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7 THE SHEPHERD • MAY 2026 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO DANCE & CHORAL As we sing a joyous “Christos Anesti” every Sunday, our hearts are full of excitement over the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection. It was within that jubilance that we welcomed the restart of our dance practices with a kick-off meeting and mixer for over 50 par- ticipants on Sunday, April 19th in the Youth Room. Special thanks to Jo Stathorakis and Luna Grill in Rancho San Diego who fed us well with a delectable meal of grilled lemon chicken with all the fixings, and dessert! Everyone is welcome to join a dance group over the next few weeks, as we prepare to per- form at the church Greek Festival, which will take place on the weekend of June 13-14. See below for a list of practice dates and times: • Ta Spyridonakia (ages 4–6): Aspasia Charalambopoulos, Anastasia Terris. Practices Sundays: 12:15-12:45 Youth Room • Helios (ages 7–11): Sophia Thiros, Tina Perri, Gabriella Livanos. Practices Sun- days: 12:45-1:30 Youth Room • Pelagos (ages 13–18): Sia Brown, Dim- itri Litsas. Practices Sundays: 1:30-3:00 Church Hall • Adult Dance Group (18+, name TBD): Maria Terris. Practices Sundays: 1:30-3:00 Youth Room In addition to the above, we discussed the very exciting events coming in 2027. St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church will cel- ebrate its 100th anniversary and in that same year, the 50th anniversary of FDF which was also founded by St. Spyridon parishioners! It will be a monumental year, and we are already preparing for many performances and cele- brations to mark these historical milestones. We are planning to take all groups to FDF in February 2027. If you have ever thought of participating in Greek dance, this is the year to join. There will be no better way to embrace the “kefi” than to mark this special double anniversary. Enrollment for the fall officially opens when practices start on August 16th. For more information, please email stspyr- idongreekdance@gmai.com In addition to these gatherings, important projects have been initiated or proposed in honor of the Centennial. These include a spe- cial Centennial edition of Lemons, Loaves & Honey, the creation of a digital community roster, and beautification efforts across the church grounds following a comprehensive site tour. The Saint Spyridon the Wonder- worker Mosaic Project is in discussions and needs a chair, along with the early stages of an event fundraising campaign. A strong em- phasis is placed on engaging the entire parish, especially younger members, with each min- istry contributing in ways that reflect both family and community heritage, as well as faith and hope for the future 100 years. Plans include symbolic tree plantings adorned with wishes, blessings, and children’s artwork, as well as special dance performances showcas- ing traditional dances. Our choirs—adult, youth, and children—will also play a central role by performing hymns and folk songs throughout the year. Efforts to share this historic milestone extend beyond the parish through a comprehensive publicity campaign, with planned features in regional and national publications, as well as local media outlets. Additional initiatives in development include a philanthropic project to be announced this summer, a Centennial storytelling series led by senior parishioners, and a full video chronicle of the year’s events. This production will capture both individual celebrations and the broader story of the Cen- tennial, culminating in a lasting keepsake for the community. Weekly committee meetings continue to move plans forward, with a live community update anticipated this summer. Altogether, this promises to be an exciting and blessed year—one that honors the past, celebrates the present, and inspires the future of our parish. Be a part of it!!