A Walk Through Acts: An Overview of the Acts of the Apostles in 26 Lessons

INTRODUCTION

Christ is in our midst! I am humbled to offer this study on the Book of Acts for children. I pray your use of these materials will deepen your love for Holy Scripture and the Church.

For Best Results

Every classroom is impacted by the personality of the teacher and the personality of the students. Some lessons will excite students immediately, and some will sink in slowly— but the enthusiasm and genuineness of the teacher will have the most impact on the students. These materials are designed to be conversational—to build spiritual interactions within the context of Holy Scripture.

Each lesson is presented as a detailed script. Questions are sprinkled throughout for the purpose of pausing for class discussion. Adhering to the script is not crucial. In fact, it is better to highlight the main points based on the ages and understanding of the students in your class and to teach using your own words. An outline is included at the end of each lesson—Create Your Own Outline— allowing you to jot down notes and make the lesson your own.

Class Dynamics

Depending on the personality of your students, you may have to guard against a handful of children dominating a discussion or taking the lessons off track. Yet there is nothing wrong with gearing your discussions toward topics the students seem interested in: it is preferable to allow short interactions on topics that seem tangential than to have silent faces stare back.

Once students get used to the flow and expectation of the lesson, they will find exploring the scripture together in a safe and loving environment to be an activity they happily anticipate. You will know each other well by the end of the series. In fact, you may begin to anticipate their questions and responses as you prepare for each session ahead of time.

Scripture study is a lifelong adventure, and seeds can be planted early on. Pray for your students by name. Pray that they will sense that their teacher loves them, that they are loved by Christ, and that they develop a love for the Scriptures.

Lesson Pacing Throughout the Year (for Sunday school programs)

There are twenty-six lessons in A Walk Through Acts and approximately thirty-one Sundays in a school year. Look ahead and plot out the year, planning to take breaks for special activities according to the Church’s liturgical calendar—especially during the Paschal and Nativity seasons and for Sundays that are important to your parish. For example, you may wish to set aside the Sunday nearest your parish’s feast day to present a study on the patron saint of your church. Or, consider having your Sunday school space blessed on the Sunday of Theophany accompanied by a time of decorating small bottles for holy water. Another useful activity is setting aside a Sunday for a review game, culling questions from past lessons. Depending on class size and group dynamics, you can divide students into teams to compete. This is helpful both halfway through the series and as a fun way to wrap up.

Basic Classroom Materials

Materials specific to each lesson are listed at the beginning of that lesson. These lists assume that each classroom space has basic supplies on hand. If you are working in a shared space, or a designated classroom is unavailable, we suggest a small tote containing paper and pens, glue sticks, dry-erase markers, markers, colored pencils, scissors, crayons, and the Orthodox Study Bible. If the space you are working in does not have a whiteboard or chalkboard, we suggest butcher paper for lessons when group note taking or list making is necessary.

Parish Icons

Many of the lessons in A Walk Through Acts use icons as teaching tools. We have provided many icon images illustrated for your use in the classroom. However, if an icon of the same saint or feast day mentioned in a particular lesson can be found within your parish, we greatly encourage you to interact with that, as it is already familiar to your students. This interaction will link real-time church life and veneration to the Bible lessons they are learning.

Basic Spiritual Knowledge

Some students will come into class knowing very little. A Walk Through Acts provides an opportunity to show students how scripture is divided into chapters and verses. If class time permits, guide students in finding the scriptures pertinent for each lesson and have students volunteer to read from the Orthodox Study Bible.

Also, always be ready to show new students how to make the sign of the cross. This is a beautiful opportunity to share the fundamental truth of the Trinity and Christ’s victory over death. An illustration of how to make the sign of the cross is included in the Resource Section at the end of this book.

Additional Lesson Resources

Many learning activities are embedded directly into the lessons, but due to the wide range of teaching situations, the publisher has made the prudent decision to include supplementary resources in an appendix. Every lesson has a coloring sheet appropriate to the material, and many lessons have an additional song or extension activity created, so be sure to familiarize yourself with all your options. Teachers in the trenches know best.

Also, the section Facts About Acts can help you become familiar with daily life in New Testament times.

In Gratitude

Not only do I owe a debt of gratitude to various Sunday school teachers and Bible professors in my childhood, I am also thankful to St. Peter Classical School for assigning me the library as my classroom. Access to a plethora of research materials greatly aided in the creation of this work. Lastly, I want to give my deep-felt appreciation to Fr. Chrysostom and the Sunday school teachers of Archangel Gabriel in Weatherford, TX, for piloting these materials and providing so much encouragement.

—Arlyn Kantz