Virtually every parish in our Metropolis has some form of Christian education program. At the Metropolis level, our goal is to provide continuing opportunities for the training and development of volunteer catechetical staff who teach both children and adults. For more information, please visit the Metropolis Religious Education website. (Contact: Dr. Eve Tibbs.)
The Church Music Federation of the Metropolis of San Francisco continues to be a thriving ministry, which is dedicated to perpetuating the rich musical traditions of our Church. With nearly 1,000 active adult and youth choir members in our Metropolis, our Federation maintains regular contact with our members through a newsletter, regional Church Music Institutes and other educational opportunities offered throughout the Metropolis.
The Church Music Federation continues to be dedicated to providing the best resources to our parishes to help them establish and sustain music programs for adults, youth and chanters. Some of the areas of specialty in which we offer guidance include:
For more information, please visit the Church Music Federation website. (Contact: Kathy Meck.)
Founded in 1992, the Commission for Orthodox Missions and Evangelism (C.O.M.E.) was organized to educate and engage the faithful of the Metropolis in Evangelism and Mission to: fulfill the Great Commission of Christ (Matthew 28:19-20); assist in the establishment and growth of mission parishes to achieve self sufficiency; further the work and programs of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (O.C.M.C.) in St. Augustine, Florida, and work to enhance inter-jurisdictional cooperation in the establishment of domestic mission parishes.
The Board of the Commission is chaired by His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos and is composed of up to fifteen members both clergy and laity who are responsible for overall policy. It usually meets twice a year.
The Commission works to engage the Orthodox faithful of the Metropolis in understanding that we are all called to make disciples, to "proclaim the message of God's reality, and lead others to that reality through incorporation into the Church."
The Commission assists in the planting of new parishes in urban/suburban areas which will serve the needs of the Greek Orthodox faithful, potential converts, inactive Orthodox, and the unchurched. The location of the new mission parish is determined by the demographics and the needs as identified by the local leadership. In cities or towns with a small Orthodox population the Commission works with the laity as they gather potential members, experience monthly or bimonthly liturgies, and plan for the future assignment of a full time priest.
COME has helped to establish the full time parishes of Holy Apostles Church in Shoreline, Washington; St. John the Baptist Church in Beaverton and St, George Church in Eugene, Oregon; St. Andrew Church in San Luis Obispo, St. Nicholas Church in Temecula, St. Anna Church in Roseville, and the Greek Orthodox Mission of South Orange County in San Juan Capistrano, California; the Greek Orthodox Mission of Flagstaff, and the Greek Orthodox Mission of Prescott, Arizona.
It also nurtures the growth of the Greek Orthodox mission churches in Pasco Washington, Salem Oregon, Redding California, Sierra Vista Arizona and Maui Hawaii.
In addition, COME has provided support to Mission efforts in Alaska, Africa, Ukraine, and South America.
The Commission receives funds for its work from Pennies and Prayers a joint mission awareness program with the Metropolis Philoptochos Society, from parish and individual donations, and from the Sts. Katherine and George Mission Endowment of the Metropolis of San Francisco.
For more information, please contact Catherine Lingas.
The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco recently established a Family Wellness Center that will develop programs and ministries serving specific needs of the Orthodox faithful throughout the Metropolis. The Orthodox faithful face the same challenges of living in a largely secular society rife with marital breakdown, compromised morals, substance abuse, and confusion about the purpose of life. Reflecting this, the marriages and families of our clergy often suffer the same fates as those of their parishioners - marital dissatisfaction, divorce, troubled children, and substance abuse. Currently, individual Greek Orthodox parishes throughout this Metropolis are attempting to address some of these concerns for their parishioners with support groups or referral to counseling. Unfortunately, parish priests are often under-trained or ill prepared to address many of these issues with their parishioners, let alone in their own homes. The reality is that parish priests are often overwhelmed just trying to meet sacramental obligations to their flock.
Metropolitan Gerasimos has stated, "Families - clergy and lay - should be able to turn to their parish or the wider Church, which offers real guidance and real services. Throughout its history, the Orthodox Church has offered Her members and anyone who seeks Her out places for learning, for prayer and reflection, and for healing."
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus offers everyone who comes to Him wellness, as both physical and spiritual wholeness, reintegration, and salvation. The Church, which extends Jesus' salvific ministry upon earth, is charged with this same mission of brining wellness to humanity, and healing to the world. Throughout its history, the Church has fulfilled this mission in a variety of ways, demonstrating great creativity and flexibility in its approach, while at the same time retaining an essentially unified and cohesive vision of salvation as healing and wholeness. In keeping with this mission, the Metropolis is developing a new and visionary outreach programs, which will encompass and integrate all if its ministries. The Family Wellness Center is more than a ministry program, more than a committee, more than a building. Rather, it seeks to offer a new and holistic way of looking at all the ministries and activities of the Church.
The Family Wellness Center will be a program-based ministry for people of all ages and at all stages in life. The initial programs will be implemented at the parish level, facilitated by trained laypeople, under the supervision of the Clergy. Other programs will be designed as traveling classes, seminars, retreats, and encounter groups to be offered regionally.
The ministry of the Family Wellness Center is being developed as a permanent program offered by the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco. The Family Wellness Center will act as an umbrella under which the majority of Her ministries will function. Future areas of program development include: parenting classes, singles, men's and women's ministries, special programs designed for the elderly, plus addressing topics such as substance abuse, addiction, depression, teen pregnancy, anger management and suicide.
For too many years, the Greek Orthodox Church has not responded with in-depth programs for Her members. While there are many successful ministries that do involve the greater membership, the real issues facing the lives of Orthodox Christians on a daily basis are often overlooked or given a token amount of attention. Through the ministry of the Family Wellness Center, it is our fervent hope and prayer that we will be able to bring people closer to God's love, and the realization that the Lord must be the center of every aspect of one's life.
The ministry of the Family Wellness Center is made possible through a generous grant from the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Endowment Fund.
For more information on the Family Wellness Center, please contact Executive Director Kristen Bruskas (602 525-1617).
The Greek Orthodox Folk Dance Festival Ministry is dedicated, through Orthodox Christian fellowship and committed leadership, to promoting, encouraging and perpetuating Greek heritage and culture among individuals, families and communities expressed in folk dance, folk art, music and language. Every February, thousands of youth gather for the Folk Dance and Choral Festival where they enjoy fellowship, and share in our rich Hellenic heritage. The 2009 Folk Dance and Choral Festival will be held February 12 - 15 in Ontario, California. Check back for more details and be sure the dates are saved on your calendar. (Contact: FDF Coordinator.)
Be sure to check out the new FDF website: www.YourFDF.org for the most current information on the 2009 event. Online registration will begin soon!
The Office of Greek Education and Culture is committed to teaching and learning Greek Education and Culture through open minds, open hearts, and open doors. This department is dedicated to the mission of developing a strong and enduring organization of learners, faculty, and staff through informed leadership and sustainable development. To accomplish this, there is a need for open minds that would drive organizational improvement, open hearts that would ensure the continuing pathos for teaching, and open doors that would enable all learners to achieve and thrive. In pursuit of these objectives, our concerted efforts towards community building are based upon the following pillars:
The Office of Greek Education and Culture is eager to work with educators, the clergy, administrators, and all parishioners towards raising the bar in meeting the diverse educational needs of our parishes throughout the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco. For example, the Metropolis of San Francisco's first annual Greek Immersion Camp, "The Greek Village", will be held June 12 - 19, 2010 at Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center in Dunlap, CA. This program is open to all youth ages 6 - 11.
For more information, please contact Theodoa Kounanalakis.
One of the few things children look forward to during their summer vacation is attending a summer camp.
Our unique immersion summer camp "The Greek Village" is a place where children meet together, to experience the Greek village life, and learn the process of give and take.
Let your child experience the Greek Culture and Language in a fun, creative and engaging week-camp environment at Saint Nicholas Ranch ("The Ranch", as the locals call it, is an ideal place where rolling hills, ancient oaks, a small lake, an apple orchard and an olive grove provide gorgeous natural surroundings.").
For more information, see http://www.ourgreekvillage.com/
The philanthropic endeavors of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society during more than six decades is a genuine expression of love and Christian Charity. For more information, please visit the Metropolis Philoptochos website. (Contact: Jeannie Ranglas.)
Scouting is an excellent program for Orthodox youth, ages 6-20. There are several ready-made activities for virtually every geographical area within the Metropolis. Programs can be affiliated with a particular church, or youth can participate in community programs and still learn about our faith through the religious awards programs.
The Religious Award Programs are created by the Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting (EOCS) for youth who are communicants of an Eastern Orthodox Church recognized by the SCOBA and who are also members of the national youth agencies (Boy Scouts of America, Camp Fire Boys and Girls, and Girl Scouts of the USA). Youth who have completed the award program are then authorized to wear the appropriate award (sometimes called "emblem" or "recognition") on their uniform.
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For further information, please contact the Scouting Ministry Coordinator.
St. Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center is a ministry of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco. The primary mission of the Ranch is to serve the needs of Orthodox Christians by hosting camps, retreats and seminars promoting Orthodox religious education and spiritual formation. In addition, St. Nicholas Ranch also opens their facilities to host a broad range of other programs, conferences and retreats for other denominations, corporate groups and educational institutions.
Perhaps the best summation of the mission of St. Nicholas Ranch is to be found hanging on the mantle in the dining hall: the icon of the Hospitality of Abraham and Sarah. According to the story found in Genesis 18, Abraham and Sarah received three strangers into their tent, offering them food, shelter and companionship. These three unknown visitors proved to be angelic beings, and constitute an Old Testament prefiguration of the Holy Trinity.
In the same way, St. Nicholas Ranch believes hospitality to be a sacred obligation. Whenever the Ranch welcomes another human being, we receive someone who is created in the image of God. The mission at St. Nicholas Ranch is therefore one of hospitality and service in the name of Christ, who said "Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to Me" (Matthew 25:40).
Spirituality is best described as the experience of Christ's love in the context of relations with others, as love for God manifests itself when His children extend love to one another.
The Spiritual Renewal Ministry of the Metropolis of San Francisco strives to provide programs through the various regions of the Metropolis, which will facilitate opportunities for the faithful to establish and further develop grassroots spirituality in local parishes.
Traditionally the Spiritual Renewal Ministry of the Metropolis has facilitated educational retreats in various locations. This tradition continues, with a powerful new dynamic extended through technology. Spiritual Renewal retreats will be available to all faithful through the Metropolis of San Francisco Spiritual Renewal website. Participation in these retreats is no longer limited to those in physical attendance, and may be experienced by individuals and church groups alike, via the world wide web. Following each video, response forums enable the spiritual experience to grow through the continuity of developed conversation, based upon the retreat subject matter.
We pray that through this Metropolis Ministry, you will find renewal in your love for one another, and for the Lord.
Every child should have the opportunity to attend an Orthodox summer camp. We are blessed that there are many regional camping programs throughout the Metropolis which can provide your child with a Christ-centered camping experience, led by dedicated Orthodox Christians. For more information, please contact Pete Sotiras, the Metropolis Youth Director.
St. Nicholas Ranch & Retreat Center - Dunlap, CA
St. Sophia Cathedral Camp - San Bernardino, CA
Camp Angelos - Portland, OR
All Saints Camp - Washington
Visit the Young Adult Ministries site to learn more about programs for college age and young adult Orthodox Christians. Stay connected with the Church while away at College, learn about ways you can serve the Church, participate in special mission trips....learn how to live your faith!
Growing up is hard enough....why not let Christ be your guide? Learn how to get involved in youth activities at your parish and in the Metropolis by visiting the Youth Ministries website. There's GOYA, retreats, summer camps, Oratorical Festival and much more. Let Christ be your guide through adolescence and beyond!
4th Thursday after Pascha
