Ministries

The Greek Orthodox Youth of America (GOYA) at St. Andrew is a ministry for middle and high school Orthodox Christian teenagers between the ages of 12-18. Participation in GOYA provides young people with opportunities to grow with their peers and Church family in worship. The focus of this youth group is to learn about Orthodoxy by participating in fun activities such as overnight retreats, philanthropy, volunteer efforts, fundraising, etc. The GOYA ministry is based on the following four characteristics: Worship (Liturgia), Fellowship (Koinonia), Service (Diakonia), and Witness (Martyria). Meetings are held on Friday nights twice a month, with dinner included. A yearly schedule is handed out at the beginning of the Ecclesiastical year. 

  The purpose of religious education at St. Andrew is to learn lessons and teachings about the Orthodox faith.  It is important for our children to learn about the life of Jesus and the saints, to memorize prayers and hymns and to understand the history of our church.  The greater purpose for all this is to help our children grow closer to God and to follow Jesus everyday of their lives. Consistent Sunday school participation will help our children develop this relationship. Classes begin right after communion until the conclusion of church services. The curriculum followed is approved by the Archdiocese of North America.

The Junior Orthodox Youth (JOY) group at St. Andrew is a ministry for children between the ages of 3-11. During our meetings, our children participate in a fun arts & crafts activity, while learning a reading of an Orthodox-based story from Father Aristidis, and then having some wholesome fun outside in the playground. JOY offers a great opportunity for the kids to bond and learn about the Orthodox faith. Meetings are held once a month, often with a meal included. A yearly schedule is handed out the beginning of the Ecclesiastical year.

  Our Greek Conversation Classes are adult classes where we teach Greek language to other parishioners who might not be fluent in Greek, through conversation and colloquial language examples. The goal of this class is to offer a beginner’s inside look to the Greek language and a foundation for colloquial conversation dialects. We learn modern Greek along with ecclesiastical prayers, from the original Greek New Testament. We talk about the information in the book and share opinions and personal reflections to make the class interesting and fun. Classes are held weekly.

The GOLDEN JET SET ministry at St. Andrew was established in 1980 for the purpose of providing local senior citizens with opportunities to socialize and get-together. We offer weekly lunch meetings every Thursday, free to the entire community, regardless of religious affiliation. The cost is $7.00 per person. The price includes lunch (prepared on the premises by our volunteers), coffee and tea, dessert and participation in games. Lunch is served at 12:30 pm.

St. Andrew offers students, from Kindergarten through High School, the opportunity to learn about the culture and regions of Greece through dance and songs. The time and talents shared by our dancers, their families and the instructors culminates in the Miami Greek Festival event, where this ministry is able to showcase the hard work and dedication of all the dancers after months of practice. We are fortunate to continue having great and talented dance teachers helping our children learn these traditional Greek dances. 

This ministry is comprised of church members whose mission is to identify opportunities, needed repairs and areas of improvement around the church buildings and grounds. The goal is to engage more parishioners to participate in the maintenance and upkeep of our church, using their skills and talents and reducing operating costs. By including more people in this committee, we are also adding to the overall success of the church.

The Ushers group consists of church members who are liaisons to new guests and serve as escorts to people as they arrive and offer assistance to those who need it. They help with collections and validation of collection counts. They also play an important role during Holy Week in the management of traffic flow inside the church. The minimal requirements needed are that you arrive to church on Sundays by 9:30 am, and that you be available on the days you’re assigned to be Usher. Additionally, social skills and financial expertise are a plus. 

Our Altar Boys ministry has been growing steadily and we thank those parents who have engaged their children to participate in this endeavor. We hold annual retreats to encourage recruitment of our youth in the instruction of serving as altar boys. We are thrilled to see more attendance every Sunday of our young boys participating in these important services. Father Aristidis and our Ministry Leads have been actively calling our parish families to inspire support and reconnect with those young boys to help them learn this meaningful spiritual task.

This group is charged with the reading of the Holy Epistle every Sunday. The minimal requirements needed are that you are able to read and enunciate clearly and that you arrive to church on Sundays by 9:30 am.

 We are looking forward to grow and revive our choir by making an urgent appeal to our youth and anyone in the community who would like to join us in Glorifying God by Chanting the Beautiful Byzantine Hymns. 

Religious Educational Classes are offered weekly. The Orthodox Church believes it is vital to study the Holy Scriptures and discuss God’s message to us all. Bible Study is currently offered Wednesday Evenings at 6:30 pm via ZOOM. Please contact the church office for more information.