Youth Ministries Manual

Saint Barbara

Greek Orthodox Church

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Children Are the Church!

“Fathers and mothers: Go and lead your child by the hand into the church.”

-Saint John Chrysostom

We often hear the youth of a parish being described as “the future of the Church.” We

at Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church believe that children are the Church. We love

our youth, and their presence reflects the life of the parish – from teenagers down to the

smallest infant. As the old saying goes, “What is worse than a crying baby in church?

No crying babies in church!”

It is for this reason that this Youth Ministries Manual has been created. Within this

manual you will find all the ministries Saint Barbara’s offers to our youth throughout

the 2014-2015 ecclesiastical year. A description of each ministry, along with how you

and your family can participate is presented. We hope that through these ministries,

your family will grow closer to Christ and His Church!

“The primary lesson for life must be implanted in the soul from the earliest age. The

primary lesson for children is to know the eternal God, the One Who gives everlasting

life.” -Saint Clement of Alexandria

Index

† Acolytes Page 9

† Christmas Program Page 4

† CrossRoad Program Pages 9 - 10

† Dance Program Page 11

† Greek School Page 11

† Lenten Youth Retreat Page 8

† St. John Chrysostom

Oratorical Festival Pages 5 - 7

† Saturday of Lazarus Page 5

† Scholarship Program Page 14

† Social Media Page 14 - 15

† Summer Camps Pages 12 - 13

† Sunday School Pages 3 - 4

† Youth Choir Page 7

† Youth Family Night Page 8

† Youth Sunday Page 8

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Sunday School

“With us everything should be secondary compared to our concern with children, and

their upbringing in the instruction and teaching of the Lord.”

-Saint John Chrysostom

The philosophy of our Sunday School Program is based on a Christocentric approach,

which prepares students with the principles of the Orthodox Faith, encouraging them

to grow in God’s Service. Our program builds a solid foundation for the children of

our community through exemplary lessons in the Teaching and Worship Practices of

the Greek Orthodox Christian Faith.

Our Sunday School Program is for children in Preschool through High School:

Pre-K to Kindergarten — Angela Canfield, Megan Burge

1st Grade to 4th Grade — Angelique Chuchas

5th Grade to 8th Grade — Olya Benbow

High School — Margo Kwiatkowski

Classes began on September 7th; it is never

too late to join. Our families attend the

Divine Liturgy together, and classes begin

after Holy Communion is distributed.

Goals of our Sunday School Program

1. To encourage all students from nursery

age to seniors in high school to participate in our Sunday School Program.

2. To make our Sunday School spiritually enriching for our children.

3. To establish a stable Christian educational environment.

4. To provide Christian awareness and education in a learning format geared to chil-

dren of all abilities in an inclusive classroom environment.

5. To provide well rounded and theologically based lessons on the Bible, Liturgical

Worship, Prayer Life, Sacramental Life, and Mission Awareness.

6. To have a dependable volunteer staff, who because of their personal commitment

to Christ, serve His Church as teachers.

7. To provide the staff and students with text books and other resources (i.e. craft

supplies, videos...) which inspire and enhance Christian learning.

8. To provide Sunday School students the opportunity to learn about Stewardship and

caring for our Church, community center and grounds.

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Ways Parents Can Help Strengthen the Foundation of Religious Education

1. Plan to be in Church when the Divine Liturgy begins - 10:00 am.

2. Be consistent. Attend Church regularly.

3. Visit the classroom and meet with the teacher to see what lessons your child is

learning so that lesson material can be re-enforced at home; ask your child if they

have any special handouts from the teacher.

4. See that your child comes to class prepared with books, homework assignments

etc.

5. Practice the faith at home, observe fast days and schedule family prayer time.

Children are great imitators; what they see you do, you will see them do.

6. Be realistic in setting your goals as you grow in the Faith. God will always pro-

vide more than you will ever need, but you need to be willing and ready to be

called and to follow Him in every aspect of your life.

7. Do not feel alone, or overwhelmed, but turn to Him in prayer at all times. Stand

Firm in Holy Tradition and Be Well In Faith.

Christmas Program

Every year, the youth of our parish present a Christmas Program on one of the Sundays

in December to share the Nativity story - the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Pro-

gram includes scripture readings, hymns, and the Nativity story presented by nearly 30

children.

The day’s activities begin with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, followed by the

Christmas program. Included with the program are carols sung by both the Adult Choir

and the Youth Choir. Following the

dismissal, fellowship continues with a

festive Lenten meal. During the meal,

Santa Claus arrives and gives gifts to

the children.

The Christmas Program this year will

be on December 14, 2014. Practices

will be on the previous Sunday, De-

cember 7, and Saturday, December 13.

To participate in this annual program,

contact our Sunday School Director,

Angela Canfield.

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Saturday of Lazarus

On Saturday of Lazarus, April 4, 2015, our parish will celebrate a family day with spe-

cial activities for everyone. Following the Divine Liturgy and a Lenten waffle break-

fast, we engage in several activities: folding palms, decorating eggs for Pascha, decorat-

ing the church with palms, and ensuring the church grounds are ready for Holy Week.

St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival

The 2015 St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival will be

held in the Saint Barbara Education Center at 12 noon on

Sunday March 15, 2015. We are planning to make this

year’s festival the biggest and best one yet! The District Ora-

torical Festival will take place in April 2015, and the Metropo-

lis Oratorical Festival will be on Saturday May 9, 2015 at St.

Nicholas Ranch & Retreat Center. The National Oratorical

Festival will be on Saturday June 6, 2015 at St. Anthony’s in

Pasadena. The Saint Barbara Parish Festival Chairman is

Presvytera Stephanie Thomas.

As in the past, we will have three divisions of speeches:

Elementary Division - This division is non-competitive (i.e. no judging) and open to

all Saint Barbara Sunday School students. All participants will receive a gift and a

certificate. Students may choose any topic of faith (Jesus, Prayer, Icons, etc.) and

speak for 60-90 seconds. Be creative!

Junior Division - Open to Grade 7-9 students of the Saint Barbara Sunday school.

Students will write and deliver a three to four minute speech on one of the Junior Divi-

sion topics. Gift cards will be offered for the top three speeches. Division finalists

will advance to the District Festival.

Senior Division - Open to Grade 10-12 students of the Saint Barbara Sunday school.

Students will write and deliver a four to five minute speech on one of the Senior Divi-

sion topics. Gift cards will be offered for the top three speeches. Division finalists

will advance to the District Festival.

Last year the festival was expanded, adding essays and poetry to the public speaking

competition.

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Two divisions of essay: Junior Division - Open to Grade 7-9 students of the Saint Barbara Sunday school.

Students will write and submit a 300-400 word essay on one of the Junior Division

topics. Prizes will be offered for the top three essays. The top finalist will advance to

the Metropolis Festival.

Senior Division - Open to Grade 10-12 students of the Saint Barbara Sunday school.

Students will write and submit a 500-600 word essay on one of the Senior Division

topics. Prizes will be offered for the top three essays. The top finalist will advance to

the Metropolis Festival.

Two divisions of poetry: Junior Division - Open to Grade 7-9 students of the Saint Barbara Sunday school.

Students will write and submit a poem in any form (sonnet, open verse, etc.) of be-

tween eight and thirty lines on one of the Junior Division topics. Prizes will be of-

fered for the top three poems. The top finalist will advance to the Metropolis Festival.

Senior Division - Open to Grade 10-12 students of the Saint Barbara Sunday school.

Students will write and submit a poem in any form (sonnet, open verse, etc.) of be-

tween eight and thirty lines on one of the Senior Division topics. Prizes will be of-

fered for the top three poems. The top finalist will advance to the Metropolis Festival.

A student may only participate in one category of the Saint John Chrysostom Oratori-

cal Festival: Speech, Essay or Poetry.

2015 St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Topics

Junior Division (Grades 7–9)

1. The theme of the 2014 Clergy-Laity Congress was “The Orthodox Christian family:

A dwelling of Christ and a witness of His Gospel.” Discuss how today’s Orthodox

Christian families can strive to live according to this ideal.

2. St. Paul writes, “An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the

rules” (2 Timothy 2:5). Discuss the virtue of honesty in a time when cheating in

school, sports, and other activities is reported more and more.

3. Discuss the Orthodox Christian practice of fasting from certain foods & the spiritual

discipline it teaches, especially in light of the Lord’s directive in Matthew 6:16–18.

4. Malala Yousafzai is an inspirational example of fighting fearlessly for a noble cause

in spite of threats against her life. Discuss a young saint or person from the Bible

who illustrates such courage.

5. Several leaders in the political and religious arena have been described as people

with a prophetic gift. What really is a prophet? Discuss their actions in light of the

Old Testament prophets and in comparison to other contemporary examples.

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Senior Division (Grades 10–12)

1. The Lord said, “I was in prison and you came to me” (Matthew 25:36). What does

this teach us about our attitudes toward those in jails and imprisoned?

2. Psalm 50 (51) begins, “Have mercy on me, O Lord…” It is considered the psalm of

repentance. Discuss how praying this psalm might affect our understanding of re-

pentance, confession, and forgiveness.

3. Women apostles, martyrs, and saints have spread the Gospel and advanced the

Church from the beginning of Christianity. Discuss the significance of their roles

and examples for all Christians today.

4. The St. Nicholas Church at Ground Zero, which was destroyed on September 11,

2001, is soon to be rebuilt. Discuss the ways in which this tiny church building will

now become a symbol of the universal themes of victory over evil; healing and

hope; and being a beacon of Orthodox Christianity.

5. Using the parable of the poor widow's offering to the Temple (Luke 21:1–4), discuss

the Orthodox Christian attitude of offering to the Church’s ministries.

All participants in the Saint Barbara Saint John Chrysostom 2015 Oratorical

Festival must register not later than March 8, 2015. Final form essays and poems

are due no later than March 8, 2015. Speech draft texts must also be submitted no

later than March 8, 2015. This is a firm deadline!

Please Note: Everyone who is interested is encouraged to visit the Archdiocesan

website for topics, speaker tips, and to view the official festival rules, which have been

updated for 2015. The website is:

http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/sjcof

Youth Choir

If your children love to sing, then Youth Choir is for them! The Saint Barbara Youth

Choir encourages children to chant hymns and become active participants during the

Divine Liturgy and other church services. Through Youth Choir, your child will de-

velop his or her God-given talent and offer it back to the Lord. The Youth Choir also

leads the faithful in the singing of the carols during the Annual Christmas Program, pro-

viding inspiration for all who attend.

The Saint Barbara Youth Choir is a volunteer choir that is open to all children in our

parish. Don’t worry about whether your child has “a good voice”! All voices raised in

song to the Lord are beautiful! Practices take place every other Sunday following Sun-

day School. Please contact Father Simon at the Church Office or our Youth Choir Di-

rector, Sophia Kenrick, if you would like more information.

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Youth Family Night

“Young people must be made to distinguish between helpful and injurious knowledge,

keeping clearly in mind the Christian’s purpose in life. So, like the athlete or the musi-

cian, they must bend every energy to one task, the winning of the heavenly crown.”

-Saint Basil the Great

Youth ministry begins with the family in the home. It continues in the Church as we

strive to provide for the spiritual needs of the children of our parish. The foundation

of all youth ministry is the cultivation and education of our children, so that they may

become active members of the Body of Christ.

This ministry incorporates the “Four Circles of Ministry” - liturgia (worship), koinonia

(fellowship), diakonia (service), and martyria (witness). Our Youth Family Nights will

take place about once a month. We will begin with a prayer service, followed by a

meal, then an outing or social event. If you have any questions or concerns, please con-

tact Father Simon at the Church Office.

Youth Sunday

Youth Sunday will be on May 3, 2015. On this Sunday, we will showcase the youth of

our parish, as they will have an opportunity to: prepare the prosphoro for the Liturgy,

be ushers, read the Epistles, present their St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival

speeches/essays/poems, host coffee fellowship, along with other surprises. This is a

wonderful opportunity to show that our youth are an integral part of our parish—that the

youth are our parish!

Lenten Youth Retreat

The Lenten Youth Retreat will be a weekend retreat March 27

-29, 2015. This retreat will be in cooperation with the Holy

Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Belmont. The retreat will

take place at the Marin Headlands just north of San Francisco,

and will include religious discussions, nature hikes, and Di-

vine Liturgy Sunday morning at the camp. We will also visit

the relics of Saint John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San

Francisco at the Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral in San Fran-

cisco.

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Acolytes

This ministry is designed for young men between the

ages of 8-18, who wish to help the priest during the

Divine Liturgy on Sundays, along with other sacred

services during major Feast days. It requires a great

deal of dedication on behalf of both the young men, as

well as from their parents who transport them to

church on Sundays. This is a most sacred ministry of

the church.

Acolytes are asked to arrive properly dressed (i.e. a

white or light colored dress shirt, a tie, dress pants, and

black dress shoes) at least 15 minutes before the ser-

vice. The Divine Liturgy begins at 10 am, so plan to

be at church by 9:45 am.

Acolytes should prepare themselves to receive Holy

Communion as often as possible. As Christians we

prepare by fasting on the appropriate days (i.e.

Wednesdays and Fridays and/or throughout other festal periods) as well as limiting our

thoughts, words, and actions to only those things that glorify God. We also fast com-

pletely on Sunday morning, not eating or drinking anything until we receive Holy Com-

munion.

Serving in the Holy Sanctuary is a privilege. These young men have shown responsibil-

ity and dedication to the Lord and His Church. The Acolytes assist the priest under the

supervision of Jackson Kwiatkowski.

CrossRoad Program

CrossRoad is a ten-day academic summer institute that prepares

high school juniors and seniors to make big life decisions and

connect with the Orthodox Christian theological and spiritual

tradition. Hosted on the scenic Hellenic College/Holy Cross

campus, overlooking the beautiful Boston skyline, participants

experience daily worship, visit local parishes, tour Boston, and

spend a day at the beach.

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The students study their faith in an Orthodox academic setting as two seminary pro-

fessors offer five days of mini-courses on various subjects. They participate in ser-

vice projects at different outreach ministries in the Boston area, hang out together as

a group and have fun and fellowship time with other Orthodox Christians teenagers

from around the United States, forging friendships that will last a lifetime!

In all of this the CrossRoad program hopes to help its participants discern their life

callings, matching their personal gifts with the needs of the world. The staff of

CrossRoad believes that whatever direction you choose for your life, it can be of ser-

vice to God and to your neighbor, which is Christ’s call to us all.

Eligibility: CrossRoad is designed to best meet the needs of Orthodox teens in their junior or sen-

ior year of high school who desire to deepen their faith in an Orthodox setting. For

this reason, applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 18 years old, and should

not have graduated high school prior to April of the year they apply. For CrossRoad

2015, we will accept students in the high school class of 2015 or 2016 (juniors and

seniors). We are actively seeking a 50/50 male/female ratio, as well as students from

as many Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Christian backgrounds as possible. Preference

will be given to Orthodox Christian youth who reside in North America.

Applications: For more information and to fill out an application to participate in the CrossRoad

Program please go to: http://www.hchc.edu/studentlife/vocation/crossroad

Application Deadline: March 2

Two Sessions: June Session: June 20-30

July Session: July 7-17

Tuition: For summer 2015, there is a tuition charge for the CrossRoad Summer Institute of

$500 for the ten-day session. Travel arrangements to and from Hellenic College in

Brookline are also the responsibility of the student. Participant accommodations,

meals, and activities related to CrossRoad are covered by the scholarship and partial

tuition charge, although we recommend that students bring some spending cash for our

outings into Boston. (Scholarships are available through Saint Barbara’s and the

CrossRoad Program.)

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Greek School

This year, we do not have a formal Greek class, as in years past. However, learning

Greek from the comfort of your own home has never been easier. Here are some great

resources that several of our families are using:

Papaloizos Publications: www.greek123.com

I Learn Greek resource page: www.ilearngreek.com

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Department of Greek Education has a

Kindergarten curriculum, along with several textbooks for higher levels:

http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/greekeducation/

Learn Greek Online is a course provided by Kypros.Net in collaboration with

the Cyprus Radio Foundation: www.Kypros.org/LearnGreek/

Dance Program

“Let the children praise the Lord with dance!” (Ps. 149:3)

The Saint Barbara Greek Folk Dance Program is committed to teaching the traditional

dances of our Greek heritage in a Christian environment. Our dancers are aged 2 – 15,

and perform at the Greek Festival, Greek Independence Day Celebration, and select

other events through the year.

The instructor for both dance groups is Presvytera Stephanie Thomas, with the assis-

tance of Anna Crossman. If you have any questions, would like more info, or would

like to enroll your

child(ren), please con-

tact Father Simon at

the Church Office, or

Presvytera Stephanie.

We currently have two

dance groups:

Zoi - Ages 7 – 15

Toumba - Ages 2 – 6

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Summer Camps

St. Nicholas Ranch

Just outside of Fresno, St. Nicholas

Ranch is nestled in a beautiful valley

in the Sierra Nevada foothills, just a

short drive from Sequoia National

Park. Campers sleep in the dormito-

ries, enjoy meals in the dining hall,

and participate in sessions in two

large conference rooms, picnic ar-

eas, athletic fields, a pool, a lake,

and hiking trails.

Every summer, hundreds of children and teenagers from throughout the Greek Ortho-

dox Metropolis of San Francisco gather for our summer camp program. Their Ortho-

dox Christian Faith comes alive for young people as they develop lifelong friendships

and memories that will last forever. Summer camp activities include: arts and crafts,

swimming, canoeing, campfires, archery, nature hikes, Olympics, skit nights, daily

worship services, a visit to the Monastery of the Theotokos of the Life-giving Spring,

and Orthodox life discussions.

Has anyone from Saint Barbara’s ever gone to St. Nicholas Ranch Camp?

Yes! Dimitri Richardson has gone the past two years (2013 & 2014) and Cainan Iorio

went last year (2014). Father Simon has been a camper, counselor, and priest at St.

Nick’s. Plus, Presvytera Stephanie has also been a camper and counselor.

St. Nicholas Ranch Camp is for

children 8 years old (or entering 3rd

grade in Fall 2015) – 18 years old

(or will be graduating High School

in Spring 2015). Sessions are typi-

cally scheduled for the month of

July. If your family would like to

participate, please contact Father

Simon in the Church Office.

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Ionian Village

Teens and young adults that participate in Ionian Village travel

across Greece, venerate the relics of saints, walk in the footsteps

of the Apostles, and visit significant sites of Greek history and

culture. Ionian Village is a summer camping program located in

Greece and operated by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of

America. Ionian Village offers its participants a unique experi-

ence that is unavailable elsewhere. At the end of the program,

staff and campers return to their homes with strengthened faith and with a greater appre-

ciation for the Church and for Greek culture and heritage.

Teens and young adults have the time of their lives while at Ionian Village. Staff and

campers from across the United States form bonds and friendships at Ionian Village.

Since 1970, almost 16,000 teens and young adults have experienced a 40+ year old tra-

dition committed to building, “Faith and friendships that last a lifetime.”

Ionian Village operates from a beautiful seafront campsite on western Peloponnesus in

Greece on the coast of the Ionian Sea. The camp facility accommodates nearly 200

campers and 50 Staff Members in white-washed cabins and bungalows. The camp-

ground was developed and built with the intention of fostering an Orthodox Christian

community and providing a Greek village experience. The facilities are centered around

a traditional white-washed Chapel and include a private beach, an oversized swimming

pool, shady pine forests, an amphitheater, a large hall, an open-air cafeteria, a soccer

field, volleyball and tennis courts, and a basketball court.

Ionian Village Summer 2015 Camp Programs

Each 20-day session is open to young people who have completed grades 8 -12.

Session 1: June 22–July 11, 2015

Session 2: July 19–August 7, 2015

Has anyone from Saint Barbara’s ever

gone to Ionian Village?

Yes! Francesca Richardson went three

years ago (2012). Yianni Magoulias

was a counselor for the past two years

(2013 & 2014). Both Father Simon

and Presvytera Stephanie have been,

along with several members of Saint

Barbara’s many years ago.

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Scholarship Program

The Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church Scholarship Program was established for

young people participating in the life of the Church to encourage academic excellence

and to offer moral support and financial assistance to high school graduates who are fur-

thering their undergraduate education at a university, college, or vocational school.

Funding for the Scholarship Program comes from the Greek Festival Raffle, donations,

and investment earnings. Scholarships range from $500 to $2,500 based on the follow-

ing criteria: 1. Church Involvement; 2. Financial Need; 3. Academic Record; 4. Com-

munity Service. Awards are for one year only. Scholarship Recipients may reapply in

subsequent years. Over the past 16 years (1999-2014), 96 scholarships have been

awarded to 44 different students, totaling $121,350.

High school graduates of Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church may apply, whether

they are attending school in the Santa Barbara area, or elsewhere. Students from other

parishes attending the three major schools in the Santa Barbara area (UCSB, Westmont

College, and SB City College) may also apply while they are active in our Saint Barbara

Parish.

If you have any questions regarding the criteria or eligibility, please contact Father

Simon in the Church Office, or Lisa Markos, the Scholarship Committee Chair.

Social Media

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan

Department of Youth and Young

Adult Ministries has expanded into

the social media sphere! Join the

conversation!

Like us on Facebook: GOA Youth

Follow us on Twitter: @GOA_Youth

Snap with us on Intstagram:

@goa_youth

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theladder)

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Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church 1205 San Antonio Creek Road

Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 683-4492 / fax (805) 964-2774

www.saintbarbara.net

office@saintbarbara.net