, Ezekiel 36: 24-28

 

4. Songs of the Feast:

Troparion: Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, Who hast revealed the fishermen as most wise, by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit; through them thou didst draw the world into thy net, O Lover of man, glory to Thee.

Kontakion: When the high One descended, confusing tongues, he divided the nations. And when he distributed the fiery tongues he called all to one unity.  Wherefore, in unison we glorify the most Holy Spirit.

O Heavenly King: O heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of light, Come and abide with us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save, O good One, our souls.

 

5. Discussion questions:

What happened at Pentecost? Did the apostles obey Jesus’s commandment to “Go forth and preach”? Who descended?  Who is the Holy Spirit? In what sacrament do we receive the Holy Spirit? (Chrismation) How does the Spirit, God Himself, dwell in us? How can we tell He does – did we see tongues of fire? This is a great mystery, as are all the sacraments.  Why is He called “Comforter”? In our prayer, “O heavenly King” we ask the Holy Spirit to come, why? (Jesus commanded us in Luke 11: 9-13.)

Why do we decorate the Church in green? (as a sign of the life the Holy Spirit brings us) In what way is Pentecost the birthday of the church? (the first Christians were baptized by the apostles)

What is speaking in tongues? (speaking in other languages as the apostles did at Pentecost) How is this different from the tower of Babel? (Here we see harmony and subjection to God’s action; there we see confusion and disunity from an attempt by man to reach God by his own means, resulting in hatred, racism, and war.)

Why were there so many Jews in Jerusalem from all over the world at that time (50 days after Passover) anyway? (They are also celebrating Pentecost, the giving of the Law 50 days after Passover on Mt. Sinai; it is also the “Feast of Weeks” and the thanksgiving for the harvest) So the Old Covenant Pentecost, the Law, is supplanted by the New Covenant Pentecost, the Spirit (See Jeremiah 31:31-34). But even in the Old Testament readings, we see the Holy Spirit: in Numbers (How? Moses distributes the gifts of the Holy Spirit to the 70 elders), in Ezekiel (a new spirit inside our hearts).

How do we end the Pentecost celebration? (with kneeling vespers, we again kneel in a spirit of penitence, which we will keep until the next Paschal season) What does it mean to say, Christ saves but the Holy Spirit sanctifies? What does it mean to be a Temple of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 6:19)? How can we desecrate that Temple? How can we renew the gift of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives? How might we ask the Holy Spirit to guide and fill us?

 

            6.   Close with prayer.

 

 

 

Objectives:

1. Students should know the Scriptural basis for holy unction.
2. Students should know the outline of the service and its meaning.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. Scriptural basis: James 5:14-15, Luke 4:18, Matthew 10:5-9, Matthew 4:23, Acts 9:34, I Corinthians 12:9, John 14:12, Mark 2:1-12. Review some of the healing miracles of Christ: Can each student remember or find one in his Bible? Does God care about human suffering and illness?

 

3. The order of the service:

 

Action	Meaning
1. Confession.	The sick person must be healed in soul as well as in body. (See the story of the paralytic above.)
2. Introductory prayers and psalms.	We confess our sinfulness and ask God to create a new spirit within us.
3. Canon.	We ask God to have mercy on us, drive away all evil powers, and grant us healing so we may bless Him forever.
4. Troparia to the Saints.	We ask the saints, especially those who have suffered themselves as martyrs, and Mary to intercede for us.
5. Epistle and Gospel lessons.	Seven priests, seven epistles, and seven gospels – after each one the priest anoints the sick person with Holy Oil.
6. Prayers of anointing.	As the person is anointed, the priest reads a prayer asking for remission of the person’s sins and healing of his soul and body.

 

4. Discussion questions:

Can Jesus really heal the sick? Are there miracles today? Didn’t Jesus have to touch the person to heal him? (No, remember the Roman centurion’s servant) Aren’t miracles really superstition? How does the sacrament of Holy Unction differ from say a rain dance by the pagans? Don’t we have doctors now we can go to if we are sick? Why doesn’t Jesus heal everyone? Why do we get sick at all? Aren’t we all going to die anyway? Should we only call for Holy Unction when we are dying? (no) In what other ways can we as Christians serve those who are ill, especially those who are chronically ill?

5. Close with prayer.

REQUIEM

 

Objectives:

1. Students should know the meaning of death in a Christian context.
2. Students should understand the Orthodox rituals surrounding death.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Scriptural basis: John 11:1-46.

 

3.   Order of the service: This service is quite brief; in the Russian tradition it is

called a panikhida.  It opens with the Trisagion prayers, the Lord’s prayer, psalms and litanies for the deceased.  The family hold candles, reminding them of the light of the resurrection.  The priest then prays for rest for the soul of the departed, exclaiming that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. There follow hymns to God and to Mary, another litany and canon. In the end all sing “Memory Eternal”.

 

            4.   Songs of the service: “Memory Eternal”; that’s all the words! Sing it now.

5. Discussion questions:

What is the meaning of death? Why does God allow death? How did death enter the world? Whose victory is death? How does the world around us explain death? If death is the end of everything, how would you live? How do other religions view death? In what way would say that our entire spiritual life is a preparation for death? Are you afraid of dying? Why or why not? Does God care if we die? (Remember, “Jesus wept.”) Why is death always a tragedy? Has anyone ever escaped death?  Did Mary die? How do we know we have victory over death? (the resurrection) What happens after death? What is the meaning of heaven and hell? What is the Last Judgment?

St. John of Kronstadt states: We say that our dead have “fallen asleep” or “passed away.” What does this mean? This means that for the true Christian there is no death. Death was conquered by Christ on the cross. But there is a translation, i.e, a rearrangement of his condition, i.e. his soul is in another place, in another age, in another world beyond the grave, eternal, without end, that is what is meant by “falling asleep”. It is as if it were a temporary dream after which, by the voice of the Lord and the fearful yet wonderful trumpet of the Archangel, all the dead shall live and come forth each to his place: either to the resurrection of life or to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:29). This is what the Christian means by translation. We should be ready for this translation, for the day of the general resurrection and judgment, for this indescribable world event, recorded in the Holy Scriptures.

6. This lesson occurs in close proximity to the secular holiday, Memorial Day. What is the “real” meaning of Memorial Day? How is it usually celebrated in the students’ families? How could the original meaning be re-infused?

 

 

7.   Close with prayer.

 

 TRANSFIGURATION

           

Objectives:

1. Students should understand the icon, its characters and significance.
2. Students should know that the feast is celebrated on August 6.
3. Why are fruits blessed on this day?

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. The icon: See how much the students already know? Christ is the central figure, clothed in white and surrounded by an aureole (elongated halo). Why? Elijah and Moses flank Him; Moses is identified because he’s carrying what? Which disciples are below Christ and why have they fallen down? (Peter, James, and John) Where are they? (Mt. Tabor)

 

 

3. Scripture readings;

Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9

Epistle: II Peter 1:10-19

Old Testament: Exodus 24: 12-end, 33: 11-end, 34:4-6, I Kings 19:3-16

 

4. Songs of the Feast:

Troparion: When Thou, O Christ our God, wast transfigured on the mountain, Thou didst reveal Thy glory to Thy disciples in proportion as they could bear it.  Let Thine everlasting Light also enlighten us sinners, through the intercessions of the Theotokos; O Thou Giver of Life, glory to Thee.

Kontakion: Thou wast transfigured on the mount, and thy disciples, in so far as they were able, beheld thy glory, O Christ our God: so that, when they should see thee crucified, they would remember that thy suffering was voluntary, and could declare to all the world that thou art truly the effulgent splendor of the Father.

 

5. Discussion questions:

What preceded the Transfiguration? (Matthew 16:13-end: Jesus asked the disciples who He was? Peter answered. Jesus then told them about His suffering to come and told them that some of them would die before seeing Him in His glory, and a few days later…) In what way was Jesus preparing his disciples for his crucifixion? Why did the disciples forget about the Transfiguration and run away like cowards? Were the disciples chosen because they were such strong and perfect men? Or were they weak and fragile and quite ordinary, just like you and me? So the Troparion recalls their weakness in “as far as they could bear it”.

Who do Moses and Elijah represent? (Law and Prophets) In the Old Testament readings, what else do we see that Moses and Elijah have in common? (They both saw God’s presence and lived to tell! Moses saw only His back on Mt. Sinai and to Elijah on Mt. Horeb He was revealed as a still, small voice.) So the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament are witness to the revelation of God Incarnate, the New Covenant. What was another time God, the Father, spoke out of heaven in witness of His Son? (Theophany)

In Transfiguration, we see Jesus as both God and man. Is he 2 people? Which council settled this issue? (Chalcedon)  These are the questions of St. Ephraim: If Jesus were not human, who lay in the manger? If He were not God, whom did the angels glorify? If Jesus were not human, whom did Simeon take in his arms? If Jesus were not God, to whom did Simeon say, “Dismiss me in peace”? If Jesus were not human, whom did John baptize? If Jesus were not God, of whom did the Father speak? If Jesus were not human, who took Peter and James and John to the mount? If Jesus were not God, who spoke with Moses and Elijah?

Why doesn’t the Holy Spirit keep the same form on Mt. Tabor (What? luminous cloud) as at the Jordan (What? dove) or at Pentecost (What? tongues of fire)? It would be easier to recognize him if He would. Jesus always appears as a man since the Incarnation. But, the Spirit is not incarnate in the dove or the fire or the cloud; “He is everywhere and fills all things”.

Can we participate in the Transfiguration? What is the point of the reading from II Peter 2 today? We can become partakers of the divine nature – not that we in some sort of union become “one with God” (nirvana of the Hindus) but by grace we can become like God.  The light emanating from Jesus, what does it represent? In what ways have we not been very much like God lately?  How can we become more like God?

Why do we bless fruit on the feast of the Transfiguration? It is the peak of summer in our season and the time of ripeness of fruit.  Can you think of a theological meaning for this? (maybe showing that the divine can transform all created things?)

 

            6.   Close with prayer.

DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS

 

Objectives:

1. Students should understand the icon, who’s in it and what it means.
2. Students should know that we celebrate the Dormition on August 15, and that it is preceded by 2 weeks fast from meat.
3. Students should know why we celebrate it with flowers.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

 

2. Look at the icon together and see how much the students already know: The Theotokos is on her funeral bier; Christ is standing behind her, ready to receive her soul (small child in His arm) into heaven.  The apostles stand on either side of the bier; who’s on the front left? (Peter at the head of the bier) and who’s on the front right? (Paul at the foot of the bier) Who’s that man below the bier? He is Antoninus the Jew! What shape do Mary and Jesus make? (a cross!)

 

3. Review the story itself:

After Pentecost, Mary stayed in Jerusalem, comforting the young Christian Church there.  In her early fifties, she was near death.  The apostles were scattered all over the world preaching the gospel.  However, they all were miraculously returned to Jerusalem in time for her burial – all except Thomas.  Remember Doubting Thomas? As Mary fell asleep, Jesus appeared with His angels to carry her soul to heaven. Thomas arrived late, and when the others took him to her tomb in the Garden of Gethsemane, the tomb was empty.  Mary had been taken to heaven!

           Antoninus the Jew is depicted on the icon.  He was a fanatical Jew, who tried to overturn the coffin of Mary to dishonor her body.  An archangel was sent and cut off his hands to stop him from this disgraceful act.  Later in his life, Antoninus became a Christian and was healed.

 

4. Scripture readings:

Gospel: Luke 10:38-end, 11: 27-28

Epistle: Philippians 2:5-11

Old Testament: Genesis 28:11-17, Ezekiel 43: 27-44:14, Proverbs 9:1-11

 

5. Songs of the Feast:

Troparion: When thou didst give birth, O Theotokos, thou didst preserve thy virginity; and in thy falling-asleep thou has not forsaken the world; for thou wast translated to Life since thou art the Mother of Life. Wherefore, by thine intercessions, deliver our souls from death.

Kontakion: Truly, the Theotokos, who is ever watchful in intercessions, who is never rejected, neither tomb nor death could control.  But being the Mother of Life, He Who dwelt in her ever-virgin womb did translate her to life.

 

6. Discussion questions;

Is the feast of the Dormition chronicled in Scripture? Does this mean that this is only legend? What is the purpose and importance of Holy Tradition?  Is the Dormition the same as the Immaculate Conception, as taught by the Roman Catholic Church? If Mary were not bodily raised, how come we have no relics of her body?

What is the meaning in the Troparion of “you did not forsake the world”? What is Mary doing now in heaven? (interceding for us) Has Mary ever appeared on earth since her Dormition? One instance is celebrated in the feast of the Protection of the Virgin on October 1, when Mary appeared in Constantinople, on the steps of a church praying and crying, and the imminent barbarian invasion miraculous disappeared. What are miraculous icons? (icons that weep or exude a fragrant odor or produce healing oil) They are almost always icons of the Virgin Mary, showing her continuing love as a mother for all of us.

The Megalynarion, or hymn to Mary, sung most Sundays during Divine Liturgy, beginning “It is truly meet…” also had miraculous origin, when the angel Gabriel, disguised as a monk, inscribed the words on a stone tablet with his finger during the prayers of a monk on Mount Athos, pictured on this icon.

Why do we celebrate this feast with flowers? When the apostles went to the tomb and found it empty, the tomb was filled with the overwhelming fragrance of flowers.  Flowers are brought to church and blessed; they can then be taken home to fill the home with their fragrance.

 

            7.   Close with prayer.