Under the patronage of His Eminence Metropolitan Basilios, on Saturday 15 July, children from years 3 and 4 from the parishes of St Mary Nativity, St Nicholas, Sts Michael and Gabriel, Sts Mary Dormition and Sts Peter and Paul, as well as their parish priests, parents, and teachers, participated in a special Divine Liturgy and meal of Agape. This was to celebrate the completion of an Archdiocese educational program, called ‘Being an Orthodox Christian’, designed to strengthen the children’s understanding of their Orthodox Christian faith. Each child received a certificate of achievement and was gifted a Bible by His Eminence.
The ‘Being an Orthodox Christian’ program ran over 8 weeks and required the children to complete a booklet by engaging in learning around the meaning of their Baptism and Chrismation, Holy Eucharist, prayer, fasting and confession. The children were also required to undertake an almsgiving activity to complete the program. On observation of the completed booklets and through discussion with parents, the children not only took pride in their learning but also were thoroughly engaged.
Thank you to the dedicated teachers and parents for their commitment in raising their children in the Orthodox faith. Also, thank you to all who helped with the organisation and setup. Your generous works made the celebration a success. The Church School Department looks forward to implementing this program once again in 2024.
