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4 THE SHEPHERD • NOVEMBER 2023 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO YOUTH MINISTRIES November kicks off the holiday season and as we go into the busyness of the next two months, I want to encourage our families to celebrate with a heart of service. This month, Youth Ministries will be focusing on service in our activities. We will have many oppor- tunities for families to participate in service activities all month long. No previous expe- rience is needed to join our service projects. Check out our calendar and website to get information on our month of service. We are also looking for new service projects! If you are a person who is connected in the com- munity of non-profits and would be interest- ed in coordinating service projects for our youth programs, email youthministries@ stspyridon.org or call Julie Dennis, 619-940- 5167. On October 29th, November 5th, November 19th, and December 3rd we are starting a new small group for our high school juniors and seniors – Coffee and Conversation. We meet at HOB Coffee on Park from 12:10 – 1:00pm each day. Coffee, tea, or smoothies are provided as we talk about the Relation- ship Project. The Relationship Project is a curriculum from the Metropolis of San Fran- cisco that explores the hard topics in teens’ lives, such as identity, intimacy, and mental health. The small group is led by Julie Den- nis, Youth Ministries Director and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Please call Julie at 619-940-5167 if you would like your teen to join the group. Sign up for the Youth Ministries email list on our website: https://sites.google.com/stspyr- idon.org/stspyridonyouthministries Follow us on Facebook (St. Spyridon GOC San Diego) and Instagram: @youthstspyr- idon To volunteer or get more information on any of the Youth Ministries at St. Spyridon, con- tact Julie Dennis, Youth Ministries Director, at 619-940-5167 or email youthministries@ stspyridon.org GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth Association) GOYAmet for “Lunch and a Lesson” with Fa- ther Andrew in October. We had great con- versations about Orthodoxy in our world. Our goal was for our GOYA youth to learn a broad perspective on Orthodox jurisdictions and how they can be active participants in San Diego Orthodox life. Our November Ser- vice Project will be held on November 18th. Save the date to join us! HOPE &JOY (Holy Orthodox Primary Education &Junior Orthodox Youth): Our October event withHOPE and JOY youth groups was also “Lunch and a Lesson”. We en- joyed Mac n’ Cheese together and participat- ed in fun lessons about kids in Orthodoxy. Did you know that the Torah was the only text book in school? All learning came from the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Num- bers, and Deuteronomy) for Jewish boys in the time of Jesus Christ. Greek children used a Greek education system called “gymnasium” that emphasized science, arts, linguistics, and bodily training. Sunday School Sunday School welcomed the return of Sun- day School Open House! It was a great day that allowed parents and families to get a glimpse into our Sunday School classes. We also had our first Theme and Service Sun- day. Our younger students made a “Sheild of Faith” stickers with pictures and words that symbolized how their faith is strong. The older students made plans for their service projects for this year, that will include a re- fresh and mural on the steps of the Youth Room and a field day for the younger kids. Sunday School is still looking for guest speakers who can talk and/or lead a lesson the first Sunday of each month. Please reach out to Julie Dennis, Youth Ministries and Sunday School Director to volunteer! Dance &Choral Our Dance and Choral School is going strong and has started preparations for the Faith, Dance, Fellowship competition in February in Anaheim. We hope that you were able to join us in September at our Big Fat Greek Glend! It was a fun gathering and a success- ful fundraiser! Check out the photos in the Dance and Choral article! We will be selling Frappé and Toast at the General Assembly Meeting on November 19th. Come and learn what is happening in our Parish and enjoy a Frappe and Toast to support the Dance and Choral School. Be sure to follow St. Spyridon Youth Ministries on Instagram! On Novem- ber 5th, we will post a reel of the Youth Choir singing the Divine Liturgy!