September Ministry Reflection: Serving Chicagoland

OYM’s first Ministry Support Coordinator brings presence and a personal touch to local parishes.

As the newest member of the Orthodox Youth & Young Adult Ministries (OYM) team, I am  the first of what we hope will be many Ministry Support Coordinators (MSC). I am also a husband and father of two kids under two years old, a Sunday school teacher and a neighborhood Bible study host. But most of all, I’m a guy who loves going to church and knows he has a lot of room to grow.

My role as Ministry Support Coordinator came out of data, surveys, and lived experience. When OYM was discerning its place in the national youth ministry landscape, we took a step back and asked priests, parishes, and parents what they truly needed. What we heard was clear: while programs and curricula serve a great purpose, they often fall short when it comes to creating lasting, meaningful change. Why? Because every city, parish, and circumstance is different. Each one is shaped by its own culture, challenges, and gifts. What people told us they needed wasn’t just another “program.” They needed a presence. A person. Somebody who could walk alongside them, encourage them, and support them in their ministry to the young people in their care.

That’s what MSCs do. We bring presence. We accompany ministry leaders and families as they partner with God and one another to build healthy Eucharistic communities where young people’s faith can grow and thrive.

Enter me, Peter Savas.

Since January 2025, I’ve had the blessing of serving as the Chicagoland MSC, and it really has been just that, a blessing. 

MSCs are asked to do three main things:

1. Build bridges between organizations, parishes, and people across Orthodox jurisdictions.

2. Encourage and support communities in their ministry to the young people in their care.

3. Lift and highlight those who aren’t just volunteering, but truly offering their lives to God by making ministry part of who they are.

So what does that look like on the ground? 

Well, in the first few months, it looked like a lot of coffees, teas, and omelets. I met with clergy, ministry leaders, parents, young adults, grandparents and godparents. My only goal was to build a relationship. I sat with them not just to hear about what their young people need, but also to learn what excites them, how God is stirring in their hearts, and how they live out their call to minister to the young people in their care. 

As the months passed, as I met more people, and as trust began to form, fruit started to grow– real, beautiful fruit. 

• Greek, Serbian, and Romanian women are planning a pan-Orthodox speaker series for young adults in Chicago.

• Russian Orthodox ministries are now in conversation with the Greek retreat center board members.

• A Georgian Supra, a traditional feast with toasts and fellowship, is in the works for clergy and their wives from several Orthodox parishes in the area.

• A monthly newsletter is helping build up the community and share what’s happening across our city.

• And this November, we’re hosting a Pan-Orthodox, multi-generational day retreat for those who want to help nurture the faith of young people - parents, clergy, godparents, ministry leaders, and more.

And although we are still in the early stages, and although I’m still getting my footing, and although I haven’t met a fraction of the incredible people in Chicago, the fruit of our work has been inexplicably profound. 

The spirit of each person and community I encounter is invigorating, and the presence of God in our Chicagoland community is undeniable. 

I can’t wait to see what God has in store for Chicago, and I pray that when an MSC comes to your city, you go and meet him or her for coffee, tea or even omelets. Wherever you are, OYM wants to meet you there.