Concluding a Busy Training Season

The Department of Christian Education has had a busy 2017 training season. Eight churches hosted training sessions throughout the United States and Canada and included other area parishes.

St. Paul Orthodox Church, Brier, Washington hosted a Teacher Training II workshop on September 9 with Departmental Associates Sandy Mitchell and Anne Beach. Twelve elementary teachers and eight middle school/high school teachers profited from the one-day workshop.

St. Elias Cathedral, Ottawa, Ontario also hosted a Teacher Training II workshop on Saturday, September 23. Diocesan Coordinators Fr. Christopher Rigden-Briscall and Robert Snyder had 16 elementary teachers and 12 middle school/high school teachers in attendance. Fr. Christopher, the Diocesan Coordinator for Ottawa, Eastern Canada and Upstate New York, also hosted a training at his home parish, Christ the Saviour in Waterloo, Ontario for five of his new teachers.

St. Mary’s, Palos Heights, Illinois, Robert Snyder, from the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest, presented his workshop “Teaching Christian Fellowship with Cooperative Teaching Techniques” August 12, to 22 participants. St. James Orthodox Mission, Loveland, Ohio hosted Robert to train seven of its new teachers on August 19. On June 23, St. George Orthodox Church in Cicero, Illinois hosted Robert as a trainer for 32 participants. Robert plans to be at St. George Church in Grand Blanc, Michigan this spring.

St. Elijah Orthodox Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma hosted Vasiliki Oldziey, Diocesan Coordinator for Wichita and Mid-America on August 26 for a workshop entitled “Postcards from Heaven” which gave 15 teachers guidance in using icons in the classroom.

St. Elias Orthodox Church in Arvada, Colorado hosted Fr. James & Kh. Gigi Shadid, Departmental Associate, on September 29–30 with Fr. James providing an “Ask Abouna” session on Friday and a retreat on Saturday, and Kh. Gigi presenting an adult education session entitled “Christian Education: Engaging Our Youth.”

St. George Church, Little Falls, NJ hosted a Teacher Training II session on Saturday, November 18. Father George Alberts and Carole Buleza lead the training for Elementary and Middle School/High School teachers from the host parish and several area parishes.

Please contact Leslie Atherholt at aodce.events@gmail.com or 717-747-5221 for information on Trainings/Events.