THE COPTIC ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE ST. GEORGE AND ST. RUEISS CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM STUDENT WORK BOOK PRE-SCHOOLERS (PARENT ASSISTED) 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 © 2005 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 that 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 performing our best to try and arrive at perfection given what we have from 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 ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................................... 12 SEPTEMBER ............................................................................................................................................................ 18 FIRST SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................... 18 THE STORY OF ZACCHAEUS ........................................................................................................................ 18 SECOND SUNDAY .............................................................................................................................................. 24 EL-NAYROUZ FEAST ...................................................................................................................................... 24 THIRD SUNDAY .................................................................................................................................................. 30 THE LORD JESUS HELPS THE FISHERMEN ............................................................................................... 30 FOURTH SUNDAY .............................................................................................................................................. 36 THE DAY OF THE CROSS FEAST .................................................................................................................. 36 OCTOBER ................................................................................................................................................................. 42 FIRST SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................... 42 LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER ...................................................................................................................... 42 SECOND SUNDAY .............................................................................................................................................. 48 THANKSGIVING TO GOD .............................................................................................................................. 48 THIRD SUNDAY .................................................................................................................................................. 54 THE ANGELS – I JACOB WAS COMFORTED BY THE ANGELS ................................................................. 54 FOURTH SUNDAY .............................................................................................................................................. 60 THE ANGELS – II THE GUARDIAN ANGELS ............................................................................................... 60 FIFTH SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................... 67 THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS .................................................................................................................... 67 NOVEMBER .............................................................................................................................................................. 74 FIRST SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................... 74 JESUS HEALS A DEAF-MUTE ....................................................................................................................... 74 SECOND SUNDAY .............................................................................................................................................. 80 A SERVANT LEARNS GOD’S WAYS ............................................................................................................... 80 THIRD SUNDAY .................................................................................................................................................. 87 BE A GOOD FRIEND LIKE DAVID AND JONATHAN .................................................................................. 87 FOURTH SUNDAY .............................................................................................................................................. 93 ST. MENA THE MIRACLE-MAKER ............................................................................................................... 93 DECEMBER .............................................................................................................................................................. 99 FIRST SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................... 99 ZACHARIAS AND ELIZABETH ....................................................................................................................... 99 SECOND SUNDAY ............................................................................................................................................ 105 THE VIRGIN MARY AND THE ANGEL ........................................................................................................ 105 THIRD SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................ 112 MARY VISITS ELIZABETH ............................................................................................................................ 112 FOURTH SUNDAY ............................................................................................................................................ 118 The new Year – What does God want us to do? ............................................................................................. 118 JANUARY ................................................................................................................................................................ 124 FIRST SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................. 124 Christmas Celebrations .................................................................................................................................. 124 SECOND SUNDAY ............................................................................................................................................ 126 THE WISEMEN AND THE SHEPHERDS VISIT BABY JESUS ..................................................................... 126 THIRD SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................ 132 JESUS WAS KEPT SAFE IN EGYPT ............................................................................................................. 132 FOURTH SUNDAY ............................................................................................................................................ 137 8 EPIPHANY ....................................................................................................................................................