with prayer and fasting. of Christ.

Prepare for the Eucharist Receive the Body

man’s heart. - Psalm 103 (Vespers)

shine, and bread which strengthens
the heart of man, oil to make his face
the earth, and wine that makes glad Eucharist
man, that he may bring forth food from
cattle, and vegetation for the service of
in the
He causes the grass to grow for the Giving Thanks
God made the world for us.

We give thanks,
We offer creation back to and God changes the bread
God in the prosfora and wine into the Body and
(which means offering). Blood of Christ.
Thine own of Thine own we Offer unto Send down Thy Holy Spirit upon us
Thee, in behalf of all and for all! and upon these gifts here offered. And
make this bread the precious Body of
Thy Christ. Amen.
And that which is in this cup, the
precious Blood of Thy Christ. Amen.
Making the change by the Holy Spirit.
Amen, Amen, Amen.

Touch Father’s robe as

he carries the bread and Say, “Amen,” during the
wine to the altar. Anaphora prayers.
 Lesson  on  the  Eucharist  for  Mixed  Age  Group  
 
1.  Gift  Activity  
First,  wrap  a  gift  box  and  give  it  to  the  children.  Explain  that  God  made  the  world  for  us.  
Next,  say  that  when  we  worship  God,  we  offer  his  creation  back  to  him.  Have  the  children  
give  the  gift  back  to  you.  Finally,  explain  that  God  changes  the  bread  into  the  Body  of  Christ  
and  gives  it  to  us  again.  This  is  the  Eucharist.  Can  make  a  loaf  of  prosfora  to  put  in  box  and  
share  with  children  so  they  can  see  the  seal.  
 
2.  Teaching  points  (with  things  you  can  do  to  participate  in  the  Liturgy)  
1. God  made  the  world  for  us.  (Wheat)    
God,  who  made  the  world  and  everything  in  it.  In  Vespers  we  read  Psalm  103:  “He  
causes  the  grass  to  grow  for  the  cattle,  and  vegetation  for  the  service  of  man,  that  he  
may  bring  forth  food  from  the  earth,  and  wine  that  makes  glad  the  heart  of  man,  oil  
to  make  his  face  shine,  and  bread  which  strengthens  man’s  heart.”    
DO:  Prepare  to  receive  the  Eucharist  by  praying  and  fasting.  Adults  do  a  total  fast  
before  the  Eucharist,  and  we  pray  the  pre-­‐communion  prayers.  Talk  to  your  priest  
and  parents  about  what  you  should  do.  
 
2. We  offer  creation  back  to  God…  (Prosfora)  
We  take  part  of  God’s  creation,  the  wheat,  and  grind  the  wheat  into  flour,  and  bake  
the  flour  into  bread.  We  call  this  the  Prosfora,  which  means  “offering”  because  we  
offer  it  back  to  God.    In  the  liturgy  the  priest  says,  “Thine  own  of  Thine  own  we  offer  
unto  Thee,  on  behalf  of  all  and  for  all.”  
DO:  during  the  Great  procession,  when  the  priest  carries  the  bread  and  wine  into  the  
altar,  touch  his  robes  to  send  your  prayers  into  the  altar  with  him    
 
3. …With  Thanksgiving  (Eucharist)  
During  the  anaphora,  we  pray  and  give  thanks,  and  ask  God  to  send  down  the  Holy  
Spirit  to  change  the  bread  and  wine  into  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  for  us.  
DO:  listen  for  the  epiclesis,  and  you  can  say,  “amen.”  
 
4. Receive  communion  
After  all  of  this,  we  are  given  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  drawing  us  into  deeper  
communion  with  him  and  with  one  another.  
DO:  receive  the  body  of  Christ  in  the  cup.    
 
3.  Make  coloring  books  
Attached  one  page  zine  that  folds  into  a  book  and  teaches  the  above  points.  
 
4.  Read  books    
(Yia  Yia  and  the  Prosphoron,  and  The  Woman  and  the  Wheat)  
 
5.  Miscellaneous  
Also  explain  what  is  the  antidoron  (Meaning  “instead  of  the  gifts,”  this  is  the  remaining  
prosfora  not  consecrated  in  Eucharist.  In  some  traditions  this  is  given  to  the  Orthodox  who  
did  not  commune  that  day,  an  in  other  traditions  it  is  given  to  the  non-­‐orthodox.);  talk  about  
etiquette  (not  pushing  to  touch  Father’s  robe  in  the  procession,  being  careful  with  antidoron  
crumbs);  the  final  bowing  before  the  cup  after  communion;  etc.