Recent events, relevant news and important historical events.
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity Click on the image below to view the flyer in PDF format:
Browsing: OCL News
The Board of Orthodox Christian Laity wishes you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas and New Year! Christ is born! Glorify Him! Read the Nativity Pastoral Letter of His Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel HERE or below: The Birth of Our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ “And I will make my home among them and live with them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” 2 Cor. 6:16 (Lev. 26:11-19) May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace, and from us, hierarchal blessings! Christ is born! Let us glorify Him!…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity Board Members present in person: George Karcazes, George Pontikes, Andrew Kartalis, Peter Petkas, William Souvall, Peter Zarras, John Regule and advisory board member, His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel. Guests introduced were: William Caras, Fr Nicholas Greanias, Fr Remus Grama, and at 11:00 am, Fr Chad Hatfield. Board member Argo Georgandis Pyle joined the meeting by phone. Meeting was convened at 9:30 am at the St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Cathedral with a prayer by Archbishop Nathaniel. Special prayers were offered for Roy Snyder and Chris Xeros. Reports were sent to all board members and advisors before the meeting,…
Attendees at the 31st OCL Conference in Cleveland.
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity The hospitality and participation of the Orthodox faithful of all jurisdictions in the city of Cleveland on the weekend of October 19-20, 2018, was overwhelming! Over 170 faithful people of all jurisdictions participated in a program showing all of us what we can truly accomplish when we work in unity. You can see and feel the unity and love by calling up each speaker’s presentation and the short overview video that is posted on OCL’s YouTube channel. Cleveland is a model of Pan-Orthodoxy living and working in practical and meaningful ways. These videos are presented as…
Argo Georgandis Pyle with husband, Howard.
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity I am excited and looking forward to serving as Orthodox Christian Laity’s fourteenth president. I have been a member of the board of Directors of Orthodox Christian Laity for 15 years. My home town is Houston, Texas, and I attend the same church that I was baptized in, the Annunciation Cathedral. I have been blessed to have had some outstanding priests and teachers to guide me through the faith. Although I can speak Greek, I am committed to seeing the Church as a mission reaching out to all people in a Christ-centered way, revealing our faith…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity Click on the image below to view the 12-page program (PDF):
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity I would like to share this pastoral letter sent to Orthodox Christian Laity by His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver as OCL gathers in Cleveland October 17-20 for its 31 Annual Meeting. His letter provides the opportunity to thank all the dedicated supporters past and present who served and continue to serve on the board and advisory board of OCL. Board members serve at their own expense and contribute $1,000 yearly to support the organization. Without their prayers, time, talent and resources, we could not continue our ministry. We are especially grateful to the hierarchs and…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) is the only Pan-Orthodox lay organization in America doing what we do. We have not deviated from the mission and goals stated in our initial informational brochure published in 1989. We are recognized throughout the Orthodox World. OCL provides information and inspiration on: the issues of meaningful lay participation in Church governance; Orthodox Unity in America; and Transparency and Accountability in Church governance. OCL is not a “reform” movement seeking to change the dogma and transcendental truths of Orthodoxy. OCL is neither a “Pro-life” movement nor a “Clergy sexual abuse” organization, nor a…
Jeffrey A Semon
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity Orthodox Christian Laity prayerfully remembers and honors the memory of the Servant of God, Jeffrey Semon of Monroe, Connecticut, who fell asleep in the Lord 2017. Mr. Semon was a supporter of Orthodox Christian Laity and honored our mission by remembering OCL in his will. May His Memory be Eternal! Twenty four people and organizations were named in his estate. We are grateful and thankful to be one of the recipients of his gifts.
Mr George Matsoukas, Executive Director (left), Mr George Karcazes, President (right) sitting with Mrs Roula Karcazes and Irene Tziforos.
Source: Voyage Chicago Magazine Today we’d like to introduce you to George Matsoukas and George Karcazes. Orthodox Christian Laity is a movement and catalyst supported and founded by laypersons who are members of the Orthodox Christian faith. In the United States, the Orthodox Christian faith is seen as a fragmented, ethnic Church made up of 14 different ethnic jurisdictions… i.e. Greek, Russian Romanian, Serbian, Antiochian, etc. In reality, they are one faith and have been in the USA for over 200 years. Missionary Russian monks, led by St Herman of Alaska, established the Orthodox Mission in Kodiak, Alaska in 1794.…
Sophia P. Karakas
Source: Lupton Chapel Sophia P. Karakas, of Ladue, MO, and Naples, FL, passed away peacefully to the Lord at the age of 93, on Friday, June 15, 2018, surrounded by her family. Daughter of the late William K. and Olga Peppes; beloved wife for 67 years of Nick Karakas; loving mother of Angela and Margaret Karakas (Court Courtney); sister of the late Martha Karides (the late Spiro Karides) and the late Gregory Peppes (the late Vito); sister-in-law of Tony Karakas (the late Linda) and Frances Dimetre (the late George); sweet aunt to many nieces and nephews, and dear grandmother. Sophia…
Source: The New York Times ‘There’s power in love’: Read the words of the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, who spoke at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. By Margaret Lyons, Anna Schaverien and Jonah Engel Bromwich Keep your fascinators, tiaras, regalia and romance. What if the surprise biggest star — the Pippa Middleton, if you will — of this royal wedding was a sermon about love? Michael Bruce Curry, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, delivered a searing, soaring 13-minute speech, imploring Christians to put love at the center of their…