Youth Religious Education
Here at St. Catherine it is our goal to provide an edifying Orthodox Christian community that has a profound effect on each person's life, helping participants to develop both faith and friendships that will last a lifetime.
Church School
We know that parents are called by God to raise their children in the Christian faith. Therefore, the parents bear the primary responsibility for the Christian formation of their children. Children are hard-wired to adopt the values they see lived out by their parents. St. Catherine seeks to partner with parents in the Christian formation of their children. Church School is just one way that St. Catherine seeks to reinforce the Christian education taking place in the home. The St. Catherine Church School provides our students from preschool through high school with lessons through which they encounter the saints, scriptures, sacraments, doctrines and traditions of Orthodox Christianity. Our Church School is always looking for dedicated adults who would like to use their time and talents to help educate our youth in the Orthodox Christian Faith. Church School meets on Sunday mornings after Holy Communion for 45 minutes. Ideally, we would like two teachers per classroom. If you are interested in teaching Church School, please contact Paul Stapleton.
Yearly Event Programs
VBS (Vacation Bible School)
"To provide an opportunity for the children of our community to learn about God and our Faith during a week filled with fun and interactive activities."
Vacation Bible School happens for one week during the summer each year. During the week the children rotate to different sessions that range from sports to learning about the miracles of the church. Each year has a unique theme with all rotations relating to the theme. The children learn songs, bible verses, and life lessons that all point to Christ and His Church. At the end of the week the parents are invited to join their children for a performance including songs that they have learned throughout the week, and a slideshow. This ministry is an incredible opportunity for our children to learn about their faith in a fun, interactive environment. The kids meet new friends each year and form lasting relationships. This ministry has turned into a beautiful community building event.
Getting Involved - Please consider giving your time and talents to help make this program successful. The more volunteers we have, the more children we can accommodate. We have a blast planning and executing this program and have bonded with each other just as much as the children have. Anyone is welcome to join the team!
Christmas Program
The Christmas Program is an extension of the Church School Ministry. Children have the opportunity to experience Christ's Nativity through song and storytelling, which allows them to better understand the glorious birth of our Lord.
Getting Involved - Children will learn the songs for the Christmas Program through the Hosanna Children's Music Ministry during their weekly Sunday School sessions. Parents can volunteer their time for the rehearsal prior to the program, as well as stage directing for the children during the performance.
Oratorical Festival
The St. John Oratorical Festival is a parish, Metropolis and Archdiocesan event involving Greek Orthodox youth from 6th grade through 12th grade. It provides our youth with the opportunity to research topics relevant to their lives and apply their Orthodox Christian faith and their personal experiences to these topics through a timed speech. These speeches are delivered by our youth to a live audience. Each speech is evaluated by a panel of competent judges, experienced in public speaking. This ministry is extremely helpful to our youth. No matter what vocation they choose, the ability to research a topic and deliver a tight, cohesive, and well-reasoned speech is an invaluable tool. In addition, the opportunity for our youth to apply their Christian Faith to their everyday challenges is priceless. Our goal as parents and as a parish is to help our youth make their Orthodox Christian Faith their own before they leave home and enter the secular world as young adults. If you would like to be a part of this wonderful and valuable ministry as either a speech coach, research consultant, event coordinator, or judge, please contact Elena Paich.