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Perspectives on the Process of Drafting the New GOA Charter

By Webmaster on March 14, 2023 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Originally posted on December 31, 2021 The process for gathering input from the clergy and laity outlined by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA), was to ask the 80 or so members of the Charter Committee to submit questions to be collected, organized, and incorporated into a questionnaire to be submitted back to the committee. The committee’s responses to the questionnaire would then be “summarized” by the Archdiocese to guide the members of the “drafting committee” appointed by the Archbishop. Those appointees will presumably meet with the 5 or so members of the drafting committee appointed by the Patriarch.…

Orthodoxy in Action Call: Ken Liu – Orthodox Youth and Young Adult Ministries (VIDEO)

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity Orthodox Christian Laity features a presentation by Ken Liu, Executive Director of Orthodox Youth and Young Adult Ministries (OYM), on its monthly Orthodoxy in Action Call (click here to sign up for notifications of future presentations). OYM (https://theoym.org/) is the official youth agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America. OYM empowers, partners, and walks with parents and lay and ordained ministry leaders – at a jurisdictional, regional, and local level – as they seek to bring young people into an ever-deepening sense of who they are in Christ. Join OYM’s…

George Matsoukas: Impressions of the IOTA Mega Conference 2023

By Webmaster on January 29, 2023 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, OCL News, Orthodox Christian Laity

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity During OCL’s Orthodoxy in Action Call on January 29, 2023, George Matsoukas (OCL Executive Director Emeritus & Board Member) relates his experience during the International Orthodox Theological Association (IOTA) Mega Conference held in Volos, Greece from January 12-14, 2023. Dr Teva Regule and George Nassos, who also participated in the Conference, offered their perspectives also. NOTES FROM GEORGE MATSOUKAS Basic Overview IOTA International Orthodox Theological Association Conference January 11-15, 2023 Volos, Greece Major Supporters and Co-Laborers sponsored the conference. The mission of IOTA is a community of scholars and professionals dedicated to the worldwide exchange of…

Orthodox Christian Laity Presentation at IOTA Conference in January 2023

By Webmaster on December 20, 2022 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity As Orthodox Christian Laity prepares to participate in the 2023 International Orthodox Theological Association Mega-Conference in Volos, Greece, from January 11-14, 2023, we are republishing OCL’s presentation and video from the 2019 Conference in Iasi, Romania. We remind the theologians and presenters at the upcoming conference to more actively bring their works and be teachers to lay persons outside of the academy. It takes all of us to bring about canonical order and unity. We also encourage you to do yourself a favor and watch the most watched video on IOTA’s website: The Keynote Address by…

OCL 35th Annual Conference Board Members, Organizers, Presenters and Participants

Pan-Orthodoxy Unity in Action: Orthodox Christian Laity Concludes Annual Conference in Atlanta

By Webmaster on November 7, 2022 OCL News, Orthodox Christian Laity, Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity Orthodox Christian Laity successfully completed its first in-person annual board meeting and conference, since the beginning of the pandemic, in the Atlanta metropolitan area on October 14-15, 2022. This 35th Annual Conference brought together board members, presenters and participants from New Jersey, Texas, Utah, Illinois, Florida, Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, California and Georgia. Thursday, October 13 Board members arrived in Atlanta on Thursday evening, October 13, and enjoyed an evening dinner together prior to the annual program. With the blessing of His Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel, an OCL Advisory Board Member, the Sts. Constantine & Helen Romanian Orthodox…

Orthodox Christian Laity 35th Annual Conference: Pan-Orthodox Unity in Action

By Webmaster on October 1, 2022

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY 35TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE “Pan-Orthodoxy in Action” October 13-16, 2022 EVENT FLYER – PDF / PNG Join us to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of Orthodox Christian Laity in the Metro Atlanta area where we will feature the impressive progress of the Atlanta Inter-Orthodox Parish Association (AIOPA), an initiative of the Committee for Canonical Regional Planning of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA (AOB). AIOPA consists of clergy and laity representatives from all Orthodox parishes in the Atlanta area whose purpose is to effectively facilitate and maintain pan-Orthodox parish-to-parish communications, activities and cooperation (the “One Church…

Orthodox Christian Laity 35th Annual Conference: Pan-Orthodox Unity in Action

By Webmaster on October 1, 2022 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Information, Orthodox Christian Laity, Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

JOIN us via ZOOM on June 5 at 7 pm Eastern: Enhancing Orthodox Christian Unity – An IOPA Program Update for Orthodox Christian Laity

By Webmaster on May 31, 2022 Governance & Unity News, Governance Top Stories, Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity Sunday, June 5, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) REGISTER HERE: https://bit.ly/OrthodoxUnity The Atlanta Inter-Orthodox Parish Association (AIOPA) is a committee of the Atlanta Orthodox Clergy Brotherhood (AOCB). It was officially formed during its first meeting on March 17, 2022, and is an initiative of the Committee for Canonical Regional Planning of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA. AIOPA consists of clergy and laity representatives from all Orthodox parishes. Its purpose is to efficiently facilitate and maintain pan-Orthodox parish-to-parish communications, activities and cooperation (the “One Church Initiative”) in pilot metro areas.…

STATEMENT OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY ON THE INVASION OF UKRAINE

By Webmaster on April 29, 2022 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, OCL News, Orthodox Christian Laity

PRESS RELEASE WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., April 28, 2022 — The Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) denounces the horrific and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by the Russian military under the orders of President Putin and the attempt to bestow religious legitimacy to the war by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. The indiscriminate and unjustifiable bombing of innocent civilian population centers including schools and hospitals, the rapes, mass executions and war crimes committed by Russian soldiers have shocked the entire world. Millions have been forced to flee their homes as refugees from a brutal war in which Orthodox Christians have been ordered by…

ST PHOTINI, THE SAMARITAN WOMAN – PATRON SAINT OF OCL

By Webmaster on February 26, 2022 OCL News, Orthodox Christian Laity, Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Commemorated February 26 St. Photini’s Life The New Testament describes the familiar account of the “woman at the well” (John 4:5-42), who was a Samaritan. Up to that point she had led a sinful life, one which resulted in a rebuke from Jesus Christ. However, she responded to Christ’s stern admonition with genuine repentance, was forgiven her sinful ways, and became a convert to the Christian Faith – taking the name ‘Photini’ at Baptism, which literally means “the enlightened one”. A significant figure in the Johannine community, the Samaritan Woman, like many other women, contributed to the spread of Christianity.…

NEW BOOK: Under One Roof – Uniting the Orthodox Church of America [View the Video Trailer!]

By Webmaster on January 28, 2022 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, OCL News, Orthodox Christian Laity

Source: BookLocker Under One Roof: Uniting the Orthodox Church of America by George E. Matsoukas This collection of essays written between 2012-2020 addresses the status of the Orthodox Church in the U.S. and emphasizes the mission of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL): unity, accountability, conciliar governance, education and renewal. CLICK HERE TO ORDER About the Book This is the second collection of essays, compiled from opinion columns written during the period 2012-2020, when George Matsoukas served as executive director of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL). The first collection, “A Church in Captivity: The Greek Orthodox Church of America,” is also a collection…

Some Thoughts at Year End

By Webmaster on December 31, 2021 Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

After ten years of meetings, the Assembly of Bishops still finds bishops communicating with each other difficult. The rules governing how to reach decisions are impossible. The Assembly needs to develop communication skills that enable each bishop to stay focused, to hear one another, and to debate and reach conclusions. In-service programs with guides that have communication skills would be a useful exercise. We are no closer to canonical unity of Orthodoxy in the USA and throughout the world where Orthodox Christians reside in pluralistic societies. The largest grouping in the USA is in financial difficulty caused by undertaking an…

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All articles represent the views of the authors and not necessarily the official views of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL). They are posted to encourage thoughtful discussion on topics and concerns relevant to Orthodox Christians living in a pluralistic society. OCL encourages your comments.
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Browsing: OCL