Using the Theme Throughout the Year 2019
Theme: Antiochian Village: Past, Present, and Future
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
Logo:
Symbol: Arch at Antiochian Village Camp with the theme
Icon: St. Paul
Prayer: “A Prayer Before Commencing Any Task” found in A Pocket Prayer Book for Orthodox Christians
Theme Song: “I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me” on our Creative Festivals website
Lesson Plans: Original lesson plans are provided for age levels ranging from preschool to high school on our Creative Festivals website
Throughout the Church School Year: Use the logo and/or symbol on name tags, room signs, letterhead, bulletin boards, posters, and crafts
Here are some other ideas:
1. Have a “Camp Day” at your church. Have students pray together or attend a church service, then teach a lesson and do activities based on the theme. Make S’Mores, do a craft, and decorate the space with camp related accessories. You can make your own decorations or buy them from Oriental Trading. They have numerous camp items available to purchase.
2. Hold a fundraiser to help send kids from your church to camp. Ideas could include a hot dog sale, bake sale, ice cream social, etc.
3. For those students who have attended camp, have them post photos from camp on a bulletin board or poster to show others what camp is like.
4. For a coloring page with the theme go here.
6. “God Sends Paul Sign Craft Kit”
7. Give students a list of the various patron saints and enshrined saints at Antiochian Village: Saints Peter and Paul, St. Ignatius, St. Thekla, St. Raphael, St. Artemius, St. Marina, St. Sophia and her daughters, Faith, Hope, and Love, St. Herman, the Three Holy Youths, and St. Barbara. Share their stories or assign a saint for them to research. Then have the students share what they have learned and reflect on how we are all called to sainthood.
8. Explore the idea of living in community- at Antiochian Village Camp, the Church, our parishes, our families, etc. and how we’re living our daily lives as Christians, both in our communities and outside of them.
9. Facilitate ways that our children and teens can serve Christ: through JOY Club and Teen SOYO projects, collecting food to donate to a food pantry, serving at a soup kitchen, providing personal hygiene items for a shelter, etc.
10. Have the students locate other verses in the Bible that relate to finding strength in God and read the accompanying notes from the Orthodox Study Bible, such as Proverbs 18:10- “The name of the Lord is of great strength, and when the righteous run to it they are exalted.” Orthodox Study Bible notes: “The righteous are trained by Wisdom to run to the name of the Lord, for example, by praying, ‘Lord, have mercy.’ The righteous focus on His name and find great strength there.”
11. Impress upon the students that when we pray for something or someone, we need to understand that we must follow God’s will for us. Sometimes what we’re praying for may not come to pass because it’s not part of God’s plan. In the Lord’s prayer, we say, “…Thy will be done” not “my will be done.” Things may not always go our way, but God is always there to help us cope with anything that happens. He will give us strength to overcome any obstacles when we follow His plan for us.
12. “Ten Finger Prayer”- In order to help young children memorize the theme, demonstrate to them how they can say the theme as a prayer by bending each of their fingers as they say the words: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
13. View a map and a timeline of St. Paul’s missionary journeys on YouTube.
14. Vinyl Wall Decal (Philippians 4:13)
15. Articles on the theme:
http://myocn.net/i-can-do-all-things-through-christ-who-strengthens-me/
http://myocn.net/daily-devotion-i-can-do-all-things-through-christ-who-strengthens-me/