WHO WE ARE
The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco Church Music Federation Ministry is comprised of church musicians who serve in all capacities – adult choir singers, youth choir singers, directors, chanters, composers, organists, hierarchs and clergy.
We offer a wide range of resources to parishes and individual church musicians and keep in touch with them through our newsletter, website, e-mail updates, and virtual Plenary Information and Planning Meetings.
WHAT WE DO
We are dedicated to providing the best possible resources to our parishes to help them establish and sustain music programs for adults and youth. We offer guidance in many areas to include:
Offering local one and two-day Church Music Institutes (CMIs) and workshops to train church musicians close to home.
Providing parishes with one-on-one assistance with their music program needs
Posting a variety of resources for music education, choir, chant, and youth music on our website.
Awarding music scholarships to qualified church musicians who wish to expand their skill and knowledge to serve within the program of a local parish.
Providing music for special Metropolis and regional functions.
Promoting quality music of the Orthodox Church for adults and youth.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
Ministry Chair
Christopher Hondros, Resurrection Castro Valley (bio)
Assistant to the Ministry Chair
Athena Anastos, Assumption Scottsdale (bio)
Co-Leaders of the Church Music Development Team
Samuel Herron and Ross Ritterman, Holy Cross Belmont (bio)
Ways and Means Team Leader
Sarah Guyrkovitz, Saint Demetrios Camarillo (bio)
Events Team Leader
Elizabeth Levy, Resurrection Castro Valley (bio)
Communications and Outreach Team Leader
Kay Harkins, Saint Spyridon San Diego (bio)
Ministry Records and Archives Team Leader
Margarita Jakovas, Annunciation Sacramento (bio)
Senior Music Minister
Tikey Zes
Spiritual Advisor
Fr. Michael Pallad
This year the ministry received an unprecedented number of applicants, vying for eight scholarships of up to $500 each to support their goals as Metropolis church musicians seeking to build their musical and liturgical skills to serve in the music ministries of their parishes. This scholarship was originally established in honor of church organist Xenia Anton Desby to support those wishing to study the organ, but its scope was broadened in 2017 to include those desiring to study organ, keyboard, voice, directing, or composition to honor both her memory and that of her husband, renowned composer and conductor, Frank Desby.
Our panel of highly trained church musicians was impressed with the fine qualifications and recommendations of all the applicants, making their decisions quite challenging. They were heartened to find applicants from both smaller and larger parishes, women and men, and a wide range of ages including several under 21. Our warmest congratulations go out to these worthy recipients and their parishes. May God bless them in their studies!
Singing praises to God – from the choir loft, chanter stand, congregation, or altar — is truly a blessed ministry! We thank the Lord for allowing us to serve Him as church musicians, and we pray for His help to carry out our ministry.