George Matsoukas
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity
Musing of the Executive Director: Developing Local, Sustainable, Pan-Orthodox Community Programs
Send us a paragraph, who? what? when? where? why?, about the Pan-Orthodox Community Outreach Programs in your local area, so that we can post them on the OCL website. They are examples of best practices that could give others ideas and be duplicated in other communities. View the 7-minute video About Pan-Orthodoxy in Cleveland. The theme of OCL’s 32nd Annual Meeting, this weekend, November 2 in Houston, is:
Thinking Globally…Acting Locally…Consider your Parish the Universe.
OCL serves as a “catalyst” in motivating the faithful of our community’s various jurisdictions to share and partner together with their hierarchs and clergy on a local level. We commend the Houston community’s example of inter-Orthodox cooperation with The Saint Romanos Chorale that has enriched the community’s appreciation of the hymnography of Orthodoxy and offers fellowship to its participants.
This year’s Annual Meeting brings speakers together to present ideas about programs and principles that are global in scope, taken directly from Scripture. They will give us the opportunity to learn how we can think globally and apply ideas in developing meaningful local programs. The work of Focus North America and Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry are featured.
New outreach community programs can combine their varied resources and facilities to form sustainable cooperative ministries that can inspire all ages, especially our youth and young families, by focusing on practical and needed activities as encouraged in the Gospel. When speaking about the Final Judgment, Our Lord says: “Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me; I was naked and you gave me clothing; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me” (Matthew 25:34-36).
The OCL website is a clearinghouse for local cooperative ministries. These ministries are posted in order to encourage and inform other groups about possible programs. Some of these ministries include:
- Pan-Orthodox Bible Bowl for middle schoolers, Hunt Valley, MD
- Detroit’s Own Orthodox Christian Radio, Detroit, MI
- Eighth Day Books Orthodox Christian Bookstore, Wichita, KS
- Loaves and Fishes Homeless Ministry, Atlanta GA
- St Herman’s House of Hospitality, Cleveland, OH
- Eastern Orthodox Women’s Guild in Akron, OH; Milwaukee, WI; Cleveland, OH
- Fellowship of Orthodox Christian Churches of Connecticut
- Greater Johnstown Orthodox Christian Parishes Group, Johnstown, PA
Let us pray with humility and embrace the future together in partnership and compassion as a unified Orthodox Christian Church in our local communities and in our nation.
George Matsoukas
OCL Executive Director
