NOV. 2005 WORD FINAL - Iglesia Ortodoxa

number of well trained Youth Ministry personnel available to our
parish teens. In the 2004 teen parish survey our pastors told us that
52% of the teens in the parishes of this archdiocese are active in Teen
SOYO, an increase of 5% in the past two years. All but 8 of our parishes
with 10 or more teens in the parish have a youth group. There are
18 paid and 411 volunteer youth workers across the archdiocese. The
total amount budgeted by all reporting parishes for youth ministry in
2004 was $295,485.00. We hope that more parishes will add a line
item for Teen SOYO (Youth Ministry) to their parish budgets. The
Department is largely dependent upon the hundreds of volunteers
across this archdiocese who so willingly give of their time, talent and
resources.
We are continuously seeking out new and more effective ways of
ministering to young people and those who serve our youth. Our most
intensive effort this year has been towards raising the level of education
and training of our parish youth workers.
I thank Metropolitan PHILIP and our six diocese Bishops for their
continued efforts and support of Youth Ministry across this archdiocese.
We thank the Order of St. Ignatius for their concern and financial
support. We are especially grateful to our past NAC Teen SOYO
Spiritual Advisor the Very Rev. Timothy Baclig for his 12 years of
faithful service to NAC Teen SOYO, and the Very Rev. Anthony Yazge,
the new NAC Teen SOYO Spiritual Advisor who brings to this position
13 years of youth ministry experience. We thank the hundreds of volunteers
that minister daily to our teens.
Yours in Christ,
Archpriest Joseph F. Purpura
Opportunities for Youth Workers
In an ongoing effort to educate our parish Youth Workers we will
co-sponsor the annual Inter-Orthodox Youth Worker Conference
October 14-16, 2005 at the Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center,
Boulder City, NV, as well as a second conference: October 21-23,
2005 at the Diakonia Center in Salem, SC with other Orthodox
Youth Departments.
This year’s topic: “Today you found out one of your teens is: a.
Depressed; b. Pregnant; c. Using drugs — Pick one. Are you
ready?” More information can be found at www.orthodoxyouth.net.
We have partnered with the Antiochian House of Studies to educate
our Parish Youth Workers through the St. Stephen’s program.
The St. Stephen’s program is a graduate-level directed-reading
course of studies in Applied Orthodox Theology. Successful completion
of the program leads to a certificate in Applied Orthodox
Theology. A brief outline of the Youth Ministry concentration of the
Program is offered here. Complete details and application are
offered online at
www.antiochian.org/education_parish_youth_directors. We are
currently accepting applications for our second entering class, for
course work starting this September.
YOUTH MINISTRY CONCENTRATION OVERVIEW
The Youth Ministry concentration in the St. Stephen’s Program
comprises 15 directed-reading courses, three projects, and three
weeks of residency (one week each year). Each entering class completes
the coursework, projects, and residency on the same trimester
schedule (two long sessions and one residency) during the course of
the program. Each Fall session includes three directed-reading
courses; each Spring session includes two reading courses and one
directed project course; and each Summer session includes one
week of residency in the Antiochian House of Studies.
MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAM
Students who successfully complete the St. Stephen’s certificate
program and who satisfy the other prerequisites may apply to enter
the Master’s Degree Program, leading to a Master of Arts in Applied
Orthodox Theology with a concentration in Youth Ministry.
The Master’s Degree Program with the Youth Ministry concentration
focuses on a practical need in Youth Ministry and, in general,
includes:
• Presentation of a Thesis Proposal (abstract)
• Two Trimesters (Fall and Spring) of thesis research and preparation.
• Completion and defense of the Master’s Thesis.
Additional information on this program can be found at: www.antiochian.org/education_parish_youth_directors.
Catalogues may be
requested by emailing or writing to:
St. Stephen’s Studies
Antiochian House of Studies
385 Ivy Lane
Bergenfield, NJ 07621-1607
Tel. 201-569-0095
theoedu1@aol.com
SCHOLARSHIPS
Funding Youth Worker Education
After two years of recording our teens singing the beautiful hymns
of the Church we released and sold nearly 1,600 Music CDs. The
remaining CDs from this production are being sold at this
Convention at the Teen SOYO Display Booth. All proceeds from this
CD will go to the NAC Teen SOYO St. John Chrysostom Youth Worker
Scholarship Fund.
We recorded these hymns during the Miami and Pittsburgh
Conventions. This CD captures our teens’ love of Christ, His Church
and Her worship. Our teens offer these hymns as a thanksgiving to
Metropolitan PHILIP, and the Holy Synod of Antioch for their bold
steps towards Orthodox unity on the North American Continent. The
inscription on the CD reads:
Sing Praises is presented by Teen SOYO. This collection of hymns
was recorded by members of Teen SOYO gathered from across the
archdiocese for the 2003 Archdiocese Convention in Miami and the
2004 Special Archdiocese Convention in Pittsburgh. These conventions
took historic steps towards realizing self-rule granted by the
Holy Synod of Antioch. Our teens present these hymns in thanksgiving
for the foresight and courage of Metropolitan PHILIP, His
Beatitude Ignatius IV, and the Holy Synod of Antioch who have
acted to create a stronger and united Orthodox Christian Church
The Word 31