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Cultural and Education Committee Report for Year 2000

Dear clergy, members of the society and all parishioners of Holy Resurrection Church, Greetings to all!

My report on cultural and educational activities through the passed year in our church can be divided into three parts:

1) Sunday School

2) Russian School

3) Cultural Activities.

1. The Sunday School

In February of last year, we said good-bye to our Sunday School teacher Sandra Leclerc who left to Manitoba. I took the position of the Sunday School teacher giving lessons to children every Sunday from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m.

The goal of Sunday School is to help children acquire what St.Paul calls “the form of God “. In our school children learn the Orthodoxy, traditions, rituals and main doctrines of the Church. Also we discuss Sunday Gospel readings, sing tropars and major prayers.

I.Nevolsky and myself teach the theory. A. Bigos does crafts with children.

2. The Russian School

Nina Dobrianskaya and myself started the Russian school in December of 1999, Children learned poems and songs and successfully performed at the concerts. Since September 2000 Etena Bolshakova joined in teaching, and later Maria Alexandrova, Children were divided into 2 groups. The school operates from 12:30 until 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. The goal of the Russian School is to teach children about our heritage, famous Russian poets and writers, rich Russian culture and history in the Orthodox perspective.

3. Cultural activities

The passed year 2000 was fool of different events in the cultural and educational life of our church.

In January, the theatrical group under the leadership of A. Kalugin presented the “Yolca” performance, which was enjoyed by all.

In March, Fr. James McLuckie had a class of icon lamination for children and adults. We all laminated our own icons.

Also, numerous parishioners watched with tears in their eyes a tape from Russia about the House of Miloserdie. The tape prompted us to help them. On April 2nd we had our Lenten Concert, with participation of many guest performers such as Romanian Orthodox Church Choir, students of N. Kolesnikov Musical School and certainly our church choir. Our children also took an active part in this performance, singing, reciting poems, playing piano.

On June 25th, the children presented the year-end concert to us. We enjoyed poems, recited by children in Russian and in English, numerous songs, and A.Pushkin’s fairy tale “The Fisherman and the Golden Fish”, which children presented in beautiful costumes. M. Osmolovskaya’s students contributed to the success of the performance.

In May and October two youth groups visited our church. One group was from a near­by Baptist Church and the other one came from the Cyber School in the Washington state. Having toured our church, children learned about Orthodoxy and the Russian culture. In October our Sunday School resumed the work. The number of students increased to twenty. The children participated in the Christmas Bazaar, by baking cookies and making crafts to raise our funds one weekday evening.

In November and December, numerous rehearsals were held in preparation for the Christmas concert. Gorgeous decorations and costumes were made, thanks to Elena Bolshakova.

Our Christmas concert 2000, was a success mainly because we had a variety of talents involved. We watched the wonderful performances of N. Kolesnikov and M. Osmolovskaya students, the inspirational children’s choir from Richmond under the leadership of M.Vorobeichikova, the splendid performance of our Sunday schools, towed by all, the singing of our Church choir under the leadership of K. Bolshakov and many other talents.

At this point, I wish to express my sincere thanks to everybody who helped the Cultural Committee last year. First of all, N. Dobrianskaya, who taught the Russian School last year and now is working thoroughly, arranging our church library. Big thanks go to I. Nevolsky who teaches Sunday School and is always ready to go an extra mile. Sincere thanks are expressed to our Russian School teachers- E.Bolshakova and M. Alexandrova, who put all their efforts for the cause. Kind thanks go to A. Bigos for working on crafts with children, K. Bolshakov who orchestrated the music for our Christmas program, N. Shulzenko , who always ready to help with Sunday School, if needed, A. and T, Andrianko, for the big help of our year-end performance, S. Ellis, for the activities involvement and enthusiastic ideas , all the parents who brought their children faithfully to the church and weekday rehearsals and everybody who helped us in some way. Please make note of the following upcoming events:

March 20 – Pascha/Kulich making with children and wooden eggs decoration. Please notify me if you child is going to come.

May God bless you all!

Yours in Christ, M. Elena Fourik

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