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OCMC HONORED AND BLESSED BY OFFICIAL VISIT OF HIERARCHS AND


From Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>
Date Thu, 27 Feb 2003 19:01:32 -0800

					SCOBA
	   The Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the
				       Americas
			8 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10021

OCMC HONORED AND BLESSED BY OFFICIAL VISIT OF HIERARCHS AND FAITHFUL

February 26, 2003

On  Saturday,  February  22, 2003 the Orthodox Christian Mission Center was
blessed  by  the  presence of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America,
three  Metropolitans,  the  founding  director	of  the  Mission Center and
members of the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Endowment Fund.

Archbishop  Demetrios,	Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America and
Chairman  of  the  Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops, along
with   Metropolitan   Iakovos  of  Chicago,  Metropolitan  Anthony  of	San
Francisco, Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta, Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos and
70  members  of  Leadership  100  made	an  official  visit to the Orthodox
Christian  Mission  Center  in	St.  Augustine,  Florida.  The visit was in
conjunction  with  the 12(superscript: th) Annual Leadership 100 Conference
which was held February 19-23 in Amelia Island, Florida.

Leadership  100  is a group of benefactors who are dedicated to seeding and
nurturing   ministries	that  advance  the  Orthodox  faith.  The  Orthodox
Christian  Mission  Center  is	the second largest recipient of grants from
Leadership  100,  having  received  over $700,000 for the establishment and
support of various missions programs.

"This visit was a great encouragement for all of us at the Mission Center,"
said  Father  Martin  Ritsi, OCMC's Executive Director. "We are honored and
strengthened  by  the  visitation of the Archbishop and the other hierarchs
along  with  the  members  of  Leadership  100	who came to see the Mission
Center."

Small group tours of the Mission Center were followed by refreshments and a
general  welcome  by  Fr.  Martin Ritsi.  His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios
then  addressed  all  those present with words of thanks, encouragement and
endorsement for the ministries of OCMC.

"We  all have to grow in our understanding of how missions are essential to
the  faith of Orthodox Christianity and not just an appendix." His Eminence
said  to  those  present.  "Much of the work being done here at the Mission
Center is made possible by the investment and support of donors like you."

Through  out his talk the Archbishop presented different parts of the world
involved  in  missions.  He  spoke  first  about  Korea,  praising  it as a
"wonderful  modern  example  of  mission work". He spoke about the exciting
growth	being seen all over Africa especially supported by OCMC's Support A
Mission Priest program. His Eminence also spoke of the good work being done
in places like Albania by missionaries and mission teams.

For many of the guests this was their first visit to the Orthodox Christian
Mission  Center.  As the people left they expressed excitement and interest
in  seeing  the depth and extent of OCMC's ministry to bring the message of
Christ's salvation and love to the ends of the earth.

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