Sunday School
Sleepover at St. Ephraim Cathedral
The Program
held its annual November sleepover on the weekend
of November 11. Level 3 and 4 began with a Bible
Study on the apostle St. Paul, which was led by
Rev. Fr. John Saif. The students learned about his
conversion to Christianity, his letters, and how
he was persecuted. Following the bible study, we
all enjoyed dinner at nearby restaurants and
enjoyed our favorite beverages at Starbucks. The
students enjoyed the rest of the evening playing
board games, foosball, and spending time with one
another in the social hall. In the morning,
everyone packed their belongings and had breakfast
at McDonalds. We then continued our weekly Sunday
School classes at 11 a.m.
A special
thank you goes to George and Jonathan Shammas, and
Samy Saar who greatly helped Patricia Allaf with
supervising the students. Thank you to all parents
for their support.
Sunday School
Spiritual Gathering
On
Saturday, October 28 the second Sunday School
Spiritual Gathering encompassing the Armenian,
Coptic, and Syriac Orthodox Churches of the Western
United States was held at Archangel Michael Coptic
Church in Santa Ana, CA. Approximately 200
students, ages 9-15, participated in the blessed
one-day event which was under the auspices of H.G.
Bishop Serapion of the Coptic Orthodox Church, H.E.
Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan of the Syriac Orthodox
Church, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate of the Armenian Diocese (Great House of
Cilicia), and H.E. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian,
Primate of the Armenian Diocese (Etchmiadzin).
The day’s events began with morning
service prayers in each of the respective languages.
Celebrants, students, and servants united and sang
praises to our Lord Jesus Christ. H.G. Bishop
Serapion and H.E. Archbishop Eugene Kaplan welcomed
the students and teachers, and conveyed their
encouragement and spiritual messages.
Lunch
followed the service prayers, which was an enjoyable
time for the students to spend time getting to know
one another. The students then were placed into more
than 20 groups, each represented by members of all
three participating dioceses and a group leader.
Each of the workshop groups studied a specific
biblical topic (for ex, parable, miracle, saint) and
then presented their topic to all the other
participants. It was a wonderful experience for the
students to unite as one group and express their
understanding and love for the church and our
beloved Savior. Father Athanasius Ragheb, Pastor of
Archangel Michael Church, presented the students
with crosses and also thanked everyone’s partaking
in the blessed joyful event. The event concluded
with all participants reciting the hymn ‘How
Lovely,’ a beautiful lyric, which expresses how the
Lord is here always with us.
Our mission of the
Sunday School Spiritual Gathering is
to praise our Lord Jesus
Christ and to build and strengthen relationships
between the Orthodox youth through Christ and His
Church, in fellowship, education, worship and
service. We look forward to future events, which
will unite our Sunday School programs in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sunday School
Church Retreat
The
Western Archdiocese Sunday School Program held
its first Sunday School Church Retreat on
Sunday, August 6th through Tuesday, August 8th
at St. Ephraim Cathedral. Fifty-five students
from St. Ephraim (Burbank) and St. Paul (San
Diego) churches participated in the three-day
event. The retreat was under the leadership and
auspices of H.E. Archbishop Eugene Kaplan, Rev.
Fr. John Saif, Patricia Allaf and Sunday School
teachers. The three-day church retreat is
intended to be a program full of activities,
prayers and Bible study sessions about the
Syriac Orthodox Church.
On Sunday, after the Divine Liturgy, the
students enjoyed lunch at nearby restaurants and
then spent the afternoon at McCambridge Park.
After returning to church, Rev. Fr. John led
evening prayers in the church with the students.
The prayers signify the importance of thanking
our Lord Jesus Christ for His blessings and His
presence among us, especially during activities
where the children are gathered in His name. The
students then enjoyed some free time, playing
basketball and ping-pong. The first Bible Study
Session was held Sunday evening and it was
entitled "An Introduction to the Syriac
Orthodox Divine Liturgy." Fr. John
explained the significance of the liturgy, the
Seven Sacraments, and the three conditions for
the Sacraments (picture, material, and servant).
The students enjoyed the rest of the evening
playing numerous activities before going to
sleep in the church.
On Monday, the students began the day with
morning prayers prior to having breakfast in the
social hall. Afterwards, Session II of the Bible
Study Sessions was held, and it was entitled "The
meaning of the various church vessels in the
Syriac Orthodox Divine Liturgy." Fr. John
spoke to the students about the meaning and
representation of the various vessels. He showed
and explained to the students the meaning of the
paten, chalice, shakers, candles, censer, the
tablitho, and the staff that the Archbishops
hold during the Divine Liturgy. The students
enjoyed seeing and learning about the various
vessels used in the Liturgy every week.
At 1:00 pm we were
welcomed by Officer Kevin from the Burbank
Police Department who presented a lecture to the
students on "Internet Safety." He spoke to the
students about using the Internet safely,
myspace.com, and the
dangers of chat rooms. Officer Kevin used a
PowerPoint Presentation and handed brochures to
all the students about Internet Safety. It was a
very beneficial presentation and we thank
Officer Kevin for coming to St
Ephraim Cathedral. In the afternoon the students
and staff went to Chuck E Cheese and enjoyed
playing games and also had lunch there. Upon
returning to church, the students enjoyed some
free time before evening prayers were held. For
dinner, the students, staff, and parents walked
to nearby restaurants and enjoyed their time
there. The third Bible Study Session was held
Monday evening and it was entitled "The
meaning and representation of the celebrant and
deacon clothing attire during the Divine Liturgy."
Rev. Fr. John Saif and very Rev. Fr. Andrew
Bahhi explained to the students the levels of
deaconry and the significance of the celebrants
clothing (of a monk, priest, and Archbishop). An
answer and question session was held after the
Bible Study and the students were quite
intrigued by the symbolism of the dress attire
during the liturgy. The students enjoyed the
rest of the evening playing basketball,
ping-pong, card games, and chatting with one
another.
On Tuesday, The final day of the retreat,
the students began the day with morning prayers
followed by breakfast. They then had some free
time playing numerous activities. The highlight
was the soccer game held in the courtyard
between all the students of the retreat. The
students really enjoyed Fr. John and Fr.
Andrew's participation in the game. Afterwards,
several parents helped chaperone the students
for an afternoon of bowling at Jewel City Bowl
in Glendale. The students and teachers had a
great time playing against each other and we
thank all the parents who helped us. After
returning to church, the students enjoyed snacks
and lunch which was prepared by the Retreat
staff and parents. The final Bible Study Session
was held and it was a review of all the previous
Bible Study Sessions and Fr. John taught the
students about the "Assumption of the Virgin
Mary (which was being commemorated during that
week)" At the conclusion of the Bible
Study, each student received a packet that
included the curriculum on the Syriac Orthodox
Divine Liturgy that was taught during the
three-day retreat. The packet will be very
beneficial for the students at home and for
future Sunday School classes.
The Church Retreat concluded with the
presence and blessings of H.E. Archbishop Eugene
Kaplan who addressed the students in the church.
He expressed his happiness about the retreat and
asked the students about what they had learned
during the Bible Study Sessions. He also prayed
and asked the Lord Jesus Christ to bless the
students and said " We look forward to future
retreats where all of us can gather in His name
and enjoy fun activities and also learn about
our Syriac Orthodox Church." The
students responded to His Eminence telling him
that they would like the next retreat to be
one-week long instead of three days!
The students then gathered together to take a
group photo with His Eminence and the
representing clergy.
We would like to thank Mrs. Abla Mushammel
who donated the breakfast expenses, helped us
very much with chaperoning the students to the
activities and helping the staff clean during
the retreat. We also thank Mrs. Sanaa Shamas who
also donated food expenses and her time in
chaperoning and shopping for the retreat. We ask
our Lord Jesus Christ to bless their families
and grant them health and happiness.
We also thank the San Diego Sunday School
Program for joining us in the Church retreat and
especially their teachers, Mrs. Lina Ibrahim and
Miss Mary Saado who helped Mrs. Patricia Allaf
in the activities and preparation of meals. May
God bless them both and may they continue to
serve in His name.
The unity of various Sunday School Programs
in the camps and church retreats help strengthen
the bond and love among the students as they
learn all together about the importance of being
a Syriac Orthodox Christian and a responsible
member of their church. We look forward to the
next gathering which will be at the Oriental
Orthodox Sunday School Gathering held at
Archangel Michael Coptic Church on Saturday,
October 28.
Sunday School
Raging Waters Trip
On Tuesday,
July 11 many Sunday School students (48) and their
families enjoyed a day at Raging Waters Theme Park
in San Dimas. Although
it was hot, we all managed to stay cool with the
thrilling tube rides and wave pool. The
younger kids had a blast in the jr. sections while
the adults joined the older students on the
rides. Raging Waters makes a great place to bring
the families together for a day outing, and
there's something to do for everyone. It’s the
place to cool off, get sun, and have fun.
We thank all the
adults who helped chaperone and everyone who
attended.
Sunday School
Summer Camp
During the weekend
of June 23-25 students from various Sunday School
programs joined together for a spiritual retreat.
The camp was under the auspices of H.E. Archbishop
C. Eugene Kaplan and the following respective
clergy: Rev. Fr. John Saif (our spiritual advisor),
Rev. Fr. Louis Yacoub, Rev. Fr. Andrew Bahhy, Rev.
Fr. Peter Rouboz, and very Rev. Raban Matta Khoury,
our special guest from the Monastery of St. Ephrem
in Ma'arat Saidnaya, Syria. The theme of the retreat
was The “The
Bread of Life ”ONE
MISSION: GET IT, GOT IT, GIVE IT "Jesus answered, "I
am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes
to the Father except through Me."
John 14:6
On Friday His
Eminence presented a very beneficial PowerPoint
Lecture focusing on the theme of the camp retreat.
His Eminence spoke about the importance of spiritual
life and that only ‘God is the Source of Life.’
Following the lecture a question and answer session
was held with His Eminence. The celebrants and
students then enjoyed a campfire and recited Syriac
hymns and roasted marshmallows, which concluded the
wonderful evening.
On Saturday a
full program was scheduled for the students. The
morning began with a lecture presented by Rev. Fr.
John Saif in our meeting room. The lecture also
focused on the Gospel of John chapter 14 verse 6. In
his lecture Fr. John Saif focused on the way
children can follow Christ: repentance, helping the
poor, reading the Holy Bible, and praying and taking
Holy Communion. The students were then placed in
groups to work on their camp journals. Each student
received a journal that was based on the theme and
also the recreational activities. The students then
enjoyed a morning of basketball, volleyball,
water-gun fights, and football. Following lunch, the
students had the entire afternoon to use the
numerous activities available: climbing wall,
zip-line, swimming pool, skateboard ramp, ping-pong,
and soccer. Prior to dinner, evening hymns were
recited with Rev. Fr. John Saif and very Rev. Raban
Matta. We also celebrated Chris Elyas’ birthday and
we thank his parents who brought cake, sweets, and
refreshments. The evening concluded with many
students joining together in our karaoke activity.
We thank our Lord
Jesus Christ for blessing us with the opportunity to
spend a spiritual and fun weekend together in His
name. We also thank the following teachers who were
a tremendous joy to be with: Lina Ibrahim, Mary
Saado, and Janet Malki, Sunday School teachers from
St. Paul’s Church in San Diego. God bless all the
students and staff who made this retreat a very
memorable weekend.
Summer camp is
not only about sports, swimming and...--it's about
spirituality, too. A growing number of camps are
offering spiritual activities too. Spiritual summer
camp offers a glance at some of the unique offerings
at camps from many corners of the faith and
traditions.
The Sunday School Summer Camp
Program has been a source to nurture the bodies,
minds, and spirits of the Sunday School Students in
a natural setting, providing a stimulating and fun
environment of students group which inspires
individual growth and the values of Christian
fellowship.
Sunday School
Open House
On Sunday, May 21
the Sunday school students displayed their classroom
folders and projects in the social hall. The
students from all three-class levels have been
working on the various religious posters for the
past two months. They prepared and presented
displays about the stories of the New testament,
history of the Syriac Orthodox church, saints, main
events in our Lord Jesus’ Christ’s life, and what
they enjoy the most in their Sunday school classes.
The
Open House allows the parents and parishioners to
enjoy and view what their children have learned and
also their beautiful creativity. We would like to
congratulate all the students for their hard work
and dedication to their church. May our Lord
continue to bless them in learning about the Holy
Bible and the Syriac Orthodox Church.
Oriental Orthodox Churches
Sunday School Bible Competition
On Saturday, May 13 the Armenian, Syriac, and
Coptic Orthodox Churches gathered their Sunday
School students for a Bible Competition, which was
held at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in
Glendale, CA. The event was for students ages 11-15
and it focused on the history of the three Oriental
Orthodox churches and the first ten chapters of the
Gospel of Matthew.
This event was under the guidance and supervision of
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of
the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church
of America, His Grace Bishop Serapion of the Coptic
Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, H.E. Archbishop Mor
Clemis Eugene Kaplan of the Syriac Orthodox Church,
and H.E. Hovnan Derderian Primate of the Western
Diocese of the Armenian Church. The event hosted
many clergy members from the various representing
churches, one hundred forty students, and several
Sunday School directors, teachers, and parents.
The day’s events began with a prayer service in
each of the respective languages, followed by a
welcoming message from V. Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian,
Mr. Jack
Chaghatzbanian, superintendent of St. Mary’s
Armenian Sunday School, and Mrs. Patricia Allaf,
director of St. Ephraim Syriac Sunday School. The
Bible competition began with sixteen teams, which
were composed of eight or nine members from the
Armenian, Coptic, and
Syriac Orthodox Churches. It was wonderful to see
the excitement and unity among the students, and in
the final round the
Orthodox Commanders
emerged as the victorious team. We must remember that all
students are winners in the eyes of our Lord, for
learning His word is the greatest gift.
The Eminences awarded the winning team with
trophies and presented all the participating
students with religious medals. H. E. Moushegh
Mardirossian graciously presented all the students a
St. Mary’s Armenian Church religious pin for their
hard work and dedication. The event concluded in
Resurrection prayers in Armenian, Coptic, and Syriac
in which
all the celebrants, faithful students and teachers
sang together. It was a truly motivating way to end
the joyous occasion, praising the Lord Jesus Christ
whose presence we greatly felt.
We pray and ask the Lord Jesus Christ for His
benediction and we may in the future continue to
share His love and care He bestows upon us. With God’s grace and will we hope to see everyone at the Oriental
Orthodox Sunday School Spiritual Gathering which
will be held on Saturday, October 28 at Archangel
Michael Coptic Church.
                    
CMTA Convention
CMTA Convention --
On Friday, May 5
Patricia Allaf attended the Christian Ministries
Training Association (CMTA) annual Sunday School
Convention for the fourth year. It was held at the
Pasadena Civic Center and the theme this
year was ‘Reaching to New Heights.’ It’s an opportunity
to grow in your leadership and learn new resources,
challenges, and inspirations from workshops taught
by educated, religious faculty. In addition to the
workshops, there are over 50 exhibitors from all
over the U.S. displaying their church supplies and
books.
10-Year Anniversary Luncheon for
H. E.
Archbishop Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan
On Saturday, April 8 the St. Ephraim Sunday school Program was honored to
hold a surprise luncheon for Archbishop Mor Clemis
Eugene Kaplan celebrating his ten-year enthronement
as the Archbishop of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese
of the
Western U.S. The students recited a special hymn
honoring H.E. and then Maria Can, who spoke in
Aramaic, thanked H.E. for his guidance and
teachings, which was followed in English by Jonathan
Shammas. Mrs. Patricia Allaf spoke about the
Archbishop’s continuous spiritual support and
blessings towards the program.
H.E. Archbishop Mor
Clemis Eugene Kaplan, Rev. Fr. Louis Yacoub, Rev.
Fr. John Saif, Mr. Gabriel Gelin (representing the
Parish Board), the students and their families
enjoyed lunch and sweets, which were prepared by the
families. The Sunday School Program presented our
beloved Archbishop with a mahogany wood desktop
collection set for his office and a three-volume
book series, which includes all the parables and
miracles of our Lord Jesus Christ. The luncheon
concluded with prayers led by H.E. and he thanked
the Sunday School Program for their show of love and
commitment.
Thank you and may
God bless all the families who contributed for this
memorable event.
We would also like
to thank Rev. Fr. John Saif who helped organize the
event with Patricia Allaf. May God bless him and his
family.
May our Lord Jesus Christ bless H.E Archbishop Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan
with many more years of health and happiness so he
may continue to lead and bless our Syriac Orthodox
Western Archdiocese.
Sunday School Christmas Program
“Let
the little children come to Me, for the kingdom of God
belongs to such as these.”
Mark 10:14
On Tuesday,
December 20 the Sunday School Program presented their
Christmas program 'Come to Bethlehem and See.'
The evening began with a Christmas festival of lights
with twelve students holding candles while reciting a
biblical verse. Then students from all classes
presented their hymns and songs in Syriac and English
and each student said a special bible verse
proclaiming the birth of Christ. After the program
concluded Christmas carols were sung, and everyone
enjoyed a lentil dinner prepared by the faithful
families. I would like to thank the teachers who
worked very hard with the students, Miss Candice
Hannoun for her beautiful voice on the songs O'Holy
Night and Silent Night, and we appreciate everyone's
dedication and commitment to the Program.
Photos
Sleepover at St. Ephraim
On Saturday, November
12 classes 3 & 4 of the Sunday School Program
gathered together in God's house for an evening of
devotion, prayer, and fun. The evening began with a
bible study on the Divine Liturgy, focusing on
Syriac terminology. The students then shared a pizza
dinner and watched the movie "Christmas with the
Kranks." Popcorn and hot chocolate were then enjoyed
in the hall after the movie with a discussion on
'Educating Christian Children in Today's World'
which was led by Patricia Allaf.
Special prayers
(thanking God for what He has provided us with) were
said by Maria Can and Breana Abdulnour.
The thirty students
then set up their sleeping bags in the church and
recited Aboon Dbashmayo before going to sleep. In
the morning the students shared breakfast in the
hall and prepared for Sunday's Divine Liturgy. The
students participated in the Liturgy by reciting the
hymns with the choir. The students will participate
in the Sunday Divine Liturgy service once every
month and have their regular Bible study the other
three Sundays.
Please check the
website for upcoming activities and news:
www.soc-wus.org (go to Sunday School link on
left hand side)
or you may contact
Patricia Allaf at 626-335-6386
Oriental Orthodox Churches Spiritual Gathering
“Let
the little children come to Me, for the kingdom of God
belongs to such as these.”
Mark 10:14
On
Saturday, October 29, 2005 we lived a true miracle.
The first Armenian, Coptic, and Syriac Orthodox Sunday
School Spiritual Gathering was held at St. Ephraim
Syriac Orthodox Cathedral, Burbank, CA. Various Los
Angeles churches from the Syriac, Coptic, and Armenian
(Etchmiadzin and Great House of Cilicia) Archdioceses
united in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring
the word of God to the children’s hearts. The event
was under the blessed guidance and supervision of H.E.
Archbishop Clemis Eugene Kaplan, H.G. Bishop Serapion,
H.E. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, and H.E. Moushegh
Mardirossian. The event hosted fourteen respective
clergy members, approximately three hundred-fifty
students, seventy-five directors and teachers, and
parents.
The
purpose of this gathering was to express solidarity
among the Armenian, Coptic, and Syriac Orthodox
Churches, especially through prayer and worship. The
gathering will also establish a relationship between
the Sunday School students to participate and
influence one another spiritually in a friendly-fun
environment and to share and unite common resources in
the service of the Orthodox community through Divine
Liturgy, the Holy Bible, and Sunday School
curriculums.
Preparations for the event was established six-months
ago when an Oriental Orthodox Sunday School Committee
was formed and the members met every month to organize
the joyous event. We hope through God’s grace and will
to have the students meet in the future in spiritual
and recreational events.
The day’s events began with a Divine Liturgy led
by H.E. Archbishop Clemis Eugene Kaplan assisted by
the Archbishops of the Oriental Churches: His Eminence
Hovnan Derderian Primate of the Western Diocese of the
Armenian Church, His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh
Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America, and His Grace
Bishop Serapion of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los
Angeles. Students, clergy, and parents participated in
the Divine Liturgy, which was conducted in English,
and each Archdiocese also recited some of their own
church hymns. In his sermon
H.E.
Archbishop Clemis Eugene Kaplan welcomed all the
Eminences and participants and spoke about the story
of Jesus in Luke Chapter Twelve. H.E. stated:
“We
met last year in this Cathedral for a joint vespers
prayer on July 29th, and our goal was to
know each other. Through our unity in faith and full
communion, we encourage to always act and perform
activities and perhaps pastoral cares together in the
future. Today is the first joint activity of our
churches, Armenians, Coptic, and Syriac Churches, the
gathering of our Sunday Schools members.”
H.E.
Archbishop Eugene Kaplan concluded by praising the
students for their dedication to the church and all
the directors for preparing this joyous event.
H.E.
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian also spoke to the
students and faithful and welcomed them by praising
their love and commitment to the church.
Following the Divine Liturgy each Archdiocese took
pictures with the respective Archbishops and everyone
then proceeded to the Cathedral hall for lunch and the
blessing of the cake. His Eminence Hovnan Derderian
led an inspirational enthusiastic spiritual discussion
to the Sunday School students about St. Paul and the
armor of God, being righteous, full of spirit and
honor. H.G. Bishop Serapion presented a power point
presentation about “The
Meaning of Spiritual Life” where he walked
among the students and had them participate in a
discussion. Very Reverend Father Myron Aznikian also
led a spiritual discussion on “The
family as a school of religious formation,”
focusing on educating Christian families.
H.E.
Archbishop Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan presented to all
the Eminences a crystal and gold sculpture entitled
A Servant’s Heart
with the biblical verse inscription
“The Servant’s are
the Greatest.” Matthew 23:11. H.E.
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian graciously presented Holy
Crosses to all the Sunday School students and Mrs.
Patricia Allaf the Armenian Prayer book of St. Gregory
of Narek (Speaking with God from the Depths of the
Heart) and the Armenian Apostolic Western Prelacy
Sunday School Programs presented a beautiful framed
artwork of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.
H.G. Bishop Serapion also presented the Syriac
Archdiocese with The Holy Pimoly animated series on
the Sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation that
engages, informs, and entertains viewers of all ages
through the teachings of the Orthodox Church.
Following the spiritual discussions students began
working together on their workshop topics. There were
22 groups (two divisions: 9-12 years old & 13-15 years
old), each led by a designated leader and a topic
relating to the Holy Bible. Students had 30 minutes to
prepare a presentation, which were designed by poster,
skit, or the student’s own reflections. When
preparations were complete, each group began by
introducing their topic and for an hour everyone
enjoyed the inspiring creations the students had
developed together.
The
event concluded with a spiritual hymn “Sing
Halleluiah to the Lord, ” led by Mr. Garo
Ajamian
& Raffi Torossian who played the accordion, and all
the faithful students and teachers sang together. It
was a truly motivating way to end the joyous occasion,
praising the Lord Jesus Christ whose presence we
greatly felt.
We pray
and ask the Lord Jesus Christ for His benediction and
we may in the future continue to share His love and
care He bestows upon us.
Mrs. Patricia Allaf
Director of the Syriac Orthodox
Western Archdiocese Sunday Schools
See
Photos and
Photos
Sts.
Sargis and Bachus Prayers
On
Sunday, October 9 level 3 and 4 students (ages 8-15)
recited some prayers in remembrance of Sts. Sargis and
Bachus. Students recited the prayer "L'bayto Aloho" when
they first entered the church. Maria Can spoke about
the two saints in Syriac followed by Chris Elias in
English. The students sang the hymn 'Slooth-Khoon'
with Patricia Allaf playing the violin. The hymn 'Aboon
Dbashmayo' was recited next with our beloved organ
player Jimmy Amour. Students recite prayers to honor
the saints, learn about their lives, and learn about
our Syriac church history.
2nd Bible Bowl
Competition
The Sunday
School 2nd Bible Bowl Competition was held on
Saturday, August 27 in the Cathedral Hall. We were
welcomed with the presence of His Eminence Archbishop
Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan, Rev.Fr. Louis, and many of
our families. We thank everyone who came to support
their children and only hope the word of God continues
to grow in their hearts. They are the future of our
church and with a good solid religious foundation we
pray our church will continue to prosper and flourish
with these bright students.
Lower Division
The evening began with
the younger division which are students 5-9 years old.
Twelve students were placed in three teams and were
asked 11 questions each. To our delight all three
teams scored all 33 questions correct! As a reward
all the students will receive trophies for their
dedication and knowledge of the Holy Bible. Students
from this division are Dominic Allaf,
Gabriella Allaf, Michael Aydin, Melissa Can, Laurena
Kassab, Matthew Elias, Joelle Ibrahim, Kristeen Shamas,
Habib Maksoud, Valerie Mikhail, Mary Mushammel, and
Nareen Nazarecian.
We want to thank
Sophia Allaf for teaching this group of kids and also
helping with the Bible Bowl evening.
Upper Division
After a short break for
dinner and refreshments it was time for the older
students (ages 9-15) to began their rounds of
questions. The students were placed in seven teams of
four students each. Each team was given a name related
to the Holy Bible and fifteen seconds to answer each
question. After all the questions were asked The
Gospel Team came out with the highest number of
points followed by the The Prophets team who
were only a point behind. In God's eyes all the
students were winners. It is very rewarding to have
such dedicated students. After tallying all
the answers this division answered 85 out of 104
questions correct. That is a 81% percentile score. His
Eminence praised the students for their hard work and
effort. We are all very proud of this outstanding
score.
First Place:
Second Place:
The Gospel
Team
The Prophets Team
Sammy Saar
John Demircift
Breana Abdulnour Jonathan Shammas
Maria Can
Christopher Allaf
Jennifer Aydin
Jennifer Shammas
Students that
also participated with distinction from other teams
were:
Gabriel Allaf, Joann
Allaf, Gaby Allaf, Brenda Abdulnour, Nella Kassab,
Stella Shamas, Jason Shammas, Ashley Hawara, Eddie
Saar, Jimmy Amour, Maryanne Amour, Jenny Bektas,
George Saado, Elias Saado, Marlene Mushammel, Chris
Elias, George Hanna, John Hanna, Dominic Allaf, and
George Shammas.
All students were
rewarded certificates of participation. Winning teams were given
trophies.
Parents vs. Students
We then had a little
surprise for the parents. We had prepared a round of
questions for a short fun game of Parents vs.
Students. Each team was given five questions to answer
and in the end the Parent team won! Although the
students dispute this!!!
Truly everyone is a
winner!!
Parent Team
Student Team
Mrs. Linda Allaf
Sammy Saar
Mr. Jack Kassab
Gaby Allaf
Mrs. Sanaa Shamas
Mary Mushammel
Mr. Toros Shammas
Brenda Abdulnour
Mrs. Lodi Abdulnour
Dominic Allaf
We thank everyone who
came, helped and donated items. God bless you all.
See Photos
Raging Waters
July 19
Our Raging Waters trip on Tuesday,
July 19 was a fun day full of sun and water rides.
Although it was hot, we all managed to stay cool with
the thrilling tube rides and wave pool.
The younger kids had a blast in the
jr. sections while the adults also joined us on the
rides. Jennifer Shammas was our big winner of the day.
She won a pairof pants signed by Ricky Martin through a
102.7 Kiss Fm radio contest. We thank all the adults
who helped chaperone and everyone who attended.
Camping
At
Forest Home Ministries
June 10 – 12
Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday
It Was
I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E
Yes it was that time of
year. Our Annual Camp, which took place on the weekend
of June 10-12 at Forest Home Ministries near the city
of Big Bear is always the highlight activity of the
summer. Approximately 45 students and parents enjoyed
a weekend full of fun activities at the lake, a 40-ft.
climbing wall, relay races, and a 300 ft. zip-line.
His Eminence Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan and Rev. Fr.
Louis joined us on Saturday during the activities and
they encouraged and praised the students for their
love of the church. Summer Camp is fun-plain and
simple-but it so much more than that. It's amazing
what a weekend without TV, phones, and other
distractions can do for a student. There
are things that happen at camp that make it
I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E. (our theme); inspirational
worship, prayers, life-long friendships and more. We
held Bible studies on various topics:
-
Friday night; a mini
Bible Bowl Team Tournament
-
Saturday morning; the
focus was on What is prayer?
-
Saturday evening; the
focus was on Pentecost
The weekend ended with a
beautiful Holy Divine Liturgy (Mass) led by Rev. Fr.
John on Sunday morning in our meeting room. It was the
perfect end to a weekend full of devotion to one of
our highlights of the year. We would like to thank the
following people for their help during the weekend:
Mr. And Mrs. Sammy Sengul, Denis Shamsi, and
especially Sophia Allaf who guided the young children.
Past
Activities-March
Sleepover
The evening was surely a
blessed occasion. We began the evening with dinner (all
Lenten), a short bible study on St. Ephraim, followed by
an hour of free time, and then a bible study on the
Temptation in the Wilderness (focusing on why we fast).
As the children gathered in the church to sleep, prayers
were recited and some recited blessings. Early the next
morning, some of the students approached Patricia and
told her they had a vision. They recall seeing a figure
dressed in all beige with a glowing face sitting next to
them. This same figure was seen by two separate groups
who slept inside the church. We thank our heavenly
Father for this spiritual experience, for it is written
“For where two or three are together in my name,
there am I with them.” All of the students, parents,
and many parishioners were deeply moved by this holy
event.
Saint Ephraim
Prayers
The next morning after the
sleepover, the students began their day with prayers. At
the conclusion of the Holy Mass they entered the church
and recited the prayers “L-baytokh Aloho” and
“Slooth-kh” in remembrance of St. Ephraim. Maria Can
was the reader in Syriac and John Nassour in English.
Jimmy Amour played the organ while the students recited
the prayers. The next prayers to be recited in church
will be during Easter Mass.
Crystal Cathedral
On Tuesday, March 22 many
of our faithful parishioners gathered at church to enjoy
“The Glory of Easter” performance ate Crystal Cathedral.
Despite the heavy rains and heavy traffic, everyone kept
up their smiles. Due to the rains and traffic we ended
up missing the 6:30 p.m. show and staying for the 8:30
p.m. performance. It was a wonderful experience for many
of the children to see the bible stories they have
learned in class come to life and feel the joy of our
Lord’s Resurrection. We thank God for our safe trip and
most importantly, spending time with one another.
Bible Bowl Mania
The Bible Mania event that
took place on Saturday, February 26 was surely a night
to remember. Forty-five Sunday school students (ages
6-15), along with family members, gathered in our Lord’s
house to spend a spiritual evening together. His
Eminence Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan, Rev. Fr. Louis, Rev.
Fr. John, and Patricia Allaf asked the students the
bible questions (based on material they have learned),
our scorekeeper was Anthony Sengul, and Sophia Allaf was
a guide to the young children and kept the game
organization with the teams.
We began the evening
with our young students (ages 5-8) who were put into 4
teams of three students each. Each team was asked 8
questions plus 1 bonus. The questions covered areas such
as the Nativity of our Lord, His baptism, Easter, 12
disciples, and the four Gospels. All the students are to
be rewarded for their great effort but most importantly,
growing closer to God. He is watching us from up above
and is very happy to see such young children gather and
learn about the Bible and come to church. As our Savior
said, “Let the little
children come to Me, for the kingdom of God belongs to
such as these.” Mark 10:14
Everyone then gathered for short prayer, which was lead
by His Eminence Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan and enjoyed
dinner. The second part of the evening was for the older
division (ages 9-15). These students drew number cards
and were split into 7 teams. Each team selected a name.
For example, we had Team Suryoyo, Team Prophets, Team
Believers, Team Seekers, and Team Apostles. Everyone
introduced himself or herself and then the competition
began. Each team was asked a total of 17 biblical
questions plus 1 bonus each. As the game progressed the
questions became harder but to all our delight the
students answered 83 out of the 119 total questions
correctly. Even though we are all proud of these
beautiful, blessed students there is no other happier
than our Lord. For the past year, many of these students
have attended class every week and learn the
lessons, which are based on our Church calendar. This is
a big commitment and we should always as parents,
relatives, and friends encourage our young to come to
church and seek His word. As our Lord said,
“For where two or three come together
in my Name, there am I with them.”
We surely felt His
presence among us that evening.
We thank everyone who
donated items
and look forward to the 2nd Bible Bowl!
Team
Winners
Division 1 (Ages 5-8)
First
Place:
Tina Kourieh
Gabriella Allaf
Melissa Can
Division 2 (ages
9-15)—
First
Place: Team Disciples
Ashley Hawara
Jason Shammas
Mary Arik
Maryanne Amour
Second
Place: Team Prophets
Sammy Saar
Gabriel Allaf
George Saado
John Hanna
Third
Place: Team Believers
George Shammas
Jonathan Shammas
Stella Shammas
Breana Abdulnour
All students were rewarded certificates of
participation.
Winning teams were given religious medals
Engraved on the back:
St. Ephraim Sunday School Bible Bowl 2005
Congratulations to all students and remember the far
greatest prize is those who seek His word and make His
Word their study.
See
pictures
Christmas Eve Performance
On December 24 at the
conclusion of the Christmas Holy Mass level 3 (ages 9 -
14) began their performance with a saying in Aramaic by
Maria Can, followed in English by Jonathan Shammas. The
students then recited the hymn "Haw-Dashmayo" with
Albert Tarakji playing the organ. The hymn "Halel-Halel
and Silent Night" were also sung with Patricia Allaf
playing the violin. Stella Shammas concluded the
performance with a prayer and blessing.
Being able to sing for the
birth of our Lord only strengthens a child's love for
his church and the Savior. They feel a sense of
belonging to the Mass and being able to express their
joy of the nativity. When the students learned these
prayers in Aramaic they were also taught their
translation in English so they may understand what they
are singing.
God bless all who
participated.
Next performance:
February 26--All Priests Day
Bible Mania
On
Saturday of February 26, 2005 at 6:30 pm, the Program will be hosting an evening in
which the students will compete with another by being
asked bible questions. It will be based on age and
knowledge and there will be three divisions. One is for
ages 5 - 7, the other for ages 8 - 10, and the last
division for ages 11 and up. Questions that will be
asked are from lessons the students have learned plus
new material. We encourage everyone to revise what they
have learned and get ready for a exciting evening of
non-competitive friendly fun!!
More
details to come in the near future.
Visit to the Leroys
Haynes Center
On Thursday, December 16 the
Program for the first time went to a Center where they
care for boys ages 7-17 who do not ha'i1e a home or
families. Many of the Sunday School families and other
parishioners donated toys.
books, and supplies to the boys. We also sang Christmas
carols and handed each boy a Christmas card signed by one
of our students. We hope to continue annual visits with
this Center. It teaches our children that Christmas is not
a time only to receive but to gi'i1e to those who are less
fortunate, especially when it is someone who they can
relate to. We hope to have pictures in the next Sabro
issue. God bless all the parishioners and students who
donated to this lovely cause.
The center is called The
Leroy Haynes Center for boys It is located in La Verne,
CA. It houses 75-100 boys who have been neglected or
abused.
Crystal Cathedral Visit
On Tuesday, December 7 the
Program made their annual trip to the "Glory of Christmas"
play at the Crystal Cathedral. Over 70 people attended
this memorable event and shared the celebration of our
Lord Jesus' Christ birth. His Eminence Archbishop Eugene
Kaplan, Rev. Fr. Louis, and Rev. Fr. John also joined us
with many families of the kids. On the way to the play in
the bus we practiced the Christmas hymns the children will
be reciting and played a game of Bible Quiz. The "Glory of
Christmas" is a spectacular rendition of how our Lord's
birth came to be, and how it marked the beginning of
Christianity and all its believers. Everyone's favorite
part was the beautiful flying angels who soared over our
heads as they sang praise to the Lord. We look forward to
the "Glory of Easter" play.
Open House:
On Sunday, September 26 after the Holy Mass the
children displayed what they have learned from their bible lessons.
It gives parents and parishioners a chance to see what the children
learn and create in the classes.
* Levels 1 and
2(ages 3-7) presented their folders along with a poster telling
their parents some of their favorite things about going to church
and the bible. Some of the lessons included Adam and Eve, the
Creation, the Bible, and Noah’s Ark.
* Level 3 (ages 9 and up) displayed their folders also and had
worked hard on a special topic they had chosen from the bible in
which they wrote a short report on what that lesson was about.
During the next month, they will be involved in a contest in which
they will explain what they learned from that lesson they wrote
about and why they chose it. The top three winners will be awarded
and the judges include His Eminence Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan, Rev.
Fr. John, Rev. Fr. Louis, and Patricia Allaf.
Contest Deadline: Sunday,
November 21
Sts.
Sargis and Bachus:
On
Sunday, October 10 level 3 students beautifully recited the hymn
“Slooth-Khoon” in honor of two great Syrian commanders who became
martyrs for their Christian faith. The students began by reciting
the prayer “L-Bayto aloho” in Syriac and English, followed by a
short biography of the two saints recited by Sammy Saar, the prayer
“Slooth-Khoon, ” and then John Demircift concluded with a blessing.
Sanctification
of the Church:
On
Sunday, October 31, level 3 students will be reciting prayers in
celebration of the sanctification of the church. This will take
place at the conclusion of the Holy Mass. Ashley Hawara, Breanna
Abdulnour, and Maria Can will be the readers for the occasion. We
will be practicing every Sunday therefore attendance is important.
Parent support and encouragement is greatly appreciated. If you
would like to obtain a copy of the prayer please bring a blank
cassette to Patti on Sunday.
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