Church History Parents' Guide Schedule and Overview

CHURCH HISTORY

PARENTS’ GUIDE

Sample schedule of classes -- type in your own dates for the current year.

   Date                         Topic                                                   Special Notes             

 

Sept.    8          Opening Gala Movie Night, entire parish       Quo Vadis

                        Outdoor theater with bonfire

             9          Pentecost/Philip & Eunuch                            

 

16         Stephen                                                         

 

23        Conversion of Saul                                        

 

            30        Peter and Cornelius                            

 

Oct.      7         Council of Jerusalem              

 

           14        Spread of Gospel                                           

 

           21        John/Revelation                                 

 

           27        Movie Night (after vespers)                            Ben Hur

           28        Paul and Journeys                                           All Saint’s Party after Church School

                                                                                              in Social Hall – bring costumes

                       

Nov.     4         Paul and Journeys                  

                                   

11        Peter                                                               

 

18        Dormition                                                       

 

             25        Persecutions                                                   

 

Dec.     1         St. Nicholas Festival   10AM-12noon                        Rehearsal of play following

            2         St. Nicholas Play                                                       Congregation during coffee hour

                                                                                                         Nursing Home afterwards

 

            9          Constantine                                                    

 

            16        Elevation of the Cross                                   

 

23        St. Mary of Egypt                                          

 

30        Canon of Scripture                                          Memory Work: Books of Bible

(Gospels and Acts for ages 3-7)

Theophany jars after Church School  

 

Jan.      6         Athanasius/Creed                               

            Council of Nicea                                             12:30 PM Three Kings Party

                       

13        Chrysostom/Liturgy                                        Memory Work: Creed

                                                                                   

20        Three Hierarchs                                               Homeless Bags after Church School

 

            27        Cyril of Alexandria/Councils                         

 

Feb.     3          St. Nina/St. Patrick/Councils                         

 

            9          Movie night after vespers                               El Cid

           10        Fall of Rome                                                  

 

            17        Byzantine Empire/Justinian                            Memory Work: Trisagion Prayers      

                                                                                                            (3-5 only thrice holy)

24        Rise of Islam                                                  

 

March  2          Icons/St. John of Damascus                            Art Day after Church School

             9         Monasticism/ St. Anthony/St. Seraphim        

 

16      Cyril and Methodius/ Baptism of Russia                     

 

23        St. Gregory Palamas                                       Memory work: Jesus Prayer

 

30        The Crusades                         

 

April    6         Fall of Constantinople                                               

 

12        Movie Night after vespers                              Becket or A Man for All Seasons

            13        Protestant Reformation                                  

                                                                                   

20        Protestant Reformation                      

 

  1. PASCHA – no Church School
  2. Easter Egg Hunt and Cookout after Liturgy

 

 May    4          Armenia/Antioch   

                            

           11      Ethiopia/Alexandria               

 

16-18   Camping Trip: No Class                     

 

25        Greece/Constantinople                                    Memory Work: “Lord Have Mercy” 

                                                                                                5 languages (3-5 only one)

June     1         Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria                             

 

             8         Japan                                                               Rehearsal during opening exercises                           

            15        Ukraine, Russia, OCA                                      Rehearsal during opening exercises

 

            21        Rehearsal after vespers                                   Balailaka on the Onion Dome

           Movie night                                                     Scarlet and Black

22        End of Year Play                                              Parish and Nursing Home

            Awards Presentation

 

 

 

WEEKLY SUPPLEMENTS

 

            Several families have requested in past years a parents’ guide to help them in continuing their children’s Christian education at home and reinforcing what is being taught in Church School.  The following constitutes some suggestions you can use in your homes but, be creative!  Look at the topics yourselves and you’ll probably think of many even more exciting activities for you and your child(ren) to enjoy together.  This is geared to the smaller children (ages 10 and under); older children still have memory work and should begin reading the Scripture lessons and maybe even biographies of some of the saints (e.g. from the church library) of the time period.  There is a puzzle with each lesson for the older children plus coloring pages and activities for the younger. 

 

Remember each day to celebrate family prayers in your icon corner and to reread (or retell) the story we read in Church School at least once during the week.  After the weekly suggestions, look through the stories, coloring icons, recipes, songs, maps, and fact sheets to help you with each week’s “homework”, but don’t ignore the church library, public library (lots of great children’s picture geography books, about every possible country), your own library, and the Internet for even more enrichment.

 

It is very important even for the very young child to have daily prayers (Do you have a family icon corner? What about setting up one in his room?) and Bible (or Bible story) reading, maybe right after dinner or at bedtime. Do you say grace after each meal? Each day they can practice crossing themselves, lighting candles, burning incense, etc. And on Saturday night, in preparation for Liturgy the next day, what about a time of private confession to the Lord? You could even “pray the hours” on days when you are home: 7 AM (First Hour) thanking God for His light, 9 AM (3rd Hour) thanking Him for His Holy Spirit, 12 Noon (6th Hour) thanking Him for His crucifixion, and 3 PM (9th Hour) praying with the wise thief, “Remember me, O Lord, in thy Kingdom.” Very little time spent, but a habit begun. Don’t forget a Jesse Tree and Advent wreath to bring Nativity closer to home.

 

In addition, don’t forget our parties, pageants, and the camping trip. These are designed to be part of the curriculum and real learning experiences, but fun as well! The Balalaika on the Onion Dome, performed with puppets and sung, will musically review the entire year for all of us.

 

RECIPES

 

 

                            CLAYS                                                                  PAINTS

SALT DOUGH                                                         FINGER PAINT (4 WAYS)

2 cups flour                                                                 Use pudding with food coloring!

1 cup salt                                                                     Mix liquid starch and food coloring.

about 1 cup water                                                       Mix 3 T sugar, ½ cup cornstarch, and

food coloring                                                                          2 cups cold water. Cook over

bath oil, vegetable oil, peppermint oil                                     low heat, stirring, till thick.

            Mix flour and salt. Add water                                      Pour into muffin tin. Add

slowly and mix with your fingers until                                   food coloring to each cup.

it makes dough. Knead in a few drops

food coloring and a splotch of oil (if                          SAND PAINT

desired). Store in air-tight container.                          Add dry tempera paint to corn meal.

                                                                                    Sprinkle over areas “painted” with thinned white glue.

SELF-HARDENING CLAY                                  

1 cup sand                                                                    Shake off excess.

½ cup cornstarch

1 tsp powdered alum                                                                          PASTES

¾ cup hot water                                                          PRIMARY PASTE

Food coloring if desired                                             Mix ½ cup water and 1 cup flour

            Mix sand, cornstarch and alum                                   in a bowl. Spoon into a jar

in large pot. Add hot water and stir                                         or squeeze bottle to store.

vigorously. Add food coloring if

desired. Cook over medium heat                                PAPIER MACHE PASTE

until thick, stirring constantly.                                    3 cups water

After cooling, store in airtight container.                    1 ½ cups flour

                                                                                                Mix flour with cold water until lumps are gone.

SAWDUST CLAY                                      

2 cups fine sawdust                                                    Dip pieces of newsprint in paste and mold around

1 cup flour                                                                   surface to be shaped. Air dry.

            Mix sawdust and flour in bowl

or bucket. Add a little water at a time,                       CORNSTARCH DOUGH

stirring till it is stiff but pliable. Knead                       2 cups cornstarch

till it’s elastic and easy to shape. Store                       4 cups baking soda     

in airtight container. Air dry.                                      2 ½ cups water

            Mix cornstarch and soda in large

            pot. Add water. Cook, stirring, over medium

            heat until thick like mashed potatoes. After

cool, knead on wax paper for 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Air dry.

 

 

For your interest, with older students each

 

week, you can review the timing of events.


This is a more detailed timeline: