On Saturday, November 28/December 11, 2010, the Metropolitan Council of the Holy Metropolis met to discuss its ongoing work. Proposals were heard for a clergy health savings plan, a discretionary assistance fund, and a religious education fund to be created. The Uniform Parish Bylaws and the Special Regulation of the Metropolitan Council were reviewed and revised. A proposal to invite His Beatitude Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens and All Greece to America was approved.
His Eminence Metropolitan Pavlos and His Grace Bishop Photios of Marathon (a member of the Eparchial Synod of the Holy Metropolis) co-presided. By the invitation of Metropolitan Pavlos, His Eminence Metropolitan Moses of Portland (HOCNA) was invited to observe the meetings, as he was already in New York visiting the bishops to discuss issues of mutual concern and pan-Orthodox cooperation.
No Metropolitan Council meeting will be planned for the Spring, in order to ensure that parishes have the resources to support the Archbishop's proposed visit. The next Metropolitan Council meeting will be held in the Fall of 2011.
A beautiful liturgy was served on Sunday, November 29 (o.s.) by His Eminence Metropolitan Pavlos and His Grace Bishop Photios, with Archimandrite Epiphanios, Protopresbyter Emmanuel Colombos, Protopresbyter Theodore Giannakopoulos, Hieromonk Maximus Analepsiotis, Presbyter Anastasios Hudson, and Presbyter Nicholas Serigos concelebrating. Archimandrite Niphon and Presbyter.Michael Hallford also assisted in the altar.
We thank all the delegates who made the trip to New York to participate, and the Cathedral for hosting the meeting. These meetings, while primarily concerned with financial matters, are instrumental in maintaining a sense of fraternity and cooperation amongst our parishes.
“Trust ye not in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.”
(Psalm 145:3)
We mustn’t have absolute trust in human beings for our salvation, no matter what dignity they have. Human beings are changeable. Today they are saints, tomorrow—deniers. Today—sinners, tomorrow—righteous. We must have absolute trust in God, and in Him we must base our hopes of salvation. “Blessed is he of whom the God of Jacob is his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God” (Psalm 145:5). Read more...
Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church is a beautiful mission parish near downtown Tucson, a city in southern Arizona. It was started in 1997 by Father John Bockman, who was a missionary Priest formerly serving missions in Tennessee and Massachusetts since 1990. Father John served the faithful in Tucson and the surrounding area in his home Chapel until his repose in November of 2000. His wife, Presbytera Valerie, continued to make her home Chapel available for the mission, with clergy from Saint Nectarios Orthodox Church in Seattle and His Eminence, Metropolitan Moses of Toronto (then of Portland), visiting to provide the Divine Services.
Read more...2025 Youth Conference
Please join us for the 2025 youth conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada! To learn more, visit the conference website.
Q. In considering becoming part of the GOC in America, I am getting warnings from various circles that the attitude of GOC people is that of being “walled off,” “arrogant,” “judgmental,” and “in your face” toward those not in the Genuine Orthodox Church, with accusations such as “World Orthodox” priests are “not even Christians” and the like. Could you give me your personal, realistic assessment of this dynamic and possibly refer me to an official statement on how GOC members should and do relate to and communicate with those in “World Orthodoxy”? Read more...