THE COPTIC ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE ST. GEORGE AND ST. RUEISS CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM PRE-SCHOOLER Revised Edition 2019 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 © 2019 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 materials? 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 IMPORTANT RULES FOR TEACHING THE YOUTH IN THE LAND OF IMMIGRATION ..................... 11 INTRODUCTION TO THE SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM ............................................................................ 13 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................................... 18 TEACHER GUIDELINES: ...................................................................................................................................... 22 FEATURES OF THIS SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM ..................................................................................... 23 THE PREPARATION OF SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS .................................................................................. 25 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 31 SEPTEMBER ............................................................................................................................................................ 33 FIRST SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................... 33 THE STORY OF ZACCHAEUS ........................................................................................................................ 33 SECOND SUNDAY .............................................................................................................................................. 39 EL-NAYROUZ FEAST ...................................................................................................................................... 39 THIRD SUNDAY .................................................................................................................................................. 45 THE LORD JESUS HELPS THE FISHERMEN ............................................................................................... 45 FOURTH SUNDAY .............................................................................................................................................. 51 THE DAY OF THE FEAST OF THE CROSS ................................................................................................... 51 OCTOBER ................................................................................................................................................................. 58 FIRST SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................... 58 LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER ...................................................................................................................... 58 SECOND SUNDAY .............................................................................................................................................. 64 THANKSGIVING TO GOD .............................................................................................................................. 64 THIRD SUNDAY .................................................................................................................................................. 70 THE ANGELS –I JACOB WAS COMFORTED BY THE ANGELS .................................................................. 70 FOURTH SUNDAY .............................................................................................................................................. 76 THE ANGELS – II THE GUARDIAN ANGELS ............................................................................................... 76 FIFTH SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................... 82 THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS .................................................................................................................... 82 NOVEMBER .............................................................................................................................................................. 88 FIRST SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................... 88 JESUS HEALS A DEAF-MUTE ....................................................................................................................... 88 SECOND SUNDAY .............................................................................................................................................. 94 A SERVANT LEARNS GOD’S WAYS ............................................................................................................... 94 THIRD SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................ 100 BE A GOOD FRIEND LIKE DAVID AND JONATHAN ................................................................................ 100 FOURTH SUNDAY ............................................................................................................................................ 106 ST. MENA THE WONDER-MAKER ............................................................................................................. 106 DECEMBER ............................................................................................................................................................ 114 FIRST SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................. 114 ZECHARIAH AND ELIZABETH .................................................................................................................... 114 SECOND SUNDAY ............................................................................................................................................ 120 THE VIRGIN MARY AND THE ANGEL ........................................................................................................ 120 THIRD SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................ 126 MARY VISITS ELIZABETH ............................................................................................................................ 126 FOURTH SUNDAY ............................................................................................................................................ 132 THE NEW YEAR -WHAT DOES GOD WANT US TO DO? .......................................................................... 132 JANUARY ................................................................................................................................................................ 136 8 FIRST SUNDAY ................................................................................................................................................. 136 CHRISTMAS SONGS AND SLIDE PRESENTATION ABOUT THE EVENTS BEFORE AND AFTER THE BIRTH OF BABY JESUS. ............................................................................................................................... 136 SECOND SUNDAY ............................................................................................................................................ 138 THE WISEMAN