The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
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THE COPTIC ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE ST. GEORGE AND ST. RUEISS CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM GRADE ELEVEN Revised Edition 2014 PREPARATION AND WRITING Father Rueiss Awad, St. George and St. Rueiss Coptic Orthodox Church Toronto, Canada. To Order Write To St. George and St. Rueiss Coptic, Orthodox Church 141 Bond Avenue Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M3B 1M1 (416) 444-1092 or (416) 447-0108 Email: [email protected] Copyright © 2014 by St. George and St. Rueiss Coptic Orthodox Church All rights reserved No portion of this book may be reproduced or copied in any form without a written permission from: St. George and St. Rueiss Coptic Orthodox Church, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 2 3 THE THRICE-BLESSED POPE SHENOUDA III OF BLESSED MEMORY 4 HIS HOLINESS POPE TAWADROS II 5 6 To my blessed two sons: Hegomain Fr. Marcous Elias Abdel Massih and Hegomain Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty. Peace and love be with you. Dr. Mahfouz has visited me and brought with him the suggested Sunday school curriculum for the land of immigration. I have studied with him the basic topics of the curriculum without getting into details. Although I have pointed out some concerns on the doctrine and dogma curriculum, it is clear that the amount of work spent on preparing the curriculum is huge and worth thanking. Nonetheless, the Bible study part of the curriculum needs to be increased. God willing, I will also send you additional details on this curriculum. May the Lord bless all the effort that our son Mahfouz has done in preparing the Sunday school curriculum, in collecting the relevant topics, and in performing the translation of subjects. May the Lord also bless all those who have joined him in preparing this project and those who revised the topics. Let our goal be to perform our best in order to try to arrive at perfection given our abilities. Lastly, I would also suggest the addition of different recognized pictures according to our doctrine, dogma and history to the Sunday school curriculum. May the Lord be with you. Be in peace. Signed Pope Shenouda III 22 August 1986 The feast of St. Mary 7 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION TO THE SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM ............................................................................ 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................................... 16 TEACHER'S GUIDELINES: ................................................................................................................................... 20 FEATURES OF THIS SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM ..................................................................................... 21 THE PREPARATION OF SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS .................................................................................. 23 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 28 SEPTEMBER ............................................................................................................................................................ 30 FIRST SUNDAY ........................................................................................................................................... 30 THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS: WHY DID THEY LOVE MARTYRDOM? ....................................................... 30 SECOND SUNDAY ...................................................................................................................................... 37 NOT EVERYONE IS RIGHT: HOW DO I KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG? (I) ................................ 37 THIRD SUNDAY ......................................................................................................................................... 43 NOT EVERYONE IS RIGHT: HOW DO I KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG? (II) .............................. 43 FOURTH SUNDAY ...................................................................................................................................... 51 CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING OF SUCCESS & THE MEANS OF ACHIEVING IT (I) ............................. 51 OCTOBER ................................................................................................................................................................. 57 FIRST SUNDAY ........................................................................................................................................... 57 CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING OF SUCCESS & THE MEANS OF ACHIEVING IT (II) ............................ 57 SECOND SUNDAY ...................................................................................................................................... 63 EVIL COMPANY (I) ......................................................................................................................................... 63 THIRD SUNDAY ......................................................................................................................................... 69 EVIL COMPANY (II) ........................................................................................................................................ 69 FOURTH SUNDAY ...................................................................................................................................... 75 PERSONAGES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT (I): ELIJAH THE PROPHET - CONFIDENCE IN GOD'S PRESENCE WITH US ...................................................................................................................................... 75 FIFTH SUNDAY .......................................................................................................................................... 81 PERSONAGES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT (II): ELIJAH THE PROPHET - IMPORTANCE OF LIGHT/WITNESS TO THE WORLD ................................................................................................................ 81 NOVEMBER .............................................................................................................................................................. 91 FIRST SUNDAY ........................................................................................................................................... 91 ANSWERING JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES (I) .................................................................................................... 91 SECOND SUNDAY ...................................................................................................................................... 99 ANSWERING JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES (II) ................................................................................................... 99 THIRD SUNDAY ....................................................................................................................................... 106 SERVING THE LORD (I) ............................................................................................................................... 106 FOURTH SUNDAY .................................................................................................................................... 114 SERVING THE LORD (II) .............................................................................................................................. 114 DECEMBER ............................................................................................................................................................ 118 FIRST SUNDAY ......................................................................................................................................... 118 JOB'S WIFE - NARROW LOOK AT GOD ..................................................................................................... 118 SECOND SUNDAY .................................................................................................................................... 124 THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE MIDNIGHT PRAISE ..................................................................................... 124 THIRD SUNDAY ....................................................................................................................................... 128 HOLY BIBLE STUDY (I): THE ROOTS OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS - DOCTRINES ........................................................................................................................................................................ 128 FOURTH SUNDAY .................................................................................................................................... 134 HOLY BIBLE STUDY (II): THE ROOTS OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS - SALVATION ........................................................................................................................................................................ 134 FIFTH SUNDAY ........................................................................................................................................ 140 HOLY BIBLE STUDY (III): THE ROOTS OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE BOOKS OF GENESIS - SPIRITUAL, SACRAMENTAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES ........................................................................................................ 140 JANUARY ................................................................................................................................................................ 144 8 FIRST SUNDAY .................................................................................................................................... 144