Our Ministry Teams
Altar Servers - Young boys and teens between the ages of 7 and 18, are invited to serve in the Altar each Sunday and at all liturgical services. They are trained by the clergy.
Church School  - "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." This quote from the Holy Scripture describes our philosophy on religious education. Church School classes are held every Sunday from September to June, preceding Divine Liturgy. Our director and teachers are devoted to their task of sound education in the Orthodox Faith. The parents and the teachers come together when necessary to plan and execute the social gatherings and spiritual activities of the children.
Fellowship of St. John the Divine -  We are currently re-activating this ministry.
Bread Baking Team - These hardworking women gather weekly to bake Syrian bread to sell to the community at large. They are renown for baking the BEST bread in the area. In addition, their efforts help the parish financially. They are truly great ministers of St. Elias Parish.
Theotokos Society - This is an organization in our parish for our devoted and energetic women. Theirs is a service of love for church and community since 1913. They concentrate on religious, cultural and humanitarian efforts in their activities as defined by their parent organization of the Archdiocese - the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America, Eastern Region (AOCWNA). Our women have always been the heart of the parish.
Parish Council - The Parish Council is composed of dedicated men and women elected or appointed to administer the affairs of St. Elias Parish in accordance with its Constitution and by-laws. In addition, representatives of all the adult church organizations are members of the Parish Council. Structured by Robert's Rules of Order, it is very similar to the workings of the American Congress. However there is one vast difference: our Congress is governed by Democracy; our Parish Council is governed by Theocracy. Our governing head is Jesus Christ, represented in the person of the Primate of the Archdiocese. That is why we have certain criteria in the selection of people to serve on the Parish Council. Under our constitution, our Parish Council administrates! You, the Body of Christ, legislate. They advise - you consent! We are very fortunate to have men and women to serve on our Parish Council who are dedicated Orthodox Christians and who sacrifice their time, talents, and resources for the Church.
SOYO (Society of Orthodox Youth Organizations) - This organization is for teenagers but also encourages pre-teens to get involved in preparation for their teen years. Their activities include an annual retreat and camping at the Antiochian Village. Their biggest fund raisers to support their programs are the annual Christmas projects and bake sales. They are encouraged to participate in the annual Regional Parish Life Conference and the two delegates' meetings of the Eastern Region. Last year our chapter hosted the very successful 2004 Fall Delegates Meeting! We have been recently named to host the 2006 Spring Delegates meeting!!
St. Elias Liturgical Choir, Chanters and Readers - "A church without a choir is like a body without a soul." Our Liturgical Choir is the soul of our church. They sing at most liturgical services the traditional Byzantine music of the Orthodox Church. They are also committed to participate in other sacramental services (such as weddings), Choir festivals and the Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers. Our choir director and members are most faithful in their love and devotion to the Church and for that we are grateful.