Service Module

OBJECTIVE

  • The objective of this module is to learn service from the works of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles and the successors to the Apostles that we may continue this work and may bear fruit according to this service.

MILESTONE

Scripture: The Holy Bible describes the mission of the Holy Disciples and Honored Apostles in the passage immediately after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord tells them:

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Matthew 28:19-20

Spiritual: Sometimes, we equate preaching and missionary work to be only done by great Disciples and Apostles like St. Peter or St. Paul. In actuality, preaching and missionary work can be done by anyone. Our role is to be "vessels" bearing the Word of God and to be ready to give of it to anyone. We must keep our vessels filled by reading the Word of God on a regular basis.

Social: Our interaction with everyone, especially our friends, is a form of preaching to them. How we act, must reflect what we preach. There are many accounts of people coming to the faith because of the actions of a believer.

Rituals: The Coptic Church's Rituals include the circling of the Priest around the church during the reading of the Pauline Epistle. The movement of the Priest from the Sanctuary to the Nave and circling the church is symbolic of the preaching of St. Paul around the known world. However, during the reading from the Book of Acts, the Priest only goes to the Chorus and does not go down to the Nave. This movement is to describe the preaching and service within the Book of Acts within the vicinity of Jerusalem.

TOPICS BY WEEK

  • Please read through all of the lessons in this module in preparation for this lesson.
    • Week 1: Ministry of Peter and Paul
    • Week 2: The Fruit of the Spirit
    • Week 3: Preparation for Service
    • Week 4: Continuing the Work of the Apostles
    • Capstone Activity
  • As a class, you can choose to do a few of the service actions or all of them
  • . As you encourage students to do the actions, it's important to stress that these are simple, yet practical ways students can be living Gospels and may present this Gospel to those around them through works of love and sacrifice through the Holy Spirit.

CHURCH CONNECTION

  • The connection between the Church and these lessons is the Scripture and tradition, which provides the history of the Apostles as establishing the church according to the words and teachings of Christ, as well as the continued work of the Apostolic Fathers, the Apologists, and the Church Fathers in building upon that same work in preservation of the true faith.

PARENTS CORNER

  • Every lesson contains suggested material for you to send out to parents/guardians on a weekly basis.
  • The ultimate goal is to give parents tools and resources necessary to educate their children every day, creating an Orthodox Christian home.