The purpose of the Protection of the Virgin Mary (PTVM) Orthodox Church’s Youth Sunday School (AKA “Church School”) is to teach our children how to live their Orthodox faith. By teaching them about the life of Christ, we give them the foundation to live Christian lives, to go out into the world and share their faith and do good works. Our Sunday School also assists with charitable works.
Church School for our youth meets following communion on Sunday mornings from September through May, and offers classes from preschool through high school. Specifically, we offer three class levels:
- Primary: For pre– and emergent readers
- Junior: For stronger readers and pre-teens
- Senior: Class for ages 12 – 18
The Primary and Junior classes focus on weekly lessons giving the students a solid grounding in the basics of our faith through Old Testament Bible stories, teaching the lives of the Saints, and sharing the Liturgical life of the Church including all major fasts and feasts. The Senior class is structured as a discussion group which covers current events and teen issues.
Some of our events include:
- Back to School Bash
- October Patron Saint Day Procession
- Fall outing to a pumpkin patch
- St. Nicholas Day Breakfast and Activities
- Yolka / Christmas Party and Program – The Sunday after Christmas, the children put on a short program after Liturgy in the church hall for everyone. A potluck meal and fellowship follows
- Kid’s Baking Days (after Nativity and before Pascha)
- Winter Outing
- Orthodoxy Sunday Procession
- Lazarus Saturday Communion Breakfast/Tie willows and palms – The Church School children receive Holy Communion together and then parents and children enjoy a pancake breakfast and prepare the willows and palms for Palm Sunday the next day.
- Palm Sunday Procession
- Bright Monday Celebration – After Divine Liturgy, everyone enjoys a potluck meal and the children play games.
- End-of-Year/Graduation Party
Parents who are PTVM members or regular attendees, please register your child for the 24-25 Sunday School Year.
Our Youth Sunday School director is Elizabeth Mirr-Wysocki, who is assisted by several teachers.
Parent Teacher Council (PTC)
Our PTC organizes service projects and social outings for our parish youth and supports our Sunday School program. Events they have planned include a Harvest Hootenanny in October, St. Nicholas Day Meal and Activities, Christmas Program and Potluck on the Sunday after Christmas, Lazarus Saturday Communion Breakfast, the Bright Monday / Pascha Celebration, an End-of-Year/Graduation Party, and a Vacation Church School in August.
We also accept donations of snacks for kids. Please avoid products containing nuts.
