Our Mission

The mission and goal of GOYA 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 of the living Church, our young people will be equipped with tools necessary to assist them in their journey toward salvation. Friends Forever, Orthodox for Life!

What is GOYA

Our GOYA is a way for the youth of our Church to come together in Christian Fellowship. Teenagers from 7th to 12th grades, whose families are stewards of Saint Demetrios, join GOYA and participate in a variety of Church related activities. GOYA meetings are held once a month and are usually followed by some fun. The meetings are run by our GOYA elected Board. These young men and women will undoubtedly one day be on our Saint Demetrios Parish Council. Our GOYA is 100% self-funded through a variety of fundraisers which the kids organize throughout the year. Money raised from these fundraisers not only completely fund our youth program, but also allow GOYA to make donations to various organizations.

Who Can Join

The Greek Orthodox Youth of America, or GOYA, ministers to teenagers ages 13-18 who are in the seventh through twelfth grades, or are at least 12 years old on or before September 1st of that year and in the 7th grade and whose Parent(s) or Legal Guardian(s) are Members in Good Standing at our Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church as of September 1st of the registering year. We want all the youth of our community participating within this wonderful and effective ministry our community has to offer our young people. Please contact one of the GOYA advisors at goya@stdemetrios.org or Fr. Peter to discuss your participation within this vital ministry.

GOYA Officer Roles
GOYA Code of Conduct
Covenant for Goyans (PDF)
Covenant for Advisors (PDF)

You can gain Youth Stewardship credits by being part of GOYA just visit our Youth Stewardship page.