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The grade 4’s in the classroom after receiving their bibles

 

Since IHMS is a Catholic school, students often make use of bibles in their day to day work, especially during Religion classes. As they move through the grades, they eventually reach a point where they???re independent enough to use a bible on their own for scripture reading and research. That point of independence is reached by grade 4 when they receive their own personal bible, the ???Good New Bible???, during the school???s October Liturgy.

 

 For many grade 4 students, this isn???t their first bible – those attending catechism classes often receive a similar bible a month earlier in September. But it???s the first time that the grade 4 students receive them as a class.

 

 Receiving the Good News Bible is an important event for the grade 4???s. It???s a requirement for their religion program, and is used by the students throughout their stay at IHMS. For some students, it???s their first personal bible, so in addition to being a useful tool for religion classes, it also carries a lot of sentimental value. Unlike other textbooks like Math or Spelling, the students own their bibles and take them with them when they finally leave IHMS at the end of grade 8.

The Good News Bible is a modernized English translation that does not follow the vocabulary and style of historic versions of the Bible. The Good News Bible ???is written in a simple, everyday language, with the intention that everyone can appreciate it, and so is often considered particularly suitable for children and for those learning English.??? However, the Good News Bible isn???t a ???watered down??? version published only for children – it???s a complete full version of the bible that anyone can appreciate.

 

The grade 4???s were presented with their Good News Bibles on Friday, October 28 during the school???s monthly Divine Liturgy at Sts. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral. It was an important day for the grade 4???s – they had anticipated this day for a long time.

 Mrs. Halayda and the grade 4???s spent a lot of time preparing for the October Liturgy. First of all, they made a list of intention topics for each class from grade 1-8. Each homeroom teacher then chose and wrote an intention based on the topic selected (this is typical for all monthly Liturgies).

Also, a student from the class responsible for the Liturgy usually reads the Epistle, but in this case, the entire grade 4 class recited the Epistle together, and sang the lyrics to the song ???Good News??? at the end of Liturgy.

The presentation of the bibles took place after the Epistle. First of all, the bibles were blessed.

Next, Mr. Picklyk, the school principal, called the students individually to come forward to receive their bibles – ???the Good News of Jesus Christ???. Finally, four students read special intentions about receiving the Good News Bibles.

 

Since the presentation of the bibles is such an important event, there were a lot of parents and grandparents present at the Liturgy. Every bible was personalized with an individually created bookplate on the inside listing the student???s name and date of presentation.

 The grade 4 students enjoyed preparing for the special occasion, and at the end of Liturgy, the entire class posed in front of the altar to have their photo taken with their Good News Bibles.

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