About Us- Worship, Fellowship, Service & Witness

The mission of the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Youth of America (G.O.Y.A.) ministry is to lead our young people into experiencing the Holy Orthodox Faith. By developing a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and becoming active sacramental members, our young people will be equipped with tools necessary to assist them in their journey toward salvation. We are living in a society where our young people face tremendous pressures, many of which have never existed before. As the Church of Christ, we must be willing to incorporate all members into the Body. A great way of doing this is to have our youth participate in all aspects of the Church, allowing them to fully experience the Orthodox Faith. Using the basic principles of GOYA Ministry—worship, fellowship, service, and witness, we strive to provide our GOYAns with opportunities to grow within those values.

Activities

G.O.Y.A. events and activities are directly related to the tenants of the ministry. The GOYAns participate in fellowship activities such as basketball, ski trips, and retreats. They also participate in the annual Kennedy Krieger Christmas Program, Walk for Life Run and other service activities such as visiting local nursing homes. The GOYAns also serve as altar boys, aides in the Sunday School program or in the church choir. G.O.Y.A. basketball practice for girls is held every Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. and boys basketball practice is held every Wednesday evening at 7 p.m.

G.O.Y.A. Registration

Registration begins in September of each year with a rolling registration throughout the school year. The GOYA advisors and officers hold a monthly meeting on Mondays. Registration forms may be download from the GOYA page. GOYA families should be members of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in good standing or another local Greek Orthodox Church in the area.

For more events, view our Youth Ministries calendar for G.O.Y.A. events.