[ditty_news_ticker id="27897"] June, 2015 - Orthodox Christian Laity - Page 3
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Monthly Archives: June, 2015

Source: Newsweek By Jack Moore Isis has announced that it is to convert one of Mosul’s largest churches into a mosque for the group’s “mujahideen” in notices posted in the streets exactly a year after the group launched a successful offensive on Iraq’s second city. The radical Islamists distributed the notices around the city, which has been under the group’s control for a year to the day, announcing the conversion of the Syrian Orthodox Church of St. Ephraim, according to Fides, the Vatican’s news agency. In the weeks before Isis advanced in June last year, the number of Christians in Mosul reportedly dwindled…

Source: Christianity Today The American church has a key role in rescuing, restoring, and returning Christians and other religious minorities who have fled ISIS. by Chris Seiple ‘Tell them that we Christians exist. We are the bridge between East and West,” said Felomain Nassar-Batshone, program manager, at International Orthodox Christian Charities, Amman, Jordan. The story never changes. Whenever ISIS terrorists approach an Iraqi or Syrian village, Christians are given a fateful choice: They can stay and pay a tax to ISIS. They can convert to Islam. They can be martyred as Christians. Or, they flee. We Americans would do well to…

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity The Assembly of Bishops has been meeting for six years.  June 2015 is a critical month and time period in their efforts to develop a plan to make the administrative life of the Orthodox Church in the United States canonical.  Orthodox ecclesiology dictates that the Church be organized in geographic areas with one bishop in one city.  Overlapping jurisdictions weaken the Commandment of Christ to make disciples of All Nations.  Bishops are not foreign agents.  Governments of other countries have no place in directing the actions of Bishops in the USA.  We need a single Synod…

Source: Ancient Faith Radio June 05, 2015 Length: 27:30 On June 16, 2015 the Executive Committee of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States will travel to Istanbul in order to meet with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who will receive them at the Phanar. Special Assistant to the Assembly Chairman, Fr. Nathanael Symeonides joins us to tell us what that is all about. Direct link Play in Popup Download Send Feedback [subscribe2]

Source: Orthodox Reformer Orthodox Christians have one of the lowest rates of retention across Christian and non-Christian denominations. Only 53% of adults who were raised in the Orthodox Church still identify themselves as Orthodox Christians. Compare that to Hindus (80%), Jewish (75%), Mormon (64%) and Catholic (59%). – Courtesy Go Truth Reform , data from pg. 39 of the PEW Report The past month has been a whirlwind for the GOA. The recently published Pew Report and informal reports coming from GOA insiders portray a general decline in our churches nationwide. Unrest has been spreading around the internet and a…

Source: Orthodox Church in America WEIRTON, WV [OCA]  Speakers for the second Small Parish Forum, which is being cosponsored by the Archdiocese of Western Pennsylvania and the Diocese of the Midwest at Saint Nicholas Church here June 18-20, 2015, were recently announced. “The Forum is unique in that it focuses on the needs of numerous small parishes throughout the Orthodox Church in America and other Orthodox jurisdictions, and we are pleased to offer a strong array of Forum contributors that will explore the theme, ‘Becoming Stewards of Our Parish Future,’” said Joseph Kormos, Forum co-chairperson and Parish Development Leader for…