2025
We are pleased to announce that by decision of the Eparchial Synod, the GOC Metropolis of Toronto will host the 2025 Youth and Family Conference at the Saint Nektarios Cathedral in Toronto on the weekend of Friday October 10th through Sunday October 12th.
The theme of our Conference is: THE LOVE OF GOD and the great mystery of our salvation.
Moved by love, God the Word became Man for us in order to make us sons and daughters of the Most-High God. This should inform our actions each day of our lives.
What to Expect?
A weekend of Christian Fellowship
New This Year – Agenda will include a mix of spiritual talks, group discussions and free time to socialize. We are striving to have a good balance during the day and activities for young adults.
Getting Here
St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church
1223 Dovercourt Rd
Toronto ON
1151 Rosemount Ave, Toronto, ON M6H 2N1
Remembering the 2018 GOC Metropolis of Toronto Conference
The conference brought together clergy, youth, and families from across Canada and the United States, with participants traveling from cities such as Montreal, Vancouver, New York, Boston, and Chicago. It was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our spiritual connections, reunite with old friends, and welcome new faces into our Orthodox community.
Schedule of events or – Click here to download PDF of the 2025 Program
Saint Nektarios Cathedral
6:00 pm- 8:00 pm Registration, light snacks and fellowship with opening remarks in church hall
LOCATION: AT LORETTO COLLEGE SCHOOL
9:00 AM – 9:40 AM FINAL REGISTRATION (Coffee, light snacks)
9:40 AM – 9:45 AM OPENING REMARKS (ATRIUM) – Metropolitan Moses
9:45 AM – 10:30 AM FIRST SESSION (30 min talk + 15 min Q&A)
|
5 – 8 yrs (Room TBD) |
9 –13 s (Room TBD) |
14 – 17 s (Room TBD) |
18 – 28 s ATRIUM |
28+ s ATRIUM |
|
Church School Lead: Activity Love of God |
Church School Lead: Activity: Love of God |
Fr. Paraskevas Love of God – What does it mean to you? |
Metropolitan Moses God’s Love for us
Moderator: Sam Pantioras |
10:30 AM -10:45 PM BREAK – FOOD COURT (ALL AGES)
[BOOTH EXHIBITS: ST NEKTARIOS BOOKSTORE, CONFERENCE SWAG SALES + ACTIVITY TABLE + ST IGNATIUS COFFEE]
10:45 AM – 11:30 AM SECOND SESSION (30 min talk + 15 min Q&A)
|
5 – 8 yrs (Room TBD) |
9 –13 s (Room TBD) |
14 – 17 s (Room TBD) |
18 – 28 s ATRIUM |
28+ s ATRIUM |
|
Church School Lead: Activity Love of God |
Church School Lead: Activity: Love of God |
Fr Dcn. George Hegedus |
Metropolitan Demetrius Our Love for God: “With Fear of God, faith and love draw near”
Moderator: Sam Pantioras |
11:45 AM – 12:15 AM
Friendship Scavenger Hunt
Ice breaker followed by intentional seating for lunch
12:30 -1:30 PM LUNCH – FOOD COURT
[BOOTH EXHIBITS: ST NEKTARIOS BOOKSTORE, CONFERENCE SWAG SALES +
+ ACTIVITY TABLE + ST IGNATIUS COFFEE]
1:30 PM – 2:15 PM THIRD SESSION
|
5 – 8 yrs (Room TBD) |
9 –13 s (Room TBD) |
14 – 17 s (Room TBD) |
18 – 28 s ATRIUM |
28+ s ATRIUM |
|
Church School Lead: Activity Love of God |
Church School Lead: Activity: Love of God |
Metropolitan Moses |
Fr Savvas How the Saints strove to Love God even in adversity
Moderator: Nick Christogiannis |
2:15 PM – 4:15 PM FOURTH SESSION – 5 – 17 s
|
5 – 8 yrs (Room TBD) |
9 –13 s (Room TBD) |
14 – 17 s (Room TBD) |
|
Social Activity For the Youth |
Social Activity For the Youth |
Social Activity For the Youth |
2:15 PM – 4:15 PM FOURTH SESSION – 18 – 30s – No upper age limit (Room TBD)
|
Group Discussion |
“Finding Love According to God” Group 1: Fr Paraskevas Proskos: Love of God – Challenges balancing Life at your age Group 2: Fr Dcn Jeremy Burrows, Fr Dcn George Hegedus – Love of God – Orthodoxy and Family |
|
|
|
The starter quote for discussion will be from Saint Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians:
Love is longsuffering and is kind; love envies not; charity does not vaunt itself, is not puffed up, Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
2:15 PM – 4:15 PM FOURTH SESSION – 30+ ATRIUM (No lower age limit)
|
Adult Questions and Answer Session |
Metropolitan Moses, Metropolitan Demetrius
1Cor13:4-8 theme to start a conversation Moderator: Nick Christogiannis |
4:30 PM– 5:30 PM DINNER – FOOD COURT
5:30 PM – 6:00 PM TRAVEL TO ST NEKTARIOS
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM GREAT VESPERS
After Vespers (8:00 – 11:00 PM)
Gathering with Refreshments – St Nektarios Church Hall
OR
OPTIONAL – unsupervised – 19 and over – excursion to Toronto (Sign up required)
AT SAINT NEKTARIOS CATHEDRAL
6:40 AM- 1:30 PM Midnight Office, Matins with Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
2:30 PM to 5:30 PM Luncheon in Church Hall and Outdoor Tent
(Ticket Purchase required. Purchase luncheon ticket through registration process). Luncheon tickets are available in local parishes.
7:00 PM —- OPTIONAL YOUTH OUTING: Ages 19 and over (unsupervised outing)
Getting to the event
Loretto College
Saint Nektarios Cathedral
Register for Conference
Hotel Information
Hospitality Request
Support the Conference
Volunteer
To help ease your stay, a group rate for the conference has been secured with the Novotel Toronto North York Hotel. The hotel is situated in mid-town Toronto, at 3 Park Home Avenue. It is located close to Toronto’s major east/west corridor highway, the 401, and is a 30-minute drive from both St. Nektarios Cathedral and the conference venue center. Additionally, the Hotel offers direct access to Toronto’s extensive subway system, via the North York Centre subway stop located within the Hotel’s concourse system.
Available room options provide guests with either two double beds, or one king bed. Cost per room is $209.00CDN plus applicable taxes, and discounted parking is included with your hotel stay ($12.00CDN per day). To take advantage of the group rate, reservations must be made by September 10, 2025. You can make reservations by either calling or emailing the hotel’s reservation team (contact provided below), and indicating that you are booking as part of the GOC Conference or quoting 1836861.
☏ 416-733-2929, extension 1
✉ reservations@novotelnorthyork.com