SEPTEMBER 2001 VOLUME 45 NO. 7

Transcription

1 SEPTEMBER 2001 VOLUME 45 NO. 7

2 CONTENTS The Most Reverend Metropolitan PHILIP, D.H.L., D.D. Primate The Right Reverend Bishop Antoun, Auxiliary The Right Reverend Bishop Joseph, Auxiliary The Right Reverend Bishop Basil, Auxiliary The Right Reverend Bishop Demetri, Auxiliary Founded in Arabic as Al Kalimat in 1905 by Saint Raphael Hawaweeny Founded in English as The Word in 1957 by Metropolitan Antony Bashir Editor in Chief The Very Rev. John P. Abdalah, M.Div. Assistant Editor Joanne M. Abdalah, MSW Editorial Board The Very Rev. Joseph J. Allen, Th.D. Anthony Bashir, Ph.D. The Very Rev. Antony Gabriel, Th.M. The Very Rev. Peter Gillquist Linda Hopkins Anne Glynn Mackoul, J.D. Ronald Nicola Najib E. Saliba, Ph.D. The Very Rev. Paul Schneirla, M.Div. Design Director Donna Griffin Albert Editorial Office: The Word 1777 Quigg Dr. Pittsburgh, PA FAX: Subscription Office: 358 Mountain Road Englewood, NJ METROPOLITAN PHILIP S ADDRESS TO THE 45TH ARCHDIOCESAN CONVENTION, ADDRESS OF HIS EXCELLENCY, ISSAM FARES 10 RESOLUTIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE 45TH CONVENTION OF THE ANTIOCHIAN ARCHDIOCESE OF NORTH AMERICA 14 ARCHDIOCESE BOARD OF TRUSTEES HOLD SPRING MEETING 16 A WORD FOR THE MONTH By Very Rev. Stephen Rogers 17 THE DEPARTMENT OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 21 ARCHDIOCESAN OFFICE 24 ORDER OF ST. IGNATIUS By Suzy Sayfie 26 COMMUNITIES IN ACTION 31 THE ORTHODOX WORLD 34 THE PEOPLE SPEAK MEMBER The Associated Church Press Conciliar Press Ecumenical News International Orthodox Press Service COVER HIS EXCELLENCY, ISSAM M. FARES, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Lebanon, delivered the keynote address at the bamquet of the 45th Archdiocesan Convention in LA on July 28, VOLUME 45 NO. 7 SEPTEMBER 2001 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: U.S.A. and Canada, $20.00 Foreign Countries, $26.00 Single Copies, $3.00 THE WORD (USPS ), published monthly except July and August, by the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America at 358 Mountain Road, periodicals postage paid at Englewood, New Jersey and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to: THE WORD, 358 Mountain Road, Englewood, NJ ISSN The Word

3 ADDRESS METROPOLITAN PHILIP S ADDRESS TO THE 45TH ARCHDIOCESAN CONVENTION, 2001 Your Eminences, Your Graces, Beloved Clergy, Esteemed Members of the Board of Trustees, Ladies and Gentlemen: S IX YEARS AGO, WE CELEbrated a new century in the life of our Archdiocese in North America. This year, we enter our third Christian Millennium. The theme that I chose for our first convention of the new millennium is a quotation from the Book of Revelation: Behold, I make all things new (Rev. 21:1). The author of Revelation continues his eschatological theme by saying, then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; and the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. For the benefit of those who do not understand the meaning of the word eschatology, this word is derived from the Greek work eschatos. Eschatology, then, is a branch of theology concerned with the final events at the end of the world or the ultimate destiny of humankind. You may add to that the second coming, the resurrection of the dead and the last judgment. The Book of Revelation is unique in its eschatological emphasis. Some prophets of the Old Testament pointed to similar things. In Isaiah we read, For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and all former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create (Isaiah 65:17-18). God is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the God of yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever. Eschatology, this branch of Christian theology, is very difficult to understand; even the Fathers of the Church did not write much about it. Therefore, instead of dwelling on the eschatological aspect of this convention theme, I will direct your attention to the cosmic dimension of the new creation, manifested in the writings of the apostles, especially St. Paul. To St. Paul, the incarnation and the resurrection are the most decisive events in human history. Christ is the new Adam, and newness is rooted in him. In II Corinthians, St. Paul said: Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come (II Cor. 5:17). In the Paschal canon, written by John of Damascus, Christ is the new drink, not wondrously produced from a barren rock, but from the fountain of incorruption (Third Ode). According to John of Damascus, Christ is the new fruit of the vine which is for divine rejoicing. The Church is the new Jerusalem and Christ is the new Passover. In the Saturday Vespers of the second tone, we chant: The shadow of the law has been annulled by the coming of Grace. In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, the Evangelist says: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Jeremiah the Prophet says, Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers (Jeremiah 31). Thus, in the fullness of time, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Christ, therefore, is the new truth and the new covenant which was written by his own blood. St. Paul says: This cup is the covenant in my blood, do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me (I Cor. 11:25). Ladies and Gentlemen: We are the new covenant which was written by His own blood. The resurrection of Christ from the dead has inaugurated the eternal kingdom whose capital is the Church, the new Jerusalem. If we are citizens of this new kingdom, we should, as St. Paul put it, Put off the old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God, in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:22-24). We are no longer slaves to the law of Moses. We are the children of Christ Jesus. And from His fullness have we all received, grace upon grace (John 1:16). He liberated us from the law. Thus, we became His children by adoption. Our sufficiency, however, is from God, who has qualified us to be ministers of a new covenant, not in a written code but in the Spirit; for the written September

4 code kills, but the Spirit gives life (II Cor. 3:5-6). Ladies and Gentlemen: As we begin a third Christian millennium, we feel challenged by the theme of this convention to renew our commitment to our Orthodox faith and the eternal ideals and principles which our Church represents. I am not advocating a new theology because we have the best theology. The question is: Are we worthy of this theology? Is our Orthodox Church, today, worthy of this theology? Are we willing to defend this theology against all kinds of compromise? Have our Orthodox Patriarchs met to formulate a common vision for our new Orthodox century? And if they did, what is their vision? We need leadership with courage, intelligence and commitment to Christ and Orthodoxy as we face the challenges of the new ADDRESS century. We need future leaders who do not simply want to preserve the legacy of the past, but to make this legacy known to the whole world, especially America, through mission and evangelism. In gratitude to America, which opened its arms to our fathers and forefathers during difficult times, we must offer to America, in return, Holy Orthodoxy: particularly, our cosmic understanding of God, man and nature. But in order to do that, we must put our own house in order. We cannot offer America a fragmented Orthodox Church. God knows, we have enough fragmentation in this society. Do not fall under the illusion that the old patriarchates desire Orthodox unity in this hemisphere. Unity cannot be given; it must be taken through your constant struggle and strong commitment to our Holy Orthodox faith. As you well know, not many Orthodox are left in Istanbul, Jerusalem, Alexandria and Antioch. The Task Force on Jerusalem opened the first Arab Orthodox Church in Amman, with the approval of the Jordanian government. This very same government reversed its decision and closed the Arab Orthodox Church, through the influence of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and who knows, perhaps the Mossad. We Orthodox have been on this continent for more than two centuries. We had more unity during the 19th century and the beginning of the last century than we have today. The brightest moment, which we experienced during the waning years of the past century, was our Inter- Orthodox gathering at the Antiochian Village. We spent, on that beautiful mountain, two days in prayers, discussions and true Orthodox fellowship. Some of the bishops who gathered at the Antiochian Village met each other for the first time; despite the brightness of that transfiguring experience, we were severely criticized by our Mother Churches for coming together and trying to discover a common vision for Orthodoxy on this continent. As an indirect result of that historic encounter, the Greek Archdiocese, which Archbishop Iakovos built with his sweat and blood, was fragmented. You should not be surprised, when I disappear from the scene, if you find this great Archdiocese also fragmented. In order to prevent that, you must remain united, like an invincible fortress, always remembering my admonition to you at the Archdiocesan Convention in this same city, twenty years ago. Even if the angels come and tell you division of this Archdiocese is good, do not believe them. Ladies and Gentlemen: During the past thirty-five years, we have contributed to the Mother Church millions of dollars without receiving a thank-you, except from a few archbishops who were kind enough to write. We have fulfilled the promise of Metropolitan Antony, of blessed memory, to build the first Orthodox School of Theology in the Middle East. One day after my consecration on August 14, 1966, we traveled to Balamand with the late Patriarch Theodosius VI, on the Feast of the Dormition. After the liturgy, a plaque was unveiled, announcing to the whole world the establishment of the School of Theology. This school was not established in 1970, as one brochure of the University of Balamand states. This academy was dedicated in 1971, as our records show, and it was the first building at the University of Balamand. In the late eighties, when the university was established by our father-in-christ, Patriarch Ignatius IV, we built the Antiochian Village, a huge building housing students and some faculty members. A few years

5 later, the President of the University, Dr. Elie Salem, asked us to build a Cultural and Sports Complex. We obliged and raised more than one million dollars for this project, which is about to be completed. We have been sending $100,000 a year for the St. John of Damascus School of Theology. I am sure you remember the help we extended to St. George Orthodox Hospital of Beirut during the dark days of the Lebanese uncivil war. Some of the money which we have been sending to the Middle East, such as Children s Relief Fund, Orphanages, and Food for Hungry People, comes from the Order of St. Ignatius, the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America and the Fellowship of St. John the Divine. Most of this money, however, comes from you, the faithful of this Archdiocese. I am very grateful to the Order, the Antiochian Women, the Fellowship and all of you. Last fall, a delegation led by His Grace Bishop Demetri, Archdiocesan Trustee Mansour Rayan, Dr. George Madanat, President of the Task Force, and some clergy and laity traveled to Jordan, taking with them a check in the amount of $100, for the orphans of the victims of the Palestinian Intifada. We will never abandon our people in the Middle East. Time, unfortunately, does not permit me to mention all the projects to which we contributed through the years, nationally and internationally. We contributed millions. I want you to know that one-third of our budget goes to charity. My dear friends, Here in America we say, charity begins at home, and rightly so. Since the completion of the second phase of our Heritage and Learning Center, we have not done much for the well-being of our own Archdiocese. For this reason, I have been criticized by some of our people for not doing enough for my children here in North America; this criticism is justified. The Board of ADDRESS Trustees of our Archdiocese, at its Spring Meeting, June 1-2, 2001, decided to add a third phase to the Heritage and Learning Center. Plans were presented to us by Mr. Robert Laham and we decided to go ahead with this project. I immediately appointed Dr. George Farha, Vice Chairman of our Board of Trustees, to conduct a national drive for this purpose. We are lucky to have in the Heritage and Learning Center a precious collection of old icons and other cultural artifacts. I acquired some of these items during my visits to Russia and other countries. They must be kept in a museum with special environmental and temperature controls; otherwise, we will lose these precious icons. We also have some ancient manuscripts which must be preserved in a special section of the building. This project will cost us about one and a half million dollars. I ask our Trustees, the Reverend Clergy and laity to help us in every possible way to raise this money in order to preserve a glorious spiritual and cultural heritage. Speaking about the Heritage and Learning Center, I want you to know that our new director, Father Michael Massouh, is doing an excellent job. Our departments and organizations are doing well, but this is not enough. We should do more. The majority of our parishes are not attracting most of our y o u n g people to live a life worthy of their calling. How many of our Orthodox young people below the age of thirty, regardless of jurisdiction, go to church on Sunday? We should do more in the field of Christian Education, Youth Ministry, Sacred Music, Publications, Theological Education and various ministries of the Archdiocese. Ladies and Gentlemen, We have been talking about Orthodox Unity in America for almost a century. I know and you know that some Orthodox jurisdictions are not ready to make such a daring move. Does that mean we abandon the dream? I say, NEVER! The big question is whether the Church and her institutions can discover new horizons and face the challenges of the new century while sailing on stormy seas of change. The Spring Meeting of the Board of Trustees of your Archdiocese responded courageously to one of the challenges and introduced the following resolution which was adopted unanimously: WHEREAS, for the salvation of the

6 ADDRESS faithful in North America and the proper administration of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, it is imperative that we be governed autonomously and not from 6,000 miles across the ocean, THEREFORE, the General Assembly of this Forty-fifth Convention of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America does hereby petition the Holy Synod of Antioch to grant the Archdiocese autonomy. I want you to know that this resolution, which will be presented to you by our Chancellor, Charles Ajalat in a longer version during the course of this assembly, was also unanimously accepted by the bishops of this Archdiocese. My dear friends, During the past thirty-five years, we have come a long way. I would like to give some statistics to prove my point. We now have 270 priests and 80 deacons, a total of 350 clergy at your service. In 1966, we had sixty-five parishes; thanks be to God we now have 235 parishes and missions. We have thirty-two retired priests who are indeed a blessing to this Archdiocese. You should know that, beginning last February, our retired priests are now receiving $700 a month for housing allowance, a raise of one hundred dollars from last year, thanks to the Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch. If more people join the Order of St. Ignatius, perhaps, in a few years, every retired priest will be receiving one thousand dollars a month from the Archdiocese. In addition, we have twenty-four seminarians studying at various Orthodox Schools of Theology and every seminarian, if qualified, receives a full scholarship from the Archdiocese. Our Antiochian House of Studies is doing an excellent job under the leadership of the Very Reverend Father Joseph Allen. The Antiochian House of Studies is the best alternative to scholastic theology. It is a school of applied theology which deals with life in all its complexities, a theology which relates to our problems now, as we enter the twenty-first century. Every time I have an opportunity to speak with our graduate seminarians, I tell them, My dear children, now you have graduated from the school of books and papers. The greatest books which I want you to read are the faces of your future parishioners. You will receive your real degrees in Orthodox Theology when you succeed in your pastoral 6 The Word

7 ADDRESS life. Hence, the importance of applied theology. We do not know our children any more, nor do our children know us. How do we explain high school kids shooting their teachers and fellow students? How do we explain the fact that one of every two marriages ends in divorce? These are some of the problems which we are facing. Therefore, we need a theology which offers answers to such problems. Although they have not been with me from the beginning of my episcopacy, they have made and continue to make a tremendous spiritual impact on the life of this Archdiocese. From the depth of my heart, I want to thank our senior bishop, His Grace Bishop Antoun, who is celebrating this year fifty years in the priesthood. I want to thank His Grace Bishop Joseph, His Grace Bishop Basil and last but not least, His Grace Bishop Demetri. We still need two more bishops, which will happen in due time. Since I began my ministry as your archbishop, some of our beloved clergy and trustees have passed on to life eternal. May their souls rest in peace. To the thirty-two retired clergy, I say thank you for fighting the good fight. And to the 350 priests and deacons who are still serving you and helping me to renew your spirits and preach Orthodoxy to America, for to serve Thee is a great and terrible thing even to the heavenly powers, I say, thank you for being such good soldiers. The Board of Trustees is the highest governing body of our Archdiocese. These ladies and gentlemen of the Board do not only give of their time to serve you, but of their financial means to make sure that this Archdiocese is achieving its goals. I would like, especially, to thank the officers of the board, namely: the Vice-Chairman of this Archdiocese, Dr. George Farha; the Chairman of the Department of Finance and Treasurer, Mr. Robert Laham; the Assistant Treasurer, Mr. George Nassor; the Secretary, Dr. John Dalack; and my profound thanks to our two outstanding chancellors, Mr. Robert Koory and Mr. Charles Ajalat. And I want to thank all members of the Board of Trustees, especially those who serve on the Village Council. If you carefully examine the budget of the Archdiocese, you will find that the Order of St. Ignatius is contributing one-third of our Archdiocesan budget. This year, the Order of St. Ignatius is celebrating its Silver Jubilee. Thank you, members of the Order, for twenty-five years of excellence. The scripture admonishes us to help orphans, widows and needy people. We thank God for the Antiochian Women of North America for their total dedication to charity. For the past four years, they have dedicated their efforts to raise money for orphans in the Middle East and the Americas. One of their goals is to establish a one-million dollar endowment to give perpetual help for orphans; they are indeed the deaconesses of the early church and we are most grateful to them. Speaking about charity, I would be remiss if I do not thank the Very Reverend Father George Rados, who directs the Children s Relief in the Middle East. I would also be remiss if I do not profoundly thank a young lady, Robin Nicholas of St. Nicholas Cathedral, who for many years has dedicated her life to help hungry people everywhere through our Food for Hungry People Program. I want to thank the Fellowship of St. John the Divine for their various ministries in our parishes. I also want to thank Teen SOYO who through their youth, vibrancy and enthusiasm reflect the future of our Archdiocese. Many thanks to the various chairpersons of our departments, commissions, committees and parish councils on the parochial level. I want you to know that I have a wonderful staff who serve you diligently, in my bad times and in my good times. I am very much indebted to them for all the success which we have had throughout the years: namely, my new Episcopal Assistant, Archimandrite Michael Evans; my dedicated secretary for thirty-two years, Kathy Meyer, whom you all know by her voice; Peter Dacales, Arlene Assile, Reema Richie and last, but not least, my constant companion on the road, Archdeacon Hans El-Hayek. Last year, during my illness, I almost reached the other shores, if it were not for the diligence, attention and loving care of my dear friend and doctor, Eugene Sayfie. Ladies and Gentlemen, Thirty-five years ago, on a mountain and in a church where I had begun my journey to the kingdom fifty-five years ago, God entrusted me with this vineyard, this ship, and commissioned me to lead it to a safe harbor. For thirty-five years, we have been sailing, sometimes with the wind, and sometimes against the wind, as Oliver Wendell Holmes put it, but we kept sailing. If I leave you before we reach this safe harbor, I beg you to keep the torch burning and the dream alive. As we begin a new century, I say to you what St. Paul said to the Ephesians: Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in truth, righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:22-24). May the Name of Him who makes all things new be blessed forever and ever. September

8 ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS the antiochian orthodox christians: THEIR PLACE AND THEIR ROLE HIS EXCELLENCY, ISSAM M. FARES DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, REPUBLIC OF LEBANON KEYNOTE ADDRESS TO THE 45th ANNUAL ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN ARCHDIOCESAN CONVENTION LOS ANGELES, CA JULY 28, 2001 Y OUR EMINENCE, THE MOST Reverend Metropolitan Philip, Your Excellencies, the metropolitans and bishops, Dr. Fred Milkie, Chairman of the Convention, Ladies and Gentlemen: Thank you, Metropolitan Philip, for your kind and generous introduction. It is a great privilege to address the 45th Antiochian Orthodox Christian Convention in Los Angeles. The privilege is greater since the Convention is honoring the 35th anniversary of the man I respect and admire, Metropolitan Philip. To Metropolitan Philip and also to Bishop Antoun, who is completing his 50th year of priesthood, my sincere wishes for a long and successful tenure. Tonight, I am delighted to address you as an Antiochian Orthodox, as a Lebanese and as an Arab. As Antiochian Orthodox, we follow Saints Peter and Paul who founded the Church in Antioch, known in history as the City under God. We follow the Apostles and the Fathers of the Church. Our faith is based on the consensus of those early carriers of the message of Jesus Christ. We represent the Church in its finest form of doctrine, unity, and purity. While we respect all spiritual capitals of Christianity, we hold fast to the distinguished role of Antioch. It is truly the mother of all Christian capitals. In Antioch, for the first time, the followers of Christ were called Christians. Let us remember that, and let us keep Antioch as our guiding star. We are Christian Arabs, and we are proud to be an Eastern Church. When Islam emerged six centuries after Christ, we were there to welcome the new religion and to stand by it against foreign occupiers. We are the original Christians and we are from that region. We are neither newcomers to Christianity nor to the Arab region. We were there for the last 2000 years, and there we shall stay for millennia to come. We Antiochian Orthodox Christians live and prosper in a pluralist society. We respect other cultures and religions. We do not impose ourselves on others, but we do not appreciate others imposing themselves on us. While we do not intrude on others, we welcome those who willingly and from their own free choice, join our Antiochian Orthodox Church. In North America and under Metropolitan Philip, we have been welcoming newcomers to our Church with open arms. To those of you who are with us this evening, I say, Welcome Home. As Antiochian Orthodox Christians, we are a religious minority in all countries of the Middle East and North America. But we never behave as a minority. We have no complexes and we are not insecure. We always act as members of the mainstream, and often as its leaders. We have always led the major national movements in the region in the last two centuries. Our contributions to progress, democracy and human dignity in the region are well known. In almost all national and 8 The Word

9 ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS reform movements we have always been in the forefront. In the Lebanese war that fragmented the country, Antiochian Orthodox leaders played an important role in bringing peace to Lebanon. Of all the proposals submitted by Lebanese communities to end the war, the principles submitted by the leaders of our Antiochian Orthodox community on October 18, 1983, stand out among the best. We declared then: That Lebanon is a final nationstate; there will be no partition, no secession, no cantons; That Lebanon is an integral part of the Arab world; That Lebanon is independent and sovereign within its internationally recognized borders; That Lebanon is a republican, democratic country based on fundamental freedoms; That the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights should be incorporated in the Lebanese constitution; That the future of Lebanon should be determined by agreement among the Lebanese; all Lebanese, Christians and Muslims. You will be pleased to learn that these principles, declared in 1983, were fully incorporated in the 1989 Taif Agreement that brought peace to Lebanon. While Lebanon has made great progress since the end of the war in 1990, we still face major hurdles. This is expected for countries that have been in war for some twenty years. We are working hard to repair the damage in all sectors private and public. We are attempting reform under most difficult national and regional conditions. Regarding the Middle East, after fifty years of a persistent Arab- Israeli conflict, our region deserves peace, and deserves continuous attention from the United States. We in Lebanon are working together to withstand regional pressures and ensure a just and courageous peace in the region. Only in such peace can Lebanon attain the stability it needs to play a leading role in furthering the causes of freedom and prosperity in the region. The regional peace we seek must incorporate: First The withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Arab territories; Second The elimination of weapons of mass destruction in the region; Third The establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital; Fourth The right of return of Palestinian refugees to their homes and to the new Palestinian state, and their right to compensation. You and I know that these principles, though just and fair, will not be implemented without strong and persistent American involvement. Your role in this regard is important. The Middle East is too important for the United States to be left to linger in its own contradictions. The Middle East is the home of the three heavenly religions. It is a strategic region linking three continents. It has the largest reservoir of oil in the world. It is thus the engine for the world economy. Let me add at this occasion that the Middle East is also important because it is the home of the Antiochian Orthodox Church. The stability of the Middle East is important for the stability of the world order. The Arab-Israeli conflict, if left unchecked, could lead to a regional war whose widening tide could not be contained. As Antiochian Orthodox, we are concerned in this conflict. We have always upheld the just national causes in the region, and now it is our moral duty to support a just peace, a peace that will recognize the full rights of the Lebanese, the Syrians and the Palestinians. You, as loyal and influential Americans and Canadians, have the opportunity to influence decisionmakers in both countries. You have the opportunity to enlighten your leaders about the basic issues facing your countries of origin. You have the opportunity to make a difference in what America and Canada do, or not do, in our part of the world. Allow me tonight, therefore, to ask you to get involved. You will be better Citizens if you are more involved in the system. I am not asking you to be less Americans or less Canadians. On the contrary, I am urging you to be more Americans and more Canadians by getting involved. I also want to address specifically our American sisters and brothers. You live in this great country. Your country is the leader of the world. This adds to your challenges and duties a dimension and responsibility not available to other Antiochian Orthodox Christians around the globe. We want peace, a just peace, for all countries in the region. We want freedom and respect of the basic principles of human rights for all peoples in the region. We want economic prosperity and reasonable living conditions for all countries and peoples in the region. To achieve such noble goals, to achieve peace, freedom and prosperity, we need the help of the United States. Such an objective can only be achieved if you are willing to help, if you become more involved, if you become better Americans. Last, but not least, allow me to express again my gratitude to our spiritual leader in North America, Metropolitan Philip, for providing me with the opportunity to meet with you this evening. I would like to commend him for his leadership in uniting, guiding, and galvanizing our Antiochian Orthodox community in North America. For these efforts he has earned our deepest gratitude. Ladies and Gentlemen, let us applaud loud and clear the tireless efforts of our beloved leader, Metropolitan Philip, and wish him Many, many years of happiness and good health. GOD BLESS YOU. September

10 RESOLUTIONS RESOLUTIONS of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE 45TH CONVENTION OF THE ANTIOCHIAN ARCHDIOCESE OF NORTH AMERICA CONCERNING AUTONOMY WHEREAS, the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America ( Archdiocese ) has grown from a small mission, directed chiefly to immigrants from the Near East, into a vast archdiocese of approximately 230 parishes and missions, over 350 clergy and approximately 500,000 faithful, whose ethnic diversity increasingly approximates the rich ethnic diversity of North America itself; WHEREAS, among other things the growth of the Archdiocese has been accompanied by an increase in the number of bishops serving in it, from a single Metropolitan to a Metropolitan and four auxiliary bishops; WHEREAS, the Archdiocese has developed its own internal structures and institutions, which respond effectively to the particular cultural and political conditions in North America, while at the same time reflecting the Orthodox Church s perennial norms for the well-ordered life of an autonomous local church; WHEREAS, the granting of the status of autonomy to the Archdiocese by the Holy Synod of Antioch at this time would confirm and strengthen the Archdiocese s capacity for effective self-governance, and thus help to ensure the stability of the Archdiocese and its continued flourishing in the future; WHEREAS, such autonomy would safeguard the canonical principle that local matters should be handled locally, among other things allowing the selection of bishops for the Archdiocese whose life and work is known to the faithful here and who are familiar with the situation of the Church in the United States and Canada; 10 The Word

11 RESOLUTIONS WHEREAS, such autonomy would allow greater flexibility to the Archdiocese as it works with other Orthodox jurisdictions towards the establishment of an administratively united Orthodox Church in North America, which would more fully embody the witness of Orthodoxy on this continent; WHEREAS, the autonomous Archdiocese would continue to maintain close ties with the Mother Church of Antioch, with its institutions and faithful, always mindful of its spiritual roots; WHEREAS, His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius and His Eminence Metropolitan Philip will be meeting to discuss this resolution; THEREFORE, the General Assembly of this 45th Convention of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese does hereby beseech the Patriarch and the Holy Synod of Antioch to grant the Archdiocese autonomy, the details of which would be worked out, in consultation with the Patriarch. (Revised form, passed by the General Assembly July 27, 2001) This Resolution was accepted by the General Assembly of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America on July 27, 2001 by a favorable vote of 97.7%. There were 755 votes cast, including 738 yes, 11 no, and 6 abstentions. 45th Convention of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America welcomes with warm Orthodox Christian love and joy, our beloved Metropolitans Antonio, Sergios, Kirilos, Damaskinos and Paul and Bishop Niphon. RESOLUTION THANKING THE ORGANIZERS OF THE CONVENTION WHEREAS, St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles, California has done an outstanding job in hosting the 45th Convention of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America; WHEREAS, St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral of Los Angeles, has hosted the convention under the leadership of its priest, the Very Reverend Father Michael Najim, Dr. Fredrick Milkie, Convention Chairman, Parish Council President Dr. Jameel Hourani and past-president Dr. George Madanat and through the leadership, dedication and hard RESOLUTION WELCOMING ANTIOCHIAN HIERARCHS WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the 45th Convention of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America feels honored to have with us our Antiochian bishops from so many parts of the world, Metropolitan Antonio Chedraoui of Mexico, Metropolitan Sergios Abad of Chile, Metropolitan Kirilos Doumat of Argentina, Metropolitan Damaskinos Mansour of Brazil, Metropolitan Paul Saliba of Australia and Bishop Niphon Saikaly, Exarch of the Antiochian Patriarchate in Moscow; NOW, HEREBY BE IT RESOLVED that the General Assembly of the September

12 RESOLUTIONS work of the Convention Committee and parishioners of St. Nicholas; WHEREAS, this convention is a special one in that it is the first convention of the Archdiocese this millennium and is important in terms of laying out the future of our Archdiocese; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the General Assembly of the 45th Convention of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America expresses its gratitude for the hospitality and the leadership provided by St. Nicholas Parish, Los Angeles, the Very Reverend Father Michael Najim, Dr. Fredrick Milkie, Dr. Jameel Hourani and Dr. George Madanat, the Convention Committee and all those who worked to make this convention a tremendous success and congratulates them on this historic convention. MIDDLE EAST RESOLUTION WHEREAS, the people of Palestine are resisting an illegal military occupation of their ancestral country by Israel; WHEREAS, such Palestinian resistance to Israel is an expression of human and civil rights guaranteed by international law; WHEREAS, Israel has transgressed all international conventions regarding occupied lands with regard to the preservation of the rights of the people in occupied Palestine; WHEREAS, the United Nations General Assembly has continually drawn attention to Israel s transgression of the human and civil rights of the Palestinians in the occupied territories, and Israel has disregarded UN resolutions to abide by international laws and conventions; WHEREAS, Israel has used and continues to use excessive violent military measures against the Palestinians reclaiming their rights, and resorts to the use of heavy weapons, helicopter gunships, F-16 airplanes, and live ammunitions against unarmed civilians, including boys and children, throwing stones at the occupiers; and WHEREAS, Israel has detained without trial hundreds of Palestinians on account of their rightful resistance to occupation; THEREFORE, the General Assembly of the 45th Convention of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America RESOLVES: (1) To condemn Israel for the use of excessive violent force to subdue the Palestinians; (2) To lend its moral support to the Palestinian people resisting an illegal occupation and seeking their human and civil rights; (3) To call upon Israel to abide by UN resolutions, and international laws and conventions, including the cessation of building settlements on occupied Palestinian lands; (4) To demand that Israel free all Palestinian detainees held without trial on account of their rightful resistance to occupation; (5) To call upon Israel to resume the peace process with the Palestinians and implement all UN Resolutions, i.e. 242, 338, 194 and other resolutions pertaining to the 12 The Word

13 RESOLUTIONS Palestinian-Israeli conflict and withdraw from all occupied territories; (6) To call upon Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights of Syria and the Shibaa Farms of Lebanon in accordance with the UN Resolutions 242 and 425. (7) To ask all peace-loving nations to support the Palestinian struggle against occupation, usurpation of lands and rights, destruction of homes and roads, uprooting of trees, forcible illegal detentions, and excessive violence against unarmed civilians. RESOLUTION ON THE ARAB ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMMAN WHEREAS, the establishment of the Arab Orthodox Church in Amman, Jordan was an interpretation of the will and the desire of many concerned, courageous and dedicated Arab Orthodox Christians to preserve their faith and to sustain the identity and their heritage as native Arab Orthodox Christians, WHEREAS, the Arab Orthodox Church in Amman was never under the ecclesiastical authority of the Patriarch of Jerusalem and was established with the written expressed and implied consents of the Jordanian authorities. Furthermore, it was in uniformity with the Jordanian constitution and the international declaration of human and religious rights on which Jordanian government is a signer. BE IT RESOLVED: The Antiochian Orthodox Christians throughout the United States and Canada represented by this 45th Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese vehemently protest the decision of the Ministry of Internal affairs in Jordan to close the constitutionally legal Arab Orthodox Church in Amman. The said decision is a clear violation of the Jordanian constitution, which is the source and the reference point of all Jordanian laws. It is also a violation of the Jordanian Orthodox Christians human and religious rights guaranteed and protected by all international declaration and treaties. The participants of this solemn convention, on behalf of half a million members of this Archdiocese, urge the Jordanian Government to immediately withdraw its decision to close the church and to allow all citizens to practice their religious rights freely and peacefully. September

14 BOARD OF TRUSTEES ARCHDIOCESE BOARD OF TRUSTEES HOLDS SPRING MEETING, PASSES HISTORIC RESOLUTION T HE BOARD OF TRUSTEES of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America held its annual spring meeting at the Archdiocese Headquarters in Englewood, NJ from June 1-2, The Board Chairman, His Eminence Metropolitan Philip, opened the meeting with prayer and led the deliberations. The Archdiocese Board discussed various issues of concern, including the following: 1. Phase III of the Antiochian Village: This phase will encompass the building of a museum building to house the artifacts, icons and other treasures in the proper way. The situation that now exists, that is, simply using a wing of the Heritage and Learning Center, is no longer plausible and will lead to the deterioration of some priceless and historical treasures. Phase III will also include the expansion of the Center Library, which has outgrown its present space. During the course of the meeting, a substantial amount of money was pledged by the trustees in support of the project. 2. The Passing of the Budget for the Fiscal Year Ending January 1, 2003: The budget, already approved by the finance committee at its May meeting, was approved at the Archdiocese Board meeting and sent to the general assembly of the Archdiocese in Los Angeles for final approval. 3. The Passing of a Resolution asking that the Archdiocese of

15 BOARD OF TRUSTEES North America be made autonomous by the Patriarchate: This resolution requesting autonomy was first brought forward at the Archdiocese Board meeting. An historical discussion took place about the future of our God-protected Archdiocese and the resolution was the result of the deliberation that took place to insure the future stability and growth of our Archdiocese. This was a most productive meeting. There is no doubt that when future generations write the history of this Archdiocese, the meeting held June 1 and 2, 2001 will be mentioned. On Saturday evening, after a hard day s work, all of the Board members, their spouses, area clergy and other invited guests were treated to a most delicious meal at the Archdiocese Headquarters. His Eminence Metropolitan Philip gave a special welcome to the Consul General of Lebanon in New York, Mr. Hassan Najem, who was recently appointed as the permanent Consul General of Lebanon in New York. His Eminence went on to discuss recent events in the Middle East and how we must, as people of conscience, do all we can to help find a just and respectable solution to the problems in the Middle East. Finally, a special birthday cake was presented to our beloved Metropolitan Philip on the occasion of his 70th birthday. It is our fervent prayer that God will grant him many years as our father and chief shepherd. September

16 A WORD FOR THE MONTH SALVATION BELONGS TO OUR GOD BY VERY REV. STEPHEN ROGERS O N THE THIRTEENTH DAY of September, we commemorate St. Cornelius the Centurion, the first Gentile to believe in Christ. In the tenth chapter of Acts, we learn that Cornelius was centurion of the Italian Regiment of the Roman army, which was based in Caesarea, a seaport 25 miles north of Joppa. Cornelius was a fearer of God, a formal designation for a Gentile who, while following the precepts of the Jewish religion, was not a proselyte or full convert. We are told Cornelius was a devout man who generously gave alms to the poor and prayed to God always. One day as Cornelius was praying, an angel appeared to him announcing that his prayers and alms have come up for a memorial to God (v. 4). The angel then instructed Cornelius how to find the Apostle Peter. As men were being sent by Cornelius to find the Apostle, Peter himself was experiencing a vision from God that instructed him to listen to the approaching men. This led Peter to travel to Caesarea to meet Cornelius and those with him; it also led to the revelation that the apostle s vision was God s instruction to receive Gentiles into the Church. Peter announced, In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him (vv ). Cornelius and his household were baptized and later Cornelius became a fellow missionary with Peter. In the city of Scepsius, he brought down the pagan temple by his prayers. Cornelius baptized about 300 souls that day and shortly thereafter converted the whole city. Having completed his work on earth, Cornelius heard a voice from Let us reconsider our introduction to this great saint of God. We are told in Acts that he wasn t a Christian, wasn t a Jew, but was a devout man worshipping God as sincerely as he could with the knowledge that he had. We are told this was pleasing to God who in His mercy led the Apostle Peter to Cornelius that he might hear the saving gospel of Jesus Christ, for God shows no partiality. Because of Cornelius desire to be a righteous man, God, who desires that all men be saved, led him to salvation in Jesus Christ. Oftentimes, we look at other people and are quick to judge them. In our self-righteousness, we dare to question their faith or spirituality because they aren t doing exactly what we think they should. We conheaven saying, Come to Me, for I have prepared a crown of righteousness for you. Cornelius then prayed, and surrendering his spirit, was taken to heaven. sign them to hell in our minds because they don t believe what we believe or do what we do. Make no mistake about it, the words of the Apostle Peter in Acts 4:12 are true: Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name [than Jesus] under heaven given men by which we must be saved. Man is not free to believe whatever he chooses, but God in His mercy can lead whomever He wishes to salvation. Did He not save the thief on the cross at the last moment of His life? Did He not save the Apostle Paul, a murderer of Christians? We must stand for the Truth, the one name under heaven by which men are saved; but let us judge no man. If Peter had brushed off Cornelius as a non-believing Gentile, the church would have lost a great saint, bishop and converter of the lost. Before we label anyone, before we judge him or her because they are different from us, let us remember Cornelius, whose desire to be a devout man did not save him, but led him to the knowledge of Jesus Christ which did. In the Book of Revelation, St. John writes in the seventh chapter: After these things I looked, and beheld a great multitude which no one could number of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice saying, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb (vv. 9-10). As we encounter others along the way, let us never judge, but let us pray for their and our salvation. Let us remember Cornelius, that devout man, on whom God had mercy. 16 The Word

17 THE DEPARTMENT OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Sharing the Faith RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS FROM AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE Wichita, Kansas Girls Tea Held at St. Mary Church in Wichita By Khouriye Victoria Ziton with Rosemary Shumski On Saturday, February 24, 2001, St. Mary Church in Wichita, Kansas hosted its first Girls Tea. The concept originated with Khouriye Victoria Ziton of St. Mary s, who hoped to provide the girls with role models who would illustrate the important positions women hold in the church, and serve to inspire them. Another purpose was to help broaden the girls viewpoint of women s roles beyond the parish so they might begin to discover their own ministry within the parish. The tables were set with china, centerpieces, and pink tablecloths. The life of St. Mary Magdalene was printed on a scroll, tied with yarn, and placed at each setting. Fast-compatible tea sandwiches were prepared and everyone enjoyed the refreshments. After welcoming the girls and introducing each other, the program began. Khouriye Victoria and Khouriye Jeannie O Callaghan from St. George Cathedral in Wichita lead a discussion on boys or men s roles in the church versus girls or women s roles. The girls were encouraged to talk about the similarities and differences between these roles. Khouriye Jeannie witnessed to the girls about the variety of women she has seen serve the church in many different ways. After the discussion, everyone entered the church. Each girl stood by an icon or stained glass window featuring a female saint and described what Anna Sophia Ziton, and Kh. Victoria Poster announcing the event the saint was doing. Ideas were exchanged concerning how these women of long ago have had an impact on their lives today. Then each girl found women s names from the parish s history located in the church. A conversation began concerning how these women of modern times have influenced them as well. After playing charades using women from the Bible, the girls listened to Deana Berquist, from All Saints Church in Salina, Kansas, present the story of how she became a chanter. A guided tour of the church followed, along with more charades, which proved to be a very popular activity. After the program concluded, everyone attended Vespers. The Girls Tea was quite successful and it is hoped that this will become an annual event. Note from the Director: The Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos to the Temple is commemorated every November 21st. Why not plan a Girls Tea in conjunction with that feast? For more information on planning a Girls Tea, please contact Khouriye Victoria Ziton at St. George Cathedral, 3754 Woodley Road, Toledo, Ohio Phone: Right to left around the table: Christina Bober, Anna Ziton, Alexandra Ziton, Kh. Jeannie O Callaghan, Hannah Zartch, Samantha Abdayem, Rachel Zarich, and Katherine Clark. September

18 THE DEPARTMENT OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION From the Director s Desk Beloved in Christ, I so enjoyed my workshop this summer, Raising Children Orthodox, in which we shared what was precious about our faith and our families. Parents hold the great privilege and responsibility to nurture the faith in their children. As St. John Chrysostom said, Let everything take second place to the nurture and instruction of our children in the Lord. In that spirit, we welcome Judy Pappoff, a Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice, to the writing staff of our newsletter. Her column will be Faith and Family. We also invite your questions to Judy for her future columns. Curriculum. Curriculum materials are available through the Orthodox Christian Education Commission, phone (between 2 and 7 p.m. eastern time) for a catalog. This year s catalog includes the middle and high school interim curriculum developed by the Department last year. Other important distributors and vendors are listed in the Orthodox Christian Education Resource Directory available on our website or by mail. Creative Festival Preparations. In April I mentioned that the Department of Christian Education is preparing a report on the Creative Festivals. The report will aid the Fellowship, Regional Conference Chairs, and Church School Directors in implementing the festivals. Although we won t have the report ready until February, we are already working to aid the effort. This year, in your packet of Festival information, you will find 1) a more detailed cross-reference listing for the curriculum lessons, and 2) four lesson plans that cover grades preschool through high school. The lesson plan for each age group offers a one-lesson introduction to the theme. These materials are also available on our website, on the Church School Director page. In addition, at the Orthodox Institute we will devote two hours to helping teachers implement the theme. Orthodox Institute. If you haven t seen page four of our newsletter, please turn to it now. The October Teacher program has been, in the spirit of the 2001 conference theme, made new again. It will be wonderful. Please make plans to join us. Rooms at the Village are limited, so please don t delay. Each parish priest and Church School Director should also have received a mailing by now that contains information on the event. Please contact the Department if you haven t received your brochures. The Orthodox Institute offers continuing education in the faith, as well as special course listings for church school directors, teachers, and youth directors (through Fr. Joseph Purpura). The courses in the Orthodoxy track are the first of 10 courses that we will be offering over the next few years. The courses were designed to support those who will be teaching from the new 8th grade book which offers a comprehensive review of the basics of our faith. It is a work-in-progress this year, slated for publication next summer. The Department is considering a teacher certification program. Courses taken this October will be placed in a record for each participant should they wish to earn certification once it s available. At the conclusion of my seminar, Raising Children Orthodox, I challenged each parent to provide a special time each week at home to discuss what concerns their children have, and to pray and/or read scripture or lives of the saints as a family. I am ready to begin this practice in my home. I will report on my family s experience in the December newsletter. Why don t you join me in this practice? Let s keep in touch on our progress. You may me at AODCE@aol.com. A blessed and happy New (Church) Year to all, Carole A. Buleza For your information... on Christian Education in your region: Eastern: Rev. George Alberts (724) Midwest: Robert Snyder (330) Western: Joseph Tershay (831) Can-Am: Jacquelyn Fadel (716) Southwest: Maggie Hock (402) New England: Anna Timko-Hughes (978) Southeast: Betty Randolph (864) The Department of Christian Education pages are published in the September, December, February, and April issues. Department of Christian Education 163 Kirch Road York, PA The office is staffed from 9:00-3:00 Monday through Wednesday. Phone (717) FAX (717) AODCE@AOL.com and DCE@antiochian.org Web page: christianeducation 18 The Word

19 THE DEPARTMENT OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Resource Review Kids TLC: Kids That Love Church By Khouriye Anna Timko-Hughes With the compact disk, Kids TLC: Kids That Love Church, Fr. Michael Shanbour has created a wonderful learning tool to introduce children of all ages to the beauty and simplicity of Byzantine Liturgical music. The pure voices of children guide you through the hymns and assure those of us with limited musical knowledge that we, too, can create harmonious praises to God. Although the music is beautiful on its own, this CD was created for more than just listening pleasure. The CD is composed of twenty-one selections from all sections of the Divine Liturgy. The original music by Fr. Shanbour is combined with the young voices of the churches of St. Mary and St. John of Omaha to create two settings of each piece, one with just the melody and another adding the ison or harmony line. For some selections, Kids TLC also adds the voices of adults to show that the music can be used in a variety of parish settings. The music is appropriate for choirs, junior choirs, or congregational singing; the Trisagion Hymn is just one example of the versatility of this music. Sheet music is available and as the pieces are simple, they are easy to learn after just one hearing. After listening to the Great Litany selection once, my first-grader was humming it for the rest of the day. For more information, go to or contact Fr. Michael Shanbour at (785) or Michaelmak@aol.com" Michaelmak@aol.com. Put On Christ: Baptism & Chrismation The Deparment of Religious Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese announces the availability of a CD-ROM entitled Put On Christ: Baptism & Chrismation. The disk includes 22 animated presentations, 12 video clips of the services, 14 hymns, integrated text search, 65 quiz questions, and over 150 articles. Rev. Dr. Frank Marangos, Director of the Department, states: When used together with a computer projection device, the CD-ROM provides religious educators a valuable classroom tool that has proven to keep student interest by developing personal inquiry and critical thinking skills! The CD-ROM was designed to educate students, converts, and parents on the rich liturgical traditions of the Orthodox Church. It is available for purchase from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Religious Education at (800) Faith and Family Schools Are a Tool By Judy Pappoff Summer has drawn to a close. Most parents and children are adjusting to the beginning of a new school year. Hair is freshly cut and styled; shopping for school clothes, shoes and supplies is done. Children are getting familiar with new teachers and/or new schools. With all this accomplished, the children are set for success, right? Not necessarily! This is only the beginning. The liturgical year of our Church also begins in September. This is the time we begin anew. Can we merely begin our church year with the correct supplies, intentions, and clothing appropriate for Church? Of course not! We need to live the life of the Church, involved in prayer, services, and feast days throughout the entire year. Our church year is not complete if we do not participate all the way through. Similarly, we need to stay involved in our children s school year all the way through. This is true both for secular school and for church school. Our society in general seems to think that it is the responsibility of the school system to educate our children. And it seems that many Orthodox parents believe that their children will learn all they need to know about the Church in church school. I propose a change to this way of thinking. Schools are a tool for us to use in the education of our children. Parents are the orchestrators of the children s education. School plays a large role, but what the children learn at home is far more important to both their earthly knowledge and to their eternal salvation. We parents need to supplement and enhance what our children are taught at school. We need to set the stage for their learning by nurturing their curiosity. We need to be models icons for our children. How? Ask what was discussed in class. Share what you are learning about your faith. Ask what they are curious about. Volunteer to help out. Be at church with your children. Pray together with your children. And, most importantly, be the kind of Orthodox Christian that you want your child to grow up to be. Judy Pappoff holds a B.S. in Child Development and Teaching and an M.S. in Counseling. She is a Church School teacher (middle school) and member of St. Luke s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Garden Grove, California. Judy is celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary this year, and is the mother of three children, ages 11, 17 and 20. September

20 THE DEPARTMENT OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION October 18-21, 2001 Antiochian Village ORTHODOX INSTITUTE for Church School and Youth Workers Fifteen course listings in Orthodoxy Teaching Methods Church School Administration Youth Work Implementing the Creative Arts Festival Learning Fellowship Fun Worship Large Resource Display For further information, check the Department of Christian Education web page: Or contact the Department of Christian Education at (717) Registration fee is $50. You may register on-line. Room and board is $100/day single occupancy, or $60/day double. Reservations at the Village need to be made directly, phone (724) The Word

21 ARCHDIOCESAN OFFICE ARCHDIOCESAN OFFICE AWARDED The Antonian Gold Medal to His Excellency, ISSAM FARES, the Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon, at the Archdiocese Convention in Los Angeles, CA. The Antonian Gold Medal to CHARLES AJALAT of Los Angeles, CA, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, at the Archdiocese Convention in Los Angeles, CA. The Antonian Silver Medal to SUSU MORROW of Oklahoma City, OK, outgoing President of the Antiochian Women, at the Archdiocese Convention in Los Angeles, CA. REPOSED VERY REV. PAUL BLANKENSTEIN, pastor of St. Mary Church, Iron Mountain, MI, and St. Simon Church, Ironwood, MI, on May 19, REV. ANTHONY LOMBARDINI, attached to St. George Church, Troy, MI, June 8, RETIRED VERY REV. PAUL EYLER, from St. Michael Church, Las Vegas, NV. VERY REV. JOHN ELIAS, from St. George Church, Jacksonville, FL. REV. DAVID LYNCH, from St. Augustine Church, Denver, CO. LEAVE OF ABSENCE REV. DIMITRI MOAMAR, REV. GEORGE ZGOURIDES, REV. JUSTIN McFEETERS, effective August 1, DEPOSED AND REMOVED FROM THE RANKS OF THE CLERGY VERY REV. GEORGE AYOUB, former pastor of St. Mary Church, Mississauga, ON. REV. MICHAEL POLLITT, former pastor of Incarnation Church, Detroit, MI. REV. DAVID CLARK, former pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Church, Albuquerque, NM. ELEVATED FR. PATRICK REARDON, pastor of All Saints Church, Chicago, IL, to the dignity of Archpriest on Sunday, June 10, ORDAINED DEACON SHAWN TEAGUE to the holy Priesthood, June 24, 2001, at the New England Parish Life Conference. CHRISTOPHER PARKER to the holy Diaconate, June 24, 2001, at St. George Church, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. GREGORY HARRIGLE, to the holy Diaconate, June 24, 2001, at the New England Parish Life Conference, and to the holy Priesthood, July 8, 2001 at the Eastern Region Parish Life Conference. JOHN (RICHARD) DIXON, to the holy Diaconate, on June 16, 2001, at The Church of the Holy Spirit, Huntington, WV, and to the holy Priesthood, July 1, 2001, at the Midwest Parish Life Conference. DAMASCINOS (KAMAL) AL-RAHIL, to the holy Diaconate on July 8, 2001, at St. Elias Church, Sylvania, OH, and to the holy Priesthood, July 15, 2001, at St. George Cathedral, Toledo, OH. APPOINTED REV. SHAWN TEAGUE to the pastorate of Holy Resurrection Church, Tucson, AZ, effective August 5, DEACON CHRISTOPHER PARKER to St. Elias Cathedral, Ottawa, ON, effective September 1, REV. GREGORY HARRIGLE to the pastorate of St. Nicholas Mission, Shreveport, LA, effective August 5, REV. DAMASCINOS (KAMAL) AL-RAHIL to the pastorate of St. George Church, Jacksonville, FL, effective September 3, REV. RICHARD DIXON to the pastorate of The Church of the Holy Spirit, Huntington, WV, effective August 5, REV. ANTONY ELBAHOU to the pastorate of Ss. Constantine and Helen Church, Dallas, TX, effective August 5, VERY REV. JOHN ESSA to the pastorate of The Archangel Gabriel Mission, Lafayette, LA, effective August 5, REV. ISAAC CROW to the pastorate of St. Mary Church, Pawtucket, RI, effective August 5, REV. LEONARD FARIS to the pastorate of St. George Church, Lowell, MA, effective August 5, REV. MICHAEL HULL to the pastorate of St. Augustine Church, Denver, CO, effective August 5, REV. JOHN NICHOLAS OZONE to the pastorate of St. Michael Church, Las Vegas, NV, effective August 5, VERY REV. JOHN MORRIS to the pastorate of the Mission of the Forty Holy Martyrs, Sugarland, TX, effective August 5, REV. CHRISTOPHER HOLWEY to the pastorate of St. Mary Church, Wichita, KS, effective August 5, September

22 ARCHDIOCESAN OFFICE REV. STEPHEN ZITON, dean of St. George Cathedral, Toledo, OH, effective August 5, ARCHIMANDRITE DANIEL KELLER to the pastorate of St. Elizabeth Church, Mesquite, TX, effective August 5, REV. JOSEPH CERVO to the pastorate of St. George Church, Canton, OH, effective August 5, REV. JAMES DOUGHERTY to the pastorate of St. George Church, Upper Darby, PA, effective August 5, REV. GREGORY MacGREGOR to the pastorate of Holy Apostles Mission, Tidewater, VA, effective August 1, VERY REV. GEORGE MAKHLOUF to the pastorate of St. John the Baptist Church, Uniondale, NY, effective September 2, June 20, 2001 To: His Grace, Bishop Antoun His Grace, Bishop Joseph His Grace, Bishop Basil His Grace, Bishop Demetri Archimandrite Paul Doyle, From: Re: Protosyngelos Archpriest Elias Bitar, Vicar General Clergy of the Archdiocese His Eminence, Metropolitan Philip Appointment of a permanent Spiritual Court for the Archdiocese Beloved in Christ: As our Archdiocese continues to grow and expand, we rejoice and are thankful for the many faithful and Christ-loving priests and deacons that have dedicated their lives to service in Christ s vineyard. Nevertheless, from time to time, we experience some difficult moments when one of our brothers must be brought before an ecclesiastical tribunal. With that in mind, I am appointing the following to sit on a permanent Spiritual Court for this Archdiocese of North America: Archpriest Elias Bitar, head of the Spiritual Court Archpriest Joseph Allen, court member Priest Thomas Zain, court member Archimandrite Michael Evans, secretary Praying that this is only a necessary formality that will rarely, if ever, have to be used, I remain, Your Father in Christ, +Metropolitan PHILIP Primate Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America Donations to The WORD Kamel Mudarry Brighton, MA In memory of my sister Aghnie Mudarry $ George & Brenda Farha Wichita, KS V. Rev. William Evansky Sewickley, PA Freda Lewis Farmington Hills, MI Marie A. Skaff Encino, CA Constantine & Joanne Pavlakos Myrtle Beach, SC In memory of Katherine Demis HEBREWS 9:1-7; LUKE 10:38-42, 11: EPHESIANS 5:20-26; LUKE 6: EPHESIANS 5:25-33; LUKE 6:46-7:1 (FAST) 4. EPHESIANS 5:33-6:9; LUKE 7: EPHESIANS 6:18-24; MATTHEW 25:1-13 (FAST) 6. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:39-45; LUKE 5: CORINTHIANS 9:6-11; LUKE 7: PHILIPPIANS 1:1-7; LUKE 7: PHILIPPIANS 1:8-14; LUKE 8: PHILIPPIANS 1:12-20; LUKE 8:22-25 (FAST) 11. PHILIPPIANS 1:20-27; LUKE 9: PHILIPPIANS 1:27-2:4; LUKE 9:12-18 (FAST) CORINTHIANS 15:58-16:3; LUKE 6: TITUS 3:8-15; LUKE 8: PHILIPPIANS 2:12-16; LUKE 9:18-22 DAILY DEVOTIONS OCTOBER, 2001 By Very Rev. George Alberts 16. PHILIPPIANS 2:17-23; LUKE 9: PHILIPPIANS 2:24-30; LUKE 9:44-50 (FAST) 18. COLOSSIANS 4:5-9, 14, 18; LUKE 10: PHILIPPIANS 3:8-19; LUKE 10: CORINTHIANS 1:8-11; LUKE 7: GALATIANS 1:11-19; LUKE 16: PHILIPPIANS 4:10-23; LUKE 10: COLOSSIANS 1:1-2, 7-11; LUKE 11: COLOSSIANS 1:18-23; LUKE 11:9-13 (FAST) 25. COLOSSIANS 1:24-29; LUKE 11: TIMOTHY 2:1-10; JOHN 15:17-16:2 (FAST) CORINTHIANS 3:12-18; LUKE 8: GALATIANS 2:16-20; LUKE 8: COLOSSIANS 2:13-20; LUKE 11: COLOSSIANS 2:20-3:3; LUKE 11: COLOSSIANS 3:17-4:1; LUKE 11: The Word

23 REAL TO REEL REAL TO REEL A R E V I E W BY FR. PATRICK KINDER T WO WORDS DESCRIBE Peter Jon Gillquist s music video, Real to Reel : sincere and energetic. Filmed in Juneau, Alaska, this ground-breaking 40-minute video invites us to journey together with Peter Jon through personal interviews and video productions of his contemporary songs. This video is entertaining, inspiring and informative. Peter Jon s songs relate his everyday experience as seen in the light of faith. They reflect the comfort of God s providence and the challenge of seeing Christ in the face of every man. This video is a quality presentation of Peter Jon s joyful faith and shows how thankful he is to be able to use his musical gifts to glorify God. It is good to see an Orthodox Christian artist sharing his talents and encouraging others on their own Christian journey! I recommend this video to priests for your churches libraries, to parents for your children, and to young adults and teens for yourselves and to share with your friends. Like all art, Peter Jon s music may not appeal to everyone; but I invite you to support him that he and others might be encouraged to develop Orthodox Christian artistic talent for building up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12). ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN ARCHDIOCESE PUBLICATIONS DEPARTMENT 358 Mountain Road, Englewood, NJ Phone: (201) Fax: (201) NEW CHILDREN S BOOKS NOW AVAILABLE! The Story of Mary the Mother of God by Dorrie Papademetriou: Describes Mary s early life and how she came to be the Mother of Jesus. $13.95 Celebrate the Earth, Psalm 104 retold and illustrated by Dorrie Papademetriou: Celebrates the goodness and beauty of the created world. $13.95 North Star, St. Herman of Alaska by Dorrie Papademetriou: The story of the Russian Orthodox missionary who lived among the Aleut people on Spruce Island for more than forty years. $15.95 The Book of Jonah by Niko Chocheli: Children s version of the prophecy of Jonah. $13.95 The Praises, Psalm 148 by Niko Chocheli: The Praises invite everyone and everything in creation to praise the Lord. $16.95 Prepare O Bethlehem, The Feast of the Nativity by Niko Chocheli: Hymns of the Pre-Feast and Feast of the Nativity telling of the participation of all creatures in the coming of the Creator. $16.95 All books are publications of St. Vladimir s Seminary Press and contain wonderfully colorful illustrations. Dorrie Papademetriou is a graphic designer and artist. Her work is inspired by her travels through Greece and Turkey, where she studied the faith and traditions of the people. Niko Chocheli was born in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. A member of the Orthodox Church and an associate professor of art at LaSalle University, Mr. Chocheli graduated with honors from both Tbilisi Nikoladze Art College and Tbilisi State Academy of Fine Arts. Please send me copy(s) of The Story of Mary, copy(s) of Celebrate the Earth, copy(s) of North Star, copy(s) of The Book of Jonah, copy(s) of The Praises, copy(s) of The Feast of the Nativity. For orders within the US under $20, please send $2 for postage, or for larger orders, please send 10% for postage. For orders under $20 in Canada and Overseas, please send $4 for postage, or for larger orders, please send $4 for postage. Please send to: Name: Address: All orders must be accompanied by payment, which must be in US funds. September

24 25 ORDER OF ST. IGNATIUS PHILANTHROPY: T O U C H I N G L I V E S F O R T W E N T Y - F I V E Y E A R S BY SUZY SAYFIE I T S THE IMPULSE TO GIVE that puts you in touch with the best part of yourself and the principles of abundance that are alive in the world (Suze Orman). As a young girl, many of my fondest memories were of birthdays, Christmases and anniversaries. The love of my family always shown bright as gifts were exchanged with a wonderful sense of happiness. It invariably appeared that my parents, family and friends were even more happy to give than to receive. As in all families, history has a way of repeating itself. I watch the joy in my husband s eyes as he gives gifts to the family, issues donations to his favorite charities or surprises a friend with a kindly gesture. Such pleasures are the true essence of life. Giving to others is as much an inbred trait as the features on one s face. As we grow physically, mentally and spiritually, our sense of giving is mingled with a deep sense of responsibility. Gifts to family and friends remain constant and joyful gestures, but donating to other entities instills in us a sense of duty to our religious community. We have been fortunate to be blessed with a unique Christian environment; therefore, we want to offer back this blessing. As faithful Orthodox Christians, we know that nothing can compare to the secure and loving environment our Church provides. Led by outstanding, compassionate and well-educated spiritual advisors, our Church and Church organizations lay a blanket around our congregations, warming our souls and beings with unquestioned love and spiritual healing. Our lives become complete because we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ, rejoicing in this highest form of a gift. Can we ever repay our Lord for sacrificing His own life to provide a spiritually secure one for each and every one of His flock? The answer is a simple one we give back with hard work and generosity. What better way to show our appreciation for the joys of an Orthodox Christian life than to support the many church programs which ensure improvement in every aspect of our religious existence. Orthodox Christians are no strangers to philanthropy. Our spiritual leaders have been the most inspiring examples. His Eminence Philip Saliba has most humbly given, not only of his generous heart and immense knowledge, but of his worldly possessions as well. The organization of the Order of St. Ignatius is one of the many testaments to the Metropolitan s philanthropic efforts. The manner of giving is worth more than the gift (Le Menteur, 1642). The Order of St. Ignatius is also a great vehicle for donating to our Archdiocesan programs. The Order s projects committee, chaired by my husband, Dr. Eugene Sayfie, review and recommend funding for many deserving programs and institutions. A contribution of $500 or $1000 a year enables the following projects to grow: 1) Heritage and Learning Center A) Library books B) Museum operations 2) Antiochian Village Camp Cabins for Campers and Volunteers 3) Retired Clergy Housing Allowance 4) Christian Education Fund 5) Christian Education Endowment Fund 6) Parish Development Fund 7) Youth Ministry 8) Youth Ministry Endowment Fund 9) Archdiocese Administrative Services 10) Missions and Evangelism 11) Missions and Evangelism Endowment Fund 12) Antiochian House of Studies 13) Summer Camp Scholarships 14) Teen SOYO Special Olympics 15) Departmental Grants 16) Project Mexico 17) College Conference 18) Orthodox Christian Prison Ministries 19) Task Force for Jerusalem 20) Balamand Theological Academy 21) Assistance to Proposed Missions 22) Clergy Assistance to Symposia and Conventions 23) IOCC When one comprehends the great impact these projects have on the effectiveness and growth of Orthodox Christianity, the price tag seems small in comparison to the total picture. Give what you have. To some it may be better than you dare to think (Kavanagh, 1849). We parishioners give of our monies to strengthen the resources of our beloved Archdiocese to provide operating funds, capital funds and, most importantly, endowment. Another method of contributing to the work of the Archdiocese is to donate assets and organize a planned giving program 24 The Word

25 ORDER OF ST. IGNATIUS that is beneficial and rewarding. Four secure types of gifts are: 1) Outright Gifts Unrestricted monetary gifts that may be one-time donations or annual pledges. 2) Wills and Bequests A donor can specify any dollar amount, personal or real estate properties to the church. 3) Trusts These include charitable gift annuity trusts, charitable lead trusts (Nongrantor and Grantor Trusts) and charitable remainder trusts (unitrusts and annuity trusts). These agreements benefit the donors and recipients by providing income and tax-saving advantages. 4) Life Insurance Policy This is the most uncomplicated course to giving funds. One designates the church as his or her beneficiary. All premiums are tax-deductible. It is most important to seek legal and tax advice for all aspects of proposed gifts and tax implications. We must insure that our Antiochian Orthodox Church continues in its protective and nurturing capacity for generations to follow. Our generosity will guarantee this. Giving is a very private matter; each individual must judge the best way to execute his or her philanthropic goals. Remember, For every good and perfect gift is from above. In essence, we are just returning what has been given to us. 25 SaintI gnatius Touching lives for 25 years Suzy Sayfie is a member of St. George Cathedral, Coral Gables, FL. NEW! NEW! NEW! NEW! NEW! NEW! NEW! NEW! Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese 358 Mountain Road, Englewood, NJ Phone (201) Fax (201) CHANTS FROM BALAMAND By the Choir of Balamand Monastery and the St. John of Damascus Institute (Produced by Conciliar Records) Byzantine Chant in Arabic Chants from Vespers and Matins for the feast of St. John of Damascus 1. Troparion of St. John of Damascus 2. Anoixandaria 3. O Lord, I Have Cried 4. Prosomoia 5. Doxastikon 6. Exapostilarion 7. Praises 14. Hymn of Balamand 8. Prosomoia 9. Doxastikon 10. Doxology 11. Trisagion 12. It Is Meet, in Truth, to Bless Thee 13. Polychronion Available as a CD only for $16.95 Please send me copy(s) of Chants from Balamand at the cost of $16.95 each. For single orders, please include $2.00 for postage and handling for US orders, or $4.00 for Canada and Overseas. For orders of two or more, please include 10% postage and handling for US orders, or 20% for Canada and Overseas. Amount enclosed $. Please send to: Name: Address: ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN ARCHDIOCESE PUBLICATIONS DEPARTMENT 358 Mountain Road, Englewood, NJ Phone: (201) Fax: (201) Antiochian Village Camp Music CD and Tape Available The first ever recorded CD and tape from The Department of Youth and the Antiochian Village Camp. Recorded at the Antiochian Village in the beautiful St. Ignatius Church. Available on either CD or tape for the low price of $15.00 each. Order now to have them available for this Christmas. Enjoy the beautiful singing of the staff and campers as they share their faith and love for Christ and His Church through this unique recording. This is the first professional recording of the beautiful music which fills the St. Ignatius Church at Antiochian Village Camp each day that camp is in session. Please send me tapes / CD s at $15.00 each. For orders under $20.00 in the US, please include $2.00 for postage and handling; for Canada and overseas, please include $4.00. For larger orders, in the US please include 10% for postage and handling; for Canada and overseas, please include 20%. Please send to: Name: Address: September

26 COMMUNITIES IN ACTION COMMUNITIES IN ACTION Very Rev. Fr. Paul Blankenstein VERY REV. FR. PAUL BLANKENSTEIN V ery Rev. Fr. Paul Blankenstein, age 69, died Saturday, May 19, 2001, at Manor Care Health Services in Kingsford, MI. Fr. Paul was born on January 16, 1932 in Natchez, Mississippi, son of Joseph and Roberta (Fowler) Blankenstein. Fr. Paul grew up in Texas, and graduated from St. Mary s High School in Orange, Texas in He went on to attend St. Mary s Seminary in Houston, Texas, graduating in Fr. Paul married Kathleen Ryan on August 18, 1973 at St. George Orthodox Church in Houston. He enrolled at St. Vladimir s Seminary in Crestwood, New York in 1977 and on February 20, 1977 was ordained to the Holy Priesthood. Fr. Paul was the pastor of St. Mary s Orthodox Church, Iron Mountain, MI and St. Simon s Orthodox Church, Ironwood, MI for 24 years, and was an active member of the Iron Mountain Area Clergy Association. Fr. Paul was well known for his gentle spirit and his faithful dedication to Christ and His Church. Fr. Paul is survived by his wife Kathleen, his children, Robert Blankenstein of Vancouver, WA and Kathryn Giesau of Depre, WI, granddaughter Andraya Marie Giesau, mother Roberta Blankenstein of Orange, Texas, two sisters, Roberta Howell and Anne Krause, and one brother, Edward Blankenstein. He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph. The Trisagion service was prayed on Tuesday, May 22, 2001 at St. Mary Church, Iron Mountain, MI, followed by the Divine Liturgy and Funeral Service celebrated by Bishop Demetri. Memory Eternal. Western Region Lenten Retreat M arch WESTERN REGION FELLOWSHIP OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE 23-25, 2001 thirty people representing nine Antiochian parishes and missions, one Greek Cathedral and one OCA Cathedral attended the 27th annual pan- Orthodox Lenten Retreat at Camp St. Nicholas, Frazier Park, CA. On Friday evening Rev. John Reimann, assistant pastor of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA and Western Region Fellowship of St. John the Divine Spiritual Advisor, introduced the theme to us by defining witness. Keynote speaker Rev. Christopher Salamy, pastor of St. George Church Phoenix, AZ, spoke on The Call to Witness and The Content of Witness on Saturday. During the weekend Phil Tamoush sold books and icons from the St. Matthew Bookstore Torrance, CA. On Sunday V. Rev. Nicholas Neyman and Fr. Christopher served Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Annunciation. We were honored to pray with the parishioners of Holy Cross Mission Palmdale, CA who were in attendance. ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER LOS ALTOS HILLS, CA S unday school students and teachers 26 The Word

27 COMMUNITIES IN ACTION were delighted to spend time with His Grace Bishop Joseph as he visited the Orthodox Church of the Redeemer on May 12, Forty-five children and fifteen adults attended this special day retreat. The retreat was an outstanding success in every way, especially when the children and teens had the opportunity to meet Bishop Joseph personally and ask questions. The children were very nervous meeting him at first, but then were able to enjoy his visit. Bishop Joseph was great with the children. He answered many questions about himself and our religion. He made sure the children understood his answers. We all got to know Bishop Joseph a little better. The students had a welcoming with songs (A New Commandment, The Angel Cried, Every Hour and Every Day), reading of Psalms, poetry, dance, and piano recitals. Also they presented Bishop Joseph with a special book that they made during Sunday school. Finally, we had a wonderful dinner together prepared by the Sunday school staff, followed by vespers. It was a very special and memorable time spent with His Grace Bishop Joseph. The Orthodox Church of the Redeemer Sunday school feels very honored and grateful to have had the privilege to spend time with His Grace Bishop Joseph. This poem is dedicated to Bishop Joseph from all the Sunday school students on the occasion of his visit on Mothers Day: The church is a place to feel secure, The children of Church of the Redeemer, Los Altos Hills, CA, welcome Bishop Joseph. When we sin we go there to be cured. Religion is something that children learn to enjoy, As much as being with their friends, And playing with their toys. They come to church with their families each week. And learn the true meaning of prayer. Later they go to Sunday school. Where they think the teachers are strict And have many rules. Teachers are this way because, They want to teach the children the best, So they can believe in God just like the rest. The children are very special and are very blessed. They will follow a straight path, And later be good and able to pass the daily tests. Children are sweet and innocent in every way, Especially as we see their smiles, Entering the church each Sunday. We have Bishop Joseph here to lead our way, As we strive to become better Christians, Each and everyday. September

28 COMMUNITIES IN ACTION SAINT GEORGE, CLEVELAND, OH F ather Andre Issa and the parishioners of St. George in Cleveland, Ohio welcomed His Grace Bishop Demetri on April 21 and 22 to celebrate the Feast Day of our Patron Saint. On Saturday evening, following Vespers, a dinner was held with many of our church school children and parents in attendance. The children performed several songs for His Grace. The fifth and sixth grade classes, under the leadership of George and Joie Haddad, presented a short program reminding us of the courageous attributes of our Great Martyr, St. George. Sunday s Hierarchical Liturgy was presided over by His Grace Bishop Demetri. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Leo George, a longtime member of St. George, was presented with the Silver Antonian Medal by His Grace, for his years of devoted service to our church and community. A brunch was hosted in honor of Leo George. On May 20, 2001, St. George of Cleveland welcomed Metropolitan Philip to his home church. Following Divine Liturgy His Eminence presented parishioner Zana Thomas with an icon of St. Elias on the occasion of her 100th birthday. Sayidna recalled his visits to the home of Leo and Zana Thomas during his stay as pastor of St. George, Cleveland. HOLY TRANSFIGURATION ORTHODOX CHURCH WARRENVILLE, ILLINOIS FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS W hat do you get when you take twenty-one energetic children and expose them to photography, sculpting, cooking, writing, dancing, singing, acting, and painting? You get the first annual H.O.L.Y. Yahoos Festival of the Arts and some very tired adults! H.O.L.Y. (Holy Orthodox Learning Youth) Yahoos is the youth group (preschool through pre-teen) of Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church in Warrenville, Illinois, led by Mrs. Anna Thiel and Shannon Dawson. This year, the children explored the creative arts during nine monthly meetings. Assisted by some of the teens of the church, they learned to work together in community and began to find the creative image of God in themselves and in one Zana Thomas 100th birthday another. (In fact, some children were introduced to the Creative Arts Festival at the Midwest Region Parish Life Conference for the first time as a result of this emphasis on the arts!) The fruit of these efforts was realized on Saturday, May 19, when an Arts Festival was held at the parish. Works of art (some of them edible!) were on display and were ultimately sold at silent auction. However, the highlight of the day was a dramatic presentation of the parable of the separation of the sheep and the goats from Matthew 25: The children made their own costumes, worked out choreography, rehearsed (and rehearsed!), stood patiently while makeup was applied, then offered a wonderful performance, concluding with a musical presentation. The enthusiastic response of those present, and the fact that over $200 was raised to purchase an icon for the church, suggest that the Festival was a success! YOU THINK YOU ARE IN HEAVEN T he weekend of May 27 to 29, 2001 marked the 50th Anniversary of the community of St. George, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. We were doubly pleased as we were joyous to celebrate our anniversary in conjunction with His Grace Bishop Antoun s 50th Anniversary of ordination. What a blessing it was for us to celebrate our milestone with that of Bishop Antoun, a former pastor of St. George s. Our Friday evening celebration was a Wine & Cheese reception for all of the community. Many generations of parishioners came out, and the highlight of the evening for many was seeing the pictures of the old-timers from 50, 40 and 30 years ago matched up to pictures that had only been taken two weeks prior at Pascha. Alongside them were memorabilia of St. George s illustrious past activities on a parish, regional and archdiocesan level. Being proud of his former parish and of his time spent with us, Bishop Antoun reminisced by telling anecdotes, asking about old friends, heartedly greeting old and new ones. I remember packing the kids from Senior SOYO into my car to take them to the Parish Life Conferences, and now they are married and I am meeting their children!!! Saturday was a day filled with activity as Sayidna Antoun spent time with practically every parish organization! His morning 28 The Word

29 COMMUNITIES IN ACTION started with our Sunday School and a reenactment of the life of St. George, with dragon and all: In all my life, I tell you I have never seen this done before! This was wonderful! Our Teen SOYO and Fellowship of St. John the Divine were next to sit with Sayidna for a question and answer session. A great dialogue between Spiritual Father and the faithful ensued, at the end of which Teen SOYO presented His Grace with a dyptich of the Theotokos with the Christ-child and of the great-martyr St. George. The Fellowship of St. John the Divine gave Bishop Antoun a reproduction icon of St. Anthony the Great, an image taken from an icon written on the very walls of St. George Church. The Antiochian Women were very pleased to host His Grace for lunch, and invited all parishioners to stay and break bread. Later that evening beheld the celebratory dance in honor of our shared 50th Anniversaries. Bishop Antoun had much to say and his message was clear: He wished us to start building our planned Community Center as soon as possible. He encouraged us: You are celebrating 50 years! Imagine, back then they built a beautiful Church and they did it with their pennies! With pennies! When I was brought to your Church on Bayview, and I looked and saw the Altar, the Iconostasis and the Dome, I said Honestly, you think you are in Heaven! Look at what you have been able to do with much more than just pennies! Don t wait for your Community Center! Build it now! His message was met with great applause. The faithful came to worship on Sunday with Bishop Antoun for Divine Liturgy and afterwards were able to mingle and speak with His Grace one last time. Especially grateful were the Bible Bowl students who received a special visit and blessing from Sayidna, who wished Young adults of St. George with His Grace Bishop Antoun. them luck at the Regional Bible Bowl. Sunday evening, the Parish Council hosted His Grace to a dinner before his departure. St. George Church of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada has been blessed, through the grace of God, to have reached the milestone of our 50th Anniversary by steadfastness of faith and devotion of its parishioners, and by the dedication of all its Spiritual Fathers throughout the years. To have been able to celebrate it in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of Ordination of one of our Spiritual Fathers, His Grace Bishop Antoun, was a gift we will always remember and treasure. The Life of St. George as enacted by the Sunday School children of St. George, Richmond Hill. September