wfn.org | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Convention set for San

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Francisco

                    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 20, 2002
Contact: Nikki Stephanopoulos

           " OFFERING OUR ORTHODOX FAITH TO CONTEMPORARY AMERICA"
            36TH BIENNIAL ARCHDIOCESE CLERGY-LAITY CONGRESS THEME

               PARISHES URGED TO SEND FULL SLATE OF DELEGATES

NEW YORK, NY - The Diocese of San Francisco will host the Thirty-Sixth
Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress and National Philoptochos Convention of the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The Congress will convene from June
30-July 4th in Los Angeles with headquarters at the Westin Bonaventure
Hotel. The National Young Adult League Conference will be held in
conjunction with the Congress from June 27-July 1st.

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, spiritual leader of 1.5 million Greek
Orthodox Christians in America, will preside at the Congress, which is
expected to attract 3,000 total participants including some 1,500
registered delegates from more than 550 parishes.

In reflecting on the theme of the Congress, "Offering Our Orthodox Faith to
Contemporary America", Archbishop Demetrios recalled the tragic events of
September 11th, noting that their unprecedented concentration in one day
led many to consider the status of their relationships with God and with
their fellow human beings. He concludes:

" As Orthodox Christians we know that our faith in God and our presence and
labors in this world as the Church are what is needed to address adequately
the challenge of contemporary life and to bring healing, meaning, and
direction to lives of those around us.  In the midst of a world of
challenge, our task is to equip ourselves properly so that we are able to
minister faithfully in truth and love. ? In our willingness to be sent by
our Lord Jesus Christ as He was sent by God the Father, in our deep
commitment to sharing the Gospel with others, and in our affirmation that
we have a sacred mission to bear witness to the truth, we will be Offering
Our Orthodox Faith to Contemporary America.

The Clergy-Laity Congress is convened biennially and is concerned with all
matters, other than doctrinal or canonical, affecting the life, growth and
unity of the Church, her institutions, her finances, her administration,
educational and philanthropic concerns and her growing role in the
religious life of the nation.

Also meeting during the Congress will be the Archdiocesan Presbyters
Council, National Sisterhood of Presvyteras, Retired Greek Orthodox Clergy
of America, the National Forum of Church Musicians, Leadership 100 and the
Order of St. Andrew.

In an urgent directive to the faithful, His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony,
Presiding Hierarch of the Diocese of San Francisco and Chairman of the
Congress stated: Within the life of the Greek Orthodox Church in America,
the Clergy-Laity Congress is a unique instrument whereby Orthodox laypeople
and ordained clergy come together to learn from one another, to be
encouraged by each other, and to discover together the future of our Church
within God's design and providence. It is therefore essential that both
elements, clergy and laity, be fully represented at the Congress.
Unfortunately, although the Archdiocese Special Regulations instruct each
parish to send three lay representatives in addition to its clergy, in the
past the lay component has been consistently under-represented. I therefore
take this opportunity to urge each parish to strive for full representation
at the Congress, so that every voice, clergy and lay alike, may be clearly
heard."

Under the guidance of Archbishop Demetrios, the staff and Departments of
the Archdiocese are preparing an extensive educational program that will
seek to build and expand on previous presentations. The topics and sessions
that will be offered will be a coordinated effort on the part of the
Archdiocese to provide the faithful practical guidance and resources for
establishing and/or enhancing various programs, ministries, and activities
in the life of the parish.

Thousands of faithful from throughout the United States will participate in
the Divine Archierarchical Liturgy opening the Congress on Sunday, June
30th.  Opening ceremonies will be held on Monday, July 1 highlighted by the
Keynote Address of Archbishop Demetrios. Earlier that morning, the Divine
Liturgy  will be celebrated in Spanish by Father John Bakas, Dean of St.
Sophia Cathedral assisted by the Young Boys Choir of St. Innocent Orphanage
of Tijuana, Mexico. A celebration of Greek folk heritage in music and dance
is scheduled for July 2nd, an Ecumenical Doxology on the Fourth of July and
the closing banquet that evening.