Nativity Season Resources for Families

The Nativity Fast – and the glorious Feast of the Nativity of our Lord – is approaching. Now is the time to make a plan to prepare your own heart, and the hearts of each member of our family, to welcome Our Lord at His Nativity. In the modern world, often there is much hustle and bustle associated with “The Christmas Season.” If you have a plan in place before Nativity Lent even begins, you will have the opportunity to decide what is your family’s priority, and which things do not have to happen.

Before this Nativity season even begins, make your plan. Consider watching each of the 6 short video clips found in the Center for Family Care’s “Potholes On the Way to Bethlehem” series. The series offers a handful of questions related to each video clip, that parents can discuss together – and with other parents, if possible. The series can help you focus on what is truly important during the Nativity season. Find the free series here: https://orthodoxmarketplace.com/potholes-on-the-way-to-bethlehem-navigating-the-stress-of-the-nativity-season-a-small-group-guide/.

Throughout the Nativity Fast, look for opportunities to be still together as a family, so that the importance of our Lord’s coming is not drowned out by the cacophony of activity. Here are some suggestions of choices that your family can make toward the end of stillness and focus. These are shared in no particular order:

1. Study the Nativity icon together. There’s a young-child focused lesson about this icon, complete with simplified explanations, at https://orthodoxpebbles.com/a-nativity-lesson/. Older children and adults will benefit from the more in-depth explanation of the icon, such as the one found here https://iconreader.wordpress.com/2010/12/24/the-nativity-icon/  or here: https://antiochianprodsa.blob.core.windows.net/websiteattachments/Nativity%20Icon%20-%20FR%20Kfouf.pdf. After your initial study, return to the icon weekly (or even daily). Be still before it and think about what is happening as Christ becomes incarnate in our midst. Each time you see it, it will mean more to you because you have spent time with it.
2. Set aside quiet moments to be still together and create beautiful things. Slowing down enough to create can be very helpful to family members who have a love for/need to create. (That said, if creating/crafting stresses your whole family, then do not do it!)

• Utilize one (or more) of the black and white printable icons for that nativity season available here, in creations of your own (How about making them into stained glass windows? Cards? Framed art? Or print miniature versions and make Christmas ornaments with them?) http://orthodoxeducation.blogspot.com/2011/12/orthodox-christmas-coloring-pages.html. On that site, you will also find interesting notes that your family can discuss as you look at or color these line art icons. 
• Work together to create some framed Nativity icon ornaments. These would make great gifts for Church school teachers, friends, godparents, etc.: http://orthodoxeducation.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-orthodox-craft-ornaments.html. 
• These paper Nativity scenes are fun for children to assemble, and play with, as well: https://madebyjoel.com/2013/12/travel-size-paper-city-nativity-scene.html

Paper City Nativity Scene (Joyfully Expanded!)

• Younger children may enjoy creating this Nativity-themed “stained glass” decoration: https://meaningfulmama.com/stained-glass-nativity-craft-for-kids.html 
• Older children and adults may prefer to create a beautiful decoration with card stock and a craft knife/scissors, using this free pattern: https://liagriffith.com/papercut-nativity-scene-freebie/ 

3. Have a daily Nativity reading/discussion time together. There are multiple options for this, including:

• Color your way through your Nativity Fast with this book: https://www.amazon.com/Color-Your-Through-Nativity-Fast/dp/1698389531 
• Read through a “Jesse Tree” project, such as this version created by two Orthodox moms. It compiles 40 scripture readings (including sketches to go with each), to help families prepare for the Nativity. https://orthodoxjessetree.wordpress.com/about/ 
• Walk through the Old Testament, and into the New, in this book, which contains a short reading for each day of the Nativity Fast. Many families find it comforting to read through this book every Nativity Lent, thus preparing their hearts for Christ’s coming: https://sebastianpress.org/elissa-bjeletich-welcoming-the-christ-child-book-only/. The book is also available with a daily ornament that can be hung on a bannister, tree, or as part of a wall display: https://sebastianpress.org/welcoming-the-christ-child-book-ornament-gift-set/ 
• If you have older children, take in this series of weekly studies, to keep your focus on Christ throughout the Nativity Fast: https://stgeorgegreenville.org/our-faith/advent 

4. If there are young children and/or visual learners in your family, consider finding a physical way to keep track of the Nativity Fast. Having a concrete way to track each day of the fasting period makes it more real for such individuals, helping them to better understand where they are in the season. There are many ways to do this. 

• One option is this beautiful pocket calendar: https://www.etsy.com/listing/720770322/40-day-advent-calendar-sew-it-yourself (This calendar comes with a star that can be moved from pocket to pocket as the days pass. However, the pockets can also hold the Welcoming the Christ Child ornaments listed above, or these countdown cards: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1311227825/40-day-advent-countdown-cards )
• Another option is a spiral candle holder such as one of these. Move a candle along the spiral, one step closer to the center, each day during a family prayer and/or study time, with this one: https://www.treasuresfromjennifer.com/products/wooden-spiral-candle-holder-for-birthdays-advent-and-lent-waldorf-birthday-ring; or move a candle as well as a wooden silhouette of Mary on a donkey along the trail towards the middle “Bethlehem” with this one: https://thekeepingcompany.com/products/cradle-to-cross-wreath-cherry  (This version of the spiral calendar also comes with a silhouette of Christ and the Cross, so that you can use it again to mark the days during Great Lent.)

5. There are so many wonderful services added to the Church calendar during the Nativity Fast. Regardless of whether or not you do any of the other above-suggested ideas for stillness and focus, be sure to attend as many services as you are able. Just before the Feast of the Nativity, try to be part of the beautiful Royal Hours service. This service calms and prepares the hearts of all who attend it, focusing them on what is about to take place. Children may enjoy marking the passage of each “hour” of this service with this page: http://manymercies.blogspot.com/2021/12/royal-hours-of-nativity-coloring-page.html 

When the Feast of the Nativity arrives, celebrate it together with much joy! Since our Orthodox celebration of the Nativity extends for 12 days, do not stop celebrating when Christmas day passes. Rather, find ways to continue the celebration, in order to properly observe the Feast. If your family does not yet have any “12 days of Christmas” traditions, you may wish to consider the variety of ideas found in Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Family Devotional in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition, by AmandaEve Wigglesworth. This book offers celebratory suggestions each day, paired with a short devotional for your family to read and discuss together. Each meditation contains information about the feast or saint being commemorated that day; a related kontakion or troparion; and a short explanation of the Christian meanings behind both the number of that day of Christmas and the gift offered (in the “12 Days of Christmas” song) on that day. Each day there is also a suggested related activity to do together as a family. Activities vary from Christmas caroling to making thank-you cards to crafts (ie: making a St. Genevieve’s luminaria and coloring a “stained glass” icon) to baking vasilopita (recipe included) to cleaning your house together in preparation for your house blessing. This book can be an excellent resource for one year’s celebration of the “12 Days”, or it could become the guide for your family’s annual “12 day” traditions. Find more information about the book, including sample pages, here: https://store.ancientfaith.com/celebrating-the-twelve-days-of-christmas/ 

Taking a little time now, before the Nativity Fast even begins, to organize your thoughts, plans, and schedule can really help the whole season to be filled with peace. You know your family best and what they need. So, your plan may include some of the above suggestions, or it may not! Regardless, having and implementing a plan that works for your family can help all of you to focus on the reason for this beautiful season. What joy will fill your hearts as you take twelve days to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord, when those hearts have been stilled and focused on His coming throughout the weeks leading up to His birth. 

May you and your family have a blessed Nativity Fast, as you prepare for the incarnation of Our Lord!

A Look at “Old Testament Games & Relays” by Summer Kinard

Park End Books’ latest addition to their Accessible Church School series is Summer Kinard’s Old Testament Games & Relays. In the book’s introduction, Kinard reminds her readers how important play is in children’s learning. She points out how frequently lessons (particularly religious education lessons) omit this important means for learning, offering only “a lesson, a coloring page, and a snack.” In her effort to create an educational atmosphere that includes everyone and meets all children’s needs, she has created these fun games.

Old Testament Games & Relays features 25 games in the following categories: Creation and the Fall; Noah; Abraham and Sarah; Joseph; Moses and the Exodus; The Promised Land; King Saul, King David, and King Solomon; and Prophets and Forebears. Kinard has written each game in such a way that instruction and play are happening simultaneously. Because of this, children will romp their way through these games, learning truths from the Old Testament while playing them, without even realizing that they are learning.

Each game’s description offers a succinct explanation of the story on which it is based, complete with scripture reference; the goal of the game; the ages for which it is appropriate (as well as suggestions for how to mix age groups if needed); the materials/setup for the game; suggestions for multiple ways to play; and related notes. Kinard has 30 years of Sunday school teaching experience under her belt, which is very well evident in the thorough suggestions/offerings for each game. An appendix at the end of the book groups the games in categories: messy games, water games, indoor games, and Sunday best clothes games. Kinard has intentionally utilized fairly readily available “props” for the games, many of which are easily at hand or can be used again in other settings if they need to be purchased/created.

This book is a valuable resource for any Sunday school teacher, homeschool group, parish event planner, or family that gathers neighborhood children for organized games. Sunday school teachers will find games they can use with their Church school curriculum. Homeschool groups could use this book as a guide for weekly Bible study (for 25 weeks: almost a full school year!), basing their weekly study on an Old Testament story reflected in a game from this book. Parish event planners could use a game (or more) from the book to drive the theme for a family night or for a children’s group gathering. Families who are intentionally building relationships with neighborhood children could pick a game or two from the book, briefly share the story related to it, and have a lot of clean neighborhood fun as they all play the game(s) together.

Children learn so well through play. It is imperative that any adult working with children keeps that fact in mind, and finds ways to incorporate as much play as possible into their interactions with children. This book is an excellent place to start.

Find your copy of the book here:  https://parkendbooks.com/shop/oldtestamentgamesandrelays/ 

Reviewed for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Education Ministry by Kristina Wenger, educator, podcaster, co-author of Tending the Garden of Our Heart.

A Handful of Educational Books for Young Orthodox Learners

For those of us in the USA, it’s time to head back to school. Whether children attend public or private schools, or are homeschooled, there is always a need for them to continue to grow in their faith. These three books from Newrome Press offer ways to help them learn and grow.

O is for Orthodox, written by Theofanis Sawabe and illustrated by Vladimir Ilievski is a board book unlike any other. This book with “peek-a-boo” pages introduces its readers to Orthodox vocabulary, offering one familiar* Orthodox word per letter of the alphabet. Each letter has its own page, most of which have been cut around the letter to allow the reader to “peek” onto the next page, where the featured word is revealed and illustrated. Each spread is painted with colors common to iconography, and include recognizable icons when appropriate. 

This book can simply be read to the youngest learners, who will enjoy turning the partial pages, and proclaiming the word related to the letter (once they have read the book enough times to know what is coming). However, it would also be an excellent launching pad for 26 studies of Orthodox words that enhance the learners’ faith, regardless of the age of the learner. Families or Church school classrooms will benefit from starting with each of these Orthodox words and pulling together a lesson of study about that word. For each word, they can talk together about questions like “When do we see this word? Is this found in the scriptures or the Church fathers? What else is said about it there? How does it apply to our life?” There are children’s books related to many of the words that would greatly enhance such a study, and simple crafts or games could also be incorporated, depending on the length of the lesson desired.

So, it is this reader’s opinion that O is for Orthodox is a book that can grow with a child. It welcomes the youngest Orthodox Christians by gently teaching them important vocabulary, associating these words with its colorfully peaceful illustrations. But if the book is used as a family or Church school launching pad for study, each letter and its related word will stay in the mind of its readers for long after they’ve “outgrown” board books, because of the lessons related to its content. 

Purchase a copy of O is for Orthodox at https://newromepress.com/o-is-for-orthodox/. 

*Note: All of the words are about concepts familiar to the Orthodox Christian way of life. This reader was not familiar with the Greek word zōnē, the last word in the book, and had to look it up. It means “belt or sash,” in this case, of the Theotokos, which fits perfectly with the illustration. All of the other words were quite familiar to a native English speaking Orthodox Christian.

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Christ Amongst Us: An Easy to Understand Commentary on the Divine Liturgy According to the Writings of the Holy Fathers and the Experiences of the Saints, by George Danias and Christina Hatzithanasi-Dania, illustrated by Paraskevi Hatzithanasi-Antonatou both explains and contains the Divine Liturgy. The first two thirds of the book offer insights, stories, and explanations about each part of the Divine Liturgy, written at a level that anyone mid-elementary-aged or older can understand. The last third is the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, followed by a thorough glossary. The book comes with a poster featuring twelve parts of the Liturgy, with an illustration and brief exposition for each. 

Readers will find out the answers to questions like these:

• When in the Liturgy is Christ “appearing for the first time to begin preaching the Divine Word?”
• Why is the Trisagion Hymn repeated three times?
• Besides clergy and altar servers, who is always present at the altar during the liturgy? (Read the answer in two eyewitness accounts from St. John Chrysostom and Elder Iakovos Tsalikis!)
• What are each of us meant to watch, when we hear the reminder “The doors! The doors! Let us be attentive!”?
• Why is it so important that we not talk during the Liturgy? What should we do instead? 
• Have you ever had doubts about Holy Communion? What happened to the priest Pelagios when he had doubts about Holy Communion being the Body and Blood of Christ?
• What kind of fear should we have as we come to communion?

The book itself is a sizable, sturdy paperback that will last through many readings. Its front and back covers have fold-in flaps that will serve well to mark the reader’s place, or make it easy to jump to a particular spot (for example, the back flap could mark the Creed if the book is taken along to the Liturgy). The text is carefully translated from the Greek and is easy to follow. There are perhaps a few parts of the book that may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. For example, the reader’s parish may very likely have catechumens, different from the book’s statement on p. 43, “While there may not be any unbaptized catechumens in our own parish, we should still call to mind the catechumens throughout the whole world.” Also, the reader’s entire parish may exchange the kiss of peace, while the book says on p. 54, “Today the Kiss of Peace is only exchanged amongst the serving clergy.” Paraskevi Hatzithanasi-Antonatou’s beautiful and detailed pencil illustrations throughout the book will help each reader appreciate and better understand the part of the Liturgy it is illustrating. 

This book is an invaluable resource for families and Church school teachers who desire that their young charges understand, appreciate, and participate in the Divine Liturgy, instead of merely attending it. There is so much information in this book that it may be advisable to read and discuss just one small portion at a time. It will take quite a while to get through the entire Liturgy if it is read that way, but everyone involved will likely have a more lasting understanding of each piece of the service if they take it on bit by bit. 

Find your copy of this very helpful book at https://newromepress.com/christ-amongst-us/

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Vested in Christ: Understanding the Mysteries of Holy Baptism and Sacred Chrismation by George Danias and Christina Hatzithanasi-Dania, illustrated by Paraskevi Hatzithanasi-Antonatou is a well-made paperback book that takes a closer look at the Holy Mystery of baptism. The first three quarters of the book feature information, stories, and teachings about baptism, and the last quarter contains the actual baptismal service (translated from the service celebrated by the Church of Greece) and a helpful glossary. The book also includes a poster about the different parts of the baptismal service, illustrated and succinctly explained.  Paraskevi Hatzithanasi-Antonatou’s beautiful pencil illustrations (scattered throughout the book) add dimension to the text, helping the reader to better understand the information being presented.

• Name at least two Old Testament events that allegorically foreshadow baptism.
• In what miraculous way was St. Philemon baptized just before his death? 
• What exactly is our second birth? 
• What athletic event from ancient times is recalled when the baptismal candidate has their whole body anointed with oil before their baptism?
• Who baptized St. Christina?
• The newly-baptized person is dressed in white. Why?
• In the early Church, how long did the newly-baptized person wear white?

Readers will find the answers to all of these questions, and much more, in this book!

Parents and Sunday Church school teachers will find this book to be a helpful resource as they teach the children in their care about baptism. There is much information here, written at a level appropriate for upper elementary (and older) learners. The book is made with a very sturdy paper cover, with front and back flaps that will help to mark pages for its readers.

Purchase your copy at https://newromepress.com/vested-in-christ/ 

The Antiochian Department of Christian Education thanks Newrome Press for sharing these books so that we could read and review them. 

Reviewed by Kristina Wenger, educator, podcaster, co-author of Tending the Garden of Our Hearts.

A Glimpse at “The Mystery of the Holy Light” written by Anna Iakovou and illustrated by Spyros Gousis

Every year, to our great joy, we receive the Light of Christ at Pascha. We receive a flame for our Pascha candle in church from our priest, during the Paschal liturgy. But Christ’s Light comes of its own accord each year in Jerusalem, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We call this the Miracle of the Holy Fire, and it happens every Holy Saturday. 

Have you ever thought about this miracle and wondered what it is like when the Holy Fire descends and fills the Sepulcher? Have you ever wished that you could be right inside there with the Patriarch as he receives that Holy Fire, the Light of Christ? If so, you’re not alone: almost 100 years ago, someone else was wondering the very same thing…

The Mystery of the Holy Light, written by Anna Iakovou, and illustrated by Spyros Gousis, tells the story of a young monk who wished to see the Holy Fire arrive! The monk was named Father Mitrophanes, and it was his job to guard the Holy Sepulcher. Father Mitrophanes was very humble and did not feel worthy of doing this work, but he did it to the best of his ability, even going above and beyond what was required. When an accident inside the tomb of Christ required cleanup, he noticed that the ceiling of the sepulcher was covered in soot from years of candles burning! Fr. Mitrophanes received a blessing to go into the Sepulcher and carefully clean the soot off so that none of it would fall onto the marble slab where Our Lord lay, and ruin it. Beneath the soot, to everyone’s surprise, Fr. discovered something incredibly beautiful! He also found a hidden niche high in the sepulcher wall that could maybe help him fulfill his heart’s desire to see the Holy Fire descend. 

Read this book to find out what beautiful thing Father Mitrophanes discovered beneath the soot, and whether or not his heart’s desire was fulfilled. Based on a true story that happened in 1926.

Adults and older children alike will enjoy this story, and younger children will be drawn to its illustrations but may need help with some of the wording. 

Find The Mystery of the Holy Light, by Anna Iakovou, illustrated by Spyros Gousis, here: https://newromepress.com/the-mystery-of-the-holy-light/ 

We thank Newrome Press for sharing this book with us, so that we can share it with you. 

Reviewed by Kristina Wenger, educator, podcaster, co-author of Tending the Garden of Our Hearts.

I Spy! Activity Page for “Beautiful Pascha: An Orthodox Coloring Book for Children”, Illustrated by Megan E. Gilbert

Ancient Faith Publishing recently released a beautiful coloring and activity book called Beautiful Pascha: an Orthodox Coloring Book for Children. The pages are full of delightful illustrations, drawn by Megan E. Gilbert, related to the themes of Great Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha. Some pages are intended for coloring, while others are activity pages. Every page helps to point the reader/colorer towards the joy of the resurrection of Christ.

There are many details tucked into the book’s 64 pages. In order to maximize those details, and to add a fun challenge, there is now an I Spy! activity page of 33 things to search for as you read/complete the book. Some listed items are only found at one place in the book, while others are scattered on multiple pages. How many of each can you find? Happy hunting, blessed Lent, and a joyful resurrection to you and your family!

I Spy! activity page for Beautiful Pascha: an Orthodox Coloring Book for Children

Find the book Beautiful Pascha: an Orthodox Coloring Book for Children (including free pages that you can download and use while you wait for it to arrive) here: https://store.ancientfaith.com/beautiful-pascha-an-orthodox-coloring-book-for-children/

Reviewed by Kristina Wenger, educator, podcaster, co-author of Tending the Garden of Our Hearts

A Handful of New Resources

We have recently come across a handful of new resources that can help Orthodox parents and educators as they instruct the children in their lives. We thank the authors for sharing electronic copies of these resources with us. We are sharing the resources with you in the order in which they came to our attention. We hope that you find them helpful as you instruct our young brothers and sisters in the Faith.

 

https://www.mireillemishriky.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Philo-Commercial.mp4?_=1  

Fans of Mireille Mishriky’s “Philo” books will be delighted to know that she has collaborated with Shereen Marcus (of Bridges to Orthodoxy) and they have created a SuperHolies-themed Vacation Church School program. This five-day program provides its purchasers with videos, crafts and activities, lesson plans including Bible stories, saint stories, and memory verses, and even “parent recap cards” that can further the children’s learning as parents ask additional questions about each day’s experience.

Each VCS session focuses one one or two SuperHolies each day. (If you are not familiar with them, the “SuperHolies” are the fruits of the Spirit). The session begins with a video featuring Philo and his “Super Challenge” of the day. The children are invited to help Philo to use a Fruit (or two) of the Spirit to help him overcome his challenge, and that Fruit, that SuperHoly, is the focus for the entire day’s session. Every session also contains a saint’s story and a passage or story from the Scriptures.

The program is designed to include two small group sessions for the children. In one, they’ll learn about an Orthodox saint who is struggling with a challenge similar to Philo’s. In the other, they’ll focus on a passage from the Scriptures that is also related to that struggle. There are planned activities, discussion suggestions, and even crafts that will support this learning. The goal of the day is to help Philo figure out what to do about his Super Challenge.

The program includes suggestions for each day’s opening and closing large group sessions (including the video of Philo’s Super Challenge of the day); two small group session lesson plans for K-1st, 2nd-3rd, and 4th-5th for each day; extra ideas (including game suggestions, songs, and videos) and the printable Parent Recap card for each of the 5 days.

Find more information here: https://bridgestoorthodoxy.com/collections/pathways

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Gina Govender has developed a Divine Liturgy book that can help children to follow along with key portions of the Liturgy. “The Divine Liturgy: A Guide for Orthodox Children” was illustrated by Althea Botha, and has been endorsed by Archbishop Damaskinos of Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The intent of this book is to provide children with instructions so that they can easily follow along in the Divine Liturgy. At the beginning of the book, a section called “The Meaning of the Divine Liturgy”, talks children through the liturgy and encourages them to look for ways that each part of the liturgy points to the life of Christ. The pages that follow walk the children through the liturgy by including actual portions of the liturgical text illustrated by a colorful watercolor-and-ink picture. These portions of the liturgy are shared in the book: Commencement, Prayers for Peace, the Little Entrance, the Readings, the Great Entrance, Spiritual Prayers, the Creed, the Mystical Supper, the Invocation & Sanctification, Supplication, the Lord’s Prayer, Holy Communion, Prayer of Thanksgiving, and the Dismissal.

The acknowledgements page of the book encourages parents of the readers to bring their children to church, even if they are wiggly and noisy. After all, “The presence of children is a gift to the Church and a reminder that our community is growing. As Christ said, ‘Let the children come to me.’” This book can help to welcome the children and involve them in the liturgy.

Inquire about purchasing the book here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/SAHETI-Pre-Primary-and-Playschool-PTA-154113824686210/shop/ (Notes: the price noted is listed in South African Rands, and at the time of this post, equals slightly less than $15, not including shipping/handling. The book is a fundraiser for upgrades at a Hellenic playschool/pre-primary school in Senderwood, South Africa.)

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Author Mireille Mishriky has introduced a brand new series of children’s picture books! “The Super-Secret TreeHouse Bible Club” will take children on an adventure with a group of children who are struggling with the virtues. Along the way, the children in the Super-Secret TreeHouse Bible Club will get to know some of the lesser-known saints from the Bible. The first book, “The Super-Secret TreeHouse Bible Club and the Prophet Micaiah” walks alongside Marina, Theodore, and Marcorios as they learn why it takes courage to be honest, and how God blesses people who tell the truth.

Marina isn’t sure what to do because her friend encouraged her to lie, or she would no longer be her friend. Theo doesn’t know how to LIVE the Bible, as their priest said in his homily. Marco also doesn’t know how they can possibly “…not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says”, but he suggests that they begin by praying. And so, they do.

A bird appears as they pray, and it helps them find a story in the scriptures about the prophet Michaiah, who told the truth when hundreds of others were lying. It landed him in jail. But in the end, he was right, and if the kings had listened to him and obeyed his words instead of the ones they wanted to hear, they would have been spared much heartache. Marina makes a secret wish, and the bird helps it to come true: the children get to meet the prophet Michaiah, who appears in their treehouse, and they ask him a few questions.

His wisdom helps Marina know what to do, and the book ends on a positive note as Marina and her friend Sarah come clean on what happened.

This book is available as an ebook, and you will find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Super-Secret-Treehouse-Prophet-Micaiah-ebook/dp/B085TBL5XH/

 

More On House Blessings

Several years ago we wrote about house blessings. If you missed that post, check it out here: https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/time-for-house-blessings/. The post encourages us to prepare our hearts and our home for our house blessing. Included are links to articles explaining the importance of having our home blessed, the actual house blessing service, the troparion (so we can practice singing it as a family before our house blessing), and a printable page that can help our family to prepare for our house blessing.

After checking out that piece and all that it has to offer, take a look at what we are sharing here. We have done a little more research, and have found several additional resources. We think that you may find them helpful, so we are sharing them here as an “extension” of sorts to our original post.

May the Lord bless us all and our families, as we prepare our hearts and our home for our house blessing!

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“Since our homes cannot be brought to the Church, the Church – through the priest and cantor – go to the homes. There, the service of blessing, which began in the church, is finished with the sprinkling of water in the home… By sanctifying our living quarters, our private place, we extend the grace of God to our individual dwellings.” Read more about house blessings in this article: https://blog.obitel-minsk.com/2017/06/why-do-orthodox-christians-have-their.html

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Families with young children may find this information and lesson about Holy Theophany (which talks a bit about house blessings) helpful to use to teach the children about this wonderful event. https://orthodoxpebbles.com/new-testament/holy-theophany/

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Draw Near Designs offered a simple guide to prepare for your house blessing, complete with a “map” of where on your prayer table to place each item needed for the blessing. They have also included ways to incorporate children in the preparation for the blessing, for example: “Have your kids pretend to be the priest and walk around the house blessing or censing it. Have them remove any toys that are in their way and in turn would be in the priest’s way as he walks though the house.” Check out their post here: https://www.drawneardesigns.com/blog/2019/1/23/house-blessings?

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Author Jane G. Meyer wrote a beautiful, child-centered piece about house blessings, and shared it on the Orthodox Christian Network. “There may be a few rituals in the Orthodox Church that we struggle to explain to a young child, but the house blessing is not one of them. Many of the elements that accompany this tradition are appealing to a little one. Here are a few things we’ve discovered over the years that make this tradition especially meaningful…” You can read the ways that she incorporates children into the house blessing in her article, found here: http://myocn.net/for-the-child-the-house-blessing/

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Fr. Hector Firoglanis of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Lancaster, PA, writes about holy water and how having our house blessed with it is important, in this article: http://www.annunciationorthodox.org/publications/annunciator/18-news/spiritual-messages/173-how-holy-water-helps-us. Among other things, he writes, “Holy Water (as is the case with all the sacraments of the Church) is not magic. It is a visible means (in this case, water) through which God transmits to us His invisible Grace. God does not enter our lives in order to make our lives easier; rather, He makes Himself available to give us the strength and Grace to overcome the hardships and challenges of life. There is nothing more important than to teach a young person that God is with us no matter what — during the good times and the bad, during the victories and the losses, in life and in death.” Having our house blessed with Holy Water is one way to help teach our children that God is with us no matter what.

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You may wish to print this prayer from the early church, and allow your child(ren) to decorate it as you talk about your upcoming house blessing. Talk together about all of the things we are asking God to do when we pray this prayer and when we have our house blessed. Perhaps your family will find it helpful to incorporate this prayer for the blessing of your house into your prayers more regularly than once a year!

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Zaccheus welcomed Christ into his home with generosity. “Do they (your children) see you welcoming Christ into your home by giving what you can to those who need it?… Is it clear to everyone who lives there and visits there that your house is a house of prayer?” Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick challenges his listeners to welcome Christ as Zaccheus did, not just for the house blessing, but all year around. https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/emmaus/are_we_ready_for_jesus_to_visit_sermon_jan._22_2017

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A Handful of Orthodox Gift Ideas for Christmas

We have recently come across a variety of wonderful Orthodox books and resources (mostly for children) that would be lovely Christmas gifts. We found them noteworthy enough to gather them into a little collection, so that we could share them with you, in the event that you were not aware of them.

Some of these we have shared before, but are sharing again, in case you missed them the first time. Others are brand new (or new to us, or newly re-published). Our intent is to offer gift suggestions that could double as useful tools in the growth of a young Orthodox Christian’s life. Perhaps you will find one or more of these suggestions helpful as you select gifts for your loved ones.

We know that there are many more ideas than we are able to share here, so we have missed quite a few. What child-friendly, Orthodox-faith related gift ideas do you recommend? If you are (or know!) an artisan who crafts (and sells) beautiful gifts for Orthodox Christian children, please share them below!

Here are a few Orthodox Christmas gift ideas that we encountered:

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Ancient Faith Publishing’s brand new Nativity coloring book, “Beautiful Christmas: an Orthodox Coloring Book for Children” was created with children ages 5-12 in mind. Meagan Elizabeth Gilbert’s 59 lovely illustrations include a mix of both coloring and activity pages. Check it out, and purchase your gift copy(s) here: https://store.ancientfaith.com/beautiful-christmas-an-orthodox-coloring-book-for-children/

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Families with very small children may be interested in this set of Nativity blocks, safe for children to hold and play with. The back of each block contains a verse of a song or prayer from the traditions of the Church, written in language that is young-child friendly. https://store.ancientfaith.com/little-saints-nativity-playset-a/

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This learning cube transforms from one icon-style image to another, and each image includes a shortened version of the Nativity story. https://store.ancientfaith.com/orthodox-learning-cube-the-nativity/

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Four-year-old Anthony will teach anyone who reads this book how to handle the challenges that come their way, with grace, and with God’s help. https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2019/06/12/gleanings-from-a-book-anthony-the-great-by-john-sarantakis-illustrated-by-misha-pjawka/

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Young children will resonate with Philo in this book, or any of the other books featuring his adventures with the SuperHolies! https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2019/07/10/gleanings-from-a-book-philo-and-the-faithfulness-superholy-by-mireille-mishriky-illustrated-by-s-violette-palumbo/

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As they read this book, elementary-aged children will be drawn right into young Spyros’ life as he learns from St. Spyridon – without even knowing he’s interacting with a saint! https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2019/05/08/gleanings-from-a-book-spyridons-shoes-by-christine-rogers/

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Teens and adults will benefit from the wisdom and example of St. Anthony, as shared in this graphic novel: https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2019/05/29/gleanings-from-a-book-a-forest-in-the-desert-the-life-of-st-john-the-short-by-creative-orthodox/

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Late elementary-aged children and adults alike will learn from the life of St. Eustathios in the engagingly-written and beautifully illustrated graphic novel, “The Cross and the Stag,” which we wrote about here: https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2019/08/28/gleanings-from-a-book-the-cross-and-the-stag-by-gabriel-wilson/

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Author and illustrator Grace Brooks has done it again! She has written yet another mesmerizing book about an Orthodox girl facing real-life problems and choosing to solve them with the help of her priest and the friends from her parish who are part of the “Every Tuesday Club”. The girls in this club are aging as time goes by between the publishing dates of Ms. Brooks’ books, which is a beautiful way for the series’ fans to have age-appropriate books along the way. “Xenia the Warm-Hearted” follows 14-year-old Xenia as she tries to improve the way that she interacts with others, even without the use of internet on her phone (a privilege she lost when she was online, gaming outside of her family’s rules). This book is appropriate for early teens (or older), and contains its fair share of age-appropriate struggles in the context of some mystery and suspense. Purchase your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Xenia-Warm-hearted-Every-Tuesday-Club/dp/1698351038

Here are a few quotes (and a teaser!) from the book, to give you a taste:

“Xenia regarded him woefully. ‘I wanted to make such a change, but I’m having trouble figuring this out. I mean, it’s good to want to be a better person. But I still don’t understand people very much and… I don’t always seem to like them. I did all this research, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.’ …[Father Andrew answered,] ‘I think that this isn’t something that you can research by just reading about it — not even by reading the lives of the saints, though that’s an excellent place to start. You’re not going to get anywhere with a list or a guide that tells you what to do and what not to do. I can’t say enough good things about prayer, but even that is just a start.’ Father smiled at her kindly. ‘You may have to find out by doing.’” (p. 117)

“Her eyes had drifted out the window as she spoke, where the gusting wind was blowing a pillowcase on the clothesline. Energy encounters matter. Mobility and immobility. Wind resistance, oscillation, flexibility. ‘It’s very beautiful,’ she finished dreamily. ‘Not to me,’ he [Charlie] sniped, bringing her back to reality. ‘If there is a God, then why is the world such a mess?’ Xenia was used to this question as well. ‘Because there’s evil in it, too. And sometimes we are — all of us are — carriers of that, like a mosquito carries a disease. But that’s not how it was supposed to be…’” (p. 293)

“…and that’s how they found them: two frightened young people huddled together in a ruined living room with broken glass and squirting pipes. That was the sight that greeted Mr. Murphy and Jake when they pulled up a minute later, in the mistaken belief that they were coming to the rescue…” (p. 415)

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Readers who are fans of fantasy and/or symbolism will thoroughly enjoy “The Dome Singer of Falenda” by Katherine Hyde. It has been a really long time since we read such a delightful fantasy. Originally published in 2016, and just re-published, this book filled with music and beauty, fraught with gripping adventure, and causes the reader to re-think the power of their thoughts. Themes include the power of familial love, the importance of discerning (and valuing) good over evil, and the importance of focus. The protagonist is a boy of 13, and his Falendian sidekick is a girl of 14. People of a variety of ages and genders will be entranced by their journey and uplifted by this beautiful read. Find your copy here:

https://www.amazon.com/Dome-Singer-Falenda-Katherine-Bolger-Hyde/dp/1732087326/

Here are a few quotes from the book, to give you a taste of it:

“Anyway, I’d read enough books to know that when it comes to adventures, the only way out is through.” (p. 23)

“I gasped for air. ‘What—me? You’re having me on. I’m no deliverer. I’m not brave, or strong, or clever. All I know how to do is sing.’ ‘But singing is precisely what is required. That is how we will break the Dome—by singing. The elúndina chose you for your gifts of singing and thought-speech. And also, of course, because you are your mother’s son.’” (p. 36)

“I’d been thinking of nothing in particular, but as soon as I tried to wipe my mind clear of thoughts, it filled with a whole crowd of questions…This wouldn’t do. I shook my head and tried to focus on my surroundings. I peered at the rough, ridged texture of the malacána bark, listened to the clear, musical cry of a bird, inhaled the sharp, fresh smell of the trees, like cedar mixed with peppermint and cinnamon. I felt the chafing of Vali’s thick, soft coat beneath my legs, the still, cooling air against my cheeks. When was the last time I’d stopped to pay attention to things like that? At home I was either buried in memories or planning how to cope with the next calamity. I’d forgotten how to just be.” (pp. 57-58)

“The Tower had no windows or doors that I could see, but at the center of the side facing us the ranks of guards angled outward. The door must be hidden there. It looked like my mother was right: it was impossible. The din in my head took on a new undertone: ‘You have failed, you must fly. You have failed, you must fly.’ Maybe the bad guys really were going to win. Meli’s thought-voice broke through. ‘I hear it too, Danny. But you must resist these thoughts. You must shout them down with truth. Everything that babble says is a lie, for lies are all the Enemy knows. We have not failed until we give up, and we must not give up.’ ‘I don’t want to give up. But how can we succeed? How could we ever get in there to rescue your parents, or get to the top from outside? I’m afraid I left my Spiderman gear at home.’ Meli ignored that. ‘Our parents did it seven years ago. Somehow they reached the top.’ And now they were inside.” (p. 149)

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Homemakers in your family may enjoy this read! “Searching for the Sacred” by Lois Clymer is a book filled with the memories and musings of an Orthodox Christian wife and mother. It tells the story of her (and her husband‘s) dream for a little homestead, and how they have realized that dream in a variety of locations, over the years. Anecdotes include adventures that they’ve had with their family, and a variety of things that she has learned along the way. In addition to living on a homestead and growing much of their own food, Mrs. Clymer addresses other experiences they’ve had, including some experiences in the world of politics; finding ways to enjoy small homesteads away from home; her foray into owning and operating a CSA; and adventures and lessons learned while building two tiny houses. Throughout the book, readers will find encouragement to search for God in the world that He has created. Pick up a copy here: https://www.westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/778125-searching-for-the-sacred

Here are a few of our favorite quotes, a handful of Lois’ learnings, that she shares in the book, scattered amidst the stories from her life:

“Hard work is the secret to success. I soon found that it helped to be organized and to prioritize. When I did the most important thing first in the day, the rest of the day flowed more smoothly…” (p. 4)

“Most of us find that life doesn’t always go the way we wanted it to. What do we do when pain and disappointments and grief enter our lives? As a young person, I struggled with how to be happy… I came across some wise counsel regarding happiness. If I am unhappy… it is not because of my environment, but because of the way I am evaluating my environment.” (p. 14)

“I have certainly not always been perfect, and I have held on to bitterness from time to time. But I have noticed that when I can release that bitterness and let it go completely, something good happens in my body. My creativity and my joy returns. The antidote to the poison of bitterness is forgiveness and gratefulness.” (p. 23)

“Most of us don’t know much about simplicity. We have more possessions than we know what to do with. One time I heard a motivational speaker say that every possession you have uses up valuable brain space. You think about it, you catalog it, you think about cleaning and repairing it, you organize it. To lighten your brain load, think about how to live with only half of the possessions you have and then DO IT.” (p. 81)

“Wherever you live, maybe this book will motivate you to enjoy some of the simple pleasures in life: grow a plant or vegetable, take a walk through a woods, or enjoy the antics of a chicken or a goat.” (p. 86)

A Handful of New Resources for Nativity Lent

Nativity Lent is almost upon us! Very soon we will enter this season designed by the Church to help us prepare our hearts and our homes for the birth of our Lord. The Nativity fast offers us the opportunity to attend services more frequently. We are encouraged to pray, to fast, and to give alms. Those of us with children in our care may find it helpful to have a few resources to help us prepare their hearts as well. A few such resources recently caught our attention, so we are sharing them in the event that you have not yet encountered them, and will find them helpful as you prepare your hearts for the Nativity of our Lord.

These blog posts of ideas from years gone by may also be helpful to you:
https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/preparing-for-the-nativity/, https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2015/11/11/on-preparing-our-hearts-anticipating-the-birth-of-christ-each-day-of-the-nativity-fast/, and https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2015/12/16/ideas-for-keeping-our-focus-on-the-nativity-of-christ/

 

Check out these resources for the Nativity Lent:

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The folks at Orthodox Pebbles have pulled their Nativity resources (including resources related to the Nativity Fast, such as St. Nicholas Day) together in this collection: https://orthodoxpebbles.com/2018/12/18/the-nativity-of-christ-our-full-resource-collection/

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Fans of Sparks for Orthodox Kids, rejoice! Illustrator Casey Newman has created a coloring book for very young Orthodox Christians to utilize throughout the Nativity Fast. “Color Your Way Through the Nativity Fast” begins on November 15 and offers a variety of coloring pages, nearly one per day, all the way through Theophany. Its 60 pages are mostly illustrations, many of them featuring a saint of the day or something related to the Nativity. The saints pages also have a brief story about the saint being featured, and often include some information about how the saint’s clothing is colored in the icons, and why it is that color. There are a few pages of word art, featuring prayers or songs. Children can cut out the last few pages of this 60-page book, for they are intended to be made into Christmas cards! Purchase your copy of the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Color-Your-Through-Nativity-Fast/dp/1698389531/

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If you would like a small coloring book to tuck into your purse or backpack, check out this 5”x8” 30-page mini Nativity Fast coloring book! Each page features an icon, a prayer, or a song for a young child to color. A few pages are even included at the end of the book, which could be removed for use as Christmas cards! Purchase your mini-book here: https://www.amazon.com/Color-Your-Through-Nativity-Mini/dp/1698864515/

(If you’re not familiar with Sparks for Orthodox Kids, check out their website here: https://sites.google.com/view/sparks-for-orthodox-kids/home.. Their homepage says, “Church can be so serious, we want to make sure there are fun things for the kids to help foster positive attitudes for God, Church, and prayer.” At their site you will find some craft ideas and a lot of coloring pages, grouped by month, in the form of reproducible line art icons. These coloring pages can be printed and will enhance young children’s learning about/participating in the life of the Church. Follow “Sparks” on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.)

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Ancient Faith Publishing recently published a lovely coloring book for the Nativity season. “Beautiful Christmas: an Orthodox Coloring Book for Children”, created for children ages 5-12, is illustrated by Meagan Elizabeth Gilbert. The book contains 59 beautiful coloring and activity pages with themes related to the Nativity fast (including St. Lucia and St. Nicholas) and many pages dedicated to the Nativity of Our Lord. If a child were to color one page a day, this book will last through the entire fast as well as all twelve days of Christmas, with a few pages to spare! Purchase your own copy here: https://store.ancientfaith.com/beautiful-christmas-an-orthodox-coloring-book-for-children/

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Draw Near Designs has just released a beautifully decorated felt Nativity Lent calendar. The calendar has 40 numbered pockets, and comes with a felt star that can be moved from pocket to pocket each day of the Nativity fast. (They offer 7 other suggestions of things that could also be put into the pockets – ideas such as including a scripture verse for each day, or an act of kindness to perform that day.) Read more about the beautiful calendar here: https://www.drawneardesigns.com/blog/2019/9/30/advent-calendar-ideas
Order your own pocket calendar, either small or large, here: https://www.drawneardesigns.com/shop/advent-calendar-sew-it-yourself-kit

 

(Note: the large pocket calendars are large enough to hold the ornaments that go with Elissa Bjeletich’s beautiful Nativity Lent book, “Welcoming the Christ Child”, which we wrote about here: https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2017/08/16/gleanings-from-a-book-welcoming-the-christ-child-family-readings-for-the-nativity-lent-by-elissa-bjeletich/
Those ornaments and book are available together, here: https://store.ancientfaith.com/welcoming-the-christ-child-gift-set/)

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Ancient Faith’s podcast “Tending the Garden of Our Hearts” will be offering episodes related to the Nativity fast and stories of some of the saints commemorated during the fast. Give it a listen here: https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/tendingthegarden

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To keep your Nativity fast focused on Christ, adults and/or families with older children may find these weekly studies helpful. Each week’s study follows the Church’s liturgical readings and offers ideas of ways to live the Faith during the busy Nativity season. http://stgeorgegreenville.org/our-faith/advent

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Introducing a Resource: SaintsBox.com

(note: the emailed materials in the subscription arrive in full color, but are depicted here in black and white)

 

“You’ve got mail!” Oh, how I loved to hear these words when I was a child! It was the same for my children as they grew up, as well. Each piece of mail “just for them” was met with great enthusiasm and eagerness. At least in our family’s experience, it is a joy for children to receive mail of their very own!

Did you know that there is an Orthodox resource that will send your child(ren) mail of their own? And this is not just any old mail: this mail builds the faith of its recipients, preparing them for each Sunday’s Divine Liturgy! The resource is called SaintsBox.com, and while most SaintsBox mail is delivered electronically, some of it arrives via the postal service. SaintsBox.com offers two different weekly email subscriptions, as well as optional accoutrements such as a “Saint of the Month” vinyl icon cards subscription (complete with a small tin for housing the collection), and other related products which are sent through the postal service. The weekly email subscriptions at SaintsBox.com are geared towards two different age levels of children. Each aims to “reinforce what the Church has already established so our children will embrace the True Faith for life!” (home page, https://www.saintsbox.com/)

“St. John’s Clubhouse” (named after St. John Maximovich of San Francisco) is the SaintsBox email subscription that is full of ways to help children ages 4-8 prepare for Sunday’s Liturgy. A cast of characters called “the Clubhouse Kids” help the “clubhouse members” learn something about Sunday’s Gospel by sharing a related “story from their life” that bring the Gospel reading to life. They include the passage, so that parents and children can read the Gospel reading together before the Liturgy. They also challenge clubhouse members to anticipate or look for a particular thing during the upcoming Sunday Liturgy. This may include explaining an unfamiliar vocabulary word or upcoming event in the life of the Church. A printable sheet including a beautiful line-art icon (by Kiah Boyd) and a brief explanation will give the member an opportunity to learn more about the saint or featured feast/event for that particular Sunday. Find more information about St. John’s Clubhouse here: https://www.saintsbox.com/st-johns-clubhouse/.

“TQ6:21” is the SaintsBox email subscription which is actually a treasure quest for 8-12 year olds. Named for Matthew 6:21 (“for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”), this subscription club helps its readers seek treasures of the Faith in the context of the Scriptures. In order to complete the puzzles in each week’s quest, “questers” need to read the Epistle and Gospel readings for the forthcoming Sunday Liturgy. In the context of clues and riddles, questers will learn about the Faith, the Scriptures, the saints, and more. Find more information about TQ6:21 here: https://www.saintsbox.com/tq621/.

Both subscriptions offer activities that parents and children can experience together, or parents can participate with part of the adventure, and the children can do the rest. (SaintsBox suggests that parents of the 4-8 year olds will likely spend 15 minutes per week and parents of 8-12 year olds, only 5-10 minutes each week, most of which is reading the Scripture passages together.) In other words, this subscription will also help the parents prepare for Sunday’s Liturgy as well, but it is not a huge time commitment!

Besides the two email subscriptions, SaintsBox.com also offers materials such as their SaintsBox, which is a pocket-sized tin filled with a baker’s dozen vinyl icon cards, each written by Elina Pelikan and featuring a different saint or event. (The SaintsBox is also available as a larger set which includes information sheets about each saint and an olive wood cross from the Holy Land.) SaintsBox.com’s tin “Trisagion Pocket Prayer Corner” includes the trisagion prayer; a vinyl icon of Christ, the Theotokos, and St. John the Forerunner; and an olive wood cross. Each of the vinyl icon cards are also available for individual purchase. So if you have a child who particularly loves one of the featured saints, you may wish to have just that saint’s card mailed to them. (Vinyl icons include: Christ/Theotokos/St. John the Forerunner; St. Patapios; St. Katherine of Alexandria; St. Jonah Bishop of Manchuria; the Nativity of the Theotokos; the 7 Holy Youths of Ephesus; Sts. Aquila and Priscilla; St. Columba of Iona; St. Irene the Great Martyr; St. Mary of Egypt; St. Patrick; St. Haralambos; St. Mugo; and St. John of San Francisco.)

We have seen samples of SaintsBox.com’s materials and would highly recommend this resource to Orthodox parents and teachers with children aged 4-12. The subscription materials are appealing and fun but also quite helpful. The icon cards/tin sets are sturdy, useful and interesting. The artwork is beautifully tasteful and engaging. SaintsBox.com’s materials will help Orthodox children (and the adults in their life) grow closer to Christ and His Church, one Sunday’s Gospel reading at a time.

If your child (or grandchild, Sunday Church school student, or godchild) enjoys getting mail of their own, we encourage you to check out SaintsBox.com. Whether you decide to mail a vinyl saint card to them, or to send a full subscription to the program, your child(ren) will enjoy receiving the mail that comes their way. And this extraordinary mail will help them (and you!) to grow closer to Christ and His Church!

 

Here is a little more information about SaintsBox.com and its offerings which may be of help to you:

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“Our goal is to help children engage with more of the service and make deeper connections with Christ and His Saints.” ~ Annalisa Boyd, creator/writer of SaintsBox.com
Read more from her, and meet the creative team behind this wonderful subscription service here:  https://www.saintsbox.com/about-2/

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“Welcome to St. John’s Clubhouse, a subscription box club for your 4-8 year old. As parents, we understand the importance of instilling a love for Christ and His Church in the hearts of our children. We want them to embrace the True Faith as taught through Holy Tradition and the Living Church, but it’s hard to know where to start. St. John’s clubhouse offers the tools you need to help prepare your child to participate more fully in the Divine Liturgy each week. They will become friends with the Clubhouse Kids as they share from the Holy Scriptures, meet a Sunday saint and… do activities that inspire them to live the faith in every life situation. As you know, kids this age are CONSTANTLY learning. Providing teaching materials that feel like play, opens the door for your child to make long lasting positive connections between Church and home.” ~from the SaintsBox facebook page, Sept. 18, 2018

Find more information about St. John’s Clubhouse here: https://www.saintsbox.com/st-johns-clubhouse/

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“TQ6:21 (Treasure Quest – Matthew 6:21 “Where you treasure is, there your heart will be also”)

We have all been called to the challenging and amazing life-long quest of storing up treasure for heaven by being transformed into the image of Christ. This quest, as you well know, is a matter of life and death, and our kids need all of the tools that the Church has to offer if they are to endure to the end. In order to help our children on that journey into Life, we have created the TQ6:21 program, which provides practical and engaging ways for kids to learn to own their faith and live it daily. We have aimed, in our theming of the activities, to tap into the natural love for adventure of 8-12 year-olds, helping them to develop their unique talents, godly character, a deeper understanding of their faith, and a lasting love for Holy Tradition as expressed in the living Church — all while just plain having fun! We’ve prepared this guide for you as the adult assisting them, to help explain the basic format of the program, and how it is designed to function.” ~from the SaintsBox facebook page, Sept. 18, 2018

Find more information about TQ6:21 here: https://www.saintsbox.com/tq621/

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Watch SaintsBox creator Annalisa Boyd’s video podcast “The Ascetic Lives of Mothers”, in which she introduces SaintsBox, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7Xnl-UNAFo&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR09Efb4p7lgNkfcsken3bSSCL3jP7c5CO3HhCNK2vc9JosCKl9e8lAqfFs (Note: at the time of this podcast, the subscriptions were not all electronic. The podcast does a good job of describing the program and how children have interacted with it. However, several times in the podcast Annalisa mentions receiving the subscription items in the mail. Listeners will need to keep in mind that the subscriptions are now emailed, not snail-mailed to the child.)

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Find a sample of the beautiful icon line art which Kiah Boyd creates for St. John’s Clubhouse here. (This one was for Pentecost.) https://www.facebook.com/2088291571190702/photos/a.2169450139741511/2497858676900654/?type=3&theater

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“I just love Saint John of San Francisco! Our family had the amazing opportunity to visit his relics when we lived in California. We got to go to the home that had been the location of the orphanage he began in San Francisco. We got to sit in his chair in his cell and say the Our Father. We even visited the original wooden church he had established and were blessed to have his Philonion (the cape part of his vestments) draped over us as the priest prayed for our family. From then on, each time we have seen an icon of Saint John, it has been like seeing a dear friend. That is our goal with presenting these icon cards…” ~ Annalisa Boyd, offering a bit of the back-story of the St. John of San Fransisco icon card available from SaintsBox.com at https://www.saintsbox.com/product/saint-john-of-san-francisco-saint-card/

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