What is the National Forum?
The National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians is the Archdiocesan ministry responsible for liturgical music activities and the development, support, and recognition of church musicians. Chartered in 1976 as an official auxiliary of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the National Forum serves as the liaison among local church musicians, metropolis church music federations, and the Archdiocese. It also serves as the gathering place for church musicians to discuss issues related to liturgical music and to formulate needed responses.
The National Forum has four major areas of focus:
- Support for CHOIRS, providing resources and activities to improve the quality of choirs and the availability of choral music in the church
- Support for CHANTERS and the preservation of BYZANTINE CHANT
- Support for YOUTH CHURCH MUSIC PROGRAMS, including hymnology and junior choirs
- Support for CLERGY, including parish music ministries, and support for clergy
Upcoming Events
The National Forum is Proud to Host New Byzantium Publications
New Byzantium Publications is the go-to resource for Church Hymns organized in feast days and calendar for common and obscure hymns, most in both western notation and Byzantine neumes.
National Forum Facebook Feed
National Forum Soundcloud
Apolytikion for the Dormition of the Theotokos
Composed by Kevin Lawrence
What’s New!
October 5, 2025 is National Church Music Sunday!
For over 40 years, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has designated the first Sunday of October as National Church Musicians Sunday! It is a time to honor and celebrate the contributions of Church Musicians from throughout the parishes of our Archdiocese.
Video Greeting from Archbishop Elpidophoros in honor of National Church Music Sunday!
NEW! Anastassiou Enharmonic Liturgical Hymnal - Now Available!
Choir directors, chanters, and priests, get ready to enhance your liturgical music with the newly released Anastassiou Enharmonic (Minor) Liturgical setting, now set to the officially approved Holy Eparchial Synod English Translation!
- Seamless Bilingual Worship – Original Greek hymns and responses are paired with English translations on facing pages for effortless language transitions.
- Clear, Spacious Format – Professionally typeset in an easy-to-read 8 ½” x 11” layout.
- Modern Composition Standards – Includes a dedicated Tenor line for enhanced choral balance.
- Fully Customizable – 3-hole pre-punched pages let you easily add hymns or integrate selections from the upcoming Anastassiou Diatonic Liturgy—just bring your own binder!
- Comprehensive Collection – Features all hymn variations, including Doxology and the Apolitikion of the Doxology (Simeron Sotiria/Today Salvation Has Come).
- Bonus Content! – Enjoy a full set of officially approved English translations of major hymns like:
- Soson Kyrie/Save O Lord, Your People (Apolitikion)
- Prostasia ton Christianon/The Protection of Christians (Kontakion)
- Christos Anesti/Christ is Risen (Apolitikion) & more!
Carefully edited to preserve the integrity of the original Greek while ensuring smooth, singable English phrasing, this is a must-have for any choir seeking to elevate worship with tradition and clarity.
Cost is $25 plus S&H. Email your request to Lucy Pappadakes at lucy_38@hotmail.com
Order your copy today and bring the beauty of the Anastassiou Enharmonic Liturgy to your congregation!
Coming Soon: the 2026 Liturgical Guidebook
The 2026 Liturgical Guidebook will retain all the innovative updates that transformed your music worship experience:
- Digital PDF Version
Access the complete guidebook anytime, anywhere, with search and print features designed for convenience and flexibility. - Greek Transliteration
Seamlessly navigate hymn titles with clear transliterations like Ἐν Ἰορδάνη / En Iordhani (When in the Jordan), bridging language gaps and enriching your hymn selections. - Streamlined Organization
Enjoy easy navigation with reorganized sections, quick-reference National Forum links, and a single, dedicated space for guidebook resources. - Antiphonal Psalm Verses
Follow Sunday and Feast Day service charts with integrated antiphonal Psalm verses, eliminating unnecessary page flipping. - Comprehensive Resources Section
Find all National Forum publications, contact details, and award recipients compiled in one easily accessible place. - Feedback Options
Continue to share your thoughts effortlessly via QR codes in the print version or with a click in the digital version. Your voice shapes future editions!
Sales & Ordering Information
- Availability: Launching December 2025.
- Pricing:
- Digital Version: $30
(for immediate download) - Spiral Print Version: $40
(plus shipping and handling) - Bundle Digital and Spiral Print Versions: $65
(plus shipping and handling)
- Digital Version: $30
Complete ordering information will be available soon!
2026 Annual Meeting of the National Forum
The National Forum 2026 Annual Meeting will be held in conjunction with the 48th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in Cleaveland, OH.
The 2026 Clergy-Laity Congress marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark Congress at which the National Forum received its charter from His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos of blessed memory. Here is a sneak peak of some of the details already in place for the 2026 Congress:
- The Congress is taking place Tuesday June 29 through Friday July 2 and is aimed at being interactive and engaging
- Host city is Cleveland, Ohio
- The theme is “Rise and Build”
- Liturgy and meetings will be held at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland
- Three hotels have been contracted at reasonable price points under $200/night
- The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be held on Wednesday morning June 30th at the convention center
- Costa Tsourakis will direct the choir for the Liturgy and the Opening Ceremony
- There will not be a limitation to the number of choir members singing
- We will also sing for the Opening Ceremony and the Agiasmo Service
- There will be a variety of registration “tracks” including a Music Ministry track
- It’s anticipated that we will attract at least 50-75 people to register for the Ministry Track so our offerings will have to be particularly engaging
- Registrants can customize their track by cherry picking events from other tracks
- There will be a trip to the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” on Tuesday and the Gala will be on Thursday evening
- Upon entering the convention center we will see the “Ministry Village”. Every ministry, including National Forum, will have a manned booth to describe their ministry and programs
- There will be a luncheon with His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros and his entourage on Thursday afternoon 11:00AM to 12:30PM with the National Forum in honor of our 50th Anniversary
- The Saint Romanos Medallion will be presented during the luncheon as the luncheon will replace our usual reception.
So, we have a great deal of planning to begin. We must offer events during the Congress to attract registrants to our track. We will need to schedule individuals to man our ministry booth throughout the day each day. Our Federation Presidents are spearheading our planning committee which also includes committee chairs involved with events particular to their area of expertise. We have suggested to the Archdiocese planning committee to have our choir sing a selection of patriotic songs after the Opening Ceremony and perhaps sing at the Clergy Family Banquet and/or the Gala. Of course, we will investigate and consider as many ways to highlight our anniversary as possible. Our annual meeting will be abbreviated to allow us to celebrate our anniversary and offer interactive and engaging programs throughout the Congress. We will hold a ZOOM meeting to tend to as much of our business before the Congress due to the anticipated abbreviated meeting during the Congress. You can see how special this Clergy Laity Congress will be for the National Forum!
Now is a great time to become a STEWARD of the National Forum or to renew your membership!
Please help to support the vital mission of the National Forum in providing resources and guidance to all our Church Musicians! With the support of its stewards, the National Forum can continue to accomplish the many projects that strengthen and perpetuate our sacred Orthodox hymnology. Here are some of the projects that stewardship contributions have supported recently.
- Researched, prepared, published the Annual Liturgical Guidebook each year.
- Completed A Guide for Greek Orthodox Church Music Directors.
- Distributed Church Music Sunday materials to each parish of our Archdiocese including a complimentary National Church Music Sunday poster.
- Co-sponsored Church Music Institutes with Church Music Federations in several Metropolises (via Zoom during the pandemic).
- Created and distributed a new brochure with up-to-date information about the National Forum.
- Provided research and resources regarding ways to return to singing/chanting safely.
Hymn-Singing Resources for Young People
Please visit our Hymns for Kids resource page, a collection of sites which offer listening and singing experiences with Greek Orthodox hymns especially for youth. Compiled for use at home, Church School, and during youth activities by the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians. Click here to visit the page
Hierarchical Guidelines - UPDATED
The guidelines for Hierarchical visits have been updated for the first time since 2009. Please download and review this document prior to a Hierarchical Liturgy and remember to check with the senior-ranking priest and/or the Hierarch's deacon.
Click this link to download your copy
Choral Settings Using the New Standard English Translation available through the National Forum
GEORGE ANASTASSIOU ENHARMONIC: This beautifully typeset and easy to read hymnal includes the entire minor liturgy as well as the minor Doxology, all Resurrection Apolytikia, all major hymn variations and all of the supplementary hymns currently available in the official English translation. The English translation was artfully adapted to the original Greek for effortless singing. This three-hole punched binder-ready hymnal is 258 pages in length and is offered at $25 per copy plus shipping and handling.
KEVIN LAWRENCE: A four-part setting of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom that serves as a companion to the new Greek Orthodox Hymnal being distributed by the Department of Religious Education. This is the only work that uses the same melodies as the Hymnal, in Greek and English, so it is suitable for parishes that wish to have their choirs and congregations use the same melodies. The work also includes two settings of the Doxology, all festal substitutions for the second Antiphon (Soson Imas), the eight Resurrectional Apolytikia, four settings of the Trisaghion as well as its festal substitutions, six settings of the Cherubic Hymn, three settings of the Anaphora, psalms for use during Communion, Memorial Service hymns, and the Hierarchical service. Three-hole punched and binder-ready copies may be ordered for $25 each plus shipping and handling.
NICHOLAS ROUBANIS: Selections from the 5th edition of Roubanis’ arrangement of the Divine Liturgy, including all the basic hymns for both regular and hierarchical Divine Liturgies, have been re-typeset and adapted for the new official English translation. The book includes both the original Roubanis Greek melodies and his melodies adapted, as needed, to fit the English words. The cost is $15 per book plus shipping and handling. It is three-hole punched binder-ready.
All three settings can be ordered through the Publications office of the National Forum by contacting Lucy Pappadakes, Publications Chairman at lucy_38@hotmail.com
Useful Downloads
Announcements
- Have you submitted your National Forum Stewardship yet?
- Check out and LIKE our National Forum and Youth Music Facebook Pages
Recent Newsletters
- Neumes & Notes
- The Youth Music Network
- The YouthMusic Connection