Entrance of the Theotokos

Note: we begin each Sunday School this way:

1. We remind the kids of the Jesus Prayer is:

Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.

We take the blue bag of prayer ropes and hand one out to each child.

We say the prayer together out loud about 7 times or so.

2. If there are any new children we write down their names, 

birthday, names day and date of names day.

About this time we pass out the first cracker, of which they will be quite excited about.

3. Then we begin the lesson.

Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple.

We will be reading this book 

for the future feast

later this week.

{Last Week} ~ Saint Martin of Tours

Last week,

after our Jesus prayers,

we read a lovely book on Saint Martin of Tours

whose day was this past Monday.

You can order this book here.

{Learning about the Saints} ~ Saint Herman of Alaska

Note: we begin each Sunday School this way:

1. We remind the kids of the Jesus Prayer is:

Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.

We take the blue bag of prayer ropes and hand one out to each child.

We say the prayer together out loud about 7 times or so.

2. If there are any new children we write down their names, 

birthday, names day and date of names day.

About this time we pass out the first cracker, of which they will be quite excited about.

3. Then we begin the lesson.

Today I am going to speak to the children about

St. Herman of Alaska.

As last week's lesson was on St. John of Kronstadt, 

the first things that will be talked about is reminding them of St. John

and how he is a great Saint who loves children.

*

St. Herman is also a Saint who loves children

and who is a special "Father-Daddy" Saint to many.

Saint Herman lived on Spruce Island for many years

and helped children, including orphans, there.

*

This book on Saint Herman has a lot about his life 

and how he loved children.

Do you know that you can talk to St. Herman

and ask his prayers?

Did you know that the Saints want to help us

and be our Holy Friends?

*

Craft Idea:

Draw a picture of Saint Herman and something he did while

living on earth.

Some examples are below:

Holy Saint Herman pray to God for us!

St. John of Kronstadt ~ Loving and Caring for Children!

Note: we begin each Sunday School this way:

1. We remind the kids of the Jesus Prayer is:

Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.

We take the blue bag of prayer ropes and hand one out to each child.

We say the prayer together out loud about 7 times or so.

2. If there are any new children we write down their names, 

birthday, names day and date of names day.

About this time we pass out the first cracker, of which they will be quite excited about.

3. Then we begin the lesson.

St. John of Kronstadt is a very beloved Saint to 

many many people!

On the old calendar his day is celebrated on November 1st.

St. John lived in Kronstadt Russia and was a 

humble priest married to his Matushka Elizabeth

with who they lived as in a monastery,

full of prayer and love for God and others.

When Saint John was a child he 

struggled in school:

"When John was ten, his parents were able to raise some money and send him to the local school which was attached to the church. At first, the boy had an extremely difficult time with his studies. He worked for days on end, but still failed to keep up.

Writing about his life he once recalled an evening when everyone had already gone to bed. “I could not sleep, and I still failed to understand anything I was taught. I still read poorly and could not remember anything I was told. I became so depressed I fell to my knees and began to pray. I don’t know whether I had spent a long time in that position or not, but suddenly something shook my whole being. It was as if a veil had fallen from my eyes, and my mind had been opened, and I remembered clearly my teacher of that day and his lesson. I also recalled the topic and the examples he had given. I felt so light and joyous inside.” After this experience he did so well he became one of the first in his class to be chosen to go to seminary, and after seminary to the Theological Academy in St Petersburg (a great honor at that time)." (source).

*

Now Saint John can help all children as they are in school too!

It is wonderful that the Saints know what it is like

to have been a child and that it is not always easy.

*

Did you know that you can pray to St. John of Kronstadt

for help in school and at home?

St. John cared for many children 

and founded an orphanage for them.

St. John cared very much for the poor and did a lot to help them!

*

"Fr. John established a special relief organization. It was called the "House of the Industry" and opened in Kronstadt in 1882. It had its own church, an elementary school for boys and girls, an orphanage, a hospital for anyone who came there, a boarding house, a free public library, shelter for the homeless that accommodated 40,000 people each year, a variety of workshops where the impoverished were able to earn some money, a cheap public canteen which served about 800 free dinners on holidays, and a hostel for the travelers." (source)

*

So we can see that St. John loved families and children very much

and tried to make sure they had all they needed!

*

Many people pray to St. John of Kronstadt for help

and by God's mercy help and miracles have happened!

We must pray to St. John of Kronstadt too and remember

that he loves us!

*

This week, 

let's try to remember to ask St. John of Kronstadt for help

in our lives as we are at home, church and school.

*****

Craft Idea:

Draw pictures of St. John...

Ideas included:

~St. John praying as a child to God for

help in school

~St. John helping at the church, school, orphanage, and library that 

was part of the House of Industry that he began

~St. John praying in church as a priest

~St. John blessing a house with Holy Water