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4 THE SHEPHERD • APRIL 2023 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO As we move and grow through Great and Holy Lent, I continue to be inspired by the heart of service that is shown by the youth at St. Spyridon. We ask and they come. They offer to help others. They ask and care. So far, just since the beginning of Great and Holy Lent this year, our youth have bundled yarn skeins for kids with cancer, made crafts and treats for homebound parishioners, helped in other Sunday School classes, and start- ed planning the Holy Friday Youth Retreat. Service projects that are upcoming include folding Palm Crosses, serving at the Palm Sunday Luncheon, leading and helping at the Holy Friday Youth Retreat, filling Blessing Bags with Philoptochos, and serving at the Pascha Picnic Dance Fundraiser. This cannot happen without the support of parents and church community. Thank you for being a part of our growing and thriving children, teens, and families! Be sure to follow us on Facebook (St. Spyridon GOC San Diego) and Instagram: @youthstspyridon. We would love to hear from you! Do you have youth ideas to share? Service projects? Questions? Contact Julie Dennis, Youth Ministries Di- rector youthministries@stspyridon.org or mobile: 619-940-5167. Be sure to check us out at the Youth Ministries website: https:// sites.google.com/stspyridon.org/stspyridon- youthministries GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth Association) GOYA Spotlight – GOYA Palm Sunday Lun- cheon! It is not too late to buy tickets! This is an amazing fundraiser for our GOYA Youth Group. Funds go directly to the GOYA Youth Group activities, service projects, and sup- port for our community. Delicious fish lunch with veggies, salad, dessert, and wine will be served! Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for children. Tickets will not be sold at the door! Ticket purchase deadline is April 2nd. Send checks/cash to the Church Office or buy tickets online. NEW Event! GOYA Holy Week Mini-Re- treat with Father Andrew: Monday, April 10th 6pm – 8:30pm. Come to the Bride- groom Service at 6pm, and have Lenten pot- luck dinner and a lesson with Father Andrew after dinner. JOY (Junior Orthodox Youth) HOPE and JOY added to the yarn bundles that our youth will send to the Magic Yarn Project. The kids worked together, along with parent help, to prepare yarn for wigs for kids with cancer. We talked about the five ‘Ws’ of Service – Who (anyone can serve, anyone can be served), What (bundling yarn, cleaning at home, helping kids at school), Where (at school, at home, at church), When (anytime, when someone asks, say Yes!), and Why (Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ calls us to serve: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven.” Mathew 5:16. Vacation Church School: June 26th – 30th, 9am – 12pm daily. Announcing the 2023 VCS Theme! Behold the Light! The Feasts of the Life and Ministry of Christ! Faith, Fun, Music, Games, Crafts! Registration has start- ed! Email youthministries@stspyridon.org to register. Sunday School Students participated in Service Sunday on March 19th making crafts and treats for those who cannot leave their homes for Pas- cha. Our Lenten Lessons are focusing on serving, giving, fasting through Great and Holy Lent. Our OCMC Coin Drive Contest is underway and ends on April 9th! The class who brings in the most coins gets a class par- ty and the student with the most coins gets a special prize! Be sure to drop coins into the coin boxes in the Narthex and in the Hall to help us exceed our goal. Funds go directly to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center. Congratulations to all of our Oratorical Festi- val participants! The judges selected three speakers to move on to the next level of competition: James Bur- rell, Sia Paraskevopoulos and Kaitlyn Dennis. They will be competing at the District Level at St. Nicholas in Northridge on April 23rd. Con- gratulations to all of our speakers and good luck to Kaitlyn, Sia, and James! Registration has started for the Holy Friday Youth Retreat: April 14th 9am-2pm . Scan the QR code to register your children and teens! Our theme is the Guiding Light of Pascha! The retreat will have lessons, lunch, crafts, and activities to show our students how to see and experience the Guiding Light of Pascha! Dance &Choral Support the St. Spyridon Greek Dance and Choral Program and join us for a tradition- al Greek lamb lunch at Admiral Baker Park this Pascha, Sunday, April 16th, 2023. Menu includes roasted lamb, rice, vegetable side, bread and salad. Bring your own drinks and dessert, and leave the rest of the cooking to us! Tickets are $25.00 each and will be sold pre-sale only—no sales in the park. Tickets must be purchased by April 11th. Call or text Timmy Paraskevopoulos at 714-931-2431 to purchase tickets. Proceeds will go directly to the Greek Dance and Choral School to help pay for program expenses and FDF 2024. Please know that if you are planning to join us for our Annual Agape Service and Com- munity Pascha Picnic, you can still bring your own food and drink, so long as it is not in glass containers. YOUTH MINISTRIES