"Let your Light...SHINE!" contest winners!!

A big thank you to all the Young Disciples who participated in the Let Your Light Shine contest this past month! All of the entries were beyond remarkable. The entries were judged in two divisions: Division One (Ages 6-9) & Division 2 (Ages 10-12). A winner was selected for each of the different categories of the contest from each division.

Here are the winners......

Division One Winners (Ages 6-9):

Literature: Preparing for Christmas, by Gianna Vijay

Visual Arts: My Heart: A Manger for Baby Jesus, by Michelle Anthony

Speech: Preparing my heart to receive baby Jesus, by Michelle Anthony

Music: Silent Night by Joseph Chirayil

Division Two Winners (Ages 10-12): 

Photography: Jesus is the Light of the World, by Navya Sunny 

Video Production: How we can Prepare for Baby Jesus' Birth, by Alexa Joseph

Speech: My Christmas Message, by Diya Anna Ashly

Literature: How to Prepare to Receive Baby Jesus, by Angel Treasa Sujith

Visual Arts: Drawing with coloring, by Anora Binu Kannadan

Music: Yerusalem Nayaka, by Aanjali Maria John

Music - Special Mention: Joy at the manger by Raphael Varghese 

Please keep an eye out on all of our social media handles as we will be posting the winners and a few of the other item entries there! In addition, we also will be sharing a few of the other entries that were submitted for the contest! Visit us on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anointingfire_youngdisciples/

YouTube Channel

Matthew 5:14- "You are the LIGHT of the world!"

Dear Young Disciples, all of you are called to be a light in our world today! You are meant to let your light shine before others! Continue to use your talents for the glory of JESUS!

Let you Light....Shine!

Calling all children ages 6-12 to...

Let Your Light....SHINE!

How is it that you can glorify Jesus through your talents this Advent? A friendly competition that joins Young Disciples all over the world to let the light of Christ shine BRIGHTLY through you.

Theme: "Preparing to receive Baby Jesus this Christmas"

Deadline: December 12th, 2020 9pm CST

Ages: 6-12 years 

Division 1: 6-9 years

Division 2: 10-12 years

Categories:

 * Literature (Essay, Short Story, Poem & Song writing)  

 * Music (Singing, Instrument, Music Composition)

 * Photography

 * Video production

 * Speech

 * Visual arts (Drawing, painting, digital artwork)

How to Participate

1. Read the contest rules here https://www.anointingfire.org/shine-rules

2. Create your artwork based on the given theme in any one of the six categories

3. Register and submit your entries here https://www.anointingfire.org/events

Winning entries will be recognized and featured on our Social Media including Instagram, Young Disciples YouTube channel, Little Evangelist Magazine, Little Evangelist Blog and more! 

If you have any questions about this contest, please email : afcym.youngdisciples@gmail.com

Come, Lord Jesus! - The season of Advent

Advent is a time of preparation and waiting for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Advent is also a time for Christians to renew their desire for Jesus' second coming. The season of Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas. The first Sunday of Advent is also the beginning of the Church year. Celebrating the season of advent will put the focus of Christmas on Jesus and not on Santa Claus and presents. Here are three ways for children and families can celebrate this wonderful season.

1. Make an Advent wreath

Check out this video to learn about the advent wreath and make one!

2. Use an Advent calendar or make your own!

Advent calendars help you discover ways to prepare yourselves to receive Jesus into your hearts. Create your own calendar or make it a fun family activity. 

Click here for a pre-made one

Click here for a template to make your own

3. Find ways to help others. 

This is the season of giving. You can give your time, talent or treasure to others in need. 

• Start with doing kind deeds for your family members. Doing chores without being asked, giving compliments, making people smile are all good examples of the small ways you can be kind to your family
• Churches usually organize food drives or giving trees where you can donate groceries or other gifts for families who are in need. 
• Soup kitchens look for supplies and volunteers
• You can donate toys and gifts to shelters and hospitals
• You can write a card with a cheerful and hopeful message to sick children who are in hospitals 

Make this Advent a blessed one for you and your family.

Thanksgiving

 Young Disciples share about Thanksgiving in the Catholic culture.

Young Disciples Youtube channel

Click to download Thanksgiving Prayers printable

Click here to download "I am thankful for" printable

All Saints Day and Halloween

On November 1st, the Holy Catholic Church celebrates All Saints Day! It is a Holy Day of Obligation. There is no exact date of origin, but after the legalization of Christianity in A.D. 313, there have been commemoration of the saints, especially martyrs, throughout the Church in the West and the East.

Traditionally, the commemoration of all saints was commonly celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost. The primary reason for establishing this commemoration was to honor the vast number of martyrs, especially during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian because under his rule were the worst persecutions. There were not enough days in the calendar to honor each martyr and many martyrs died in groups, so it seemed appropriate to have one day to commemorate all saints. Over time, November 1st became the feast of All Saints’ Day, especially when Pope Gregory VII mandated November 1st to be the day of celebration of All Saints’ Day.

Although the world celebrates Halloween embracing the pagan culture, within the Catholic Church, Halloween can be translated into All Hallows’ Eve. The word “hallow” means “to make holy or sacred, to sanctify or consecrate, to venerate.” We say this word every day in the Lord’s Prayer, “Hallowed be Thy Name”. Just as how we have Christmas Eve, we also have All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve. This day was to prepare for the feast day of All Saints’ Day. 

So how can we celebrate both of these days?

• Go to Holy Mass both days to join the celebration of the Great Sacrifice with all of the saints in Heaven. Pray the Litany of Saints
• Dress up as saints to show the world that we are all called to be saints.
• Organize a Holyween party with family and friends. Check out this video!

From this feast day of All Saints’ Day to next year’s feast of All Saints’ Day, choose a saint to be your patron for a year. Ask intercession from this saint each day, learn about this saint, and allow this saint to guide you to holiness for a year.

By Tina Makkanal