wfn.org | Leadership 100 renews commitment to Greek Orthodox Archdiocese

[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:
Feb. 25, 2002
Contact:  Rev. Alexander Karloutsos
Tel: (212) 570-3570, Fax: (212) 570-5260

                      LEADERSHIP 100 RENEWS COMMITMENT
                        TO GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE

Laguna  Niguel,  CA  - More than 300 Leadership 100 members and their guests
gathered at the Ritz-Carlton here for their 11th Annual Conference that was
marked  by  reports of increased membership, contributions and grants and a
renewed  commitment to supporting the mission of the Greek Orthodox Church.
The theme was, "Building Our Church for Tomorrow?Today".

Arthur  C.  Anton, Chairman of Leadership 100, reported that the membership
had  increased  to  609 members, surpassing the Millennium Membership Drive
goal.  The  membership campaign, run over the last two years, has accounted
for  more  than 300 new members, doubling the membership of the 17-year-old
organization  founded  by Archbishop Iakovos and a small group of committed
laymen to support the critical ministries of the Greek Orthodox Church.

As  a result, contributions over the course of the campaign now exceed $8.5
million,  according  to Mr. Anton. He also reported that grants, which have
supported  Holy  Cross  School of Theology scholarships for the training of
priests,  retired  clergy, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Internet Ministry
and Information Technology Departments, Youth programs, Religious Education
and  Home  Missions,  now  exceed $9 million and are expected to exceed $10
million in 2002.

The  Executive Committee decided to continue the membership drive through a
new   Membership   Committee,  which  will  plan  diocesan  fellowship  and
cultivation  events.  It  also  instructed the Grant Committee to set clear
priorities  for grants in consultation with the Archbishop, emphasizing its
continued  commitment  to Holy Cross School of Theology. The committee also
launched  an  effort to reduce the burden of student loans on active clergy
through internal fund raising among Leadership 100 members.

The  Board  of  Trustees  adopted  a  set  of  Regulations  proposed by the
Executive  Committee  that  recognized  Arthur  C. Anton, Peter M. Dion and
Michael Jaharis as Founding Members with life-time voting privileges on the
Executive  Committee and the Board of Trustees. They join Andrew A. Athens,
George  C.  Chimples and George P. Kokalis. The group of six were among the
original laymen who founded Leadership 100 with Archbishop Iakovos.

The  highlights  of the conference were two Bible studies led by Archbishop
Demetrios, Opera-Fest by the Sea, a performance by Greek and Greek American
opera  singers  organized  by Leadership 100 member Peter Tiboris, who is a
conductor  and  founder of MidAmerica Productions and a presentation by and
tribute to James Galanos, the world-renowned fashion designer who is also a
member of Leadership 100.

In addition, Fr. Martin Ritsi, Executive Director of the Orthodox Christian
Mission  Center,  addressed a Breakfast meeting and showed a moving film of
the work of Orthodox missionaries around the world.

Other  speakers  included  Dr.  Constantine  Papadakis, President of Drexel
University  in  Philadelphia,  who led the Forum on Hellenism, Dr. Helen C.
Evans, Curator in the Department of Medieval Art at the Metropolitan Museum
of  Art  in New York City who lectured on "The Glory of Byzantium", and Dr.
Maria  Pantelia,  Professor  of Classics at the University of California in
nearby Irvine, who spoke on "The Thesaurus of the Greek Language".

Leadership  100 members from across the country, participating in a General
Assembly,  voiced  suggestions  regarding membership, investments and other
means of increasing contributions.

In a stirring speech at the Grand Banquet that marked the conclusion of the
conference, Arthur C. Anton, in reflecting on the concerns raised at the
General Assembly, spoke of the relationship of Leadership 100 to the Church
and Archdiocese and the necessity of stronger and greater support of
Archdiocesan ministries, as well as the need for a clear vision for the
future of the Church.