Every Lenten season for more than 50 years, Sunday School students, staff, and families throughout the Eastern Diocese have joined in an effort to raise money for the world’s needy. Refugees of war and famine, America’s poor, children in distress on every continent, and dozens of good causes in Armenia (including campaigns devoted to foster care, war victims, domestic abuse, and comforting the elderly) have all been recipients of these Lenten collections.
In 2019, 23 Sunday Schools contributed close to $21,000 to the Fund for Armenian Relief’s “First Thousand Days” campaign, which addresses child malnutrition through healthy food packages, parent and teacher education, and school meal programs.
Sunday schoolers were ambitious and creative in their fundraising. They prepared and served food at parish fellowships, washed cars and cleaned houses, memorized Bible verses, made and sold Easter baskets, and simply passed the hat at family gatherings.
Diocesan Christian Education director Elise Antreassian congratulated the students by echoing the words of the Gospel: “Well done, good and faithful servants!”
Fund for Armenian Relief executive director Garnik Nanagulian expressed FAR’s gratitude to the students in a letter extolling their compassion for their fellow Armenian children.
The sentiment was echoed by Diocesan Primate Bishop Daniel. “This is the kind of inspirational effort that goes on in our parish communities year in and year out,” he said. “Our Sunday School students are children, but they contributed something significant, and important, to help our homeland. They are truly doing our Lord’s work.”