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4 THE SHEPHERD • AUGUST 2023 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO July has been another busy month in our Youth Ministries! We finished up our Va- cation Church School, had Family Movie Night, a group of our kids went to St. Nich- olas Ranch for the sleep-away Metropolis Youth Camp, and we sent a group of nine people to Project Mexico! Although summer is winding down for many schools, we still have some summer fun left in August for our Youth Ministries. This month’s article, I want to give you a few important dates for the fall so families can plan for the upcom- ing year. More information on Youth Events can be found on the St. Spyridon homepage or on the Youth Ministries website: https:// sites.google.com/stspyridon.org/stspyridon- youthministries Follow us on Facebook (St. Spyridon GOC San Diego) and Instagram: @youthstspyridon YOUTH MINISTRIES UPCOMING DATES: August 6th: Youth Ministries Fall registra- tion opens – Sunday School, Dance, Choir, Youth Groups August 13th: Vision and Mission Commit- tee (1st) Meeting, immediately after Divine Liturgy August 20th: Dance Practices Resume, each Sunday after Divine Liturgy August 27th: 4pm, GOYA Kick-Off Beach Party and Board Elections September 10th: First day of Sunday School for 2023-2024 school year September 17th: HOPE and JOY Kick Off Event at St. Spyridon, after Divine Liturgy September 23rd: St. Spyridon Greek Dance and Choral Dinner Dance Fundraiser September 24th: 3pm, SD Loyal Greek Night, proceeds support the Dance and Cho- ral Program November 26th: No Sunday School, Thanks- giving break December 17th: Sunday School Pageant and Luncheon Reminder for our first Vision and Mission Committee meeting on August 13th, im- mediately after Divine Liturgy. Committee members do not have to be parents. Parish members of all ages are welcome to join. The committee will help create the Vision and Mission for St. Spyridon Youth Ministries. We will use Archdiocese and Metropolis Youth Ministry Team guidance to create a path for the years to come where our youth have a place to develop their faith across all aspects of their Orthodox journey. SPOTLIGHT ON THE METROPOLIS OF SAN FRANCISCO SUMMER CAMP AT SAINT NICHOLAS RANCH: Our Metropolis offers an amazing sleep away Summer Camp during July each summer. Bill Navrides coordinates a bus to take St. Spyridon and other Southern California kids to the camp in Dunlap, California, which is about six hours away! The bus is a huge help (and plenty of fun) in getting the kids to camp and home from camp. St. Spyridon had kids going to camp during the first week and the third week for a total of eight youth. We would love to see even more kids partic- ipate next year! Camp is available for ages 8 (entering 3rd grade) – 18 (senior in high school). Next year’s Week 1 Dates are July 7th – 13th. Anne Marie Almaraz is a St. Spyridon Pa- rishioner with two kids who went to camp this year. She wanted to share her person- al experience at St. Nicholas Camp: “Being a camper at St. Nicholas Ranch & Retreat Center was a formative experience for me as an Orthodox Christian. At camp, I met life- long friends. We bonded over daily prayers, campfires, singing, arts, hiking, and so much more. I learned the importance of confession as a source of healing. Best of all, I learned what living an Orthodox life looked like, day in and day out. I have two boys of my own now. It is paramount that they too know what an Orthodox life feels and looks like; so, of course, I’ve been sending them up to St. Nick’s for one week in the summer. This week was their second year. They love camp! They looked forward to returning all year long. One of their favorite parts of the ex- perience is the bus right up. Thank you Bill Navrides for organizing this service. I would encourage anyone with school age children to sign their kids up for camp. Registration opens the first week in March. Be sure to sign up then, as spaces inWeek 1 fill fast. You don’t want to end up on the waitlist. If you have any questions feel free to contact me at annemariealmaraz@gmail.com We hope that you will consider sending your kids to camp next year! If you are interested in participating in a scholarship program to help send kids to St. Nicholas Ranch Sum- mer Camp, please contact Julie Dennis, youthministries@stspyridon.org YOUTH MINISTRIES