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…
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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-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 Initiative”). Since the…
Joanne Nikides fell asleep in the Lord on May 12, 2022, surrounded by family. She had just celebrated her 73rd birthday on May 2. She was an amazing woman. She was compassionate, empathetic, intelligent and gentle. She just loved humanity. She saw the best in everyone. She served Orthodox Christian Laity for 16 years as our bookkeeper, accountant and membership manager. Her reports were exemplary. She kept us on target. She enjoyed working with us. She helped us grow and shared our mission. She was a retired accounting professor who taught at Palm Beach Community College. She was raised in…
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.…
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…
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.…
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…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity Preliminary Minutes of 34th Annual Business Meeting Eve of the feast of St. Nicholas, December 5th, 2021. Following the 34th Annual Program Meeting on the topic of “The Role of Servant Leadership in Fostering Church Unity” presented by Protodeacon Peter Danilchick (view a recording of the presentation here: https://youtu.be/sT7sfRbcUIg), the Annual Business Meeting was called to order by President Argo Georgandis Pyle at 7:34 pm. The meeting was via Zoom. Participants included: David Oancea, Executive Director, Archbishop Nathaniel, Fr. Nicholas Greanias, Argo Pyle, Peter Petkas, William Souvall, Gayle Woloschak, George Pontikes, George Karcazes, Alice Kopan, William…
Presentation by Protodeacon Peter Danilchick
on December 5, 2021 at 6:00 pm Eastern Time via ZOOM
Followed by a Panel Discussion with George Karcazes, Alexei Krindatch
and Dr. Gayle Woloschak
For more than three decades, Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) has presented informative and educational programs annually and at other times featuring distinguished speakers, thoughtful panels and relevant topics in fulfillment of its mission. This mission includes: advancing the renewal of the Orthodox Christian Church in America by advocating that the laity remain part of the conciliar governance process which provides balance to the hierarchy and clergy, all working together in governance, spiritual and other matters to ensure accountability and transparency in the affairs of the Church. OCL’s overarching goal is to contribute to and work toward the establishment of an administratively and canonically unified, self-governing Orthodox Church in North America.
All of us yearn for that unity that Jesus prayed for: “Father, that they may be one as we are, that the world may know that You have sent me.” (John 17:21) Sometimes, despite all our hopes, that dream seems unattainable. But Jesus encourages us: “The things that I do you shall do – and greater things than these shall you do” (John 14:12). And what exactly can these things be? What is possible for each one of us?
Protodeacon Peter will challenge us with the fact that we are all, every one of us, called to be servant leaders, in service to God, His Church, and His people. He will review the work of the Assembly of Bishops in fostering church unity. He will offer practical ways for us to become partners in recent efforts towards creating unity on the grassroots parish level. He will help us to “dare and do great things” in bringing about the blessed unity of the Church that we all desire.
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity Presentation by Protodeacon Peter Danilchick on December 5, 2021 at 6:00 pm Eastern Time via ZOOM Followed by a Panel Discussion with George Karcazes, Alexei Krindatch and Dr. Gayle Woloschak For more than three decades, Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) has presented informative and educational programs annually and at other times featuring distinguished speakers, thoughtful panels and relevant topics in fulfillment of its mission. This mission includes: advancing the renewal of the Orthodox Christian Church in America by advocating that the laity remain part of the conciliar governance process which provides balance to the hierarchy and clergy,…