The last two-week shift of the summer vacation Orthodox spiritual and educational program for children of school and senior preschool age, which took place at St. Nicholas Chernoostrovsky Convent almost all summer, has ended.
From June 8 to August 15, there were five shifts, each with 15 to 20 children. Trips were organized almost every shift: to Borovsk, to the Ilyinsky borders, to Optina deserts, to the Museum of the History of Cosmonautics in Kaluga. Almost every week, excursions to local museums or "local history walks" around the city were held for children. There were some educational classes every day: singing, animation, directing documentaries, stage speech, and the history of the Kaluga Region. A lot of attention was paid to local history and historical topics – this area of the program was developed within the framework of the project "Great History in Small: Dynasties of the Maloyaroslavets land", which the monastery implements with the support of the Ministry of Internal Policy of the Kaluga Region and the Presidential Grants Fund.
Spiritual conversations were held daily, we read the children's Bible together, and the Gospel, which was already quite adult, in Russian translation, we watched and discussed Orthodox and simply kind cartoons and films. They took communion every week, most often on the last day of the shift – on Saturday, and even twice when there were holidays.
They played outdoor games, including forgotten ones – lapta, small towns. We learned a lot of new songs, and sang to the guitar and piano. They participated in all the monastic feasts with communal meals and concerts that fell at that time. We got acquainted with the elements of basic military training: we learned how to build, assemble and disassemble a machine gun, provide first aid, and played military sports games. We got acquainted with the Cossack saber and pike, tried our hand at fencing with soft swords. Almost every day, for an hour and a half, they helped in the monastery garden and in the flower beds. We learned how to set and clean meals together, and wash dishes. We learned to be friends, to help, to be responsive and obedient.
On August 18, parents of children who attended the summer vacation shifts of the spiritual and educational program for school and senior preschool children came to St. Nicholas Cathedral for the Divine Liturgy to thank Abbess Nicholas for the opportunities and care that their children received this summer. Admittedly, for children and for parents, some of whom went on trips or stayed with their children for a short time, participation in this program was "an unforgettable time of joy, friendship, good deeds and spiritual growth," and "the children returned home with new knowledge, bright impressions and a desire to become better.". The letter of thanks from the parents also spoke about the "atmosphere of warmth, faith and kindness" that was found in the monastery. And according to numerous requests from parents, the monastery is launching an "extended extension" from the new school year called the "Cossack Club" from 14 to 18 days, which will be a continuation of the extended day group at the Orthodox Gymnasium at the monastery. Also with developing and spiritual-educational pursuits and the desire to become closer to God and the Church.