1 The Mystery of the House of God (The Church) The place where angels come down and our prayers rise up Genesis 28:17 2 The Meanings of Aaron's Rod A dry wooden stick blossomed overnight — and told us who God had chosen Numbers 17 3 Gideon — Given Assurance by God A young farmer, three signs, and the courage to trust that God was really with him Judges 6:13 4 The Holy Bible I – Why We Read the Bible The Bible is not just a book you read – it is God speaking to you 1 Samuel 3:9; 2 Timothy 3:16 5 The Holy Bible II – How We Read the Bible Reading the Bible the right way changes everything about what you get from it Hebrews 3:7-8; Psalm 1:2 6 The Holy Bible III – The Bible Is One Unit 73 books, 40 writers, 1,600 years — yet one Author and one message Luke 24:27 7 Israel Wants a King: Saul Is Chosen God chooses and prepares leaders, and He wants each of us to follow Him in our own God-given way 1 Samuel 8-10 8 To Obey Is Better: Saul's Big Mistake God asks for our obedience more than our excuses 1 Samuel 15:1-35 9 A Friend Who Risked Everything: Jonathan and David True friends stay loyal and loving even when it costs them everything 1 Samuel 20:1-42 10 A House for God: Solomon Builds the Temple A beautiful building means nothing without a heart that truly loves and obeys God 1 Kings 6-8 11 Esther I — From Ahasuerus's Feast to Esther's Banquet A drunken king, an orphan queen, and a plot to destroy God's people Esther 1-4 12 Esther II — From Esther's Banquet to Purim The villain built his own gallows — and God's people were saved Esther 5-10 13 St. Anthony the Great — Father of Monasticism A rich young man walked into a church, heard one Bible verse, and changed the world Psalm 68:1 14 Practical Ways to Love God Loving God is a skill you can grow — here is how to practice it every day Psalm 103:1 15 Christian Behavior I – Bad Friendship Spoils Good Characters Who you walk with becomes who you become — so choose your friends wisely Proverbs 4:14; Psalm 1:1 16 Christian Behavior II – Be Positive and Responsible Reject the voices of doubt — put your hand to the plow and don't look back Luke 9:59-62; Philippians 3:13 17 The Passions of Christ He carried our sins alone in Gethsemane — real pain in body and soul Isaiah 63:3; Matthew 26:38 18 Daniel — The Prophet Seer A young captive who refused to bow to idols and saw the Son of Man coming Daniel 7:13 19 Pentecost I – Five Symbols for the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit is powerful as fire, effective as wind, and gentle as a dove Matthew 3:16; Acts 2:1-4 20 Pentecost II — Five Symbols for the Holy Spirit (Continued) Living water and holy oil — two more windows into the Spirit of God John 7:38-39 21 Formalities in Spiritual Practices The outside and the inside — God is looking at the second one Matthew 6:6 22 Apostles I — How Can We Preach? St. Paul travelled the world for Christ — and so can you, from your own school hallway Matthew 10:32 23 Apostles II — Why Every Christian Should Serve God 'Do you love Me? Then tend My sheep' — the question Jesus asks every one of us John 21:15-17 24 Apostles III — The Christian Family in St. Paul's Epistles Your home is meant to be 'the church at home' — and St. Paul shows us how Colossians 3:20 25 Apostles IV — Parables in St. Paul's Epistles Seeds, fruit, buildings, tents, and salt — five pictures that teach us how to live for eternity 2 Corinthians 9:6 26 Simon the Tanner and the Moving of Mount Mokattam A hidden saint, a whole church in prayer, and a mountain that jumped for God Matthew 17:20 27 Christian Characters I — Helping the Needy Every time you help someone in need, you are actually helping Jesus Matthew 25:31-46 28 Christian Characters II — Forgiveness Forgiving is not weakness — it is the strongest thing a Christian ever does Matthew 5:23-24; Ephesians 4:31-32 29 St. Peter in the Resurrection Events Jesus called Peter by name — not to make him first, but to lift him up after failure Mark 16:7; John 21:15-17 30 With God Nothing Is Impossible — Never Lose Hope An old priest, a young Virgin, and a promise that changed the world Luke 1:37 31 How We Prepare for Genna — Tsome Nebiyat Praises Forty-three days of prayer, fasting, and hymns get our hearts ready for the King Luke 1:44 32 St. Mary's Song of Praise (The Magnificat) A young Virgin bursts into a song that would echo through every century Luke 1:46-55 33 The Virgin Mary and the Life of Quietness 'But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart' — the secret of a deep soul Luke 2:19 34 Lessons from Timkat (Epiphany) — Heaven Was Opened The day Jesus stepped into the Jordan and Heaven itself opened its doors Luke 3:21-22 35 Old Testament Prophecies About Christ — Part 1 Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophets described Him in perfect detail Luke 24:25-27 36 Old Testament Prophecies About Christ — Part 2 From the Cross to the empty tomb to the Holy Spirit — every promise came true Luke 24:31 37 St. John the Baptist — Messenger for Jesus The last prophet of the Old Testament pointed with one finger and changed the world John 1:19-29 38 The Wedding at Cana — Joy and Blessing of Jesus The first miracle Jesus ever did was at a wedding — because He wanted to bring joy John 2:1-11 39 Ascension – The One Who Ascended Is the One Who Descended Jesus went to heaven in the very body He took from us — carrying us with Him John 3:13; Acts 1:1-11 40 Fasika – The End of Death's Kingdom Christ rose while the stone was still in place — the greatest victory in history John 11:25; Ephesians 2:5 41 Do Not Cling to Me – Mary Magdalene at the Tomb Jesus honored a woman with the first news of Fasika — and taught her to trust Him fully John 20:1-18 42 The Church Is Born: One Family in Christ The Church is not a building — it is a family of believers who learn, pray, share, and love together Acts 2:42-47 43 The Danger of a Lie: Ananias and Sapphira God sees the heart, and He always knows the truth Acts 5:1-11 44 Brave to the End: Stephen, the First Martyr Trusting Jesus can give us courage to stay faithful and to forgive, even when it costs us everything Acts 6:8-7:60 45 Know the Monasteries of Your Church I The mountain roots of Ethiopian monasticism — Debre Damo, Debre Libanos, and beyond 1 Corinthians 7:7 46 Know the Monasteries of Your Church II Lalibela's rock churches, Aksum Zion, Gishen Debre Kerbe, and the Kidane Mehret convents Luke 12:37 47 Love in the Life of the Saints I Long-suffering, kindness, and no envy — three saints who lived what St. Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 13:4 48 Love in the Life of the Saints II Not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered — three more saints who show us love in action 1 Corinthians 13:5 49 Our Ethiopian Tewahedo Church Taught Me I — Why We Respect and Kiss Icons Why we bow before painted saints — and why it is not idol-worship Galatians 3:1 50 Our Ethiopian Tewahedo Church Taught Me II — Why Churches Are Lighted The lamp that never goes out, and the light that shows us who we are Psalm 36:9 51 Our Patriarch and the Ranks of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Meet Abune Mathias — and the shepherds who serve God's flock in Ethiopia 1 Timothy 3:1-14 52 Kidus Giorgis (St. George) — Prince of Martyrs and Patron of Ethiopia A brave Roman officer became the patron saint of our beloved Ethiopia 1 John 4:8