Submitted by Holy Transfiguration in McLean, VA

Proposal:

As a means of bridging church and home, this project will consist of four, half-day workshops in which students and parents will work together to complete a project at church that will carry over into the home.

Goals:

1.  Provide families with the knowledge and tools necessary to help them connect church to home.

2.  Encourage families to participate more fully in the life of the Church.

3.  Build family by providing parents and children with a venue to interact and work together on a project.

4.  Encourage families to establish a family prayer rule that includes daily prayer in the Domestic Church and regular participation in Liturgical services.

5.  Encourage families to keep the fasts of the Church.

6.  Become familiar with religious symbolism (Prosphora stamp, memorial wheat, etc.)

7.  Become familiar with the Liturgical cycle of feasts and services of the Church

8.  Become familiar with the proper preparation of Holy Qurban (Prosphora) and memorial wheat and to offer it on their own.

9.  After one year, add workshops to rotation, such as prayer ropes, iconography.

10.  After five years, have parents mentor new families and assist in the facilitation of workshops.

Implementation:

1.  Design workshops and establish workshop dates and times

2.  Purchase and prepare materials for each workshop

3.  Provide training for teachers who will facilitate workshops and recruit volunteers for set-up, lunch preparation, and clean up.

4.  Advertise workshop

5.  Evaluate workshop

Timeline for Implementation:

The four parent-child workshops will be scheduled during each of the four fast seasons:  The Nativity Fast, Great Lent, the Apostles Fast, and the Dormition Fast.  Each session will have four common components - an explanation of the Liturgical services, colors, and music for the given fast.  During the first session, families will also be given a binder with starter Lenten recipes.  At each session, more Lenten recipes will be added.  In addition to the aforementioned components, each workshop will focus on a particular project that, once completed, may be used within the Domestic Church.

1.  The Apostles Fast - Our first workshop will focus on the concept of prayer within the Domestic Church.  Parents and children will work together to build a portable prayer corner that can be mounted on any wall.  We will provide families with a simple prayer book of basic prayers and festal Troparia in the translation that we use during Liturgical services.

2.  Dormition Fast - In this workshop, we will discuss the Twelve Great Feasts.    We will also teach families how to prepare the memorial wheat (kolyva) and Holy Qurban (prosphora).  Recipes will also be provided and families will be encouraged to make and offer their own prosphora.  Providing funding permits, each participating family will be given a bread stamp.

3.  Nativity Fast - Families will work together to make a calendar for each day of the fast, beginning November 15, including prayers and suggested activities for children to do for each day.  Families will also make a set of icon tree ornaments and learn about the life of Saint Nicholas.

4.  Great Lent - The main focus of this workshop is to help families understand the importance of prayer, alms, and fasting.  Families will make a calendar (similar to the one for the Nativity Fast), watch Pysanky demonstration, and receive a Pysanky kit for home.