Saints Module

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the Saints module is to teach the children about the lives of the saints. In Kindergarten, we will go over Saint Demiana, Archangel Michael, Saint Antony, and Saint George. It is important to explain that the saints are simply members of our congregation who together praise and worship God. We do not worship the saints, instead, we ask them as our friends to pray for us. Week 5 is the capstone week to review and serve together.

TOPICS BY WEEK

Please read through all of the lessons in this module in preparation for this lesson.

  • Week 1: Saint Demiana
  • Week 2: Archangel Michael
  • Week 3: Saint Antony
  • Week 4: Saint George
  • Week 5: Capstone

MILESTONES

  • Scripture: The Synexar or book of Saints is a continuation of the book of Acts of the New Testament. The history of the Saints is the history of the Church, just as the book of Acts records the story of the Apostles and the Early Church. The bible supports intercession of the saints: "pray one for another'' (James 5:16). Even the Saints requested others to pray for them. St. Paul asks the Thessalonians: "pray for us" (2 Thes 3:1). The same he asks of the Hebrews (Heb 13:18), and of the Ephesians, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication..for all the saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me" (Eph 6:18). Similar requests for prayer are innumerable in the Bible. As the Saints request our prayers, we also request theirs.
  • Spiritual: In St. Paul's designation of the Lord Christ as the only mediator between God and men: "one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all" (1Ti 2:5). He mediates being the Redeemer who gave Himself and paid the wages of sin on our behalf. No one would argue this unique role of the Lord Christ as sole advocate of mankind. Intercession of the Saints on behalf of men has nothing to do with propitiation and redemption. It is intercession on our behalf before Christ.
  • Social: We all -- the triumphant and militants -- as one Body, have love that never fails (I Cor. 13:8), for our interaction is unceasing. Those who preceded us pray for us, and we through love -- pray for those who departed, and God in His Fatherhood appreciates this mutual love. We believe in intercession because we believe in the unity of the body of Christ (the church). We are all members of the one body whether we are here on earth or there in heaven. We intercede for them by praying for those who departed, and they intercede for us, and this exemplifies the true unity of the body of Christ.
  • Rituals: We venerate the icons of saints and put them on the iconostasis (icon-stand). Church walls and doors are hung with icons, also our homes etc., as a sign of our communion with them in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Coptic Icons have their own characteristics as we have mentioned in the book : "Church, House of God."

PARENTS CORNER

Every lesson contains suggested practices and routines to send out to parents/guardians on a weekly basis. The ultimate goal is to give parents tools necessary to educate their children every day, creating an Orthodox Christian home. Ask parents to hang up the coloring pages and pictures of the saints that the children bring home on the fridge or in the children's rooms. Remind the parents to pray through the intercession of our holy saints at home and keep them relevant in the children's lives.