Annunciation/Evangelismos Church Catechism School

 
CURRENT AND UPCOMING CATECHISM SCHOOL EVENTS AND PROJECTS
 
Graduation Sunday, June 1, 2025
 
To Our Catechism Families and Community Members,
 
As we wrap up another wonderful year of Catechism school, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for all of the support we've received from the Annunciation/Evangelismos community. Our Catechism School continues to grow - the number of students registered for classes has risen once again, and our teachers have worked diligently throughout the year to teach our beautiful faith and foster a sense of community among our youth. 
 
From our youngest two-year-olds to our high school students, our students learned about their faith not only through their traditional Sunday class time, but also through "Ask Father John" Q&A sessions, participating in processions and special services, attending an all-day Holy Friday Retreat, and collaborating with Matthew 25 and the Homeless Ministry. It was truly a busy and blessed year!
 
Thank you to our wonderful teachers and substitute teachers for their faithful dedication; Father John, George Dalagelis, the PTO, and the Parish Council for their support; and, of course, to the students for their joyful enthusiasm and to the caregivers who bring them to classes each week.
 
We are already planning for next year and are actively seeking new teachers, substitutes, and teaching assistants for the fall. If you are interested in joining our Catechism School staff, please reach out to me at catechism@anngoc.org.
 
Have a wonderful summer and God bless!
Jacinda Ojeda
Catechism School Director
 
 

 
Sunday of Orthodoxy, March 9, 2025

Nativity Pageant, Sunday, December 22, 2025

Our youth and choir presented a precious Christmas Pageant this past Sunday. Seeing Parishioners, families, and friends gather together to sing Christmas carols and hymns was heartwarming. Oh, to keep this spirit in our hearts all year long! I would like to thank our youth leaders and parents for their loving and thoughtful dedication to our annual pageant. And a tremendous heartfelt thank you to Jim Papacostas, the beautiful choir and organist, for their tireless efforts, enthusiasm, and extraordinary talents in bringing it all together. 

Wishing you all a blessed and Merry Christmas

With love 

Effie Patounas

 

WELCOME BACK SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

Dear Families and Supporters of Annunciation Catechism School,

On behalf of Father John and our teachers, I’m excited to welcome our students back for another great year of learning about their beautiful faith and getting to know their Orthodox peers. On Sunday, September 15, 2024, the first day of Catechism School, Father John will call the youth to the front of the church just before communion to bless them, after which they will line up to receive the blessing and then proceed directly to their classrooms. This year, we invite parents to drop in the classroom wing after Liturgy ends for a Catechism Open House to meet your child(ren)’s teachers and see their classrooms. The Catechism School year runs from mid-September until the beginning of June, with a few important dates to bear in mind:

  • September 15th: First day of Classes
  • December 1: NO CLASS, Thanksgiving Break
  • December 22: Nativity Pageant
  • December 29: NO CLASS, Christmas Break
  • February 2: Godparent Sunday
  • February 23: Parish Oratorical Festival
  • April 18: Holy Friday Youth Retreat
  • April 20: NO CLASS, Holy Pascha
  • May 25: NO CLASS, Memorial Day Weekend
  • June 1: Graduation Sunday


As always, thank you so much to our parish leadership, our families, and the greater Annunciation community for your love and support. It takes all of us working together to build a strong foundation of faith for our children and to raise them up in Christ.

We look forward to a blessed year of learning, prayer, and fun!


With gratitude,
Jacinda Ojeda

Catechism School Director

MISSION

“Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and the stranger that is within your gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law."  Deuteronomy 31:12.  

A house must have a foundation to stand firm, and a tree needs strong, deep roots to grow properly. The mission of The Annunciation Catechism School is to provide a safe, nurturing environment for our youth in which they may grow their faith in Christ, learn the traditions and teachings of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, lovingly and enthusiastically live that faith on purpose, become disciples, and experience God’s constant presence in their lives.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” Matthew. 28:19-20

CURRICULUM

Our Church School program follows the recommended texts identified by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, which we supplement with various other references, projects, and activities. Our children also learn outside their classrooms by participating in church processions and special services, performing in the annual Nativity Pageant, attending "Ask Father" sessions with our Parish Priest, and collaborating with Annunciation/Evangelismos' various service organizations.

PARTICIPATION

Catechism classes are held each Sunday from September through May and are offered for children in Pre-K (beginning at age four and fully toilet trained by the first day of class) through High School (12th grade).  For younger children, please see our “Little Apostles” pre-Catechism class. Classroom instruction starts immediately following Holy Communion and lasts approximately 45 minutes.  Lessons use innovative and creative teaching methods and follow the Archdioceses' curriculum supplemented by special programs and projects. Children learn best by living their faith with their family at home and with their friends in class, especially as they regularly participate together in the Liturgical and Sacramental life of the Church. Our dedicated teachers provide a welcoming, loving environment for all students. Learning can be, and is, fun! Join us!

CONTACT

Jacinda Ojeda, Director

 

 

 

 

 
Teachers:

Pre-K & K: Elena Economopoulos
1st & 2nd Grades: Kelly Toumbanakis
3rd & 4th Grades: Angela Gaugler
5th - 7th grades: Debbie Sourias
8th - 12th Grades: Demetrios Papakirk

We always need helping hands to improve our children's program and our service to our community. Please do not be shy! If you want to join this worthwhile effort, please contact Jacinda or Fr. John Johns.

HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES

The Children's Word-Orthodox Christian Network

A weekly newsletter that includes a message, coloring page, and activities on the Sunday Gospel lesson and one of the Saints for the week.

Orthodox Pebbles

Orthodox Pebbles- A digital collection of high-quality, free, online Orthodox Christian educational resources for young children.

Be the Bee

Be the Bee is a video series about finding God in everything, every day.

Byzimom

A collection of icon printables for coloring.