Spiritual Service and the Spiritual Servant (11)
Spiritual Service and the Spiritual Servant (11)
Summer Activity
With the arrival of summer and the presence of free time, the branches of Church Education think about how to occupy the time of students and teachers in beneficial ways.
This summer activity is divided into several programs: a spiritual program, a cultural program, an artistic program, a sports program, an entertainment program, and a handicraft program, in addition to activities for women and girls. We will speak about all these in some detail.
The Spiritual Program:
It includes memorizing verses from the Holy Bible, either alphabetically or by specific topics. In addition, there are Bible or Saints’ life competitions, accompanied by prizes distributed to the winners.
The spiritual program also includes learning and memorizing the church hymns in both Coptic and Arabic.
For servants and elders, there can be general spiritual exercises. Meetings for prayer and contemplation on the Holy Bible are also held. There can also be a program for reading spiritual books and the lives of the saints. Some may be assigned to summarize a spiritual book or part of it and present it in a servants’ or youth meeting.
The Religious Cultural Program:
This program is part of the library’s activity, focusing on reading certain books about theology, doctrine, rituals, Church history, and other important areas of religious knowledge. These readings are conducted under guidance.
This branch may also include lessons in the Coptic language to help understand the Divine Liturgy and hymns. If there is no teacher for the Coptic language, these lessons can be presented through videos.
The Artistic Program:
It includes discovering and developing talents in all fields—such as drawing and photography. Photography can include capturing old icons in ancient churches or modern icons that reflect Coptic art and suit the Church’s ritual and doctrine. From these works, albums can be made to be displayed in Sunday Schools or even sold to those who admire and wish to own them.
Among the artistic activities is the drawing of crosses, a skill in which the late Pope Macarius III excelled. Currently, some monks in monasteries are skilled in this art, and students can learn under their guidance.
Other artistic works include making gypsum figures of saints, which can be sold or given as prizes in Sunday Schools. Using gypsum, one can also make models (maquettes) of churches and monasteries. The craft of woodwork (“arquette”) is also useful and enjoyable for both Sunday School children and servants.
Some have made models of the Tabernacle of Meeting with all its parts, referring to the details in the Book of Exodus, or models of Solomon’s Temple.
All of these can be part of an exhibition for Church Education.
From the combined exhibitions of various branches, a general exhibition can be held in the Cathedral’s gallery, where works of theological college professors and graduates were displayed during its centennial celebration.
The artistic program may also include playing hymns on musical instruments.
The Sports Program:
This is organized by some churches that have suitable land or can rent one. The Youth Bishopric supervises this activity every summer and distributes prizes to the winners from various dioceses.
The Recreational Activity:
This includes events organized by some branches for youth or children.
Some branches perform plays depicting Biblical figures or saints of the Church. Successful plays can be recorded on video or film to benefit other branches.
The Handicraft Program:
Some churches train their youth during the summer in practical crafts that can benefit them financially, combined with a spiritual program.
Training is not limited to manual crafts but may include higher-level skills such as computer training and its various programs.
Women’s Activities:
These include workshops for making clothes and embroidery, displayed in exhibitions in various churches.
Some churches also have a branch for sewing clerical vestments, including the crosses and decorations placed on them.
Other Activities:
In the Church Education Supervisors’ meeting, some presented other types of activities, such as scout training and forming groups to maintain order, as well as health education.
There are also puppet theaters, trips, servants’ conferences, and, of course, the church club.
The Church Club and Its Spiritual Discipline:
Many churches establish clubs in their courtyards to serve the youth, especially during the summer. The club may continue during the school year as well. Here we must discuss the club’s mission and how it is carried out.
The club is primarily a means, not an end.
It is a recreational tool that avoids the mistakes found in other clubs. It provides a chance to observe youth behavior outside the church environment so that any mistakes can be addressed spiritually. It is not merely for playing; rather, recreation is combined with spiritual activity. Each session begins and ends with prayer and includes hymns, songs, Bible competitions, or short spiritual lessons.
If the club lacks spirituality, it has failed its mission!
If it becomes filled with noise, arguments, or inappropriate speech and behavior, this is very dangerous—because it happens on church grounds under its care!
Therefore, strict and careful spiritual supervision is required for the club’s operation.
A club without spiritual supervision can be more harmful than beneficial, as it teaches youth and children disrespect for the Church and lack of discipline.
The club must have clear regulations and schedules known to both supervisors and participants, which everyone must follow. Many complaints have been received about clubs causing noise that disturbs neighbors and even church meetings due to shouting and disorderly behavior by children.
Parents often complain about their children returning home late at night, claiming they were in the club. Parents then ask: Does the church club’s administration allow youth to leave at midnight? Are there girls among them? Is there no supervision of time?
Can we not teach our children to play quietly, respect neighbors’ peace, adhere to schedules, return home at proper hours, and respect the church’s atmosphere?
So, who is responsible for the club’s mission and spirituality?
The priests are responsible, as well as the Church Education supervisors, and the club committee. There must be a committee overseeing the club’s rules, ensuring the supervisors’ presence, performance, and adherence to spiritual discipline.
An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, published in Watani newspaper on May 12, 2007.
