Mission Statement of St. Mary’s Youth Ministry Programs

To cultivate a safe and welcoming environment for kids by nurturing healthy relationships within the church family. We will teach the youth by building a strong foundation of knowledge, and together, we will experience the Orthodox tradition by following the 4 circles of youth ministry: Liturgia (Worship), Diakonia (Service), Martyria (Witness), and Koinonia (Fellowship), leading our youth to develop, by their own free will, a personal relationship with God and to pursue union with Him.

 

Youth Ministries (nursery through high school):

  • Faith Play Group: Faith Play Group is a parent/child playgroup geared towards families with children ages 0-5. It is held twice a month on a Wednesday and Thursday morning from 9:30-11:00 a.m. during the school year.
  • HOPE (Grades K-2nd) and JOY (Grades 3rd-5th): This group is for children from Kindergarten through 5th grade. At each meeting, these groups participate in a variety of activities to promote their learning and develop as Orthodox Christians, as well as bonding and fellowship with their peers.
  • Junior GOYA: The Junior GOYA group is for youth in grades 6th through 8th. We typically meet at St. Mary’s from 6:15-8:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month from September through June.
  • Senior GOYA: The Senior GOYA group is for youth in grades 9th through 12th. We typically meet at St. Mary’s from 6:15-8:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month from September through June.
  • Sunday Church School: Our Sunday Church School begins following Holy Communion and lasts approximately 45 minutes, ending at 11:30 a.m. from September through the end of May. If you have any questions about Church School, please contact the Church School Director, Dena Tortorelis.
  • Vacation Church School (VCS): VCS occurs for one week every summer, usually the second week of June, and is for kids four-years old (toilet trained) to rising 6th graders in the fall. Children learn about our Orthodox religion through fun, age-appropriate activities, crafts, singing, and lessons.
  • Altar Servers: Boys (grades 3 and up) serve in the altar during worship and assist the clergy with processions, incense, cutting the altar bread, and other needs. Cleaning of the altar area is done at least once a year. For more information, contact Deacon Paul Kalina.
  • St. Mary’s Summer Camp: This pan-Orthodox Camp Program is for rising 3rd through 12th graders and occurs the week of July 4th.
  • St. Mary’s Family Camp: This pan-Orthodox Camp Program St. Mary’s Family Camp Program began in 1994 and is held the second weekend in October at Camp Courage in Maple Lake, MN. Although this weekend is called Family Camp, we welcome everyone to attend: singles, married couples, and grandparents.
  • Parish Night: Parish Night is a parish-wide event for Kindergarteners-12th graders and Adults that occurs monthly on a Wednesday from September through May, taking a hiatus during Great Lent.
  • Greek Dance Troupe: The Greek Dance Troupe consists of youth ages 6 through 18. Our dancers perform throughout the year at our annual Greek Festival and the Greek Independence Day celebration in March.
  • Basketball: Every year, we participate in the Western Region Family Basketball Tournament. The ages that are able to participate are from seven year old’s through adults. The Tournament is typically the second weekend in February. The breakdown of ages are: Co-ed ages 7-12, 12-18 Boys and Girls (non-co-ed), and Adults. Practice typically begins in October and goes until February.

For more information on youth activities, please contact our Youth Director, Scott Rudquist.

 

Young Adult Ministries:

    • Twin Cities Young Adult League (YAL): YAL is a pan-Orthodox ministry group that serves young adults, ages 18 to 35 year old’s, married or single, of the Twin Cities area. YAL is a wonderful opportunity for those who want to get more involved with our Orthodox faith, based on YAL’s four pillars of Worship, Witness, Service, and Fellowship. If you are interested in learning more about our Twin Cities YAL, please contact Fr. Jason.
    • Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF): OCF is a nationwide college student ministry for 18 to 25 year old’s. There are two OCF on-campus chapters in the Twin Cities. One at the University of Minnesota, and another at the University of St. Thomas. The chapters meet to: discuss the Orthodox faith, worship together, participate in volunteer projects, and have fellowship with other Orthodox students or those young adults seeking to understand Orthodoxy. For more information about OCF, or to find a chapter near you, please visit www.ocf.net.
    • Parish Night: Parish Night is a parish-wide event for Kindergarteners-12th graders and Adults that occurs monthly on a Wednesday from September through May, taking a hiatus during Great Lent.
      Youth Program Feedback

      Youth Program Feedback: If you have any comments, suggestions, or concerns regarding our youth program(s) please let us know. Your comments will be forwarded to a member of the parish council and will be reviewed for follow up.