GOYA – Mission Statement
Greek Orthodox Youth of America, known as GOYA, is the Church Youth program. Children become eligible for GOYA when they are entering the Sixth Grade and then complete GOYA upon high school graduation.
The Youth program consists of programs designed to help the Youth learn about their faith, become close personal friends with their fellow youth and to learn leadership and public speaking skills. Every GOYA activity has a religious component and/or educational activity. The GOYANs have frequent meetings with the Parish Priest for discussion group purposes, attend three or four athletic activities per year with other GOYA groups from surrounding Orthodox communities in the Southeast, sponsor and welcome other GOYA groups and have activities at our Parish, provide service to the home Parish with such activities as Christmas caroling for the elderly, car washes and lunches for the Parish. GOYANs also participate and complete in the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical competition each year and have represented our Parish in the District Metropolis and National level. GOYA is the future of our Church and its greatest resource.
For more information or questions on how you can help the Church Youth program, call GOYA Advisor Helen Sfikas Rogers, (615) 320-0600, or Helen37203@aol.com. Other GOYA advisors are Donna Bacon and Julie Petcu. GOYA is a Church organization and is funded from your fair share pledge to the Church as part of the Church budget expenditures and through GOYA fundraising events.
