Sunday School
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Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” – Mathews 19:14
Sunday School is an important spiritual organisation of St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Singapore. Even before the construction of the first church building, Sunday School classes were actively conducted by dedicated teachers. Sunday School plays a very important role in nurturing and reinforcing faith in children and bringing them closer to God. The primary objectives of the Sunday School are:
- Spiritual growth of the individual student with focus on the Holy Bible
- To nurture an Orthodox Christian tradition
After the Holy Qurbana every Sunday, Sunday School runs for an hour, from 11 am to 12 noon. The first half hour is devoted to singing and learning songs. Individual classes are held during the next half an hour. The curriculum jointly prepared and published by the Orthodox Syrian Sunday School Association of the East (OSSAE) is followed.
Though the official curriculum starts from Year 1 (Primary 1), children can be enrolled from the nursery level. Year-end examinations are conducted at the end of October or early November for all students from Year 1 to 12. Year 10 students sit for a centralised written examination conducted by OSSAE East Asia Region for students in the region (i.e. Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand) and are awarded the Sunday School Final Certificate (SSFC). There are usually over 120 students from the nursery level to Year 12 every year. At present, we have 16 teachers and 6 relief teachers.
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Apart from the regular classes on Sundays, other activities include:
- Children’s Day Programme (early October every year)
- Competitions such as for singing and memory verses
- Orthodox Vacation Bible School (OVBS), a day camp conducted usually during the Chinese New Year public holidays.
- Primary 6 Re-dedication Service
- Sunday School Sports Day or Picnic
- Christmas Programme