Holy Cross Homeschool Academy

Orthodox Homeschool Co-Op

What is a Homeschool Co-Op?

A homeschool cooperative is a group of families who come together with a common goal of educating their children. Co-ops typically have a central focus such as arts, academic, or spiritual formation. In order for a co-op to be successful, all parents must take on a role whether by teaching/tutoring, administrative, clerical, field trips/meetups coordinator, etc. In other words, ‘all hands on deck’ are needed. When everyone contributes, everyone benefits.

Our Mission

The mission of our Orthodox Homeschool Cooperative is to be a supportive community for Orthodox homeschooling families in the Bay Area who meet regularly to work together toward the shared goal of providing our children with enriching experiences in education, Orthodox catechism, spirituality and liturgical arts, fellowship and recreational activities.

Our Meeting Schedule: 3rd Fridays of every month at Sts. Constantine & Helen, Vallejo CA

Time: 10:00am - 2:00 pm

Program Schedule

10:00 am - Akathist to the Mother of God Nurturer of Children

10:30 am - Teaching by Fr. Ninos

10:40 am - 11:35 am - Period 1 Enrichment Class

11:45 - 12:30 pm - Lunch

12:35 - 1:30 pm - Period 2 - Enrichment Class

1:30 - 2:15 pm - Free play (PE) and fellowship

Enrichment Classes Descriptions

Nursery: Located in the upstairs loft inside the church with sensory toys, space for mom’s and infants and toddlers.

Science classes: Hands-on, science experiments, labs and activities tailored to grade level.

Orthodox Life: Learn the lives of the saints, sing-along songs, crafts and activities centered around the Orthodox spiritual life. (Kinder - 1st Grade)

Orthodox Liturgical Arts: Learn Byzantine chants, Poetry of the Church workshop. (2nd Grade and up)

Performing Arts: Memorizing psalms, performing skits of the lives of the saints, bible stories, etc. (2nd Grade and up)

2022- 2023 Meeting Dates and Themes

November 18 - Thanksgiving
December 16 - Nativity
January 20 - New Year
February 17 - Love your neighbor
March 17 - Lenten theme
April 7 - Holy Week and Pascha
May 19 - Holy Cross/Sts Constantine and Helen

Requirements and Expectations

Arrival time: Our day will begin with prayer at 10:00am sharp. We ask everyone to arrive on time to be in the church for the prayer service.

Liability Release: All co-op members must sign a release of liability form.

Co-Op Fee: This year we are asking each family to contribute $100 to the church for the use of the facility.

Materials Fee: There will be a materials fee to help offset the cost of providing supplies to each session. Estimated cost will be between $30-$50 per family.

Youth Protection Training - We are required to have all adults trained and certified in Youth Protection policies according to the Archdiocese and State of California requirements.

Contact Us

For more information or to attend our next co-op meeting as a guest, please contact Presbytera Tina Oshaana at tinaoshaana@gmail.com

Enrollment

To enroll your child or children in our Co-Op, click here to fill out the Registration Form

Orthodox Brotherhood

The Teachings of the Church

What does our Holy Orthodox Church teach about the purpose of life? What does she teach about the soul and what happens when we die? What about things like anger, depression, anxiety and fear? What does the Church teach about money, technology, art and entertainment; or about sexuality, gender, love and marriage? What does the Church teach about being a man, or being a woman or raising children?

I invite you to join me for a weekly, in-person discussion group on Wednesday evenings to learn the Church’s profound and life-changing answers to these questions and many others. We will dedicate an entire month on a specific topic, by exploring the teachings of the Church, through her divine and Spirit-filled voice as heard in the Holy Scriptures, in the writings of the Holy Fathers, and in the wisdom of contemporary saints that lived in our modern day world and understood our struggles. As every month’s topic will vary, you’re welcome to join us for any meetings that interest you the most.

Schedule:

5:00pm – Paraklesis to the Theotokos (in the church)
6:00pm – Teachings of the Church discussion group (in the hall)

I hope you can join us as we learn, discuss and work to apply the wisdom of the Church to our daily lives.

With love in Christ,
Fr. Ninos

Holy Cross Orthodox Bookstore

Are you curious about Orthodoxy? Are you seeking to deepen your knowledge of the Orthodox Faith and enrich your spiritual growth? Are you looking for an Orthodox gift for a birthday, baptism or wedding? Holy Cross Orthodox Bookstore carries a large selection of Orthodox books for every age and interest as well as Orthodox Bibles, Orthodox icons, prayer ropes, incense, greeting cards, organic hand-made soaps, olive oil, vinegar, granola and much more.

Go to our Online Store – Check out our online store to browse and purchase products. Please note that delivery is not available. We offer only in-store pickup.

The bookstore hours are:

Sundays – 11:30 – 2:00pm
Mondays – 9:00 – 3:00pm
Tuesdays – 9:00 – 3:00pm
Wednesdays – 9:00 – 3:00pm
And by appointment.

For questions or to inquire about a special item, please call Joshua at 707-642-6916 or email stscahbookstore@gmail.com

Administration

Parish Council
Serving on the Parish Council is a wonderful way to offer your time and talents to the Church and is a most sacred duty that directly impacts the operations, growth and future of our parish. Please contact Fr. Ninos if you’d like to join this important leadership ministry.

Community

Our parish is a spiritual home for people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. We strive to be a place of true Christian community where everyone is made to feel welcome and loved, emulating our Lord Jesus Christ who welcomes us and loves us. We are a growing parish! Come visit us and you will meet sincere people who are striving together to lead an Orthodox way of life and are eager to welcome you into our midst as Christ is in our midst.

Education

There are many opportunities to deepen your knowledge about the Orthodox Christian faith and spiritual life every week for all ages.

Youth Spiritual Formation
Beginning in the Fall of 2022, we will offer a youth spiritual formation program on the last Sunday of every month after Divine Liturgy.

The Teachings of the Church
A small group for learning and discussing the teachings of the Orthodox Church. We meet at 5pm for prayer followed by a fasting potluck meal and our discussion group at 6pm.

S.O.F.I.A.
A weekly, self-paced, at-home catechism program prepared by Fr. Ninos Oshaana and designed for our parishioners, both individuals and families with children. It’s free and conveniently accessed on our website. A dedicated page every week will focus on the forthcoming Sunday’s epistle and gospel reading, the saints or feasts of the season, as well as practical and inspiring guidance on a variety of spiritual topics that can aid your understanding and practice of the Orthodox Faith and enrich your Sunday worship experience through better preparation and participation in the Divine Liturgy. Go to SOFIA Lessons page

Know Your Faith
On the first Sunday of every month, Fr. Ninos offers a teaching on a spiritual or practical matter of our Orthodox Faith during the coffee hour. It’s a way for everyone in attendance to learn more about the Orthodox faith and hear answers on common questions. There is also an opportunity to ask Fr. Ninos any questions on spiritual, theological or practical faith matters.

Orthodox Homeschool Co-op
The mission of our Orthodox Homeschool Co-Op is to be a supportive community for Orthodox homeschooling families in our parish and in the Bay Area who meet regularly to work together toward the shared goal of providing our children with enriching experiences in education, Orthodox catechism, spirituality and liturgical arts, fellowship and recreational activities. Learn more.

Service

To serve others is a blessing and privilege. Here at Sts. Constantine and Helen, there are plenty of opportunities to do so.

Ladies Philoptochos
Our Ladies Philoptochos is dedicated to serving the poor in our local community and around the world. Through various fundraisers, we are able to fund high-impact programs and efforts such as the Kids ‘n’ Cancer ministry as well as supporting the work of other humanitarian organizations such as the IOCC. Contact Pamela Contos to get involved.

Community Outreach
We offer a monthly meal to the homeless of Vallejo on the second Saturday of every month. In addition, we host a round table meetings for the homeless advocacy groups on the second Wednesday of the month from 10am to 12pm and donate $50 a month to the homeless Resource Center for supplies. If you’d like to volunteer or get involved, please email Deme for more information.

Prosphora Bakers
A ministry for individuals and families to bake the special offering bread that will be used in the Divine Liturgy, with the guidance and blessing of our priest. Please contact Fr. Ninos for more info.

Church Care Crew
Serve to honor God’s Holy Temple through weekly tasks of cleaning and organizing to keep the narthex and nave of the church beautiful.

Hall Helpers
Our parishioners enjoy fellowship with one another after the divine services in our hall on Sundays and at other events. Answer St. Paul’s call to “serve one another” by helping to clean up after the gatherings and keeping our hall and kitchen looking beautiful.

Landscape Leaders
From watering the flowers and trees to blowing the leaves and picking up garbage, this is a great way to keep our outdoor grounds clean and beautiful for all of us to enjoy.

Community Ministries