The Mustard Seed

March -April 2009

2009-03-30T19:53:00.002-04:00

Here in our Archdiocese, we find Lent upon us once again. In our church schools this year let's move away from the "giving up" idea, and move toward simply, "giving." By this I mean learning to give of time, talents, and yes, money, in creative ways. In a smaller church school it is even more possible to do this on a personal basis.Lent is a wonderful time to move into activities we have only thought abut previously. Take some lessons taught in earlier months (or go back to the "tithing Program" materials), and turn ideas into hands-on experiences. It will not only make a greater impression on your students, but you will find it enriching yourself. Look under "Lenten Activities" for some ideas that might work with your students. You will see concepts and biblical references linked with possible activities. Try to implement at least one of these in Lent if possible, or send us one of your own ideas. You may find that your students find it so rewarding that they will wish to continue with the activity after Lent is over! May you and your students have a blessed, enriching Lenten period!

Making Lent Great for Your Family

2009-03-30T19:51:00.001-04:00

Making Lent Great For Your Family By Philip Mamalakis, PhD
Our neighbors returned from a weekend away at a resort with their two teenagers. They described to us the wonderful food buffet at the resort. The brunch buffet, they reported, had everything, the meats, the scrambled egg bar, tremendous fruit spreads, all the pancakes and toppings you could think of, ten different types of dishes, salmon, croissants, you name it, they had it. They couldn’t hold back their dismay as they told us how their two boys came back from the buffet with a bowl of Captain Crunch cereal! “They can have that at home any time,” they exclaimed. They could have anything they wanted, a feast fit for a king, and they passed it all up for a bowl of cold cereal.
Lent is a time that we are invited to change our lifestyle in preparation for Easter. Like anything else in life, the more we understand what is happening, the more we indulge in the banquet, the more we will experience God’s healing presence in our lives. I won’t be able to highlight all of the delicacies that are laid out before us during this Lenten season, so I will highlight three of the dishes that families can partake in as a way of connecting to the banquet ourselves and teaching our children to partake. Notice the first connection, though. The most effective way to teach our children the joy of the liturgical life of the Church is to embrace it in our own lives.
Make a commitment on how you will fast during Lent
As Orthodox, we fast from food to be able to fast from sin. And it is our sin that keeps us from experiencing God fully. This connection between how we eat and how we sin is what the Fathers of the Church are clear on. This connection is also something that is lost in contemporary society. In America today, we don’t hear a lot about how fasting can help a marriage stay together or how a family can learn to love God through fasting. As a therapist, I see marriages fail because people cannot control how they act towards each other. Essentially the more we indulge ourselves in whatever we want, the more we become enslaved to our desires, rather than free to love. Fasting is not magic, but when we feast at the banquet of our souls through fasting we see God transforming our worldly desires towards His Kingdom. Opening up our marriages and families to fasting opens up our hearts to be filled with the Grace of God and be truly free.
Fasting rules for families is a personal thing. Each family will do it differently. In consultation with your Priest or Spiritual Father, consider following the fasting guidelines of the Church. Consider what you did last year, and take a step further this year. For some, this might mean fasting from meat and dairy the first and last weeks of Lent. For others, it is time to fast from dairy products during every week of Lent, or on Wednesdays and Fridays. Learning to partake of fasting from the buffet of the Church during Lent means letting go of control of our diet and giving this to God. Fasting is not just about food, but also about healing our souls. It is a challenge for us today, but like any sacrifices we make in faith, God’s blessings that come from it are uncountable.
Before Lent starts, decide as a family what your church service schedule will be. Families do this all the time at the beginning of the soccer, football, or basketball season. Families look ahead to commit their evenings and weekends to the sport schedule. The coach demands it and families do this. We do this for earthly rewards: a championship team or to help our kids develop their sports skills. Planning in advance that you will go to every Wednesday night Pre-Sanctified service, or Friday night Salutations service, or Saturday night Vespers is a commitment towards heavenly rewards of peace and healing. Planning ahead what services you will commit to is a way of setting your family’s Lenten journey within the life of the parish; right where it belongs.
Now what should we do if our kids don’t want to go? Or maybe we have mixed feelings about going. Attending the services requires a commitment of our time that will pay off in transforming our hearts and lives towards receiving God’s Grace. God’s Grace heals the ills of our souls, but services don’t have to be boring. Spend time as a family to make it meaningful. Learn about the service. Ask your Priest to teach what is happening to you and why. Participate in the services by learning the hymns and prayers. Suggest coordinating a potluck or discussion group at Church after service for families. This could mean coordinating activities for kids and discussions for adults. Do a family activity following the service that everyone will enjoy, like a family night at home. Like many good things in life, until we learn to love the medicine of worship in our lives, a teaspoon of sugar helps it go down. There are few things as boring as an Orthodox Church service that you are not connected with and there is nothing more transforming than living a life of worship.
Make a commitment to family prayer at home during Lent
Kids are more likely to feel at home at church if their home feels more like a church. While I am not suggesting that we walk slowly and use quiet voices at home, Lent is a great time to build your family icon corner, or come together before your icon corner in prayer. Mom and dad must be taking things seriously if they are lighting a candle before the icons and bowing their heads in prayer. If we are singing Church hymns at home, our kids will feel a familiarity when the hymns are sung at Church. Lent is a time to consider coming together as a family before the icons instead of before the television. If you don’t think you know how to do this, talk to your Priest about how to start to pray or find people to teach you about this.
Consider specifically incorporating the Lenten Prayer of Saint Ephraim as a family. Each evening, following dinner, or before bedtime when everyone is together, gather at the family icon corner and say the prayer all together.
O Lord and Master of my life, give me not the spirit of sloth, faintheartedness, lust for power, or idle talk. (prostration)
But grant me, your servant, the spirit of moderation, humility, patience, and love. (prostration)
Yes, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to judge my brothers and sisters. For you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen (prostration)
After each verse, do a full prostration, or bow, in front of the icon of Christ. This is the same prostration the Priest does at the beginning of services. Nothing shifts a family prayer time like doing prostrations together. Christ is present as we gather, and through the icons. Bowing down to Him makes it real and requires a step in faith. Paradoxically, it strengthens our faith, which is what we need as we try to turn our lives towards Him.
So the Lenten buffet is laid out before us to nourish our souls and prepare us to receive Christ at Easter. We can partake of fasting, church services, and prayer in the home. I have not mentioned many of the other ‘dishes’ available like confession, forgiveness, almsgiving, reading the scriptures, pilgrimages, reading the lives of the Saints, or memorizing scripture or prayers. The banquet is set for us to partake as much as we desire.
The goal or purpose of Lent is not to fast or pray. The goal of Lent is to experience God directly. Helping our kids ‘get more out of Church’ means helping them experience God directly. Lent is a time for families to reorient themselves towards God, but it takes a commitment to open our families to the life in Christ and open our homes to God’s saving Grace. The feast is there for us to partake of, but we can also walk right by, grabbing a bowl of cold cereal. Remember, though, that after a bowl of cereal you will be hungry again in an hour. But God promises those who partake, that “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

How the Date of Pascha is Fixed

2009-03-29T10:32:00.000-04:00

Most of us have noticed that in the majority of years, the celebration of Easter for Orthodox Christians and for Protestant or Catholics does not fall on the same Sunday. There is a reason for this. Easter is determined by all churches using the same formula: it should be observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox. Western Christian Churches use the Gregorian calendar to determine this, which has been the standard calendar for most of the secular world since 1582. The Eastern Church (Orthodox Christianity) however, uses the formula with the original, Julian calendar. Also, because all of the events of Holy Week and Easter took place after Jesus entered Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish Passover, Easter can never be before Passover.
And, to further complicate things, the Western church does not use the actual, or astronomically correct date for the vernal equinox, but a fixed date (March 21). And by full moon, it does not mean the astronomical full moon but the "ecclesiastical moon," which is based on tables created by the Catholic Church. These constructs allow the date of Easter to be calculated in advance rather than determined by actual astronomical observances, which are naturally less predictable. So as a result, in the Western Church, Easter sometimes precedes Passover by weeks.

At any rate, as Orthodox Christians, those of us with small children are always happy when Pascha follows Western Easter- think of all the Easter candy on sale!

Lent 2009

2009-03-09T22:10:00.001-04:00

Here we are with Lent upon us again. In our church schools this year let's move away from the "giving up" idea, and move toward simply, "giving." By this I mean learning to give of time, talents, and yes, money, in creative ways. In a smaller church school it is even more possible to do this on a personal basis.Lent is a wonderful time to move into activities we have only thought abut previously. Take some lessons taught in earlier months (or go back to the "tithing Program" materials), and turn ideas into hands-on experiences. It will not only make a greater impression on your students, but you will find it enriching yourself. Look under "Lenten Activities" for some ideas that might work with your students. You will see concepts and biblical references linked with possible activities. Try to implement at least one of these in Lent if possible, or send us one of your own ideas. You may find that your students find it so rewarding that they will wish to continue with the activity after Lent is over! May you and your students have a blessed, enriching Lenten period!

Lenten Scriptural Activities

2009-03-09T22:08:00.000-04:00

Scripture Teaching and Associated Activity

Feed the Hungry
visit a food bank and help bag food
begin a food drive for the needy at a local community center or your church

Clothe the Naked
have older students knit scarves for children in a homeless shelter
collect clothes for a community “free closet” program, or start one

Comfort those who Mourn
have students “adopt” a lonely senior in a nursing home or care center
help students make cards to send to parish shut-ins or those who have recently lost loved ones
Do Good to those who Hate You
have students pray each day for someone who has hurt them in the past
have students do something nice for that person-anonymously

January- February 2009

2009-01-22T10:48:00.000-05:00

As we enter into 2009, it is a good time to meet as a staff and reassess your plans for the rest of the church school year, examine how the members of your staff are doing in their areas, and look at upcoming events for the church school. It is surely not too early to start planning what events and programs you want to implement in Lent. You may wish to plan a retreat day for your church school, which is a wonderful time to integrate the church school with others in the parish who do not usually have contact with the children. To the right you will find a link to a basic plan for such a day.
Also, when January and February come, and the wonderful Christmas season is over, there is often a slump in enthusiasm, not just for the children, but for the staff as well. This would be a great time to plan a field trip, or special activity. Perhaps it might be a good time to bring the children to the local food pantry or shelter, followed by a discussion on how we as Christians are supposed to be of help to our fellow man. (Jesus asks us, "who is my brother?") Or to plan an joint activity with another local church group. Or perhaps, to begin an ongoing project which all in the church school can work on for the rest of the school year. One fun idea is a large icon, which can then be used in a church school room, parish hall, or church entry way. You will find directions for this to the right on this page.
Whatever you choose, make sure to plan for meaningful Lenten activities, and take a step soon that will enliven your church school and its teachers and volunteers during the gray days of late winter and early spring.

Icon Wall Hanging

2009-01-22T10:35:00.001-05:00

Icon Wall Hanging

Materials:

White sheet or piece of sturdy white material with smooth surface. A natural fiber is best. About 3’ x 5’

Several black permanent markers

Fabric paint of appropriate colors, or if you already have craft paint, get a bottle of fabric medium- when mixed with the craft paint it makes yours fabric paint

1” brushes (one for each child who will participate)

1” diameter dowel- length the finished width of hanging + ½ inch on each end

Paper icon pattern of the Theotokos, Jesus or a saint (those from Fr. John Matusiak are
good)- pick something simple- use black and white cartoon-like patterns

(similar to this)

Directions:

Cut your fabric to size- I suggest 3’ x 5’ at least.

Draw the icon outline on the fabric, centering it. If someone is good enough to do this free hand, fine, otherwise there are machines which will enlarge the pattern and throw it onto the fabric so that the pattern can be drawn onto the fabric in the larger size. These are available at stores like Hobby Lobby, Michaels, or AC Moore.

Go over your outline neatly with black permanent marker. (you will probably want to do this yourself)

Decide what color each section will be, and assign each section to one or two children. Let them work independently in painting on the color- if there are too many children around the hanging, you will surely have a mess. Have children paint so that the color is solid and opaque- no bits of white here and there, and tell them not to cover the black outline.

This can be done as a spare time activity when a child is finished with work, or as something extra at the end of class. Take your time- it is not a one class activity. It can also be done as a retreat day activity. You will probably want to attach it to the wall low enough so that children can reach to paint, and just leave it there if possible, until finished.

When the painting is done and dry, make a small hem around three of the sides, and fold over and sew about a 3” sleeve on the top, where you will slide a pole.

Stick a sturdy thumbtack on each end- from these you can attach a cord for hanging.

December 2008

2008-12-12T22:15:00.001-05:00

Here we are again, at the beginning of the Nativity Fast, and faced with the dilemma of how to be an Orthodox Christian in a secular world. For those of us in smaller church schools, it means deciding how we are to mark the season for our smaller church school. I have several suggestions for those in this situation.
First of all, if you are in a parish which loves to see children put on a Christmas program (called a yolka where I come from), it can still be done. It just takes a little more creativity, and you may need to write it (or adapt it) yourself. Click at the right on “Christmas Play” to see a sample. Because we were small, this one was written to accommodate the ages and skills of the children we had, and I also included some willing adults in the cast. What we discovered was, that it gave children the opportunity to interact with adults they would not normally be in contact with, and people liked it even better when they saw their adult friends up on the stage as well!
The drawback of a play, of course, is that it takes at least some practice, which involves finding good practice times that do not take away from teaching too much. The sample play to the right is simple, and does not require costuming, which does save preparation time.
The other suggestion I have for a special activity is a “retreat” day for children, which includes some parent participation. It also gets other adults involved in your church school program too, and I find that when people are more closely connected to a program, they tend to support it more, and this is a good thing. Look to the right for a sample schedule of this also. Of course, this can be altered to suit your inclinations and situation. We set it up so that during the majority of the day the parents were not there- giving them a perfect time to Christmas shop for the children, a feature which they loved.
I hope that if you are stuck for ideas, or want something new, you will try one of these. We found them successful and popular, and that the demands on the teachers and parents were minimal, since many were involved in the planning and orchestration.

Wishing you a blessed “Little Lent,” and a wonderful Nativity.

A First Introduction to Smaller Church Schools

2008-12-12T22:13:00.001-05:00

Why do we have church schools at all? Can’t kids learn at the feet of their parents? Today- not really. Many, if not most, have no extended families, and many have two working parents, who barely have time to see they are fed and clothed. Of course, all parents are not equipped to teach the factual information, although of course they are the chief modelers of the faith. Therefore, there are very practical reasons for church schools.Certainly we have church schools because of Christ’s command: go ye and preach the gospel.” As church school people, we do not think of ourselves as “preachers,” but in a way we are. Jesus was a preacher and also a rabbi, which of course in Hebrew means “teacher.” Although we do not bring the gospel to the masses, we do bring it to our children- on a level they can understand. This is why, to me, church school is mandatory, not optional only if all conditions are optimal. We must be there for our children, whether they number in the hundreds, or can be counted on one hand. Therefore it amazes me when people tell me their parish does not have a church school, since there are not “enough” children. My question for them always is, how will you ever have “enough” children, if you offer no church school? A responsible parent will probably not want to attend a parish where none is offered, and we can’t wait for the numbers before putting something in place that will serve the needs of present and future children. Congratulations to those of you here who have seen this and acted.

Sample Lesson- Adjusting Curriculum

2008-12-12T21:34:00.002-05:00

Actual text from The Way, the Truth and the Life (OCEC curriculum), p. 46:

(High School Level)
"St. Helen Finds the True Cross

To honor his new faith, Constantine arranged to build a church on Golgotha, where Christ had been crucified. At the same time, his mother, Helen, decided to search for the cross on which Jesus had dies, so that it could stand inthe new church. With a team of men to dig through the rubble, and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the elderly queen traveled to Jerusalem and found the true cross of Christ in 326."

Questions: Why do you think St. Helen decided to look for the true cross?

(Middle School Level)
St. Helen Finds the True Cross

When Constantine the king became a Christian, he wanted to do something special, so he decided to built a church at the place where Jesus had been crucified. At the same time, his mother Helen set out to find the actual cross on which Jesus had hung. She took many stong men with her and travelled to Jerusalem, where her prayers let her find the true cross of Jesus in 326.

Question: Tell what Constantine and his mother Helen did to show their faith in Jesus.

(Elementary Level)
St. Helen Finds the Cross

Long ago, two good Christians did something special because they loved Jesus. Their names were King Constantine, and his mother, who was named Helen. King Constantine built a new church where Jesus' real cross had once been. His mother Helen went to find Jesus' real cross, and she did!

Question: What did King Constantine build? What did his mother Helen find? Draw a picture of one of these.

Link to Antiochian Christian Education Department

2008-12-12T20:03:00.001-05:00

Teacher Meetings

2008-12-12T19:10:00.001-05:00

Many of us hate meetings, myself sometimes included. Many we sit through seem to have no real purpose, and we wonder whether these folks have never heard of e-mails or memos or what. When it comes to church school however, they are vital. The only way a church school staff (be it two or three, or a hundred) can effectively work together as a team is not only by communicating with each other (e-mails are great for this), but also, by actually sitting down together and hashing through problems, and planning together for the future. Often, we then find that others have had our very experiences, and may indeed, have the solutions we are searching for. Also, we find that our weaknesses are another’s strengths, and we can take advantage of this. Needless to say, face-to-face meetings help to minimize discontent, misunderstandings and unhappiness within the ranks as well.I believe teachers’ meetings should take place not less than three times during the year- a number of weeks before church school is to start, during the Christmas break, and at the end of the school term. (Do this fairly soon after, while everything is fresh in everyone’s minds.) I suggest you make this fun- perhaps combine with a pot-luck or a barbecue. (People are happier with food!) Make sure the time is convenient for all of your teachers, and do not finalize the date until you have all committed to it. Give lots of notice, of course.Review successes and failures, and discuss. Ask for feedback on how the teachers feel about the curriculum, and respond in concrete ways to their comments. You may need to rethink what you are using, if it doesn’t seem to be working well, even with your help. You may need to find more resources to supplement. Ask for suggestions. People come up with wonderful ideas when planning together, and the church school director does not need to come up with all of the ideas, nor should she/he.If you are the director, be sure to thank your teachers, and tell them (honestly) how you plan to support them and give them training during the coming period. If your parish has never done so, ask the Department to come and do a training for your teachers. This costs you nothing, and you can get your teachers certified by the Church in this way. (It is also a good way to meet teachers from other nearby Orthodox parishes, whom you will of course, invite.)A good bit of your planning time will need to be spent thinking of how the material you have can be adjusted for use by a wider age range. You may wish to break up into groups of about four or five and work together on this. Do not try to cover the entire year, but focus on the few months coming up. That will be enough work for you!

Christmas Play for Small Church Schools

2008-12-12T18:42:00.000-05:00

The Wakefield Pageant of Herod the Great c. 1400s

Adapted for modern children’s usage 1991 by Catherine Sullivan

(Note: this is performed in a “rap” style, with lots of “groups,” so that you can add or delete characters as you need. You do not need very many speakers. It is a short one also.)

Setting: Jerusalem, at the time of Jesus’ birth

Characters: Messenger
Herod
Soldiers
Counselors
Women

Act 1
Scene 1: Herod’s Palace

Present: Messenger, Herod, Two Soldiers, Counselors

Messenger: Hail oh Herod, Mighty King!
There is none so great!
Yet troubled be he, it’s plain to see,
By a babe to be born of low estate.

Herod: The Magi I’ve sent
From town of Orient
Tho’ babe be he
His body will I see or
No king shall I be!

Soldier 1: They have discovered the Magi three-
That terrible plot laid by thee,
We have not seen them all this day
They must have gone the other way!

Herod: Betrayed, betrayed, they’ll rue the day
They chose to go another way!

Counselor 1: No harm’s done yet-
The sun’s not set!

1

Herod: Revenge I shall have on this kingly three,
Else what will my people think of me?

Soldier1: They escaped before I knew-
I’d have got them,
I’d have seen it through!

Herod: Be gone, you rogues, away with you-
No better than these soldiers two!

(End of Scene 1- all exit stage.)

Scene 2: Jerusalem’s market Square/Herod’s Chambers

Present: Two Counselors, Women, Herod

Counselor 1: There shall be born a Royal Child
Born of a maiden, meek and mild.

Counselor 2: In Isaiah it was foretold
Emmanuel born, in poverty and cold,
The Writings then would have it thus,
God in Man is born to us!

Woman: Yes, of Jewry a babe shall spring,
To serve us all, as Lord and King!

Act 2
Scene 1: Herod’s Chambers.

Present: Herod, Soldiers, Messenger

Herod: I’m wild with rage-
This cannot be!
I’ll kill this child that threatens me!

Counselor 1: What outrage from a child not one-
A hunt for him we have begun!

Counselor 2: To die by spear-
That is his fate,
For Magi Three we cannot wait!

(Soldiers enter)

2
Herod: This is the charge I give to you
Slay all the males of less than tow-
Scour the countryside near and far,
Ride in the light of yonder star!

Messenger: Your bidding they will do, Great Lord,
With all speed they’ll ride abroad.
They will kill the little child,
Though storm and sand, or desert wild.
They will ride, and at the end,
You will know your real friends!

Scene 2: (Another part of Jerusalem)

Present: Soldiers, Women

Soldier 1: Think not ill of me,
But your child I see!

Soldier 2: Him we must kill-
It’s Herod’s will!

Woman 1: Keep your peace or else I fight-
No child you’ll take from me this night!

Soldier 2: Your child must die,
No mercy here,
You must say good-by I fear!

Woman 1: A curse on you, we do not fear,
A mother’s love holds this child so dear!

Soldier 1: No escape, this child must die.
You may as well wipe that tear from your eye!

Woman 2: What shall we do- how can this be?
Can they not see this child is not He?

(Soldiers snatch the child from the mother and exit, leaving weeping women.)

Act 3:
Scene 1: (Herod’s palace some time later.)

Present: Herod, and several Soldiers.

3
Soldier 2: Hail Harod, your bidding we’ve done,
The children are slain-
We’ve left not a one.

Soldier 1: Our just compense to us now due-
This is all we ask of you!

Herod: You’ve done well, it’s plain to see,
A fat reward you’ve gained from me!

(Soldiers exit, leaving Herod alone.)

Herod: All is finished, I should be at peace,
But why can’t my soul now find release?

I did what I must to keep my crown,
But did they truly slay the child of renown?

(In the background, music plays- “What Child is This,” or other music with similar theme. Herod walks slowly off the stage.)

Orthodox Trivial Pursuit

2008-12-12T18:39:00.000-05:00

Get a card box that will hold 3x5 cards, and a bunch of 3x5 cards. (or you can use 5x7.) On the front of each goes a question, and on the back an answer. I am sure that now you can set up your computer so that you can print them- I pasted each on the card when I did it. I also suggest you laminate them, although this can run into money, but is well worth it- mine is at least 20 years old now, and on its second box.

I use about 6 categories: (so buy or make dividers for the categories of cards, and label each.)

Bible
Church History
Liturgy
Sacraments
Saints
Theology (beliefs of Orthodoxy)

I always include some questions that are distinct to my parish, such as: What is our Bishop's name? or, Name one saint that is on our iconostasis. Most however, are more general.

To set it up quickly, I suggest you assign your teachers to come up with a few (questions AND answers), and ask willing parishioners who you think will have accurate information to help also. You can ask teachers to work together, so that teachers who teach elementary students can come up with those questions, middle school teachers questions for those kids, etc. You need quite a lot of cards in each category, but coming up with questions is pretty quick and easy- the time consuming part is getting it to game form (on the cards). (Maybe if you want it by the 6th you could just have 6 sheets of questions and answers, and paste them on cards later.) If you want this set up quickly, get lots of people to help, but be specific about what category each is to work on, so that you get about the same number of questions in each group, and give them a deadline as to when you need the questions! Have as many as possible for each category- it is amazing how many questions you can run through in 20-30 minutes!
I always have 2 or three age level questions on the same card- you choose which one would be age-appropriate for the child answering, and that way you can have multiple ages.

For example, on the same card your questions might be:

elementary: What is the name of your priest? (Father Tom)

middle school: What is the name of your priest? (Father Tom Hopko)

HS: What is the name of your priest and his title? (The Very Rev. Thomas Hopko)

You can also choose to have only one level per card, if this is the way you want to go.

You can play this game any way you want. You can have teams, or individual contestants. You can use as your cut off time, number of points reached first, or any other scoring method you choose, as long as everyone knows ahead of time. Be sure rules are printed out and kept with the game. Orthodox Trivia is not played with a board as is Trivial Pursuit, but is more like Jeopardy in the way you do it. You can use the game with individual classes or age levels, or can make it an activity that includes all ages- even adults. You can have the teachers play too! The rules will be the way you want to set them up. And, the great thing about the file card system is that it is easy to remove dated material and replace it with new material.

Recruitment of Teachers and Staff

2008-12-12T18:37:00.000-05:00

Before you begin recruiting teachers, consider your needs in terms of how many children you anticipate, and (very important!) what sort of groupings you may need to make if you are a smaller church school. There should never be less than 3 children in a class. There also (ideally) should never be more than a three year age range in any class. That said, you will want to plan for one teacher per class, and hopefully a helper, which could be a teen, or retired person who does not want the responsibility of teaching. You may want to set up a team-teaching situation if this works well and people will be more inclined to teach if they do not have total responsibility for a class. You will also want auxiliary people, who are able to do music and crafts, and others who can work on pageants, or who can write or organize well for Creative Festivals and other activities.

When you recruit teachers, be careful. You do not want to have a general cattle call for teachers, or you will (guaranteed) get one or two who simply have no business in a classroom. Start by consulting with your priest about people he thinks may be good at teaching. Of course, you want teachers who are communing members of the parish, and who have a good grasp of Orthodoxy. If you have very new converts, you will want them to get their feet wet by assisting. They should not immediately be presenting the Orthodox faith to our children- there needs to be time for them to learn it themselves!

Once you have found some teachers by this method (and they have accepted), you can certainly open the search to the general parish, but do so in a way that does not commit you to using those who respond. Have a form for people to fill out (see the sample at the end of this), which gives you some idea of what they are interested in doing in the educational program, with the clear understanding that people will be contacted as need arises. (Signing the form does not mean that the person is now a church school teacher!) When all forms are in (and do this early on, perhaps at the beginning of summer), you can look at who is interested, and what their talents are. After consulting with the priest when appropriate, you can then consider your needs, and contact those you think would work well in the church school. Don’t forget, while some may sign up who would not be good teachers, they may be excellent at organization, at maintaining supplies, or in providing snacks. When someone is good enough to volunteer, you want to use them somehow, if at all possible.
Once you have your staff in place, it goes without saying that you will then provide ongoing training for them- something covered elsewhere in the blog.

Church School Volunteer Form

We are looking for volunteers for this and coming years for our Church School. If you feel you could help us, please complete this check sheet. We will then see what our needs are this year, and you may be contacted. Even if you are not called upon immediately, needs come up all through the year, so you may hear something later!

I would like to help the Church School program by:
(circle all that apply)

teaching _________(ages?)

assisting a teacher

being a substitute

helping with crafts

helping with programs/pageants

helping organize and/or obtain supplies

provide musical expertise

provide publicity for our activities

work on budgeting/obtaining funds

Other _________________________

Name____________

Phone number __________________

E-mail address ____________________________

Comments/Suggestions:

Saturday Little Lenten Retreat Day

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A Saturday Little Lenten Retreat Day

Schedule:
9:00 Continental breakfast for parents and children
9:30 Short Matins service
10:00 Teaching time (This is a good time to talk about the meaning of the Nativity Season. Try to bring in your priest for this- he very rarely has a chance to spend time with the children normally, and they need that contact.)
11:00 Snack time- (You may want to make this cookie baking time, perhaps making up the dough ahead.)
11:30 Beginning craft time (Start your craft now. Make it a meaningful one- perhaps making an Advent calendar or icon. You may want two or more activities if ages are varied.)
12:00 Soup and sandwich lunch provided by parish members.
12:30 Outdoor activity (varies depending on your location and surroundings- perhaps a walk in the woods, or snowball fight).
1:00 Continuing craft time.
2:00 Saturday at the movies (Pick a good film which has a good moral message, if not actually religious. There are some religious films out now that are very high quality, however, and engaging for children.)
3:00 Snack time- something simple and light.
3:30 Wind down time- (storytelling, an additional activity, or you can do the church school lesson for the week, and plan a day off on Sunday.)
4:30 Simple Vespers service. (If children have made icons, have the priest bless them at this time.)
5:00 Pot luck supper with the parents, and home.

Ten Points For Maintaining High Standards in Smaller Church Schools

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1. Class should meet every Sunday for the full ____minutes. (classes should meet for at least 35 weeks per year, and a minimum of 45 minutes)

2. Classes should have (and follow) a real Orthodox curriculum, even if this is self-designed.

3. No story telling or favorite topics should get in the way of the day’s material.

4. Use only experienced, “trained”* teachers, or have those who are not, work with someone more experienced if possible.

5. Make sure all teachers have ongoing training and regular meetings together with the church school director.

6. Run the church school professionally, using:
a. application forms for teachers/volunteers
b. student “registration day”
c. church school announcements in bulletins, newsletters, posters, web site, and sent home with students
d. keep attendance, and recognize good attendance
e. have programs and pageants just as you would in a larger church school

7. Involve the parish:
a. have “open house” and programs to which all are invited
b. have a supply drive, soliciting donations of pencils, crayons, colored paper, etc.
c. have a display once or twice a year in a central place, showing student’s work, art projects, and the curriculum you use
d. ask the priest to talk up church school just before it opens, and have him recognize the teachers in some way

8. Place is important. Make sure each class has: a quiet place in which to meet, good lighting, enough tables and chairs, a whiteboard/chalkboard, and wastebasket, as well as a supply container which includes pencils, pens, pencil sharpener, crayons, paste, paper, colored paper, tape, scissors and glue sticks.

9. Have a high standard for student behavior. Students should be reasonably attentive and respectful of the teacher and others. If a student is out of control, he should not be in the class with others who are trying to learn. Call Mom or Dad!

10. Last but certainly not least, include prayer in the package. Pray about your class and lesson before hand, pray with your students in class, and model for them how to pray for themselves and (especially) others.

Remember, high standards foster a good learning environment where your students can learn about their faith, and see examples of how to live an Orthodox life. Even though you will probably not see many instant rewards, what you say and do can have profound effect on your students later. You are helping foster the future Orthodox Christian laity, deacons, priests, church school directors, choir directors, etc. What an awesome thing that is, and what an important position you hold!

Note: by "trained" we do not necessarily mean people with a college teaching degree, but people experienced in the field, who have taken opportunity to take teacher training when available to them. If you would like to provide a teacher training opportunity for your parish, contact your diocesan Christian Education representative, or Myra Kovalak, OCEC Director of Teacher Training at: mekovalak@gmail.com .

Teacher Meetings

2008-07-28T15:34:00.013-04:00

Many of us hate meetings, myself sometimes included. Many we sit through seem to have no real purpose, and we wonder whether these folks have never heard of e-mails or memos or what. When it comes to church school however, they are vital. The only way a church school staff (be it two or three, or a hundred) can effectively work together as a team is not only by communicating with each other (e-mails are great for this), but also, by actually sitting down together and hashing through problems, and planning together for the future. Often, we then find that others have had our very experiences, and may indeed, have the solutions we are searching for. Also, we find that our weaknesses are another’s strengths, and we can take advantage of this. Needless to say, face-to-face meetings help to minimize discontent, misunderstandings and unhappiness within the ranks as well.

I believe teachers’ meetings should take place not less than three times during the year- a number of weeks before church school is to start, during the Christmas break, and at the end of the school term. (Do this fairly soon after, while everything is fresh in everyone’s minds.) I suggest you make this fun- perhaps combine with a pot-luck or a barbecue. (People are happier with food!) Make sure the time is convenient for all of your teachers, and do not finalize the date until you have all committed to it. Give lots of notice, of course.

Review successes and failures, and discuss. Ask for feedback on how the teachers feel about the curriculum, and respond in concrete ways to their comments. You may need to rethink what you are using, if it doesn’t seem to be working well, even with your help. You may need to find more resources to supplement. Ask for suggestions. People come up with wonderful ideas when planning together, and the church school director does not need to come up with all of the ideas, nor should she/he.

If you are the director, be sure to thank your teachers, and tell them (honestly) how you plan to support them and give them training during the coming period. If your parish has never done so, ask the Department to come and do a training for your teachers. This costs you nothing, and you can get your teachers certified by the Church in this way. (It is also a good way to meet teachers from other nearby Orthodox parishes, whom you will of course, invite.)
A good bit of your planning time will need to be spent thinking of how the material you have can be adjusted for use by a wider age range. You may wish to break up into groups of about four or five and work together on this. Do not try to cover the entire year, but focus on the few months coming up. That will be enough work for you!

A Three or Four Year Curriculum Plan

2008-07-28T15:33:00.003-04:00

There are many ways to determine what curriculum plan you want to follow. If you are using a good curriculoum series, this is really done for you. You can choose to follow a series of books such as Fr. Hopko's 4 book "Rainbow" Series. This series is divided into five categories: doctrine, spirituality, church history, scripture and liturgy.

This is a great series for reference, and you should certainly own them, but it will need a good bit of work on your part to make it "used friendly." If however, you want to use several resources, or this does not work for you, I found the following guideline worked well:

Areas to Be Covered:
Old Testament

New Testament

Church History

Sacraments

Church Music

Church Teachings (theology)

Church Practice (what we do and why we do it)

How?
Each of these general categories will probably be touched upon each year. Decide which topics you wish to center on during a certain year, and take the material you wish to use and “tweak it” for each age level.

For example, with the Sacraments, you may wish to cover them in this way:

Year 1: Baptism and Holy Communion

Year 2: Confession and Anointing

Year 3: Marriage and the Priesthood

Then in year one, you will teach Baptism and Holy Communion to all, just on different levels. Same for teaching lives of Saints, or any other topic.

*This plan is a must if you are designing your own curriculum, but can be very useful too, even if you are using actual textbooks. Your 45 minutes or hour should not consist only of using the textbook, but of supplementary material- films, games, maps, lives of the Saints, stories, etc.

Adjusting Curriculum to Age Level

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Adjusting Curriculum to Meet Age Level Needs

Before you take on the task of adjusting curriculum to meet the needs of your class, review Bloom's Taxonomy if you are able. (Or another similar reference.) This will tell you what sorts of learning styles and abilities are found at various age levels. Then, read on.

What do you do if your class is not composed of only one age or grade level? There are ways to adjust the curriculum you use to make this easier. Begin by filling in the questionnaire below, and go on to read the posting to the right: "Cognitive Levels of Learning"

(Prior to filling this out, inventory your supplies!)

Curriculum Title: ________________________________
Original Level: ______________
Level/s to be Adjusted to: ______________
Lesson Number:_______

1. What is the main theme of this unit?

2. How would you re-word this to fit the new age level/s?

3. Look at the teacher prompts and lesson questions. Which are concrete
(suitable for smaller children), and which are abstract?
How can you change them?

4. What extra materials can you use to teach this unit to the new age level?

5. Look at the extra activities/worksheets/art projects. How do these fit with the new age level? How can you change them to work better? Or what new materials/activities can you think of that will work for your new level (use the back of the paper)?

6. How will you conclude this lesson (what comments/activities will tie it all together?

7. What assessment tools will you use (how will you be able to tell that the child has learned what you wanted him to in the lesson)?

(copy this to another word document, make the font size bigger, and leave lots of space between questions- this is a worksheet! If you have less than two sides, you are not leaving enough room!) You will use this sheet for every lesson you are adjusting. Believe me, it will be worth it in the end! For an example of how to adjust a portion to an actual lesson, look at the Sample Lesson (listed at right).

Selecting Resources

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We have discussed this a bit, but it is an important enough topic to go into further. Perhaps the greatest factor in what you choose for curriculum (for the small church school) is how easily it can be converted into lessons which can be used by your teachers for the children you have- where you may have three or four (or more) grades in one class. Don’t be fooled, however, it will still be work on someone's part, preferably the church school director, who sees the bigger picture.

Secondly, how does the curriculum fit into your 3 or 5 year plan. If it doesn’t, think again. While studying comparative religions may be interesting and fun, we shouldn’t do this instead of using material that will actually cover the basics of Bible, church history, sacraments, the Saints, etc. Another factor is whether it is something that can be converted into two or more levels, so that the whole church school is dealing with the same general topic at once, making it easier to do projects and programs.

Also, look at the time you estimate it would take to present the lessons of the curriculum. There is a big difference if you only have a half hour, as compared to an hour-and-a-half (personally, I feel 45 minutes is an absolute minimum). Be sure what you select will actually fill up your scheduled time- if it doesn’t, and you still want to use it, be prepared to spend a lot of time creating worksheets and study questions. You may not wish to, or be able to do this. Likewise, be sure you will have enough time to complete the lessons, given your schedule. Lessons often give an indication of how long they will normally take to teach.

Lastly, obviously, a big factor is what is available. Can you get other copies, or must you spend a fortune in zeroxing. Are the books still being printed so that you can order more, if needed. What is available for free, and what must be paid for. Keep in mind also, that if you get curriculum which is not consumable, it can be used year after year, thereby saving money down the road. All of these factors are something to consider seriously when selecting what your teachers will use. Above all however, make what you choose user-friendly- both for the teacher and the student!

Available Resources

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It is necessary to evaluate available resources when you set up a church school, and periodically when you have one in operation. Look at the following areas each time:

What curriculums do you have on site? What age levels are they? How many copies do you have? Can you get more, and if so, where? (remember, unless something is out of copyright or you have permission, you should not xerox curriculum.)

Do you have Bibles (all the same version, please!)? Do you have an Atlas of the Bible or good Bible-land maps? Do you have a Concordance?

Do you have other supplemental materials for teachers?

Do you have materials for doing curriculum related crafts?

How about basic supplies- paper, pencils or pens, crayons, etc.?

Do you have an overhead or computer set up available?

Do you have a TV/DVD/VHS combo on site?

Do you have appropriate audio-visuals: DVDS, videos, computer programs, etc.

If you do not have some of these, consider:

· Posting a plea in your bulletin or newsletter telling people exactly what you need, and how much of it.
· Asking area businesses to donate- they may be able to use it as a tax write-off.
· Ask your boss at work if the company can donate any paper or office supplies.
· If you are a mission of the Antiochian Church, contact the Christian Ed. office to see what materials you can get for free. (Other jurisdictions may have similar availability.)

Also check the Antiochian Christian Ed website (see link to right) for other resources available.

Practical Steps

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What needs to happen in order to run a church school in a smaller parish? The smaller church school has special problems and needs of its own, which large churches often do not have.

1. Classrooms: a smaller church may not actually have separate rooms for church school, and church school may have to be held in the parish hall, outbuildings, or, as a last resort, in the sanctuary. This means of course, that one must be very resourceful in deciding how that space can become “yours” for that hour or so.

2. Scheduling: lack of space or other issues may mean that your educational program may not work as well on Sunday morning. You may have to be extremely creative in order for church school to happen along with worship within a small limited space. Perhaps, you may need to consider doing your educational program at an alternate time or even day. Some parishes find that a full day held one or two Saturdays a month works well,

3. Budget: there may be no budget line for Christian Education in your parish, or at least a very slim one. Again, creativity is a must, and the church school director needs to think about who in the parish or community might donate supplies, perhaps what other parishes might have extra or older curriculum they are not using, and even what civic groups or commercial establishments might donate items. Often, people are more generous that one expects, if the needs are clearly stated. Be sure also, that you do get a line for your program in the next budget.

4. Special Programs: putting on programs or pageants can be difficult too for reason of space, but also because most scripts are written with the idea that there will be many children to find parts for. Consider other types of productions, perhaps one with no spoken parts, but only a narrator, whereby if there are not enough children for the parts, cardboard characters could fill in. Better yet, write your own! With a thin basic story line, it is relatively easy to create characters around it that will just accommodate the children you have. Parents after all, come largely to see their children in action, not really for the quality of the performance, although that is, of course, hoped for. Look to the link at the right for an Easy Christmas Pageant as an example.

5. Staffing: this can be a problem too. Because there are fewer parishoners, there is less choice when it comes to selecting teachers and staff. It is essential first of all to have a good church school director (preferably not the priest), and to have good teachers as well. Every volunteer will not make a good teacher or helper- this is why I suggest you use an actual application for prospective teachers- it makes it easier to exclude someone who you feel won’t be right for the program without hurting their feelings. Far better for you to search out people you think would be good, even if they haven’t volunteered. They may have been holding back out of shyness, or from some past negative experience- it is up to you to encourage them to try, assuring them you will give lots of assistance, training and mentoring until they are comfortable. The concept of team teaching sometimes works well with individuals like this, although I don’t generally encourage it, unless you are sure the “team” will really function like one.

6. Curriculum: this may be the biggest challenge of the small parish. First of all, there may be no budget for this. This is when you search the nooks and crannies of your church for old material, or reach out to other parishes in hopes they may have some extra or unused materials they would be willing to donate. There may also be help from the central church with this under certain circumstances. For example, if your church is a mission parish of the Antiochian Archdiocese, it can get church school materials for free for a period of time!

If you go with the old, donated curriculum option, there are pitfalls. One of your hand-outs lists a number of areas that one should touch upon once or more within a 3-5 year period. If you use a similar guideline, you will not find yourself teaching only New Testament for five years straight, or nothing but church history. This is also why it is important for teachers to have an actual curriculum, and not “wing it.” I was in a parish once where a teacher’s favorite topics were the Great Flood, and the End Times. Unfortunately, she did not take kindly to suggestions that she expand her topics, and therefore, her students (whom she had for a number of years) ended up with a very narrow view of Orthodoxy, and Christianity in general. By using such a guideline and sticking to it, it is possible to actually use a hodge-podge of different books, publishers and materials and still have good basic coverage of a variety of topics we want our children familiar with.
But, do not reject out of hand older materials. Although it will probably be less colorful than newer items, the important thing is that there is some meat there. What does it teach. The church school director can then step in and correct some of the inadequacies in activities, worksheets, projects, etc., which older curriculums seem to have less of. Today, these things are a must for keeping students’ attention.

Maintaining Standards

2008-07-28T15:28:00.002-04:00

I want first of all to commend those out there again who have set up a church school, even when your numbers are modest. I think there is one danger in doing so however; we may feel we have to offer a more streamlined program: perhaps fewer activities, no field trips, or a shorter school year. Somehow it often does not seem “worth” the tremendous energy some of these things take. But, nothing is further from reality.

When you are few, it is more difficult to maintain a strong identity, a presence in the parish. Thus, I think those of us with smaller church schools must do even more to build a quality program, and to have as full a program as possible.

I have jotted down a few things regarding this, which will be found to the right, under "Ten Points for Successful Church Schools."

The Mustard Seed: Smaller Church School- Article

2008-07-28T15:20:00.000-04:00

The Mustard Seed: Smaller Church School- Article

Smaller Church School- Article

2008-07-28T15:10:00.003-04:00

Bigger, Not Better

Westerners, particularly Americans, often feel that bigger is better. Bigger cities, bigger wardrobes, bigger fast-food meals. Even those of us in the church often fall for this fallacy. We feel we need large numbers of converts and newcomers, larger parishes, and church schools which are bursting at the seams. This often seems to us to spell “success.” In many ways however, particularly in terms of the church school, bigger is not always better.

The reality of the American Church is that it is spread over thousands of square miles, with parishes often separated from each other by hundreds of miles. Most of our parishes and church schools are small, and we need to start looking for the positive aspects of this situation, of which there are many.

First of all, in a smaller parish, church school students get to be more integrated into parish life. Often their teachers may be the same people who are the lay leaders: parish council members, choir singers and readers. There just aren’t enough people for each to take on only one job. A larger percentage of the parish is involved in church school than in a bigger parish, and thus the people of the parish feel they have more invested personally, and are much more aware of what goes on in the church school, as well as having heightened interest. Because students are fewer, older parishioners may even have to step in and interact with the children, playing parts in plays or pageants, for example, which proves fun for all ages, and helps bond the generations together.

Secondly, as any teacher can tell you, small classes have great interpersonal advantages. The teacher develops a closer relationship with the students. She (or he) gets to know not only the children well, but their families as well. In addition, it is far easier to teach and give attention to four or five than it is to thirty. As well, it is far easier to be spontaneous: to be free to change the lesson around if it seems appropriate. The teacher does not need to worry about deviating from what another teacher of that grade is teaching. Lastly, but not unimportantly, discipline issues are usually non-existent or at least much less prevalent in the smaller environment. It is easier to be pro-active, and to be on top of potential problems. When the teacher knows the parents well, this usually eliminates many problems too, as the children soon discover that news of misbehavior (or successes!) will quickly reach their parents.

Having a smaller church school can actually provide a more enriching experience for the students. If the teacher wants to show her students the difference between Orthodox worship and Presbyterian worship for example, she can take her students to a Presbyterian church in her car or van to see for themselves! No complicated and costly scheduling and bus rentals. Transportation for field trips is a lot easier, and admission fees to be paid by the church school are less. The smaller enrollment also makes it easier to tailor-make outside experiences; places and experiences which are closed to large groups may be perfect for a smaller church school; for example, visiting in a nursing home.

In closing, let’s remember that there are many advantages to the smaller school. There are additional possibilities, and also, there are few activities in which the small church school cannot participate, perhaps with a little tailoring. Let’s remember also, that our little church schools are just as effective in educating our children and in exposing them to the Kingdom of Heaven!

Safe Orthodox Internet Sites

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The following are either official church sites, or maintained by parishes, or by people known to me personally to be sound. Current as of 5/08.

OFFICIAL SITES:

www.goarch.org
Official Greek Archdiocese

www.oca.org
Official OCA

www.antiochian.org
Official Antiochian

www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws
Official Russian Orthodox

www.russianchurchusa.org/ENG
Official Russian Orthodox Outside of Russia

www.acrod.org
Official Carpatho-Russian

www.serbianorthodoxchurch.net
Official Serbian

www.roca.org
Official Old Calendar Russian

www.uocofusa.org
Official Ukranian Orthodox

www.romarch.org
Official Romanian Orthodox

www.antiochpat.org
Official- Patriarchate site

EDUCATION:

www.stots.edu
St. Tikhon’s Seminary (OCA)

www.hchc.edu
GOA Seminary- Holy Cross

www.alaskanchurch.org
OCA Alaskan Church and St. Herman’s Seminary

www.svots.org
St. Vladimir’s Seminary (OCA)

www.phyllisonest.com
DRE, Diocese of Pittsburg (GOA)

MONASTIC LIFE:

www.stpaisiusmonastery.org
St. Paisius Monastery (Serb.)

www.panagiavlahernon.org
Panagia Monastery (Greek)

www.orthodoxunity.org
Pan Orthodox site

http://aggreen.net/monasteries/monastic.html
Personal website

www.orthodox-monasteries.com
Listing of world monasteries

http://www.stanthonysmonastery.org/map.php
St. Anthony’s Monastery, AZ (Gr)

(others can be found under jurisdictional websites)

MEDIA:

www.observer.goarch.org
GOA Newspaper

www.conciliarpress.com
Conciliar Press (Ant.)

czell@conciliarpress.com
E-mail for The Handmaiden magazine (women), Official Ant.

www.orthodoxtapes.org
Orthodox teaching tapes- Ant. parish

www.orthodoxradio.org
Orthodox media- Ant.

www.ancientfaith.com
Ancient Faith Radio

www.orthodoxiya.org
Arabic Orthodox Radio

www.OrthodoxyToday.org
Pan Orthodox social/moral commentary

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/
Russian Church news

ORTHODOX BELIEFS/PRACTICES:

www.gocanada.org/Catechism/catech.htm
Orthodox beliefs- GOA- Canada

www.orthodox-unis.net/en_teachings.htm
Orthodox Society- University of Surrey, UK, Fr. Thomas Fitzgerald

www.ocf.org
Orthodox Christian Fellowship site

http://www.stmichaelsgeneva.org/WhatWeBelieve--AnOrthodoxCatechism.htm
Official- Ant. parish website

www.orthodoxcatechism.org
GOA parish priest

www.orthodoxfaith.com
Orthodox Faith website

www.goarch.org
Official website

www.fatheralexander.org
Pan Orthodox

www.bible.ca
GOA priest’s website

MUSIC:

www.kelfar.net
Orthodox music- Ant.

www.russiandvd.com
Russian liturgical music

www.stjrussianorthodox.com/music.htm
Orthodox music to purchase

www.orthodoxcentral.com
Music files from the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians.

www.theforerunner.org
On liturgical music- parish site

GENERAL INFORMATION:

www.orthodoxinfo.com
Orthodox Christian Center

www.ocf.org
Pan Orthodox College site

www.stjrussianorthodox.com
Parish info site

And many more out there! Just “consider the source!”
CSullivan 2008