The Sunday School of Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral, Chicago, organized on Monday, July 26, and Friday, 30 July 2021, a Summer Camp for children aged 7-14 years. The Camp took place on the property of the Cohuț family, located in Bristol, Wisconsin. The camp’s theme was “The Church in the Child’s Soul.”
Guided by the Sunday School teachers, the children enjoyed during the two days of Camp a varied program combining elements of Romanian art and architecture, together with the beauties of nature, discovered through hikes and outdoor games. The children began their days with the morning prayers, followed by cognitive activities, motion games and sports. Our host, Maria Lipan, initiated the children in the main architectonic styles of the Orthodox Church, with reference to the styles used in the Romanian provinces, from the Church architecture of Moldavia with the renowned churches painted on the outside walls, UNESCO Heritage sites, to the Brâncovenesc style from Wallachia and wooden churches of Maramureș. The children were encouraged to be creative; specifically, to draw and then to color a church that is dear to their heart (of a parish, of their grandparents from Romania, of a monastery or of one that they discovered in the USA).
The knowledge of God from the concrete surroundings of life, as well as the discovery of God’s Creation gladdened the innocent souls of the children. Nothing can make an adult happier than the joy of children who have won a contest or the smile full of warmth coming from the accomplishment of a sketch or the painting of a monastery from Romania, which they have seen or hope to see one day. To this creativity exercise were added many games and sport competitions under the guidance of the young Laur Nemeș, a professional athlete from Romania.
It is meet to bring thanks to the teachers of our Cathedral’s Sunday School who gave of their time and their love for the guidance of their children: Presbytera Sanda Cărbune, Violeta Vancea, Violeta Tănase, Elena Șerban, and Oana Chetroșanu. Together, they set out to bring joy to the children after a long time of isolation and absence of joint activities. Special thanks to our hosts, the family of Paul, Maria, Nicole, and Ana Cohuț. Not in the last place, to His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, who accompanied us with fatherly care.
All that is left for us is to repeat the sticheron from one the chants in the Church’s services: “Glory to You, God, who have made them all!”
In Christ,
Preoteasa Sanda
