Church School
St Mary Orthodox Church offers a weekly religious education program for children aged 3 through grade 12, beginning mid-September and running through mid-May. The Church School program fosters spiritual learning through age-appropriate lessons, which may include an introduction to church feasts, fasts and liturgical practices, prayers, Bible stories, crafts and projects, and liturgical songs. Lessons for older children and teens also include discussions on theological and ethical topics, in conjunction with social events.
Lessons are held Sundays, beginning after Holy Communion and running through the end of Divine Liturgy. Parents of children participating in Church School for the first time are asked to contact the Church School Director to enroll their child or children in the correct class. Parents of preschool children are generally asked to remain with their young children for the duration of the class.
During certain major feast days, Church School lessons are interrupted to allow students to participate with the whole church community in the feast day liturgical celebration. In addition to the weekly lessons, the Church School program also hosts several church activities throughout the year, including Family Vespers, St Nicholas Day Festivities, the Nativity Pageant, Holy Friday Children’s Retreat and a Church School Graduation Event.