Christian Education conference draws over 100 participants
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| On Saturday, September 30, 2006, the OCA Department of Christian Education held an educational skills building workshop at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary and Monastery. |
SOUTH CANAAN, PA [DCE/ Fr. Basil Zebrun] — The beautiful campus of Saint Tikhon’s Seminary here provided a serene, reverent setting for a day-long skills building conference coordinated by the Orthodox Church in America’s Department of Christian Education on Saturday, September 30, 2006.
His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman and His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania welcomed nearly 100 participants to the conference, which was attended by nearly 100 seminarians, their wives, and teachers, youth ministers, and clergy from many parishes.
The theme of the conference was “Equipping the Saints.”
A large gathering such as this, focused exclusively on Orthodox Christian Education, was a somewhat new experience for many. Within the conference, which featured several keynote speakers who addressed the entire assembly, individual workshops on very practical topics were offered by DCE members.
Each conference participant attended two afternoon workshops. The gatherings provided opportunities to reflect upon the importance and meaning of Christian education and to gain insights on several levels as to how the Faith of our Fathers may best be imparted to children, teens, adult, and enquirers.
Following greetings and opening remarks by Metropolitan Herman and Bishop Tikhon, the Very Rev. John Matusiak spoke of the Church as a “ship,” the “Ark of Salvation.” He went on to elaborate on the four “ships” of the Orthodox Faith by which we express and nurture our relationship with God, others, and ourselves: worship, fellowship, discipleship and stewardship. Father John also spoke to the seminarians in a separate gathering about specific pastoral issues and practical concerns in parish life. His presentations were very well received.
Matushka Valerie Zahirsky, a co-chair of the Department of Christian Education holding an M. Div. from Saint Vladimir’s Seminary and MA in English from Clairmont College, offered the keynote presentation. She spoke on the topic of “Building our Skills.” Particularly thought provoking was her call for parents and educators to begin introducing children at an early age to the idea and beauty of “paradox,” that is, the bringing together of two seemingly incompatible, mutually exclusive ideas or realities.
“The Christian Faith,” Matushka Zahirsky stressed, “is full of paradoxes. The eternal Creator of all that exists becoming man without ceasing to be God [the Incarnation] is a paradox. The all powerful, immortal God Who is Life Itself, submitting to death on a Cross, is a paradox.”
Matushka Valerie stressed that historically and even today people have been drawn away from the true faith to what appear to be on the surface more “rational” expressions of belief in God, devoid of paradox. That is one reason why, through the creative use of icons and simple Bible stories in education, the openness inherent in children to the wonders of creation should be enhanced and expanded to appreciate the idea of paradox in God’s plan of salvation, reinforcing faith in a God Who can be known, but defies explanation in an ultimate sense, and Who does whatever He pleases.
The Very Rev. David Mahaffey, rector of Saint Michael Church, Old Forge, PA, was the second keynote speaker of the day. Father David emphasized the need to provide enjoyable, engaging classes for faithful of all ages, but focused on the education of older teens and adults. The conference provided a forum for the unveiling of an Orthodox educational game he devised, based on the very popular television show, “Who wants to be a Millionaire?” The specifics of “Do you want to be rich towards God?” can be obtained from Father David on CD. The general message was “make it fun in an intellectually challenging yet non-threatening environment, and they will come.”
The assembly broke up into various workshops just prior to lunch. Deacon Joseph Matusiak spoke on “Working with our Youth.” Matushka Myra Kovalak and Mrs. Daria Petrokowski provided guidance for “Lesson Planning.”
Matushkas Christine Zebrun and Tamara Cowan presented important information for creating “The Welcoming Classroom.” Matushka Valerie Zahirsky, Mrs. Victoria Jones, and Mrs. Veronica Bilas lead a discussion on “What is Good Teaching?”
After lunch, Deacon Joseph Matusiak, director of the OCA Department Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry, presented thoughts concerning “Bringing the Youth Back” to the Church. His fundamental conclusions were that with children and teens, as with anyone, there are no secrets or guarantees for keeping one active in the Faith. What is most important and helpful is that parents and educators be loving and open with the youth, that they pray for them and “get them involved.”
The conference ended with final remarks by Mrs. Jewel Ann Stefanar on “All Parish Education.”
The success of the conference can be attributed not only to the speakers and setting, but also to the tremendous behind the scenes work of many people, including Ms. Maria Proch, the DCE Director for the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania, and Matushka Alexandra Safchuk, co-chair of the OCA’s Department of Christian Education.
Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann, in his book “Liturgy and Life: Christian Development Through Liturgical Experience,” points to the liturgical catechesis that exists within our services, calling it “the [Church’s] traditional method of religious education.” He went on to say that the main purpose or aim of religious education is “to bring the individual into the life of the Church…an unfolding of [this life’s] meaning, its contents and its purpose.” With that thought in mind, it was clear that the highlight of the conference was everyone’s participation in that which is the center of Christian life: worship. The number of children present at the Saturday night Vigil and Sunday morning Hierarchical Liturgy—sons and daughters of seminarians and visitors—was surprising and very gratifying. It was a hopeful sign for the future to see such young Church members singing many of the hymns by memory, completely at home in the House of the Lord.
With the approval of the Holy Synod of Bishops and the blessing of individual diocesan hierarchs, similar conferences are being planned in various cities for 2007. For more information, contact members of the DCE or watch for announcements on the OCA web site—www.oca.org—and in the “The Orthodox Church” magazine.