If you have donated to our youth causes - beware! You have been responsible for creating a strong future for our whole Church! As a warning, we have compiled a list of reasons why you should never ever do that again!

1) Friends are overrated. There’s always Facebook!

 There’s a very high chance young people will feel a sense of belonging outside of social media sites. Do you really want that?!

“It’s a little bit lonely, being Orthodox in America. But gatherings like St. Herman’s make it a whole lot less so,” - Matthew, 15.

“When young people have an opportunity to spend time together, it strengthens them and helps them go back to their parish reinvigorated,” Rev. Gregory Joyce.

2) Kids might actually ENJOY learning about the Church

What if they find out about the history of the Church or about our Liturgy? Keep them in the dark!!!

“At these conferences I always really like the lectures about the saints” - Peter, 20.

“You’ll definitely be enriched in your faith” - Matthew, 15.

3) Kids might accidentally become more ACTIVE in your parish

What if a young person wants to take over cleaning the floors after church?!

“These young people will be the temporal leaders of the Church: the future priests, parish council members, choir directors, etc. – the people who will help lead the churches. When they have a good spiritual foundation that the St Herman’s program can provide for them, it really helps them get along the way as a spiritual person,” Rev. Gregory Joyce

4) What if young people have …F-U-N?!

What’s fun got to do with Orthodoxy?

“We can read the Gospel as many times as we like, but we will never find a prohibition against having fun. Saving your soul should be fun” Rev. Gregory Joyce

“Conferences like these really help to stay in the faith and see that there are other people like them” Daria, 15.

5) Strengthening your faith is simply dangerous

Better not give them any chances. What if they want to dedicate their lives to Church?! It’s happened before!

“Kids are in a community of like-minded young people who are also dedicated to the life of the Church. That faith can be really contagious” –Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen)

Thank you for supporting events like St Herman’s Youth Conferences! We are gearing up for supporting 3 St. Herman’s conferences this year. Please don’t believe any of the reasons above and support the future of our wonderful Church. We wrote this because we know you do care very much. And we love you for it. Thank you for being there for our youth and our Church!

Please help our kids attend a St. Herman’s conference this year. It will change their life!

Watch the video “Why you should never attend St Herman’s” on our website, Facebook and YouTube page!