Anastasia Tsotsoura suddenly fell asleep in the Lord on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. We learned of her passing on the day of her funeral, May 25, which took place at Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Whitestone, New York. She is resting next to her beloved husband Soterios in Flushing Cemetery. They were both devoted Orthodox Christians and founding members of Orthodox Christian Laity. Her passions were her family, her faith and painting. She touched so many of us with her example of being pure in heart – a woman of noble character. She personifies the example of a wife and…
Browsing: OCL
The OCL Board of Directors will be meeting in Franklin, Tennessee on April 10-12, 2013. They will be attending the Pre-sanctified Liturgy on Wednesday Evening, April 10, at the new St. Ignatius Church and will discuss the work of OCL and the Progress of the Assembly of Bishops at the fellowship supper. The board will conduct its business meeting Thursday and Friday. President Susan Haikalis is presiding. Franklin TN is the home parish of Advisory Board Member Father Gordon Walker, and it will be an honor to be with him in his home community. OCL’s focus this year is helping the faithful understand that…
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.…
Our Logo CHRIST CENTERED At the center of the logo is a cross. It represents OCL’s commitment to keep the gospel of Christ and His Church at the center of the organization’s ministry efforts. The cross is the compass for the organization, steering it toward ministry opportunities that elevate the gospel and strengthen the Church. UNITY The silhouette of the circle reiterates that the church is and must be one, just as Christ has one body, undivided. The concept of oneness permeates every part of the organization’s mission and ministry. Most explicitly, the organization’s promotion of jurisdictional unity in North…
Click on the image to the left to view the Gramota given by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America to Orthodox Christian Laity in recognition of OCL’s 25th Anniversary. The text of the Gramota reads: By the Grace of God, We wish to express our Archpastoral Love and Gratitude by invoking God’s blessings upon the founders, officers and members of Orthodox Christian Laity Organization in recognition of twenty five years of dedicated service to Christ’s Church in North America. Presented October 27, 2012. Signed: +NATHANIEL, Archbishop of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate; +NIKON, Archbishop of…
Keynote Address by Bishop Maxim (Vasiljevic) of the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America at OCL’s 25th Anniversary Celebration, Washington DC – October 27, 2012 I take this paper as an opportunity to clarify the question of ecclesiology of community, which can provide more tangible unity in the Orthodox Church in North America. But before I begin, I must take a moment to express my gratitude to the OCL for inviting me and for its energetic input into the progress of Orthodoxy in this land. It is my belief that only an organic…
All panel discussions may be viewed here: https://ocl.org/videos-our-orthodox-future-ocls-25th-anniversary-conference/.
Source: The National Herald TNH staff WASHINGTON, DC – Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) an organization that promotes “Orthodox unity and lay involvement in Church life” in the US and Canada, held its 25th Anniversary in Washington, D.C. October 25-27 with a focus on the Orthodox Christian experience in America and the pressing need for Orthodox unity among its various jurisdictions. William Souvall, out-going President of OCL, explained, “we have assembled a wide arrange of Orthodox hierarchy, clergy and laity who [examined] the Orthodox Christian experience in America and suggest various visions for the future. OCL strongly believes and has advocated…
Susan W. Haikalis of Walnut Creek, California was elected President of the Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) at their 25th Annual Conference in Washington DC this month. Ms. Haikalis is a convert to Orthodoxy and has been involved in a number of groups supporting Administrative Unity of Orthodox Jurisdictions in the US. She participated in Boston with the original GOAL organization and has actively participated in attending OCL meetings for the past 15 years both contributing to discussions and educational programs as well as supporting her husband, Peter Haikalis, in his own leadership in OCL. Ms. Haikalis strongly believes that achieving…
Our Orthodox Past – Our Orthodox Present – Our Orthodox Future WHEN: Weekend of Thursday, October 25, Friday, October 26 & Saturday, October 27, 2012. WHERE: Savoy Hotel, 2505 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington DC MAKE RESERVATIONS TODAY: SPECIAL OCL RATE Call 800-944-5377 (Call before Sept. 23 for OCL Rate + weekend events subject to change) St Nicholas Cathedral Library of Congress George Washington University, Mt. Vernon Campus Schedule Thursday, October 25, 2012 9:00 am St. Nicholas Cathedral (3500 Massachusetts Ave, Washington DC). Hierarchical Liturgy celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel (Archbishop of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate; Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan See of the Orthodox Church in America),…