Dear Parents,

As the Church School prepares for another year of instructing our children in the tenets of our Faith and Tradition, as well as preparing them to be good stewards of the moral truth handed down to us from the saints and our forefathers, I impress upon you the great importance of this ministry in our Greek Orthodox Church. Church School is vital for the religious formation and understanding of morality of our children. It is not a place for babysitting or for respite while the rest of us attend the fellowship hour. It is an integral part of their overall education and the crucial foundation for their spiritual lives.

Our Church School teachers put forth a tremendous effort each week to ensure our children are properly instructed. However, they cannot accomplish this task without your help, with at most only forty-five minutes of instruction time per week.

• It is imperative that you encourage your children to participate in the weekly Church School classes.

• It is imperative that you bring them to church for the Divine Liturgy and to church school on time.

• It is imperative that you review the material covered by our children every week and reinforce the lessons at home.

• It is imperative that you make sure your children know the requirements for their grade level.

• It is imperative that the entire family participates in the worship services and sacramental life of the Church.

• It is imperative that you strongly encourage children in grades 7-12 to prepare a speech for the Oratorical Festival.

Please take this opportunity to help nurture your children in our Holy Greek Orthodox Faith and Tradition. If you feel that you need to learn more yourself, review the material your children study, or just ask me or one of our teachers! But whatever you do, be a strong and positive figure encouraging your children to excel in the study of our rich and blessed Greek Orthodox Faith.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask one of the teachers or myself.

I pray for a spiritually uplifting and edifying year for us all.

In Christ’s love,

+ Fr. Nick