Orthodox Parishes Across the United States to Observe Youth and Young Adult Sunday on September 27, 2026
Orthodox parishes across the United States will observe Youth and Young Adult Sunday on September 27, 2026, a day set aside to reflect on the Church's shared calling to walk with young people and young adults. Parishes are asked to recognize the day during the Divine Liturgy or announcements and to take up a special collection for Orthodox Youth and Young Adult Ministries (OYM), the official youth and young adult agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America.
In his encyclical for the day, His Grace Bishop Thomas, Episcopal Liaison to OYM, reflects on Saint Paul's letter to Timothy, whose faith was first nurtured by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. “Timothy did not come to faith merely on his own. He was raised in it, with people who were willing to be present, like his mother and grandmother. This is the quiet work of every youth worker, godparent, and parent who shows up week after week, nurturing the seeds of faith in our children,” he wrote. “On this Youth and Young Adult Sunday, let us pray for the youth workers, clergy, and volunteers giving their time so freely to the next generation.”
The Assembly of Bishops established OYM in 2022 to connect and equip youth and young adult ministries across every Orthodox jurisdiction in the country. “We do not exist to replace the incredible, life-giving work you are already doing in your parish. We exist to make sure you are not doing it alone,” said Dr. Chris Krampe, Executive Director of OYM.
OYM's work includes Ministry Support Coordinators, who connect clergy and youth workers in a growing number of cities; Removing the Veil, a course that equips parents, clergy, and youth workers to build relationships that help faith take root and last; The Godparent Project, a new video resource for parents and godparents; Outdoor Orthodoxy, which helps families and parishes encounter God, one another, and creation through the outdoors; and What's Your Ministry? (whatsyourministry.org), a home for ministry resources gathered from across jurisdictions.
“Your support helps us keep connecting the youth workers, clergy, and volunteers who show up week after week for the young people in their care, so that fewer of them have to do that work alone,” said Krampe. Gifts can be made through the parish collection or online at theoym.org/donate.
Media Contact
Sloane Argyle, Director of Operations
Orthodox Youth and Young Adult Ministries (OYM)
