September/October 2006

Welcome To The New Sunday School Year!

Where did the summer go? The perennial and anguished question of teachers and students alike! But even as we say a nostalgic goodbye to long, lazy days, there is true pleasure in anticipating a new school year, new experiences with a new class, the possibilities and promise of a fresh academic start. Good luck and may God bless all your creative endeavors on behalf of His beloved children.

A lot has been happening in the Christian Education division of the Department of Youth and Education over the past several months. Although we report regularly to our Superintendents, many of you may not know about the latest programs, publications, and events. The following is a progress report. Please read it! What you find out may be very important to improving your classroom success.

The Armenian Church Educator

If you're reading this, then you clearly know that the classic newsletter of lesson ideas and seasonal and Armenian Church resources once offered exclusively in print format (formerly known as The DRE Bulletin and now in its 36th year) has been available since Fall 2004 in an on-line edition called The Armenian Church Educator. The expanded format includes helpful information for Armenian School teachers.

Upcoming improvements as we fine-tune our publication: You can look forward to being able to download each issue entirely in a PDF file, find helpful articles via an index of all Educator issues, and find a calendar of feasts in each issue.

The Educator can be accessed on the Diocesan website, www.armenianchurch.net/educator. Or, to have it mailed to you directly upon its bimonthly release, send your email address to the Coordinator of Information Services, Jake Goshert, at jakeg@armeniandcioese.org.

A survey concerning the use and preferences of teachers concerning the online format was sent to all superintendents for distribution to staffs. We haven't heard from all of you! See your superintendent for further information.

Curriculum project

The revision of the Sunday School curriculum continues. Jesus: Bible Stories for Children (which accompanies the new Kindergarten text) is at the printer for release in September. The Kindergarten student text (28 lessons as individual folded sheets) and teacher manual are in production for release in November. Grades 1,5,7 and 8 are all in various stages of writing and editing. In preparation for release in December is the Middle/High School, In Remembrance of Him, a 16-session text on the Divine Liturgy.

Publications 2005/2006

1. A memorial second edition of Saints and Feasts (Patriarch Torkom Koushagian, translated by the late Very Rev. Fr. Haigazoun Melkonian) with the generous support from the Men's Society of the St. John Armenian Church of Detroit, MI.

2. A redesigned Dictionary of the Armenian Church, the Department-sponsored translation of Malachia Ormanian's renowned Dssisagan Pararan.

3. Teaching Faith: Modeling Christ A general introduction to the theory of Christian education and the specific tools available to Sunday School teachers in the Armenian Church. Distributed free to Sunday School staffs.

4. Breathed By God, a comprehensive 16-session course on Scripture designed for high schoolers (and suitable for adults). In a "Dummies Guide" format of sidebars, vocabulary, and points of distinctly Armenian interest, the textbook was a long-awaited survey of Scripture within the tradition of the Armenian Church.

5. A pocket prayer book for young adults, Here I Am, Lord, consisting of prayers drawn from Scripture and the Armenian Church fathers and original prayers for contemporary circumstances with an introductory chapter on prayer and Scripture verses for life's different moments.

Gift of Portrait of a Survivor

Multiple copies of the touching genocide memoir, Portrait of a Survivor by Florence Soghoian, were graciously donated to our Sunday Schools by James and Shocky Pilafian of Florida. Distributed free for use as part of an annual genocide curriculum.

New Family Resource

A set of 6 Information Cards on the Sundays of Lent was created to help Sunday School classes and families meaningfully mark each Sunday of Lent. Six different full-color Armenian miniatures featuring an explanation of the Sunday, Scripture verses, and discussion questions were distributed free of charge to Sunday School students and staffs as this year's Lenten family resource.

New England Region Superintendents Association

The revitalized New England Region Superintendents' Association had two meetings, April 1 at Holy Translators, Framingham, MA. (7 of 11 parishes represented) and June 24 at St. James, Watertown, MA. (9 of the 11 parish schools were represented). The networking, problem-solving, and successful program sharing will be a model for reviving associations in other regions.

Miscellaneous highlights

Besides school visits and workshops, the following is a sample of the variety of programs with which the division of Christian Education has been involved:

1. Represent the Armenian Church on the NCCC Education and Leadership Ministries Commission (one of the 5 large working commissions under the umbrella of the NCCC).

2. Conducted an adult parish retreat (March 25: Trumbull, CT & White Plains, NY) on the unique character of corporate prayer: Where Two or Three Are Gathered: The Power of Praying Together. Sessions included lecture/Bible study/small group work/discussion. 36 participants.

3. Hosted a reception (April 27) for our new prayer book, Here I Am Lord, which brought 60 guests to headquarters for an evening of celebration and remembrance (the book was partially underwritten by the family of the late Rose Mekenian).

4. Designed the Church and Home handouts and made presentations at the annual Clergy Conference and Diocesan Assembly.

5. Helped plan and participate in Youth Summit and young adult/Diocesan Council workshops at headquarters.

6. Presented a session at the Yeretzgins' retreat at Diocesan Assembly: "The Tapestry of My Life" identifying key people and events that shaped our faith and the person we have become.

7. Met with Angela Costello, director of animation and creative services for the Christian Broadcast Network. CBN recently donated 100 copies of eight different animated Christian videos to the Diocese for use in our Sunday Schools and mission parishes (we'll be distributing them in the fall). Angela has proposed ways that she can help us animate some of our books and curriculum.

8. Worked with Choir Association's pilot project involving 5 volunteer Sunday Schools: AACCA will be preparing a curriculum and a designated teacher for a 20-minute junior choir-type program Sunday mornings.

9. Prepared the religious curriculum for St. Vartan and Hye Camps (10 sessions for ages 8 to 13)

Lenten Drives 2005/2006

The 2005 Diocesan-wide Sunday School Lenten Drive benefited desperate Armenian families in the Republic of Georgia's Javakh Diocese, enabling its Primate, Bishop Vasken Mirzakhanian to assist his faithful with basic social services and stop the destruction of Armenian churches and khachkars.

The campaign collected $11, 183.78 from 30 Sunday Schools.

The 2006 Drive for the wonderful Foster Care program in Armenia, designed to support families who house and nurture orphans, has netted $13, 460 to date from 25 Sunday Schools (not all have submitted their donation).

Sending out Apostles

In 2006, 93 graduates from 17 schools, and in 2005, 77 graduates from 14 schools received a Sunday School diploma, the exciting culmination of -- for the most part -- 13 years of attendance (Pre-K-11). Many of them will continue to participate in service programs through their Sunday Schools.