Office of Educational Services

Melkite Eparchy of Newton

1710 Surf Avenue - Belmar , NJ 07719

Voice 732-556-6917- Cell 201-417-3804- email doccolie@yahoo.com

This supplement lists courses from Eastern sources which may be useful in situations not covered by the God With Us Series.  Options are presented for Junior and Senior High School instruction in mini-course format.  You may choose to select programs from this list that match your student’s interests at the time.

The second part of the list features multi-graded programs suitable for vacation school use or for use in parishes with smaller numbers of students and/or resource persons. 

Please remember that we are scheduling our fall series of Catechist Formation and Adult Enrichment programs.  If you have not returned your questionnaire, please do so or contact the Office of Educational Services at the address given above.  Thank you.

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CURRICULUM SUPPLEMENT

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Junior/Senior High Sch ool Programs

Beatitudes in Focus on You (OCEC)– A 5 Session study unit for teens about the meaning of the Beatitudes as a Vision of Christian living.  Sessions cover the following:  background of the Beatitudes, Beatitudes as action and living according to God’s will.  Christian life as prayer and good works, and  ways in which we can help others.

The Church Building in Focus On You (OCEC) – A  5- session study unit for teens about the structure and meaning of the Church building.  Sessions cover the following:  the three parts of the church, the meaning of icons, the holy place and the icon screen.

Celebration:  Feasts and Holydays (OCEC) – Forty five session on the major observances of the Church year (38 sessions), the Divine Liturgy (4 sessions), prayer (2 sessions) and icons (1 session).

The Church Building in Exploring Eastern Christianity (Educational Services)  -  An 8 – session study unit for teens about the Byzantine temple.  Sessions cover the following:  Christian worship and the Old Testament, Christ as fulfillment of the Old Covenant, the church building s an icon of God’s saving work, the holy place, implements of Byzantine worship, and the iconostasis. 

Facing Up to Peer Pressure (Greek Archdiocese DRE)  - A 4-session study unit for teens about adolescent pressures.  Sessions cover the following:  positive and negative pressures, cliques, gangs, and facing temptations.

Film and Values in Focus on You (OCEC) – A 5-session study unit for teens about Christian values and contemporary cinema. Sessions cover the following films:  Inherit the Wind, Twelve Angry Men, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn , To Kill a Mockingbird and Grapes of Wrath.

Him Again in Focus On You (OCEC) A 5 – session study unit for teens about relationship with God.  Sessions cover the following:  who is God, prayer, listening to God, God’s self-revelation and our images of God. 

Honesty (Greek Archdiocese DRE) – A 5- session study unit for teens about personal integrity.  Sessions cover the following rules, guidelines, goals, cheating yourself and forgiveness.

The Jesus Prayer (Educational Services)  - A 6 session study for teens on the Jesus Prayer.  Sessions cover the following:  initiation into the prayer, the role of the Spirit, meditation, prayer of the heart, breath control and posture and living prayer.

Knowing Christ  (Greek Archdiocese DRE)  -  A 6 session study unit for teens about relationship with Christ.  Sessions cover the following:  the identity, teaching and miracles of Christ, the kingdom of God , the Sermon on the Mount, Christ present with us forever.

The Meaning of Icons in Exploring Eastern Christianity (Educational Services)  A -  7 session study unit for teens about Eastern iconography.  Sessions covers the following:  icons in Byzantine spirituality,l icons the home, principal types of icons of Christ, the Theotokos and the saints, and the icon screen in the Byzantine church.

Our Call to Worship in Exploring Eastern Christianity (Educational Services )  An 8 session study unit for teens about the Eastern Christian view of worship.  Sessions cover the following:  the naturalness of worship, the continuity of Old and New Testament worship, the Church as Christ’s Body, the Byzantine tradition, worship as an attitude, and an overview of the structure and ethos of Byzantine worship.

Personhood (track 1 in the God With Us Series Book 7, Respond) – A 4-session study unit for teens about the Christian view of sexuality.  Sessions cover the following:   our sexuality is of God, sexuality as touched by sin, marriage and monasticism as complementary Christian expressions of sexuality.

Penance, Confession and Reconciliation in Focus OnYou (OCEC)- A- 5 Session study unit for teens about the meaning of sin and repentance.  Sessions cover the following:  the will of God, asking forgiveness and the mystery of repentance.

Reaching Out:  Out Call to Minister (OCA)– A seven – session study unit for teens about the meaning and vision of lay ministry.  Sessions cover the following:   ministry as showing concern, spiritual gifts given for ministry, ways of providing food, clothing and companionship, and “entertaining angels” in the spirit of Christian love.

Relating to the Elderly (track 2 in the God With Us Series Book 7 Respond) – a 4-session study unit for teens about ministering to the elderly.  Sessions cover the following:  aging is of God, aging as touched by sin, Jesus and aging and facing the future in hope.  Includes planned visits to a nursing home.

Stewardship:  Serving in God’s World (Greek Archdiocese DRE) – A 5 – session study unit for teens about Christian stewardship.  Sessions cover the following:  the world as God’s gift, our responsibility, the witness of famous stewards, time-talent-treasure and ways we can live the Beatitudes.

What’s Love Got to Do With It? Everything! (OCA) –A 7 session study unit for teens about relationships and choices.  Sessions covers the following:  relating to the God of the Gospel.  God’s love for us, relationships with family, friends, “neighbor,” lovers and Church.

The Story of Our Church in Exploring Eastern Christianity (Educational Services)  - A – 14 session study unit for teens about aspects of Eastern Catholic Church history.  Sessions cover the following:  the place of religion in the human story, the continuity of biblical religion, Christ as fulfillment of the Old Covenant, the Kingdom of God, the Church, the Holy Spirit in the Church, way of life of the Early Church, the Mediterranean world, Christianity and the Roman Empire, the five patriarchates, the Byzantine tradition, divisions in the Church and emigration in America.

Who is God?  Who Am I?  Who Are You? (Greek Archdiocese DRE)  A 14 session study unit for teens about Christian identity.  Sessions cover the following:  personal self-knowledge, personal weakness and guilt, sexuality, the passions, our fears and lack of self-image, and God’s eternal love.

Witness and Witnessing in Focus on You (OCEC) – A five session study unit for teens about baptism as a call to witness for Christ.  Sessions cover the following:  the meaning of witness, witness in the Old Testament, martyrdom, witnessing to Jesus Christ, ways in which we can witness.

Achieving Your Potential in Christ: Theosis by Anthony Coniaris (Light & Life Publishing)  – Plain talks on one of the major doctrines of the Orthodox Church.  Relates theosis to the everyday life of Christians

Contemporary Moral Issues Facing the Orthodox Christianity Stanley Harakas (Light and Life Publishing)  Chapter topics include Astrology, the Occult, Women in the Church, Pornography, Abortion, Homosexuality, Divorce, Human Rights, Racism, Capital Punishment, Ecology, Euthanasia, the donation of Organs after Death and many more.

Sex:It’s Worth Waiting For  by G Speck (Light and Life Publishing)

The author talks to teens in a frankly Christian direct way about the best choice for them:  to reserve sexual expression for marriage. In so doing, he deals with what to do if all this information is coming too late.  Helpful and heartrending letters from teens are included for special emphasis and illustration.

Multi-Graded Programs

Celebrating Faith (God With Us Publications)  -  A 5 session study unit on three levels (Younger children, preteens, teens)  on the Nicene Creed.  Sessions cover the following:  the Father, the Son, the work of Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, the holy mysteries, the life of the world to come.

The Earth Is the Lord’s:  Caring for God’s Creation (OCA)  -  A 5-session study unit for children and teens on Christian stewardship.  Sessions cover the following:  creation as of God, man as responsible for creation, man as priests of creation, threats to creation and being stewards of  creation.

God is Calling You!  Purpose for  YourLife (OC) – A 7 session study unit on three levels (Younger children, Pre-teen, Teen) on the theme of vocation.  Sessions cover the following:  our common call to love, using your special gifts, resisting God’s call, parish lay ministry, ordained ministries, monasticism and finding your vocation.

Teach all Nations!  Proclaiming the Gospel around theWorld (OCA) – A 7-session study unit on three levels on the theme of mission and our missionary responsibilities.  Sessions cover the following:   the Gospel as Good News, the first Christians, mission in the apostolic Church, the growth of the Church in Europe and Asia , the Alaskan mission, the Church of the immigrations, and ways we can share in the Church’s missionary life.

 List of Publishers/Distributors:

Educational Services (The Jesus Prayer,  the Story of Our Church, Our Call to Worship, The Meaning of Icons, The Church Building and – God With Us Publications (Celebrating Faith, Personhood, Relating to the Elderly)

Order from:

          Theological Book Service

          PO Box 509

          Barnhart , MO 63012

          877/484-1600 voice

          800 325-9525 fax

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Department of Religious Education (Facing Up to Peer Pressure, Stewardship, Honesty)

Order from:

          Department of Religious Education

          46 Goddard Ave

          Brookline , MA 02446

          800 566 1088 voice

          617 850 1489 fax

Orthodox Church of America (Celebrations, The Earth is the Lord’s God Is Calling You, Reaching Out, Teach All Nations and What’s Love God to Do with It?)  

AND

Orthodox Christian Education Commission (Beatitudes, Belonging to the Church, Celebration, The Church Building , Creation/Creating, Film and Values, Him Again, Witness & Martyrdom)

Order from:

          OCEC

          P.O. B ox 1051

          Syracuse , NY 13201

          800/464-2744 voice

          315/422-1893 fax

Light and Life Publishing– Achieving your Potential,  Contemporary Moral Issues Facing the Orthodox Christian and Sex: It’s Worth Waiting For

Order from: Light and Life Publishing

408 Park Glen Road

Minneapolis , MN 55416

1-952 925 3888

1-888 925 3918 (toll free fax)

On line:  www.light-n-life.com