Every member of the church knows the importance of the preparation of new generations of Sunday School teachers. However, one obstacle that may hinder accomplishing this task in immigration destinations is finding a suitable curriculum that can be readily taught.
To address this need, St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church of Los Angeles recently published a book entitled, Curriculum for Preparation of Sunday School Servants. In 165 pages the book presents a comprehensive programme for one year and includes so many useful features that help Sunday School servants’ preparation class accomplish its mission. The program has been taught for many years in Egypt, and since 1993 in the Los Angeles area after being modified to fit the Sunday School service in America.
The book provides Sunday School with the necessary tools to start a servants’ preparation class right away. It is written in a format suitable for the servant to deliver the lessons, as well as to be used by the students both in the classroom as a handout and at home as a reference. It covers the three main elements of the service in Sunday School: the spiritual basis, the practical aspects of serving in the classroom and beyond, and understanding the psychology of children. A special chapter, Child Development Programme, is authored by Sherine Shenouda, a school psychologist.
The book represents a good step toward transferring the Coptic spiritual heritage to the new generations of Copts in the English speaking world. The book is available from St Mark Church of Los Angeles, website: www.stmarkla.org.