wfn.org | Greek Orthodox Church broadcasts services live on Internet

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

                    GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
    8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10021  Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212)
                                  774-0215
         Web: http://www.goarch.org Email: communications@goarch.org

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:
February 19, 2002
Contact: Nikki Stephanopoulos

      Live Internet Broadcast of All Services Now Available Online From
         Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Orange, Connecticut

Individuals with access to the Internet are now able to receive live audio
and video broadcasts of the Divine Liturgy and other services each week
from Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Orange, Connecticut.   The live
broadcasts are being made possible by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
Department of Internet Ministries and are available from both the Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese of America web site: http://www.goarch.org/live.html
and from the Saint Barbara web site: http://www.saintbarbara.org. These
live broadcasts are an attempt to minister to those who, for good reason,
are unable to attend Church services.

"We are very excited to offer this ministry to Orthodox Christians
worldwide," said Rev. Peter Orfanakos, the pastor of St. Barbara Greek
Orthodox Church.  "This provides a wonderful opportunity for those who are
unable to attend services on a regular basis.  They still can experience
the prayer cycle of the Orthodox Church by logging on to our website, and
prayerfully attending the services."  Father Peter further emphasized,
"Attending the services via cyberspace should be seen as a vehicle is to
enhance the participation of the faithful in their local communities."

As an integral part of this outreach, the youth at Saint Barbara have begun
setting up these live broadcasts for parishioners unable to attend due to
health concerns and those in nursing homes, who will benefit most from this
ministry.  Parishioners who have been attending the site on a regular basis
have described the environment as "spiritually connecting them to the
community," "captivating and attention getting," "a focused and prayerful
opportunity otherwise not available."

Orthros begins at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time each Sunday and the Divine Liturgy
at 9:45 a.m. Eastern Time.  Since 1998, the Department of Internet
Ministries has been providing live weekly broadcasts of the divine services
from the Church of the Holy Cross in Belmont, CA.  The addition of Saint
Barbara now provides weekly broadcasts in multiple time zones.   The live
broadcasts are part of a national initiative by the Department of Internet
Ministries to connect every diocese and parish in the Archdiocese of
America to the Internet.