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4 THE SHEPHERD • SEPTEMBER 2025 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO As we start the 2025-2026 school year, I’d like to ask you to take a look at your schedule for the coming months. Maybe your schedule changed and you have found yourself with extra time on your hands, maybe your kids or Godchildren are grown and you’d like to give back to the next generation, maybe you have teens or young children and you’d like to take a more active role in the St. Spyridon Com- munity, or maybe you just retired and are ready for the next right thing to do. Whether it is volunteering once per week or once per month, working directly with kids or behind the scenes, we would love to have you join the Youth Ministries Volunteers! Call Julie Dennis, Youth Ministries Director, 619-618- 5116 or email youthministries@stspyridon. org. Learn more about St. Spyridon Youth Ministries on our website: https://tinyurl. com/stspyridonyouth. Follow us on social media: Facebook - St. Spyridon GOC San Diego and Instagram - @youthstspyridon New to parenting? Did you just have your first baby? Do you know about Kids’ Cor- ner? Every Sunday after receiving Holy Communion, babies, toddlers, and families can come to the Lower Education Building to relax, play, and hang out. There are toys for the kids and coffee for the parents and/ or grandparents. This is a casual place to get to know other parents with young children. We know that parenting can feel like being on an island, but St. Spyridon Kids’ Corner and Youth Ministries are here to connect you to other parents and families! Little Angels We will meet in the Lower Education Building on Wednesdays from 9:45-11:00am for the new school year! Little Angels Playgroup is for kids under age 4 and their parents/grandpar- ents. At Little Angels Playgroup, we have Bible story time, Bible songs, lots of playing, and a time for parents to get to know each other! Sunday School The Sunday School year will resume on Sep- tember 7th. We look forward to seeing our returning students as well as meeting our new students! Our Sunday School theme this year is: Spreading God’s Word. The children will learn the importance of living a Godly life that reflects the teachings of the Gospel. Our memory verse is from the book of Acts 1:8: “You will receive power from the Holy Spirit to be my witnesses.” As in the past, the Sunday School students and teachers will be allowed to receive Holy Communion first, followed by the remaining faithful, at the direction of the Parish Coun- cil. We appreciate your patience as you wait for our students and families to receive Holy Communion as this allows the students to get to their classes and begin their lessons. Sunday School will run from 11:25-12:00. Here is a list of our Sunday School Classes and our wonderful Teachers for the 2025- 2026 school year: Preschool: Mrs. Heather Aryana Transitional Kindergarten -1st Grade: Ms. Sophia Thiros and Mrs. Angie Gozum 2nd - 3rd Grade: Mrs. Erika Couris 4th - 5th Grade: Ms. Anastasia Polles 6th - 8th Grade: Dr. Rhad Brown 9th - 11th Grade: Dr. Marcella Bothwell and Mr. John Jooyan 12th Grade: Mrs. Renee Maude We are still looking for two teachers to com- plete our 2025-2026 school year roster! If you or someone you know is interested in helping in our Preschool or 2nd/3rd grade class, please call Tina Perri, 619-890-9671. I am excited to see you all on September 7th! Ms. Tina, Sunday School Director GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth Association) GOYA kicked off the 2025-2026 school year with a bang on August 24th! Families enjoyed great weather, good friends, and delicious food! We are looking forward to a wonderful year ahead. Our newly elected GOYA Youth Board members are posted on the Youth Ministries Website: https://tinyurl. com/stspyridonyouth. Our first GOYA activ- ity will be in September! Keep an eye out on your email for details. Meráki Young Orthodox Service Group Meraki will meet on September 13th from 9:30-11:00am. We will be doing a beach clean-up to enjoy the last bit of summer be- fore the fall! Reminder - Meraki meets the second Saturday of each month. Elementa- ry aged children and siblings can join this youth group to do service projects around town and for our Parish. Preschool and un- der can participate with an adult. Meraki is an amazing way to build relationships, faith, and a heart of service that is built into our Orthodox Faith! YOUTH MINISTRIES 6 - 12 grade th th GOYA: Greek Orthodox Youth of America Join GOYA at St. Spyridon to build faith and relationships through fellowship, worship, and service! email for more information: youthministries@stspyridon.org St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church San Diego, CA