23 November 2025. Astana. With the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the First Pedagogical Conference – the assembly of directors and teachers of Sunday schools of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District – was held in the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Spiritual and Cultural Center.
The theme of the forum: “Enlightenment and Morality: the Formation of Personality and the Challenges of the Time.”
The organizers of the conference were the Department of Culture of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District (head – Priest Bogdan Boyko) and the Central Sunday School of the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Almaty. The event was held with the support of the Astana Deanery.
Participants of the pedagogical forum included: the Dean of the Parishes of Astana Archimandrite Sergy (Karamyshev); Sacristan of the Assumption Cathedral Hieromonk Dimitry Baidek; Archpriest Alexy Fedorenko, rector of the Intercession Church in the city of Abinsk (Kuban Metropolia); Priest Bogdan Boyko, Head of the Department of Culture of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District; Priest Artemy Zhdanov, Head of the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis of the Pavlodar Diocese; Y.E. Selyukova, Director of Educational Programs and Head of the “Clever Laboratory” Project (Moscow); A.N. Ageeva, Associate Professor of the Department of Pedagogy of the Historical and Philological Faculty of St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities, PhD in Pedagogy (Moscow); G.V. Cherepanova, Director of the Central Sunday School in Almaty; heads of diocesan departments of religious education and catechesis and teachers of parish Sunday schools of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District.
The work of the conference was preceded by the Divine Liturgy in the Assumption Cathedral in Astana. The service was presided over by Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, Chancellor of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District.
The plenary session opened in the large auditorium of the spiritual and cultural center. Bishop Gennady read Metropolitan Alexander’s greeting to the delegates and organizers of the forum, after which His Grace delivered a report in which he thoroughly analyzed relevant issues concerning the work of Sunday schools.
A video greeting was sent to the participants by Metropolitan Evgeny of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye, Chairman of the Synodal Department of Religious Education and Catechesis.
Then the following speakers delivered their reports:
After the presentations, a discussion of the reports took place, followed by an open dialogue between the delegates and the speakers. Afterwards, G.V. Cherepanova, Director of the Central Sunday School of Almaty, conducted a pedagogical workshop. The students of the main Sunday school of the Southern Capital presented a literary and musical performance “No One is Forgotten, Nothing is Forgotten” and a short play based on A.S. Pushkin’s “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish.”
As part of the conference program, a presentation of the “Senim Online” platform took place. The project was presented by its director, A.Yu. Grevtsev. During his presentation, Alexander Yuryevich spoke about the goals and stages of developing this spiritual and educational project, implemented under the patronage of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan and with the support of the “Өркендеу” Foundation. He also informed the audience about the concept of the online portal and its upcoming plans.
PhD in Pedagogy A.N. Ageeva shared with the participants her own methodological developments for teaching in Sunday schools.
Y.E. Selyukova, Director of the “Clever Laboratory” project, spoke to the forum participants about the educational and youth initiatives of the radio station “Radio Vera.”
At the conclusion of the event, Bishop Gennady thanked all those present for their participation. The communication of the forum’s delegates continued in an informal setting.
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