BURBANK, IL [DOM Communications/Orthodox Journey] – Responding to the needs of parish communities across North America during the COVID-19 pandemic, Orthodox Journeys, a small business run by a team of Orthodox faithful, is creating church school lessons for use by parishes.
“Our lessons are scripture based, exploring the riches and beauty of our Orthodox Christian faith,” said David Lucs, of Minneapolis, MN, and one of the co-founders of Orthodox Journeys. “Our goal is to provide engaging content for young people and families, inspiring a desire to draw closer to our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Each week’s lesson includes:
- A full color Student Handout for youth of all ages (grades K-12), with an explanation of the week’s commemoration or feast, and educational activities.
- Four Study Guides designed for teachers or (homeschooling parents) working with grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Each study guide provides Q&A, topics and resources for discussions with young people, taking a deeper dive into the content covered in the handout.
- A Family Overview for conversations at home on topics related to each week’s feasts and commemorations. Perfect for in the car, at the dinner table, or families on the go)
- A Unit Syllabus, providing an overview of the topics covered in each six-week unit
“The study guides explore the same topics across the various age groups, allowing for consistent teaching with all children of all ages, and conversations within families as conversation starters about our Orthodox Faith,” Lucs noted.
A sample lesson and information fact sheet is attached to see the lessons.
The lessons are being produced in six-week Units, with 8 Units over the course of the entire school year (August 30, 2020 through June 2021). Lessons are delivered via email in pdf format and can be used in-person, via Zoom, or by individual families at home, allowing for flexibility based on an individual parish’s needs.
Each lesson covers:
- Scripture readings
- Liturgical hymns
- Festal cycle, menaion of saints (using the old or new calendar)
- Social and contemporary topics
- Education and fun activities
As a special offer for parishes in the Diocese of the Midwest, the following discounted pricing is available:
- $337.50 per parish / 7 parishes (10% discount)
- $300 per parish / 14 parishes (20% discount)
- $262.50 per parish / 21 parishes (30% discount)
- $225 per parish / 28 or more parishes (40% discount)
The normal 45-week lesson price is $375 per parish with no discount. The price structure provides all of the lessons and resources licensed for use by a parish ministering to all families in their community. Discounts will also be offered based on the number of communities that sign up within the diocese. Invoicing and annual subscription rates are available.
Parishes which are interested in purchasing the lessons should email orthodoxjourneys@gmail.com and a member of the Orthodox Journeys team will coordinate with diocesan staff to set-up a code for the adjusted annual curriculum rate. Parishes would then purchase the lessons direct from Orthodox Journeys via www.orthodoxjourneys.com/shop
