[ditty_news_ticker id="27897"] Orthodox Unity - Orthodox Christian Laity - Page 2
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube

Browsing: Orthodox Unity

The members of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL are prayerfully grateful for the dedicated and exhaustive work of the Assembly of Bishops and its Committees in developing the blueprint for a canonical, self-governing Orthodox Church in the United States. We are hopeful that the time, talent and resources that have been expended these past five years to establish such a canonical Church will result in a blueprint that meets the spiritual and religious needs of the faithful People of God who live in this geographic area.  A good result will enable the Church to retain its faithful, inspire its youth, and…

by Steven P. Stamatis  Repeated calls from Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) for Orthodox Unity often results in gatherings to discuss Unity and the need for a Great and Holy Church Council. The participating hierarchy who usually attend include the Serbian Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, Antiochian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox and other dignitaries from the Orthodox landscape. Conspicuously absent almost every time are the Greeks. The Greek Orthodox hierarchy continues to abstain from these “unauthorized,” laity-driven pan-Orthodox discussions and remains silent in the sidelines. Claims of “Royal Priesthood” status notwithstanding, these Metropolitans do not recognize the laity’s  authority to convene such discussions. Furthermore, they,…

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity At its recently adjourned board meeting in Akron, Ohio (May 30, 2014), four OCL members were elected to the Board of Directors.  Each member is passionately committed to Orthodox Christian Unity.  The variety of ages and interests of the new members will strengthen the vision and mission of OCL.   The new board members are:  Ellen Pantazis, Ocala, FL (GOA);  Michael Pacurar, Long Beach CA and Akron, OH (OCA); John Regule, The Villages, FL (OCA); and Roy Snyder, St Louis,  MO (Antiochian Archdiocese). Ellen Pantazis has had professional experiences as an educator and technology coordinator.  She also…

Source: Terry Mattingly On Religion When major religious leaders die, it’s traditional that public figures — secular and sacred — release letters expressing sorrow and sending their condolences to the spiritual sheep who have suddenly found themselves without a shepherd. This is precisely what Greek Orthodox Archbishop Demetrios Trakatellis did, acting as chairman of the assembly of America’s Eastern Orthodox bishops, after he heard about the death of Metropolitan Philip Saliba — the leader of the Antiochian Orthodox Christians in North America for a half century. His letter was kind and gracious, but contained a hint of candor that spoke volumes. “For more than 15 years…

Source: The National Herald By George D. Karcazes Special to The National Herald The letter that Archbishop Kyril, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the “Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia” recently sent to Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, as Chairman of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in North and Central America is disappointing. But, it probably should have been expected. In his letter, Kyril echoes the sentiments of Bishop Danili of the “Bulgarian Diocese in the USA and Canada” which were also in a letter apparently presented to Archbishop Demetrios and his “Committee for…

Mandate The Assembly has been established in accordance with the Decision of the 4th Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference, convoked in Chambésy, Switzerland, June 6-12, 2009, at which met representatives from all the universally-recognized autocephalous Orthodox churches. These representatives recognized substantial canonical “anomalies” in the organization and life of the Church in these regions, and realized that, though these anomalies had arisen from specific historical circumstances and pastoral needs, they nonetheless present a number of serious problems for the faithful; moreover, they give an appearance of disunity in the one holy Church. As such, these representatives unanimously agreed to the formation of…

Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North America Editor’s Note: The first Public Forum on Unity and the Assembly of Bishops was hosted by Orthodox Christian Laity on October 25 2012 at St George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Washington D.C. Bishop Maxim, Serbian Orthodox Church Western Diocese, Alhambra, CA and Protodeacon Peter Danilchick were presenters. OCL will present “The Assembly of Bishops and the Future of Orthodoxy in America” on Saturday November 2 at 9:00 am at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church, Moraga, CA. The Orthodox Christian community of Cleveland, Ohio will host a public forum on the Assembly of Bishops…

We reprint the OCL Resolution calling for Autocephaly of the American Orthodox Church passed in 1998, fifteen years ago, and pray that the meeting of Assembly of Canonical Bishops on September 17-19 in Chicago will make progress in developing the blueprint for a unified, self-governing, canonical Church in our geographic areas.  The “fullness of time” for the unification and autocephaly of the Church in the United States and in all other  geographic areas has arrived.                          – Editor    Orthodox Christian Laity A Resolution for Autocephaly Adopted October 10, 1998 BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  The Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL), assembled…

We are happy to reprint this resolution as the Assembly of Bishops begins its deliberations developing a blueprint for an administratively-unified, self-governing Orthodox Church in North and Central America. For the last 200 years, Orthodox Christians in North America have been working together to bring the message of Christ to their brothers and sisters and to care for widows, the poor, and the least of God’s Children. They lived the faith before there was a formal structure here. They also built most of the churches before there was a formal administrative structure. The Assembly is a turning point to build…

Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America In an unprecedented action, two Orthodox Christian churches—one Greek and one Antiochian—have merged together to form a new parish in northeastern Tennessee. Holy Resurrection (AOCA) in Johnson City and Holy Trinity (GOA) in Bluff City joined together in their first liturgy on June 23, the Feast of Pentecost. The new parish, which has taken the name Christ the Savior, comes under the jurisdiction of His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. The parish is served by Fr. Stephen Mathewes, an Antiochian priest who had been assigned to…

Source: The National Herald by Constantine S. Sirigos NEW YORK, NY – Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL), a national organization of Orthodox Christian laypersons that will mark its 25th anniversary at its annual conference this Fall in California, has been at the forefront of critical Church issues through its publications, conferences, and meetings, despite the fact that few know of its existence. Whether or not people agree with OCL positions – they have met numerous times with hierarchs from of Archdiocese and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, whose officials have alternately viewed them with interest and suspicion – they have a vision for…

Dear Friends of OCL, I am writing to you all during this Lenten Season with a special request, one that does not involve money but rather a bit of your time. Please join me in offering a special prayer asking God’s help in enlightening the hierarchs and leadership of all Orthodox jurisdictions in America so that they move forward with their deliberations regarding the establishment of a unified Orthodox Church in America. I realize that we as individuals have little control as to how the work of our leaders proceeds except through the power of prayer and our actions at…