Source: Orthodox Christian Laity
Dear Members, Friends and Supporters of Orthodox Christian Laity,
Once again, it is time to thank you for your support and to ask you to please renew your annual membership to OCL. OCL’s budget requirements are $100,000 annually. With your help, we have been able to meet these budget requirements so that we can continue to be the independent voice of the laity – the laity vigorously advocating for Orthodox Christian renewal by promoting, educating, and providing you with information on the work of the Assembly of Bishops as they move ahead with fulfilling the charge by the Patriarchs to develop a unified, canonical Orthodox Church in the USA. See the Open Letter to the Faithful sent on the Sunday of Orthodoxy posted on our website and sent via email to our over 8,000 subscribers, and to all the bishops and religious news editors. We continue to be the independent voice of the laity in providing information about accountability, transparency, and including laity in the governance of our Church on the local, diocesan and national levels and through the work of the Assembly of Bishops as they focus on developing a unified, self-governing Church in the USA.
In order to continue to fulfill our mission, OCL will focus on developing a Grassroots Network in communities across the nation, encouraging individuals to be parish leaders by: providing them with information on the issues relating to unity; encouraging them to educate those interested within the parish about the issues; and by creating local projects that bring parishioners of different jurisdictions together to reach out and meet local community needs. Click here for more information and to sign up. OCL will encourage the laity to meet with the local clergy associations and offer their time and talent to assist them in developing these programs. Christ commands us to work together beyond our parish boundaries. OCL will put individuals throughout the nation in touch with each other by sharing their email addresses and by providing relevant news updates. If you are interested in being that local advocate, click on the link above or send us an email at: advocatesforunity@ocl.org. OCL will also continue to be the clearinghouse of best unity practices posted on our web site, if you send us the information. See what is already posted on the Grassroots Unity Menu dropdown located under the Governance and Unity Menu on the OCL website (ocl.org).
Can you increase your support this year to enable us to meet our more ambitious outreach programs? Membership support also helps to maintain our office staff and provide up-to-date news and events via www.ocl.org. It helps us update our internet networks, subscriptions to religious news service outlets and conduct limited public relations programs. It enables OCL to participate in various national conferences such as the OCA All American Council (Atlanta, GA, July 20-24), and events such as the Orthodox Theological Society Conference (June 25-27, Fordham Campus, NYC). Your support enables OCL to provide start-up support for organizations promoting Pan-Orthodox renewal. Most recently, we supported the Pan Orthodox United Youth Programs, Seeds of Hope, and St. Phoebe Center Conference on the Diaconate.
Please help OCL today with your financial donation of whatever amount, and/or with a donation of your talents, to support the work mentioned above, with the ultimate goal of fulfilling the dream of an administratively-united Church, governed with transparency and accountability.
Thank you for your support and consideration.
Sincerely,
George Matsoukas
Executive Director