Junior Division (Grades 7–9)

1. In John 15:13–15, Jesus teaches about friendship to His disciples. Discuss the importance of friendship in your life.
2. Choose a parable from the Gospel of Luke and discuss how it speaks to our contemporary life.
3. Talk about a time and circumstance when you were in awe and wonder – where you sensed the majesty of God.
4. Discuss how prayer, fasting, serving others, or study of Orthodoxy assists you with your relationship with Christ and the Church.
5. In Mark 2:1–12, four men remove a roof in order to bring a paralytic to Jesus to be healed. How inventive are we in bringing people to Jesus for healing?

Senior Division (Grades 10–12)

1. People often say, “It felt right” in order to explain their decisions. How many of our decisions factor in not only our feelings but also the will and commandments of God?
2. Christ’s disciples made the commitment to follow Him without knowing what the outcome might be. What does it mean to follow Christ today?
3. How can we have religious conversations on social media in an age of trolling?
4. Christ said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Mark 4:9). The Lord said this with reference to the way we hear the word of God. What is our response?
5. Our lives are saturated with violence, not only in terms of the proliferation of war and terrorism but even as entertainment through movies and video games. In such an environment, how can a Christian cultivate virtues that lead to empathy, peacemaking, and self-sacrifice?

Introduced in 1983, the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival provides Greek Orthodox teenagers the opportunity to write and talk about their faith. The Oratorical Festival Program begins at the parish level and is divided into three divisions:

• Junior Division for students in grades 7–9
• Senior Division for student in grades 10–12

The top speakers in the Junior and Senior Divisions advance to the district level. Two finalists in each district division represent the district at the Metropolis Oratorical Festival. The top speaker in each metropolis division is then selected to participate in the Archdiocese Finals, which is hosted by a different metropolis each year.

Learn More...

2018 District Festival Locations and Dates






Metropolis Oratorical Chairperson:  Dr Maria Angeliadis
angeliadism@msn.com

Reflections of Faith
 

This past week our Metropolis hosted the National St John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival.  It was a wonderful weekend, and the poise, knowledge, and confidence displayed by the 18 young people representing their parishes and metropolises was both encouraging and humbling.
 
In the Gospel passage prescribed for this Sunday, we hear Christ proclaim, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness . . . “.  These young speakers served as beacons of the Light, true followers of Christ.  For many it is easy to give a speech, to memorize some words, but to truly speak from the heart, to inspire and encourage others, this is a skill that must be cultivated.
 
To cultivate something implies preparation, labor, growth, and study.  It was apparent from listening to the speakers that from an early age they have been cultivated.  They have acquired a love of Christ, a foundation in the Faith, and growth in the Holy Spirit.  Like anyone, they may have experienced a season less bountiful than another, a time of disappointment or sorrow.  Yet having their life firmly planted in our rich Orthodox Faith, they continue to grow and excel. 
 
The students themselves were as varied as the topics.  One spoke of silence and the need for stillness, another on human trafficking, and yet another on the Divine Liturgy.  One speaker was a lacrosse player, another played cello, while a third acted in plays in the theater department of their high school.   Yet their ability to be a light to all those present united them, and ultimately united all of us. 
 
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios reflected that “today’s presenters are the voice of Christ”.  And just like the Apostles, the Martyrs, and all the Saints, these young men and women are truly lighting the way for all of us.  They are speaking in truth and in love.  They are speaking about Christ and for Christ.  And those who choose to follow their path will never walk in darkness, but will be found worthy of receiving the True Light.  
 

Julie Moricz
Coordinator – Youth, Education, Hellenic Culture

May 18-20, 2018
St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
Ft Lauderdale, FL

June 8-10, 2018
St John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
Des Plaines, IL