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Getting Ready for the Great Lent IN A PRACTICAL WAY

Getting Ready for the Great Lent IN A PRACTICAL WAY. January 31 st , 2010. Saint Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church of Ottawa Sunday School Grades 3 to 6. Get Ready for Lent. 1. PRAY. Talk to God, Praise the Lord, being Thankful to God, asking for Forgiveness

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Getting Ready for the Great Lent IN A PRACTICAL WAY

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  1. Getting Ready for the Great LentIN A PRACTICAL WAY January 31st, 2010 Saint Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church of Ottawa Sunday School Grades 3 to 6

  2. Get Ready for Lent

  3. 1. PRAY • Talk to God, Praise the Lord, being Thankful to God, asking for Forgiveness • This Lent, in addition to our usual prayers, set aside 15 minutes at 7pm every night to pray (together in spirit, while in our own homes) • The Lord’s Prayer • The Jesus Prayer (My Lord Jesus Christ, ...) • The Agpeya & Psalms • Your own Prayers • Prayers at Church • come on time, pay attention, make an effort to understand • Bible Readings

  4. As you Pray • Sign of the Cross • Pray slowly • Concentrate • Pray respectfully • Standing up • Kneeling • Metania (worship) • NO distractions • Quiet place • Close your eyes

  5. Daily 7pm Prayer

  6. 2. FAST • What is Fasting? • Goes hand-in-hand with prayer • Control your body, senses, desires • Many benefits • Self-control • Humility • Repentance • Spiritual growth, ... • How do we start to Fast at this age? • Seek guidance of your Spiritual Father: how to fast, which fasts, ...

  7. FAST of the EYES & EARS • Control what comes IN your MIND • AVOID inappropriate: • Music • TV • Movies • Internet • REPLACE WITH • Church Hymns • Saint Movies • Church Readings

  8. FAST of the MOUTH • Control what comes OUT of your MOUTH • NO • Rude words • Mean words • Rude jokes • Lies • Yelling • REPLACE WITH • Nice words • Sing Hymn • Reading Psalms • Prayers

  9. FAST of the TIME • Control how you spend your TIME • REDUCE • Chat/Text • Video Games • TV, Movies, Internet • “friends” that are bad influences • MORE Holy Time • Bible • Church (Sunday, Vespers) • Praying • Saint Movies & Books • Church Hymns • Time with True Friends • Christian Youth Channel (cycnow.com)

  10. FAST of the FOOD • Control • WHAT you EAT • WHEN you EAT • HOW MUCH you EAT • Ask your Parents & Spiritual Father • how to start fasting • which fasts, ...

  11. 3. METANIA (Worship) • Why do we do Metanias? • In Humility, worship and acknowledge Our Beloved Almighty God • Be thankful for all His Goodness, His Blessings, His Grace, His Mercy • How do we do Metanias? • Make the Sign of the Cross • Bow down to the ground • Make a fist (bow down willingly) • Thumbs pointed forward (unity with God) • What should accompany each Metania? • Kyrie Eleison (Lord Have Mercy), or other prayers • Inner feeling of Repentance before the Lord • Metanias as you enter the Church, bowing down before the altar and pray: “We worship you Our Lord Jesus Christ, with Your Good Father, and the Holy Spirit, for you have come and saved us.”

  12. 4. CHARITY • Start with one thing, and keep doing more ... • Laundry • Taking out the garbage • Dishwasher • Cleaning the table • Helping brother/sister with homework • Tidy-up toys • Shovel snow (in winter) • Help with gardening (in summer) • Collection at Church “It is more blessed to give than to receive” Acts 20:35

  13. Help out around the Home

  14. Spiritual Plan 1. PRAY • Keep up normal prayers atHome and Church • Add a 7pm prayer every night • Focus during prayers:make effort to understand the meaning of what you are praying(can ask a grown-up to explain) 3. METANIAS & WORSHIP • Practice Metanias during daily prayers at home (start with 3) • Come to church on time! • Come to church with a pure heart, and an inner smile  2. FAST • Control all your senses & thoughts • Remove “worldly” songs, shows, movies, internet surfing, etc. • Replace with spiritual time (Bible, Hymns, Spiritual Songs, ...) • Fast during Lent (discuss with your parents and Spiritual Father) 4. CHARITY • Charity starts at home (mom & dad) • Help out at church • Donations to help the needy • Give of your time, to those in need This Goes Hand In Hand WithREPENTANCE & CONFESSION

  15. BACKUP (Handout) • Each Sunday School Class can modify the next page to suit specifics of the class (if you want to add/modify anything) • Discuss with your fellow servants • Print out the next 2 pages, as a handout for all the children in your class

  16. Spiritual Plan 1. PRAY • Keep up normal prayers atHome and Church • Add a 7pm prayer every night • Focus during prayers:make effort to understand the meaning of what you are praying(can ask a grown-up to explain) 3. METANIAS & WORSHIP • Practice Metanias during daily prayers at home (start with 3) • Come to church on time! • Come to church with a pure heart, and an inner smile  2. FAST • Control all your senses & thoughts • Remove “worldly” songs, shows, movies, internet surfing, etc. • Replace with spiritual time (Bible, Hymns, Spiritual Songs, ...) • Fast during Lent (discuss with your parents and Spiritual Father) 4. CHARITY • Charity starts at home (mom & dad) • Help out at church • Donations to help the needy • Give of your time, to those in need This Goes Hand In Hand WithREPENTANCE & CONFESSION

  17. Fasting Schedule in our Coptic Church • When do we Fast? • Great Lent & Holy Week before Easter (55 days) • Jonah’s Fast (2 weeks before the Great Lent, for 3 days) • Apostles’ Fast (Monday following Pentecost until July 12) • Saint Mary’s Fast (August 7-22) • Advent Fast before Christmas(43 days) • Paramoun(preparation for 2-3 days before Christmas & Epiphany) • Wednesdays(remembering the betrayal of the Lord) • Fridays(remembering Christ’s crucifixion for our sake) • Before Communion(no food or drink for at least 9 hours)

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