Metropolis of Detroit Religious Education Seminar
By Fr. James Bogdan (DRE) & Presvytera Liza Marcus
September 24 - 25, 2010
Southgate, MI - The Religious Education Seminar of the Metropolis of Detroit held a successful seminar on September 24th and 25th with approximately 60 parents and 75 teachers gathered for a creative weekend with Dr. Tony Vrame from the Archdiocesan Department of Religious Education. The theme was “Enthusiastic Religious Education”.
The Friday evening began with dinner and a challenging evening for parents. Dr. Vrame spoke on the theme of what we can do to enthuse our parents and students and to actively offer a viable and relative religious education program. Saturday began with breakfast and Agiasmos. The program:
Metropolis of Detroit
Religious Education Seminar
September 24th and 25th, 2010
Host: St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Southgate, MI
Enthusiastic Religious Education
Dr. Anton Vrame, Ph.D. Director
Archdiocesan Religious Education
Friday:
6:00 pm Dinner and program with Dr. Vrame and parents
Saturday:
9:00 am Registration/Continental Breakfast
10:00 -11:30 am Agiasmos & Welcome of Dr. Anton Vrame who keynoted the presentation followed by the afternoon programs:
1. Enhanced Adult Religious Ed - Themis Fotieo & Ron Crosser
2. Art in the Religious Ed Classroom - Joan Dallas & Mary Theodore
3. Hymnology in the Classroom - Susan Crosser
Concluding Comments, questions and Prayer
We offered a class lesson in Art and Religion. The presenters' lesson on the 12 Apostles teaching packet. This lesson program is usable for both children and adult classes and includes:
• A colored icon of each Apostle
• What Scripture says of each Apostle
• Using a map seeing where they went (sta perata tes yees “to the ends of the world”.)
• What did they do? Why are they important for us?
• What happened to them?
• Explain, learn, and chant the Apolytikion—the hymn of each saint
• Identify our personal Saint in our lives.
The object of these lessons is to know our personal saints and why they are important to us. This “teaching” could be over several weeks or for a summer RE program. If you'd like the Apostle teaching packet please email us at lizamarcus@hotmail.com.
Because of the vast area of our Detroit Metropolis, we are looking to come to Upstate NY and the Southern parishes of our Metropolis. Our goal is to make our programs available from Muskegon in the Western Michigan, to Syracuse in Upper NY, and Little Rock, Arkansas. That way, RE programs become available to all our students. If you are interested in hosting a Religious Education Seminar at your parish, please contact Fr. Jim 616-292-6878 or Presvytera Liza at 616-214-9724
In closing, we gratefully thank: His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas for his continued support of this most important ministry.
We also thank Fr. Philemon Karamanos at St. George in Southgate MI and the parish who graciously offered their facilities and all the wonderful meals. Also we would like to thank the Holy Trinity Grand Rapids MI Endowment Fund that funded the necessary expenses. Lastly, to Dr. Vrame for his challenging and inspiring weekend.