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SummER ChuRCh CAmP

Spring 2009 Vol. 8, Issue 3: Summer Church Camp $4.95

The Synaxis of the Holy Apostles is celebrated June 30, the day after the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. After Pentecost, many of the Apostles of Christ traveled throughout the Roman Empire and beyond, preaching the Gospel and establishing churches. St. Peter is associated with the Church in Rome, St. Andrew (Peter’s brother and the first-called) with the church in Byzantium, St. James with Jerusalem, and St. Thomas with India. Although he was not among the original Twelve, St. Paul established churches throughout Asia Minor and Greece, and he regularly called himself an Apostle in his epistles (see Romans 1:1, 1 Corinthians 1:1 and 9:1). It is difficult to precisely identify all of the figures in this icon; other icons of the feast include names. Because saints are depicted according to certain conventions, we know that Sts. Peter and Paul are in the center front with St. John the Evangelist to the right. St. Paul and St. John hold books representing their contributions to the New Testament—fourteen books and four books, respectively. St. Peter holds a scroll representing his epistles. The apostle on the left is possibly St. Luke the Evangelist. Although St. Luke was not one of the Twelve Apostles, he was one of the seventy followers sent out by the Lord to preach the Good News (Luke 10:1–3).

Christianity is more than a theory about the universe, more than teachings written down on paper; it is a path on which we journey.

Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia

And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.

Luke 24:14–15

A man becomes a Christian with sound teaching: he is not born one.Tertullian

I hear from within me, as from a spring of living water, the murmur: Come to the Father.

St. Ignatius of Antioch

Let my soul take refuge from the crowding turmoil of worldly thought, behind the shadow of thy wings. Let my heart, this sea of restless waves, find peace in Thee, O God. The more a religious works at prayer, the more helpful he is. Do what you can, and then pray that God will give you the power to do what you cannot.

St. Augustine

Unless the people see in us the light and the love of Christ, they will not believe.John Meyendorff

At certain moments, we need to retire from the world and to shut ourselves in the upper room of our soul. There we must pray and we must unite ourselves to the prayers and the faith of the whole Church.

A Monk of the Eastern Church

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.Matthew 18:20

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.Mother Teresa

The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.William James

Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.Søren Kierkegaard

Wisdom, Ancient And modern

page 2 PRAXIS w Spring 2009

Our topic for this issue of PRAXIS, a regular publication of the Department of Religious Education of our Archdiocese, is “Orthodox Camping.” This term refers to the various camps and associated camp programs that are administered in the Metropolises of our Archdiocese. These camps, under the spiritual supervision of the local Hierarch and clergy, and with the assistance of camp counselors, advance the religious education of our Greek Orthodox children and youth through providing them with an authentically Christ-centered atmosphere. The articles that follow in this issue of PRAXIS survey some of the many Orthodox camping ministries that we are offering to our children and youth throughout our Archdiocese.

There is a tremendous diversity of age and focus among our many camps and their associated programs. One example among many is the Ionian Village program, which is administered by our Archdiocese and has been operating for more than thirty-five years. The Ionian Village program extends the camping experience beyond the physical borders of the United States by offering our youth the opportunity to experience a summer in Greece in order to learn more about their Orthodox faith and Hellenic culture.

Despite the tremendous diversity of our Orthodox camping programs, one phenomenon that is consistently seen and heard is the formation of long-lasting friendships among people who participate in our camps over the years, through

their mutual experience of belonging to the Christ-centered environment of the Orthodox camp setting. This Christ-centered environment is the primary and distinguishing characteristic of all our Orthodox camps. It permeates every aspect of camp life: worship, Bible study and reflection, recreational activities, meals, and question-and-answer sessions with clergy.

A clear component of fostering a Christ-centered camping environment is our proactive development and maintenance of “safe environments” for our children and youth at camp. This important issue has been identified by professionals in the fields of ministry, education, psychology, law, and the social sciences as a particular area of concern informing the manner in which adults interact with children as they engage in their ministry to bring the message of the Gospel to young people within the camp setting. As an Archdiocese, we have made our best efforts to enhance the training of all our clergy and youth ministry workers throughout all our Metropolises who work in camp settings, and to promote effective mechanisms for the screening of lay counselors of our parishes who wish to be of service in this important ministry. What has resulted is the development of greater awareness among our people of the precious qualities of our children and youth, and our duty to emulate the love of Jesus Christ in our interactions with them in the camping environment. As a mandatory requirement, we have developed the Youth Protection Manual to aid our clergy and youth workers in creating and maintaining “safe environments” at camp. I direct your attention to the included review of this manual, written by the Director of the Religious Education Department of our Archdiocese, Dr. Anton Vrame.

Finally, in addition to its focus upon Orthodox camping, this issue of PRAXIS includes a portion of a lecture that I had the honor of delivering at the Roman Catholic Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in November 2008, entitled “The Superb Pastoral Legacy of St. Paul.” This reproduced portion of this lecture will formally conclude the PRAXIS miniseries of articles for the Year of St. Paul. As always, I extend my thanks to the diligent staff of our Department of Religious Education, which produces this welcome and regular publication, and I pray that all its readers may grow in their learning and in their ministry of teaching to others our Orthodox Christian faith.

† DEMETRIOSArchbishop of America

page 3PRAXIS w Spring 2009

With us everything should be secondary compared to our concern with children and their upbringing in the instruction and teaching of the Lord.

—St. John Chrysostom

In the past, Orthodox life was supported by the society around it. Orthodox Christians lived in harmony with the Orthodox society, which was itself permeated with Orthodox traditions, customs and practices, as a part of daily life. The cycle of feasts and fasts, the lifestyle, the relationship of individuals and families—all served not only to reinforce but also to exemplify the beliefs and understanding of the Orthodox faith. In today’s society, however, everything is completely different. Our Orthodox faith is lived in the midst of a society that operates on totally different principles. It is very difficult for us to live an Orthodox lifestyle from day to day because we are constantly exposed to and live within a society that is not only un-Orthodox or even Christian but increasingly hostile to Orthodox Christian beliefs. Especially in the United States, our pluralistic society makes many demands upon us as Christians, yet we are all expected to be followers of Christ regardless of our individual circumstances. Most importantly, in a society and environment that is hostile to our beliefs, how will we pass on that faith to our children? One way is by making the Orthodox camp experience available to them. The purpose of an Orthodox camp is simple: to offer the opportunity to our young people to live an authentic Orthodox life with their peers and to experience the faith. That means that Jesus Christ is the center of every camp activity, and that prayer and worship is central to the camp experience. Camp is a living, vital experience of the Holy Orthodox Faith. Yet this faith needs to be lived in community, in fellowship. We are created by God to live in relationship, in community, in fellowship with one another. Young people without friends who share their faith will find it much more difficult to live an Orthodox life, and so camp is the time when real friends are made. While our Metropolis of Atlanta offers many programs and activities for our precious youth, one of the most important ministries is our St. Stephen’s Camp. A dynamic and experienced staff and dedicated group of priests direct our young people to deepen and experience their faith through prayer, worship, fellowship, games and activities, offering them the chance to renew old friendships, form new ones and reconnect with God. During this special time, our young people have the opportunity to leave their cell phones, TVs, computers, iPods and other distractions behind and get back to the basics of living an Orthodox Christian life with other young people, guided by priests and counselors. The goal of St. Stephen’s Camp is to provide a Christ-centered experience that contributes to the spiritual, mental, social and physical development of every participant through a program designed to provide a balance of worship opportunities and participation in the Sacraments, Christian discipleship studies and personal devotions to provide better understanding of Orthodox Christian principles and teachings, strengthening each participant in faith, along with fun and fellowship. All of this takes place in our Metropolis of Atlanta Diakonia Retreat Center, a beautiful natural sanctuary in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where we can reconnect with our identity as Orthodox Christians by sharing worship, education and fellowship in the peace and tranquility of God’s glorious creation. The Center is located on more than 200 acres of rolling, wooded land with a small lake for canoeing and fishing, trails for hiking and a beautiful natural setting among the tall pines and hardwoods of the Blue Ridge foothills where guests can encounter the wonder of our Lord’s Creation. Facilities include lodges ideal for group gatherings, small private cabins, meeting and dining space in a new dining hall with a restaurant-style kitchen, an outdoor pavilion, an initiatives course, a craft barn, basketball court, volleyball court and soccer field.

continued on page 6

SuBmISSIon guIdElInES

Submissions should be 1,000–2,000 words in length and directly discuss education in the theology and tradition of the Orthodox Christian churches. Les-son aids or graphic enhancements may accompany the articles submitted. We also encourage the submission of photographs relevant to parish life ( praxis). Please also provide a biographical sketch of the author not exceeding fi fty words.

PRAXIS Magazine is seeking submissions of lesson plans based on articles from previous or current issues of PRAXIS. Submissions should use the article as the text/background of the lesson plan. Lesson plans are welcome for any or several age groups. Please send submissions in a Word document with a length of 1,000–2,000 words to [email protected].

Material previously published or under consideration for publication elsewhere will not be considered without prior consent of the editor. We reserve the right to edit for usage and style; all accepted manuscripts are subject to editorial modifi cation. Articles sent by mail should be accompanied by an electronic version on CD-ROM in Microsoft Word for Windows or for Macintosh. Articles in Microsoft Word may also be e-mailed as an attachment to [email protected].

Address submissions to: Anton C. Vrame, PhD, and/or Elizabeth Borch.

CREdItS

Executive Editor: Anton C. Vrame, PhDManaging Editor: Elizabeth BorchDesign and Layout: Maria Diamantopoulos-AriziCopyeditor: Aimee Cox EhrsFront Cover: Photo courtesy of Michael PappasInside Cover: Synaxis of the Holy Apostles, by the hand of

Athanasios ClarkBack Inside Cover: Photo courtesy of Elizabeth BorchBack Cover: Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Borch

Special thanks to CrossRoad, Ionian Village, Emanuel Katsoulis, Dmitri Panagos and Ion Coman for providing many of the photographs appearing in this issue of PRAXIS. Other images courtesy of iStock photo.

Th e views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the Department of Religious Education.

© 2009, Department of Religious Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. ISSN 1530-0595.

PRAXIS Circulation50 Goddard AvenueBrookline, MA 02445(617) 850-1218

A publication of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, PRAXIS maga-zine is published three times a year. Th e subscription rate is $15 per year. Checks, payable to the department of Religious Education, should be sent to:

PRAXIS CirculationPRAXIS CirculationPRAXIS50 Goddard AvenueBrookline, MA 02445(617) 850-1218

A publication of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, PRAXIS maga-zine is published three times a year. Th e subscription rate is $15 per year. Checks, payable to the department of Religious Education, should be sent to:

SuBmISSIon guIdElInES

FEATURES 8 the camp eXperieNce

Fr. Mark Leondis

10 coNtact iNFormatioN For campiNG proGramS

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

12 the praXiS oF croSSroaD

Ann Bezzerides

16 croSSroaD JourNeY

Mary Long

18 WaLKiNG amoNG the SaiNtS at ioNiaN ViLLaGe

Fr. Jason Roll

20 Support (FiNaNciaLLY) Your LocaL Summer camp

Fr. James Retelas

SERIES & ARTICLES21 the SuperB paStoraL LeGacY oF St. pauL

Archbishop Demetrios of America

28 GooGLiNG GoD

Reviewed by Anton C. Vrame

29 Youth protectioN maNuaL

Reviewed by Anton C. Vrame

30 St. NichoLaS SchooL, NorthriDGe, ca31 Summer: a time to GroW! a time to pLaN!32 the chaLLeNGe LiturGY aND BeYoND

Marina Katsoulis with Elizabeth Borch

34 Where WiLL our chiLDreN Be

BaptiZeD aND raiSeD?Fr. Charles Joanides

38 GreeK orthoDoX prieSthooD iN

america For the tWeNtY-FirSt ceNturY

Fr. Nicholas C. Triantafi lou

41 orthoDoX iQGeorge Makredes

44 From the Director: Summer church camp

Anton C. Vrame

45 What he haD to Do

Alie Manders

volume 8, Issue 3: Summer Church Camp

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10

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DownloadSummer Institute 2009

registration, schedule and lodging information at

religioused.goarch.orgor call (800) 566-1088

Religious Education Track: July 30 – August 1For Sunday Church school teacher and supervisors, youth ministers, and anyone interested in teaching the faith

Church Musician Track: July 28 – August 2For choir directors and singers, youth choir leaders, and anyone interested in creating opportunities for young people to learn the musical heritage of the Greek Orthodox Church

SCHEDULED PRESENTERS:

His Grace Bishop Savas of Troas • is Director of the Offi ce of Church and Society of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Niko Chocheli• has illustrated many popular books for Orthodox children, including Prepare O Bethlehem, Jonah and Christ in the Old Testament. He teaches Fine Art in Pennsylvania.

Presvytera Laura Morton and Rhonda Webb • are among the creators of The Twelve Great Feasts, a Vacation Church School curriculum recently published by the DRE. They present VCS programs at their home parishes in St. Louis, Missouri.

Theo Nicolakis• is Director of the Departments of Information Technology and Internet Ministries for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Dr. Bradley Nassif• is Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at North Park University in Chicago.

Presvytera Georget Photos• has been promoting traditional arts and crafts projects for many years. She resides in Winter Haven, Florida.

Dr. Vicki Pappas• is National Chairman of the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians.

Dr. Despina Prassas• is Assistant Professor of Theology at Providence College, in Providence, Rhode Island.

Rev. Dr. Philip Zymaris• is Assistant Professor of Liturgics at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

Presented by theDepartment of Religious Educationand the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians

Hellenic College – Holy CrossGreek Orthodox School of TheologyBrookline, MA


continued from page 3 “It was the best week of my life,” “I feel a sense of joy and renewal,” and “It was an incredible experience” are comments that we often hear from our youth about their camp experience. In addition to games, swimming, crafts and other activities, they learned a little bit about what is really important—the love of Christ and one another that we carry in our hearts. What benefit is there in a camp like St. Stephen’s? Perhaps this poem written by one of our campers will illustrate the truly life-changing experience of living an Orthodox life in community with other young people:

Slowly my people gathered around a chapel.The sun was up and the mosaics were as shiny as the armor of the Spartans.I entered the church nervously, trying to judge my surroundings,And understand why the priest felt the warming in my heart.That was the day I would never forget, the day I truly felt love.. . . I was free, shattered and reborn.For the first time I felt true,The Lord was with me.We are all equal,Big, small, skin and culture,Everyone on the land of this camp is my family,We are all brothers and sisters,And when we reach the land of Heaven, let us remember each other.For I will remember each and every one of you . . . my family.God is love forever to the ages of ages.

By Nebiyu Abai

AlexiosMetropolitan of Atlanta

DownloadSummer Institute 2009

registration, schedule and lodging information at

religioused.goarch.orgor call (800) 566-1088

Religious Education Track: July 30 – August 1For Sunday Church school teacher and supervisors, youth ministers, and anyone interested in teaching the faith

Church Musician Track: July 28 – August 2For choir directors and singers, youth choir leaders, and anyone interested in creating opportunities for young people to learn the musical heritage of the Greek Orthodox Church

SCHEDULED PRESENTERS:

His Grace Bishop Savas of Troas • is Director of the Offi ce of Church and Society of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Niko Chocheli• has illustrated many popular books for Orthodox children, including Prepare O Bethlehem, Jonah and Christ in the Old Testament. He teaches Fine Art in Pennsylvania.

Presvytera Laura Morton and Rhonda Webb • are among the creators of The Twelve Great Feasts, a Vacation Church School curriculum recently published by the DRE. They present VCS programs at their home parishes in St. Louis, Missouri.

Theo Nicolakis• is Director of the Departments of Information Technology and Internet Ministries for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Dr. Bradley Nassif• is Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at North Park University in Chicago.

Presvytera Georget Photos• has been promoting traditional arts and crafts projects for many years. She resides in Winter Haven, Florida.

Dr. Vicki Pappas• is National Chairman of the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians.

Dr. Despina Prassas• is Assistant Professor of Theology at Providence College, in Providence, Rhode Island.

Rev. Dr. Philip Zymaris• is Assistant Professor of Liturgics at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

Presented by theDepartment of Religious Educationand the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians

Hellenic College – Holy CrossGreek Orthodox School of TheologyBrookline, MA


Retreating from our world is something that is crucial for every one of us. We retreat from our worries, our cares, our problems and our busy-ness. When I was a child, my father taught me the importance of “retreating from the

world”—whether it was in a quiet room in prayer, spending family time away from home, or gathering with other young people from our Church for a religious retreat. There is some-thing to be said about leaving the world and placing our focus on something more important. Each year in the Orthodox Church, thousands of young people ages 7–18 flock to summer camps. They anxiously wait for classes to end, athletic practices to cease, and for the begin-ning of their special time together with their fellow Ortho-dox Christians. The camp tradition is strong. The experiences our young people have are life-changing. The friendships they make are tight. The lessons they learn stay with them through-out their lives. Camp has amazing potential! A positive camp experience can keep young persons centered on their faith. A positive camp experience can prepare our future parish council members, clergy and hierarchs. Camp holds a special place in my heart . . . it is where I de-veloped a true calling for youth ministry; it is where I met my wife; it is where I have experienced the love of God; it is where I learned to stop talking and really listen to young people; it is where I have seen lives transformed by our Lord, Jesus Christ; it is where I have met some of my closest and dearest friends; is where I have spent most of my summers for the past twenty years. There is something unique about the camping experience. Our Lord himself needed time to retreat from the world and secure a time and place outside the busy world to focus more profoundly. If Christ did it, shouldn’t we? Camp can have an amazing impact on the life of a young person. Besides the great blessing of growing closer to Christ and the community surrounding them, young people develop social skills, build self-respect and gain confidence. They learn

about healthy boundaries, responsibility and the pride of ac-complishment. The Orthodox Church is a worshipping community. It is through the community that we truly experience our Lord and Savior. “When two or three are gathered in my name, I am in their midst” (Matthew 18:20). Everyone needs another person to relate to—and as Orthodox Christians, we draw our strength from those around us. I am convinced that what makes the camp experience so special is that it is a communal experience where the Holy Spirit is present. Young people from all walks of life come to-gether, many times not knowing anyone, and after one week, become lifelong friends. There is indeed something extraordi-nary taking place at camp. Camp takes young people out of their daily routine; en-courages them to do things they would never dream of doing back home: sitting around a campfire; talking to friends about God and how He works in their lives; getting dressed up for Christmas in the heat of July; preparing for and receiving the sacrament of confession; going on a scavenger hunt; playing silly games that teach them to rely on their co-campers; sing-ing “O Joyful Light” with a hundred or more others; perform-ing in a variety show; and the list goes on. Although every camp of our archdiocese has the same goal, each one is unique and offers a one-of-a-kind experi-ence. Each camp begins and ends each day in prayer (orthros and vespers). Throughout the week, there are Orthodox Life/Christian Education sessions, opportunities for discussion on social and contemporary issues, arts and crafts, water and land games and group activities that work to grow the campers in Christ. Every camp activity has a twofold purpose: to inspire the individual and enhance the communal relationships of the participants. So why attend summer camp? There are many reasons to participate in camping, but I will outline four particular rea-sons why every child should have a camping experience at one point or another in his or her life.

The Camp ExperienceFr. Mark Leondis

Then Jesus told his Disciples that He needed time to pray. He went away . . . in the Garden.

Summer ChurCh Camp


SPIRItuAl FoRmAtIonThe opportunity to develop a young person’s personal faith away from the daily home routine is essential to spiritual growth and formation. We want young people to develop their “own faith,” not the faith of their parents or grand-parents. Studies prove that if young persons embrace their own faith by the age of 18, there is a far greater chance that they will continue with that faith throughout their lives. For many young people, camp will be their first or only experi-ence with the Sacrament of Confession, to open their hearts to the Lord and feel forgiven and whole.

CommunItyAt camp, young people eat, play, worship, learn, cry and laugh together. They have the opportunity not only to discuss their Orthodox faith with their peers, but also to experience their faith firsthand with those around them, as a community. St. Paul reminds us that we are called to suffer, be honored and rejoice together (1 Corinthians 12:26). Camp offers this amazing challenge of working together for growth in Christ and the Church.

nEw ChAllEngESAndy Rooney, a famous television and radio writer, once said, “I’ve learned . . . that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.” When young people are taken out of their comfort zone, it allows them to be challenged in new and uplifting ways. And most often at camp, young people rise to the occasion, learning something new and exciting, reaching

beyond their current potential. And after the fact, they are so proud of their accomplishments.

lIFElong FRIEndShIPSBecause of the close interaction at camp, young people build up some of the strongest bonds they will ever develop with their fellow campers. They share not only age, interests and hobbies, but also their faith. They create friendships that go beyond their relationships back home because they are cen-tered on Christ and the Church. Camp has an amazing impact on both the campers and the staff that participate. Adults that serve as staff members have the awesome responsibility to help mold a young per-son’s life, becoming parent, friend, mentor and teacher while modeling the teachings of the Church. Additionally, staff members grow exponentially, growing closer to the young people entrusted to their care as well as to fellow staff mem-bers. In most cases, former campers make the best staff members! Camp creates community, fosters growth, cultivates spir-ituality, encourages learning and nurtures the lives of those who participate in it. Camp is a microcosm of parish life. Camp is an experience that every child should have.

Fr. Mark Leondis is Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (2000–present). He oversees Ionian Village and the Office of Camping Ministries. He has spent the last twenty years involved in camping and youth min-istry. He lives in New York with his wife and two children.

Archdiocese of America

Ionian VillageGarrison, NY Fr. Jason Roll(646) [email protected]

Archdiocesan district

Camp Saint PaulRye, NYFr. Elias Villis(914) [email protected]

Atlanta

Cathedral of Atlanta Summer CampAtlanta, GA Ethel Gjerde(404) [email protected] www.atlgoc.org/default.htm

St. Stephen’s CampTampa, FL Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis(813) [email protected]/index.php?pr=St._Stephens_Camp

Boston

Metropolis of Boston CampContoocook, NH Michael Sintros(603) [email protected] www.mbcamp.org

Chicago

Fanari CampWestchester, IL Nick Kirkeles(630) [email protected]

St. Mary’s CampMinneapolis, MN Doria Saros

(612) [email protected]

denver

Camp EmmanuelDenver, CO Dn. Paul Zaharis(303) [email protected] www.denver.goarch.org/youth/campemmanuel/

Eastern Orthodox Youth CampKansas City, MOStacie Sampson(816) [email protected]://annunciationkc.org/ParishOrganizations/EasternOrthodoxYouthCamp.dsp

detroit

Metropolis of Detroit Summer CampLevonia, MI Geoffrey Lowes(248) 909-6372

Contact Information for Camping Programs of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

[email protected]/mdsc/

St. Nicholas Summer CampTroy, MI Eva Kokinos(248) [email protected]

St. Timothy Summer CampSyracuse, NY Fr. Tom Zaferes(315) [email protected]/youth/sttimothy.php

new Jersey

Camp Good ShepherdWestfield, NJGeorge Tomczewski(908) [email protected]

CYC Summer CampBaltimore, MD George Maistros(443) 676-8156

[email protected]

Pittsburgh

Metropolis of Pittsburgh Summer Camp at Camp NazarethPittsburgh, PA Rhea Ballas(412) [email protected]://pittsburgh.goarch.org/youth/index.html

San Francisco

St. Nicholas Ranch & RetreatDunlap, CA Michael Pappas(559) [email protected]/

Ascension Cathedral CampOakland, CA George Banis(510) [email protected]/Pages/sumcmp00.html

All Saints CampSeattle, WA Lefteri Sitaras(206) [email protected]

Camp Angelos Youth CampPortland, OR George Psihogios(503) [email protected]/

Saint Sophia CampLos Angeles, CA Fr. Bill Tragus(323) [email protected]/home.shtml

All Saints Pan-Orthodox Summer CampScottsdale, AZ Kathy Clarke(602) [email protected]/camp.asp?page_id=11

Contact Information for Camping Programs of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America


Checking Facebook recently, I noticed the CrossRoad summer institute mentioned in a note, “25 things about me,” by a CrossRoad alumna from 2005. The note included this alumna’s desire to learn guitar, her love for

Greek dancing, and her college concentration in Peace and Conflict Studies. Her eighth point said the following:

CrossRoad is still, to this day, the best ex-perience of my life. It taught me the beauty of the Orthodox faith in word, belief and practice. I am so blessed to have participated in it and value everything it has taught me. I am still touched by the people and things I learned there, and I am sure that lasting friendships and foundations in my Ortho-dox faith will last me a lifetime.

This kind of statement suggests that CrossRoad is doing something important—something that makes a CrossRoad alum, four years after the program, say unprompted that it had a profound influence on the “friendships and founda-tions” of her Orthodox Christian faith. While we will never in this life know the true impact of CrossRoad—for it is only in the next life that we discover whom our Lord will place with the sheep or the goats—we pray that this student’s re-mark is a sign that CrossRoad has served as water for the seeds of the Gospel. (For “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase,” 1 Corinthians 3:6.) So what does CrossRoad do—what is its educational praxis—that leads so many of its alumni to call it “life-changing”? CrossRoad is a ten-day summer program for high school juniors and seniors held on the campus of Hellenic College in Brookline, Massachusetts. It began through a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment for “the theological exploration of vocation,” and in our promotional literature we explain that the program “helps students match their God-given talents with the needs of the world.” We call it an “institute” instead

of a “camp” because it is held on a college campus and has a strong academic component—in fact, students must submit their high school transcripts when they apply. It has had such overwhelming interest that after just four years, CrossRoad doubled to two sessions, each with thirty participants. Mary Long, in the following article, shares her experience as part of the first staff team and explains the way the program revolves around vocation. Here are a few foundational aspects of the educational praxis of CrossRoad and its vocational focus:

hEARIng thE wholE goSPElTo know the history of Christian education in the United States is to become aware of a tension—a tension between a concept of nurture in faith and an idea of kerygmatic procla-mation of the faith. (For more on this history, see Mary Boys, Educating in Faith.) One strand of educators believed that we should simply nurture children in faith, raise them in Chris-tian communities, and in this context children would become Christians. Another strand believed almost the opposite: chil-dren should be kept more or less in the dark about things of the faith so that, in their adolescent years, they can become fully aware of their own sinfulness. At this point they can hear a dynamic proclamation of Gospel and have a full-fledged conversion experience.

The Praxis of CrossRoad

Ann Bezzerides

Summer ChurCh Camp


As Orthodox Christians, we believe both. We baptize infants because we believe a Christian community can and should nurture faith. On the other hand, some of the best preaching in the Patristic era, teaching that is foundational for our theology, was geared toward converting reasoning adults. The lives of the saints have stories of both: the child who from his youth has the call to ministry (e.g., St. Athanasius), and the sinner who has a remarkable conversion experience as an adult (e.g., St. Mary of Egypt). CrossRoad is structured with both in mind. Teenagers are interested in CrossRoad because, most often, their parish communities and families have nurtured them in their faith, providing remarkable examples and good teaching within the context of our beautiful liturgical life. This leads them to want more. But then, we all need to hear the Gospel as if we’ve never heard it before—to be struck by the weight of our own sin and the realization that Christ died for us, first among sin-ners, and rose in a triumphant victory over death, offering us eternal life. My seminary professors convinced me that the function of every sermon is to preach the Gospel in a fresh way, in the way that the congregation members need to hear it for their particular time and place. If this is critical for adults, then it is even more so for teenagers, who are making deci-

sions that impact the rest of their lives. In short, kerygmatic proclamation of the Gospel is the purpose of CrossRoad. The staff knows that its mission is to inspire high school juniors and seniors that the way of Christ is the road of the Cross, for in Him we find direction, meaning, hope, love and answers. “We preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23).

InquIRIng mIndSCrossRoad places serious value on theology. Too often in par-ish life we still give high-school youth the fifth-grade answers to questions about the faith. But unless we give teenagers “thick” answers, we risk stunting their spiritual development. Teenagers need to be invited to learn the vibrant challenge of understanding and proclaiming the true faith—that Christi-anity is not a gospel of niceness or a set of moral rules and li-turgical rites, but a radical call to become a doulos tou theou, a servant of Christ, to love God and the neighbor. Working out the contours of this love as one’s vocation in life takes pursing Christ, reading and hearing His Word, allowing ourselves to be formed by the liturgical services, knowing our doctrine about Christ, studying the Church history that got us to this doctrine, and more. This knowledge keeps us both humble and steadfast, helping us discern our vocation and occupation with wisdom. This is not knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but knowledge for the sake of true love. We become servants of Christ through this pursuit, allowing Him to stir our hearts to goodness, truth and wisdom, and then we walk in His way. CrossRoad introduces youth to studying Orthodox theology so that they have some foundational “theological literacy” that will invite a lifelong pursuit.

lIvIng oRthodoXyCrossRoad exposes participants to one of the most beautiful things about Orthodox Christianity—that the one true faith finds its distinct expression in each particular culture that ac-cepts it. The United States is blessed to have immigrants from a magnificent variety of traditionally Orthodox cultures. CrossRoad draws on the Orthodox diversity in Boston by taking participants to vespers services of many different juris-dictions. Students learn that Orthodoxy is broader than they might have previously conceived it to be, and they learn to appreciate the beauty in the difference. These visits are impor-tant not just to demonstrate the universality of Orthodoxy, but also to serve a very practical purpose. When adolescents move away from home for college or work, they will often stop

Summer ChurCh Camp

going to church simply because they are not in their home parish. This practice of visiting different Orthodox churches helps students become comfortable with the idea that they can pray in an Ortho-dox church that may not be identical to

FromCrossRoad

Participants“We as juniors are at a crossroad in our life. From here on out, our •actions and our decisions are going to affect the rest of our lives. . . . When we graduate we have a big decision to make. When we leave for college, no one will be forcing us to go to church, or to make the right choices—we will have almost complete freedom. It is now at this point in our lives that we make the decision to have Christ and the faith be an integral part of our lives.”

“It only seems fitting that we, being made through Christ, work •for him as well as with him. The thing that is so big about this is because we are called by Christ to work to his glory for our salvation. We do this through the various gifts which he has given each of us according to measure. We have a calling and in each of us a responsibility.”

“I’m at a crossroad in my life; I have so many options. What am I to •do? I can’t do them all, so that’s what the excellent experience will help me with. It’s not what I’ll do, but more importantly how and why that’s the key.”

“as for my eventual career, I’ve learned just to blossom where I am •and God will reveal what my talents are that I’m meant to use in my career. This makes me so much less worried about applying to college this year because even if I make what I think is a mistake, God can still have me blossom there.”

“God made us with love to do what we were made to, and the •Crossroad program shows us the way to realize these talents and use them for God no matter what they are.”

“I was coming into my senior year full of doubts and questions. Lost •in the world because I was listening to everyone but the person I was supposed to listen to. everyone is willing to give me advice good and bad, but it really isn’t helping me make my decision. It is a huge thing to decide what you want to spend the rest of your life doing and I always worry about choosing the wrong thing. I understand the word vocation a little better now and because of that I realized that I had locked God out of the process. I would pray, but I don’t think I was listening very well. . . . my vocation today is to be the best student and listener to God that I can be.”

Summer ChurCh Camp

their home parish. Moreover, they can pursue friendships with Orthodox Chris-tians from different backgrounds—and friends who share our faith are essential for keeping us rooted in faith, for they walk the road of the Cross with us.

EXCEPtIonAl KIdS & EXCEPtIonAl StAFFAgainst the backdrop of this educational praxis, CrossRoad welcomes a cadre of teenagers whose home families and com-munities have truly planted the seeds of the Gospel. The students are bright; they have a burning desire to come to a deeper understanding of their faith, yet they are the kind of youth who may lose interest in their faith if they are not pushed to a richer understanding. Some have almost “outgrown” what their local Orthodox camping program can pro-vide. Others will serve as leaders of these camps, but they themselves need to be led to deeper faith so that they have more to give back to these communities. They need peers who will similarly be leaders. They need to meet each other so that they have friendships in their Orthodox faith that will last them a lifetime. And our Church—the earthly reality of our Church—needs them. It needs them to pursue Christ as their Lord and Master now, throughout their college years and beyond, because, quite simply, there is too much suffering in the world. The Church needs workers to serve in local parishes, dioceses, Orthodox schools and agencies, in a multiplicity of capacities—and right now we have a shortage of such leaders. And we need them to serve in the secular world in all sorts of capaci-ties as agents of peace, chastity, humility, patience and love. By God’s grace, at CrossRoad these teenagers meet a staff of vibrant Ortho-

dox Christian twenty-somethings who have made the decision to attend semi-nary, who are living a life of theological pursuits, and exude knowledge and pas-sion for their faith. The synergy is mirac-ulous—a gift of God.

CRoSSRoAd nEEdS CommunItIESNone of this work would be possible without the parents, clergy, youth work-ers, godparents, Sunday school teachers and whole communities who are plant-ing the seeds of the Gospel. And none of the work of CrossRoad will bear fruit unless these communities ask CrossRoad alumni to give back to their communi-ties. More than this, these “CrossRoaders” need their communities to help wisely guide them along their vocational walks, which are just beginning. As we look to the future of CrossRoad, we pray that it will sustain its growth and continue to grow in a myriad of ways. We ask you to support us in any way you can, and most especially through prayer.

Ann Mitsakos Bezzerides received a BA from Middlebury College, an MDiv from St. Vladimir’s Seminary, and a PhD from Boston College. She has served as Director of the Office of Vocation & Ministry, which runs CrossRoad, since its inception in 2003, and she is the editor of Christ at Work: Orthodox Christian Perspectives on Vocation (Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2006).


Imagine that you were given a gift that would al-low you to create a program for teens without the limitation of financial resources. The project would center on vocation and address the ultimate life questions. Dream big. How would you create the

ideal venue in which adolescents could delve into their unique identities and explore their faith?

This was the question we asked ourselves in 2003 when Hellenic College received a grant from the Lilly Endowment for vocational exploration. This gift created the Office of Voca-tion & Ministry (OVM), and our ensuing task as newly hired staff was to create a vocational program for Orthodox Chris-tian high schoolers.

Vocation is at the heart of the Gospel: Scripture, history and tradition point to Christ as the Caller who says to each of us, “Come, follow Me.” The staff spent months research-ing and brainstorming how to teach vocation, as we reviewed theology, scripture, youth cul-ture, youth ministry and proj-ect planning. Only when staff members are well-prepared and invested in a program can they teach accurately with enthusi-asm and energy.

We planned everything in detail, from the length of the program (ten days, the amount of time it takes to form a new habit) to the theology classes (taught by seminary professors—middle adolescents are ready for meatier theological material). We mapped out the objectives and impact of each activity, de-signing them with a clear purpose: for the students to discover the Caller and the calling.

Participants come to CrossRoad grappling with what to do when they “grow up.” One overwhelmed participant said, “I have so many options. What am I to do?” This question seems practical but at the core is a question about identity. In 2005, one of the girls in my devotional group struggled about where

to attend college and what to study. Of course, I couldn’t give her an answer; she was getting plenty of answers from other places. Another participant echoed a similar dilemma: “Every-one is willing to give me advice good and bad, but it really isn’t helping. . . . It is a huge thing to decide what you want to spend the rest of your life doing, and I always worry about choosing the wrong thing.”

CrossRoad teaches teens to ground decisions in their iden-tity as children of God, members of God’s church, called to be

holy. Only in this framework can one make a holy decision, whether it’s what college to attend or how to spend the weekend. One of the partici-pants in 2004 put it this way: “When we leave for college, no one will be forcing us to go to church, or to make the right choices—we will have almost complete freedom. It is now that we make the de-cision to have Christ and the faith be an integral part of our lives.”

As a staff member, I didn’t just invite adolescents

to reflect on their vocations; I actively reflected on my own as well. How would my unique, ongoing response to Christ’s call be played out in my life that day, that week, that year? I was a seminary student preparing to serve in the Church, but I didn’t yet know how or where. The vocational exploration piece was just as relevant to me and the other staff as it was to the partici-pants, and still is.

As I approach another summer of CrossRoad, this time as director, I thank God for how He has used this program to af-fect the vocational journeys of so many, including myself.

Mary Long completed her undergraduate studies at University of Texas–Austin and then earned an MDiv from Holy Cross in 2006, where she served as a CrossRoad staff member for two years. She has returned to the OVM full-time as the director of CrossRoad.

CrossRoad JourneyMary Long

Beaded Cord BookmarksGIF004: Small (6”) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�00GIF005: Medium (9¼”) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25GIF006: Large (12”) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�50

Antiqued Papyrus BookmarksGIF060: Theotokos � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $5�00GIF061: Christ � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $5�00(25+, any combination of styles) � � � � � � � � � $4�50 each

new gifts & awards for campersIcon MagnetsImages are covered with ¼” thick acrylic and have a full magnetic backing� Approx� 2 × 3”� Top to bottom:

Deisis – 16th century (arched) GIF010 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25Mother of God (round) GIF011 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25Christ the Teacher (round) GIF012 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25St. George and the Dragon (rectangle) GIF013 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25Theotokos Tender Mercy (square) GIF014 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25Theotokos Fresco (rectangle) GIF015 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25

Icon Bead Prayer Ropes and BraceletsGIF030 (Christ) or GIF031 (Theotokos) � � � � � � � � � $7�00(25+) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $6�50GIF032 (Theotokos bracelet w/ black bead) � � � � � � $5�00(25+) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $4�50 each

“Express It” Faith CharmsAccent, personalize and identify cell phones, backpacks, iPods—anything with a ring or zipper! Beads and cross charms will vary; Hope and Joy charms as pictured�

GIF001 (assorted cross charms)� � � � � � � � � � � � � � $5�00 GIF002 (Hope) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $5�00GIF003 (Joy) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $5�00(25+) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $4�50 each

(800) 566-1088 Department of Religious Education [email protected] 16

Summer ChurCh Camp

PRAXIS w Spring 2009

Beaded Cord BookmarksGIF004: Small (6”) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�00GIF005: Medium (9¼”) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25GIF006: Large (12”) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�50

Antiqued Papyrus BookmarksGIF060: Theotokos � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $5�00GIF061: Christ � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $5�00(25+, any combination of styles) � � � � � � � � � $4�50 each

new gifts & awards for campersIcon MagnetsImages are covered with ¼” thick acrylic and have a full magnetic backing� Approx� 2 × 3”� Top to bottom:

Deisis – 16th century (arched) GIF010 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25Mother of God (round) GIF011 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25Christ the Teacher (round) GIF012 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25St. George and the Dragon (rectangle) GIF013 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25Theotokos Tender Mercy (square) GIF014 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25Theotokos Fresco (rectangle) GIF015 � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $3�25

Icon Bead Prayer Ropes and BraceletsGIF030 (Christ) or GIF031 (Theotokos) � � � � � � � � � $7�00(25+) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $6�50GIF032 (Theotokos bracelet w/ black bead) � � � � � � $5�00(25+) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $4�50 each

“Express It” Faith CharmsAccent, personalize and identify cell phones, backpacks, iPods—anything with a ring or zipper! Beads and cross charms will vary; Hope and Joy charms as pictured�

GIF001 (assorted cross charms)� � � � � � � � � � � � � � $5�00 GIF002 (Hope) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $5�00GIF003 (Joy) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $5�00(25+) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � $4�50 each

(800) 566-1088 Department of Religious Education [email protected]

Ionian Village, affectionately known as “IV,” is the travel abroad summer camp program of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Located on the west side of the Peloponnese, it aims to provide a vibrant, firsthand experience of Orthodox Christianity and Hellenism to

its participants. Campers who attend IV spend three weeks based at the campsite, making guided excursions to some of the most important cultural and religious sites of Greece. Daytrips and excursions include exploring the islands of Kefalonia, Zakynthos and Aegina and visiting monasteries and venerating the relics of Sts. Dionysios, Andrew, Gerasimos and Nektarios. Historic destinations include ancient Olympia, Delphi and the Acropolis. Campers and staff spend time walking the marketplaces of Athens, including Monostirakis and Plaka.

Time spent on the grounds of Ionian Village consists of activities designed to bring the campers closer to God and each other. Beyond the expected swimming, athletic activities and arts & crafts, IV also features discussions about the Orthodox faith and the many challenges facing young adults occur during catechetical sessions called “Orthodox Life.” Music and Greek culture sessions offer campers the opportunity to learn about the life of the ancient and modern people of Greece. Summer camp at Ionian Village would not be complete without a bonfire on the beach, swimming in the Ionian Sea and a traditional Panegyri celebration. The Orthodox faith is the heart of the Ionian Village program. Chapel begins and ends the busy days, and Divine Liturgy is celebrated on Sunday mornings. “Night with God” discussions held in the amphitheater bring campers closer to

walking among the Saints at Ionian village

Fr. Jason Roll

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God, their faith and one another. Friendships that are built during the camp sessions last beyond the time spent at Ionian Village. Stacey Stathulis, who attended as a camper in 1988 and returned in 1992 as a staff member, said, “Orthodoxy became my religion at IV. It became meaningful, accessible, comfortable and something I fit into my life in terms that I defined within the faith!” Jessica Gianacakes, who attended in 2007, added, “Before I attended IV, my faith was dwindling. IV was the most amazing experience of my life. Religion was presented to me, not forced on me nor expected of me and I love how accepting the community at IV was.” This summer marks the thirty-ninth season of summer camp at Ionian Village. Over the years nearly 16,000 Orthodox young adults, clergy and staff have passed through the walkways of Ionian Village. This year, 25 qualified staff members have been accepted to serve as counselors from nearly 100 applicants. The experienced and diverse staffers are dedicated to serve the more than 200 Orthodox youth who will attend this summer. Anastasia Stefanos, who attended IV in 2007, testified that “campers and staff are all strangers in the beginning and, though we may not like to admit it, judgment is passed. Only at IV are we able to learn how to put aside our preconceived notions and truly become family. We walk in alone, but we walk out with friendships with the most unexpected people.” Over the past thirty-nine years, Ionian Village has welcomed back many alumni. MaryLou Anderson Relle attended Ionian Village in 1970 and 1973. Her children attended in summer 2005. “I don’t know of any other American group or culture that offers their youth an opportunity to get acquainted with their ‘roots’ the way this experience does. This is a carefully

planned and safe way to visit the most beautiful country in the world and to connect with other Greek Orthodox youth all over the U.S. and far away places as well. Campers form life-long friendships and will always remember the fun times they had in the land of their forefathers.” Ionian Village offers a unique and sometimes life-changing journey. Nicole Katritos Albert attended IV for the first time in 1981. “IV helped me define who I was. In 1981 my parents saw what a life-changing experience it was for me and sent me again

in 1985. When I was writing my college essay to Ithaca College in 1987, ‘Ionian Village’ was my answer to the question ‘What was the most important experience in your life?’ I’d say that’s unique for a ‘camp.’ ” As the new director of IV, I am committed to maintaining the enduring magic and mystery of the program. During my first summer on staff at IV 2006, we visited Zakynthos to venerate the relics of St. Dionysios. Known for wearing out the slippers on his feet even though his tomb is sealed, the “Walking Saint” is one of the patron saints of the camp. Campers and staff receive pieces of his worn slippers as a token of witness to this miracle. This experience is central to my passion for Ionian Village, and I feel blessed to continue this unique ministry that

allows campers to truly walk among the saints.

Rev. Fr. Jason Roll brings more than nineteen years of youth-related experience to his new role of camp director of Ionian Village. He is a graduate of Oregon State University School of Business (1994) and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (2009). He is married and has three boys. Please visit www.ionianvillage.org to register or find out more information about the Ionian Village camp program.

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The importance of summer camp as a key com-ponent of any parish youth program cannot be overstated. If you just do the math, you will see that even the children who regularly at-tend Sunday school will spend nearly the same

amount of time together during one week of camp as they do during an entire school year. Obviously, summer camp is a wise “investment” and I would encourage priests and parish councils to focus on a par-ticular funding mechanism that we are blessed to have here in Sacramento, California. The Annunciation Endowment Fund is set up for the express purpose of funding special youth and cultural programs for all three Greek Orthodox parishes of the Sacramento region. As a result, we are able to provide over half the cost of attending summer camp for at least forty young people, each and every year. You may be thinking, “What do we do if we don’t have such an endowment?” I can only say where there’s a will, there’s a way, and I challenge parish leadership to first articu-late a vision and goals for youth ministry, including summer

camp, and then to focus on solutions, such as finding the money. It is the vision that drives the process. The key is to have a core group of laypeople who believe in the vision and are known for their integrity as leaders. There are many ways to raise funds for summer camp, special events, direct ap-peals, etc. One very effective method is to have donors spon-sor youth through “camperships.” This could be done on a financial needs basis. Finally, there is a professional and systematic way to ap-proach fund-raising, and the good news is that you can do it without relying on expensive consultants. Take advantage of resources both online and at local nonprofit agencies on how to develop an effective fund-raising plan for any number of ministries, including summer camp. Also, feel free to contact me for information on what is working here in the Metropo-lis of San Francisco.

Fr. James Retelas is pastor of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Sacramento, CA. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

Support (Financially) your local Summer Camp

Fr. James Retelas

Summer ChurCh Camp


To conclude the series in honor of the Year of St. Paul, we of-fer excerpts from a lecture delivered by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios.

Dear Friends, How glad we are indeed for this bi-millennial celebration, for great and many are the blessings that the Church has received for two thousand years, and still receives daily, through St. Paul. Last June, I had the great privilege to lead a group of pil-grims from the United States to Rome, the city of St. Paul’s martyrdom. The august occasion was the opening of the Pau-line Year by Pope Benedict XVI and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The official ceremonies were held in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls where the tomb of the Apostle Paul lies just beneath the High Altar. On the eve of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 28—a shared date of recognition in both the Christian East and the Christian West, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI presided together with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Solemn Vespers. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, New Rome, had been invited to make an official fraternal and apostolic visit to the See of Elder Rome in order to reciprocate the Pope’s visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2006 on the Feast of the First-Called Apostle Andrew, November 30, the founder of the See of Constantinople. The festivities in Rome culminated in a Solemn High Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica the next day, Sunday, June 29—the actual feast day of the two Apostles Peter and Paul. In this occasion, although there was not a concelebra-tion of the Eucharist, the joint pronouncement of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed by both Primates in the original form and language provided a powerful witness to the truly ecumenical spirit that has brought even us together today. Jesus Christ says that “every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old” (Matthew 13:52). Who can hear these words and not think of the Apostle Paul? Versed in the Hebrew Scriptures, learned in the tradition of

the rabbis, fluent in the languages of the Diaspora, versed in the literature of the Roman world, trained in the arts of an-cient rhetoric—what good thing, new or old, is lacking in the storehouse of treasures that is the mind of St. Paul? A “Pauline year” seems hardly adequate to explore the riches of grace that come to us through St. Paul. Just think for a moment of the way that the Apostle Paul’s words have worked their way into the fabric of our English language, two thousand years later and an ocean away from his place of birth in Tarsus. Consider for instance these well-known phrases:

“Fight the good fight” (1 Timothy 6:12)“Labor of love” (1 Thessalonians 1:3) “Bear with fools gladly” (2 Corinthians 11:19)“Mend your ways” (2 Corinthians 13:11)“A thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:4)“The root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10)“Old wives’ tales” (1 Timothy 4:7)“A thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7)“The letter of the law” (2 Corinthians 3:6)“The twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52)“The wages of sin” (Romans 6:23)“The powers that be” (Romans 13:1)“All things to all people” (1 Corinthians 9:22)“Fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4)

And these by no means exhaust the list! The Apostle to the Gentiles has left his lasting mark on the language of us Gen-tiles. And this linguistic observation is but the most superficial means of gauging his influence. So we focus on a more profound element of the legacy of St. Paul: the pastoral dimension. Here we will selectively limit our remarks to the following specific points:

• St. Paul’s adherence to the absolute nature of the Gospel

• His adherence to the overcoming in Christ of all hu-man distinctions and divisions

The Superb Pastoral legacy of St. Paul

Archbishop Demetrios of America

• His adherence to the plan of God for salvation of all people

• His adherence to the passionate care of souls• His adherence to the Imitation of Christ as the ulti-

mate pastoral legacy, strategy and tactics

St. PAul’S AdhEREnCE to thE ABSolutE nAtuRE oF thE goSPElWhere does the work of a pastor begin? In contemporary thought, one might take the field of psychotherapy or a medi-cal model of spiritual health, basing one’s approach on the premises of psychoanalytic theories. Or perhaps, one might pursue a statistical approach, taking polls and assigning value to various pastoral strategies based on perceptions of effective-ness and favorability ratings within the flock. For the Apostle Paul, pastoral care begins with Truth. His first prescription for the treatment of the wounded and suffering soul is simply the truth—a theoretical truth, but the truth of the Gospel itself. The message about Christ, and Him crucified, is the medicine of first resort for every spiri-tual weakness, sickness or confusion. For St. Paul, there is no possibility of compromise on this point. The Gospel is unique and absolute as revealing the truth about the unique and ab-solute God-man, Jesus Christ as seen here in his epistle to the Galatians (1:6–9):

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel—not that there is another gospel, but there are some who trouble you and want to per-vert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be ac-cursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.

The force of these words is tremendous. The Apostle leaves no space for any alternative presentation of the Gospel; he rejects even the possibility of addition or deviation from the Gospel that he received and in turn distributed. Can you imagine? No miracle, no supernatural signs can disprove his Gospel—not even the manifestation of a radiant angel from heaven!—if the message conveyed is not in complete accordance with the Gospel of “Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). As a pastor, St. Paul encounters a great variety of spir-itual sicknesses and confusion in the Churches under his care. In writing to them his therapy begins with the truth revealed by Christ and with the doctrine of the person of Christ. Application and advice come later. “Do this, refrain

from that”: these kinds of pastoral commands are mostly found at the end of the epistles. For the Church in Rome that has problems with Jew and Gentile relations, Paul’s greeting encapsulates the Gospel sto-ry with special reference both to the fleshly lineage of Jesus Christ, as well as to panethnic nature of His commission to His chosen Apostles (Romans 1:1–6). For the Church in Corinth, which is fragmented by per-sonality cults and by pride, Paul’s opening exposition focuses on the humility of the crucified Christ (1 Corinthians 1:13–25), as also he does for the Churches of Galatia, bewitched as they are by the conceits of a Judaizing form of religion (Galatians 2:19–21, 3:10–14). And again, in the epistles to the Ephesians, the Colos-sians, the Philippians, the Thessalonians, we see that for Paul, the Christology of the Gospel is medicine for every condition. How thoroughly Pauline is the advice given to a young pastor in Second Timothy 2:8: “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my Gospel.” In the mind of St. Paul, to be a pastor is to offer the Gospel in its integrity, namely to portray Jesus Christ: in words, in wor-ship, in sufferings and in countless examples of self-sacrifice in daily life. For Paul there is not one theology for the poor and op-pressed, another theology for this gender or for that ethnic-ity, and another theology for the disabled. In the mind of the Apostle, the nature of the Gospel is absolute; it is unique; it is unchanging with time or place or circumstance. This adher-ence to the absolute nature of the Gospel is the first element of Paul’s pastoral legacy.

St. PAul’S AdhEREnCE to thE ovERComIng In ChRISt oF All humAn dIvISIonSHuman beings have an uncanny and sometimes ingenious ability to make distinctions among themselves, to identify an “us” and a “them.” Every community, regardless of size, from the smallest country parish to the largest archdiocese, finds itself struggling many times with problems of infighting, of factionalism, of exclusion by some members of others. There is a school of thought that holds that this divisive-ness must be accepted as part of the eternal order of the fallen world. This school of thought claims that like the division of day and night, the human penchant for taking sides and the concurrent phenomenon of divisiveness is something to be tolerated and perhaps even exploited. Not so for St. Paul. For him, this Gospel which is “the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16)—this Gospel goes forth through the earth to bring together into perfect oneness the Jew and the Greek and the barbarian and even the

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inhabitants of parts unknown. St. Paul spells out his adherence to this program with stunning clarity in Galatians 3:26–28:

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

In the mind of Paul, salvation is not simply the overcoming of any division but the union of all in Christ (1 Corinthians 6:17). As a result there is no longer the old human self that lives as part of a divided and sharply differentiated community but a new being in Christ as member of an integral body so that “Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11). What is the assem-bly of the Church but a coming together of Christ Himself? Every other natural distinction among mankind is effaced through the personal identification with Christ! What divi-sions or discriminations can ever exist in the person of the one Christ? “Is Christ divided?” Paul pointedly asks (1 Corinthians 1:13)—knowing that the answer can be only an emphatic no. For St. Paul, the existence of divisions means but one thing: not all who come together are genuinely in Christ (1 Corinthi-ans 11:19): “For there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.” Dis-tinctions within the Church are not merely a political phenom-enon—that is, something to be endured as common to human life. Divisions are a phenomenon to be eliminated from the life of the Church and are therefore a grave pastoral problem.

Any sense of separation and divisions among believers, any appearance of fragmentation of communities is a mat-ter of utmost concern, as St. Paul demonstrates pastorally in nearly every epistle. We recall first of all the great racial divide between Jew and Greek that St. Paul seeks to heal in every church (Romans 10:12, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11). Then also we note his repudiation of social and economic distinctions, as between freeman and slave (ibid., and Ephesians 6:11, Philemon 1:16). The great Apostle will step in and bring reconciliation in the smaller interper-sonal disputes of community life. What pastoral treasure we find in Philippians 4:2–3, where Paul takes his peacekeeping mission to the hearts of two estranged Christian women: “I entreat Euodia and Syntyche to agree in the Lord. And I ask you also, true yokefellows, help these women, for they have labored side by side with me in the gospel.” If not even this small rift between Euodia and Syntyche can escape Apostolic notice, what other division or distinction among Christians can be tolerated pastorally? Oftentimes, St. Paul’s pastoral genius works in amazing ways to heal divisions and distinctions. A characteristic exam-ple is the subtle way he uses certain words. Take for instance the word “brother” as a healing, unifying factor. In his first epistle to the Corinthians, he uses the word adelphos (brother) thirty-four times—more than twice per chapter! Methodical-ly, insistently, St. Paul works this word and its familial associa-tions into his exposition. At every opportunity he espouses the idea that in Christ all believers are equally brothers and sisters

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with one another, such that every human rank or allegiance or distinction is secondary, even trivial—zero tolerance for any discrimination! We dare not sue another Christian in the civil courts, Paul insists, no more than we would make our own brother suffer judgment (1 Corinthians 6:6). We dare not offend the weaker sensibilities of our fellow parishioner: he is “the brother for whom Christ died” (1 Corinthians 8:11). Just as a family en-joys its common meal together, so too must the Corinthians in their sacramental meals as brothers wait for one another, regardless of social status (1 Corinthians 11:33). Nor does St. Paul as an Apostle exalt his rank above the rest, but is content in every place to number himself as one of the brethren, as when he sweetly and elegantly greets the mother of Rufus as “his mother and mine” (Romans 16:13). With a few strokes of the pen, Paul deftly exemplifies the depth of his adherence to the overcoming of all human distinctions in Christ as a central pastoral strategy, so that nothing remains as a cause for separation within the Christian family—not even the accident of birth from a different mother! This is the second element of his pastoral legacy.

St. PAul’S AdhEREnCE to thE PlAn oF god FoR SAlvAtIon oF All PEoPlEOut of this sense of pastoral care for the elimination of all divisions and discriminations and of ultimate Christian unity comes St. Paul’s celebrated metaphor of the Church as the Body of Christ (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephesians 4:12, Colossians 1:18). This metaphor has tremendous pastoral implications. St. Paul in-sists that our differences as believers are differences in func-tion, not in identity, status, value or purpose. “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12). In this scheme, every member of the body is truly indispensable, uniquely providing some neces-

sary thing for the welfare of the whole, whether as an eye or an ear or a foot. We dare not say of any portion of the body, “I have no need of you” (1 Corinthians 12:21). Yet within this metaphor stands a paradox. At every mo-ment the body of Christ is complete within itself. And yet at every moment this body is also ready to change and grow, yearning to assimilate new members in order to come to matu-rity. As St. Paul brilliantly states in Ephesians 4:11–13, God’s gifts were that:

[S]ome should be apostles, some prophets, some evan-gelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints

for the work of minis-try, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the uni-ty of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the mea-sure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. In God’s plan of salva-tion, therefore, the work of calling the human race into the Church is not exhaust-ed until every constituent of mankind is found within the Body of Christ. For St. Paul, therefore, evangelism is of consummate pastoral concern. The health of the whole body depends on the integration of all the gifts that the Spirit can bring through the incorpora-tion of every possible per-son. The exclusion of any group—even by their own choice—is not an option. Hence the unquench-

able thirst of St. Paul to bring the Gospel to those places where it was not yet known (Romans 15:20, 2 Corinthians 10:16), traversing far and wide like a farmer sowing every corner of the field in order to reap the fullest harvest (Romans 1:13). It was not wanderlust but pastoral concern that drove the Apostle to further and further reaches of the Roman Empire in order to build up the Body of Christ throughout the world. How quint-essentially Pauline is the exhortation that a pastor must “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:5). But the same pastoral concern that impelled him westward also kept him looking eastward, back toward Jerusalem. The


Body of Christ would not be complete, could not reach ma-turity, without the fullness of the people of Israel. With “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” (Romans 9:2), St. Paul yearns for his fleshly kinsmen to accept their Christ, not only for their own blessing but as well for the blessing of his Gentile brethren: “Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!” (Romans 11:12). Seeking this grace on behalf of all, Paul demonstrates his unyielding adherence to the salvation of all people. This constitutes a paramount vision and indispensable component of Paul’s pastoral legacy: God’s salva-tion embracing each and every human being.

St. PAul’S AdhEREnCE to thE PASSIonAtE CARE oF SoulSHaving sketched out the broader outlines of St. Paul’s pastoral legacy, it is appropriate to mention now a specific aspect of his pastoral care that is truly predominant. This is the passion that permeates every aspect of Paul’s life. Every word, every thought, every step of every journey seems to spring forth from an inner compulsion to do the uttermost, to “spend and be spent” (2 Corinthians 12:15) to the last full measure. St. Paul’s passion expresses itself in manifold ways. It is seen first of all in the work of unceasing prayer. Typical is the statement in First Thessalonians: “We give thanks to God al-ways for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:2–3). What myriads of names must St. Paul have brought before the Lord in prayer each and every day! Such is the passionately caring heart of the true shepherd of Christ’s flock. Secondly, the Apostle’s pastoral passion was revealed in his tirelessly thanking God for His people. “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,” Paul says to the Philippians, “always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now” (1:3–5). Such expressions we find in almost every epistle. What a blessing for a pastor to seek out for himself the strengths of his people and to offer them by name to God as a means of thanksgiving! What a comfort to the people to know that their efforts are seen and appreciated by God’s cho-sen caretaker of their souls! What an incalculable difference it would make in any parish for the people to know that this labor of love takes place on their behalf by their pastor. Thirdly, there is another manifestation of St. Paul’s car-ing passion. This is his amazing humility. Other self-styled apostles came to the flock of Corinth and lorded it over them, vaunting their special powers and privileges as leaders and pneumatikoi (spiritual) ones. St. Paul took the opposite ap-proach. He laid aside his rank and presented himself as a mere

servant (1 Corinthians 4:1): “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7). St. Paul’s humility drives him to relate to his people as a father, with all of the vigilant passion, the interpersonal vulnerability and intensity of feeling that the word connotes. As a father St. Paul instructs and admonishes, entices and cajoles, lectures and disciplines, sometimes in sternness, yet always with gentleness, “like a nurse taking care of her children,” he says (1 Thessalonians 2:7). And this fa-therly approach banishes any kind of clinical aloofness, open-ing up the Apostle to all the hurts and disappointments that are suffered by every earthly father. Where is the “professional distance” in his Corinthian correspondence? It is absolute pa-ternal passion for the care of one’s own dear children that speaks throughout these epistles:

• For I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. (2 Corinthians 2:2–4)

And apart from other things, there is the daily pres-sure upon me of my anxiety for all the Churches. Who is weak and I am not weak? Who is scandalized and I am not burning? (2 Corinthians 11:28–29)

Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you; for children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. (2 Corinthians 12:14–15)

This model of prayerful, thankful, humble, fatherly passion for the care of souls is the fourth element of St. Paul’s pastoral legacy. It should be noted that a significant aspect of St. Paul’s pastoral legacy is his engagement with the wider world. The Apostle does not shrink from sharp social criticism, as we wit-ness in the first chapter of the epistle to the Romans (1:18–31). That which was accepted at even the highest levels of Roman society in terms of idolatry, superstition, sexual devi-ancy, cruelty and materialism, Paul openly condemns, and in the strongest terms. These were not words that could have en-deared him to the powers that be of imperial Rome. This pas-sage, like his speech in Athens at Areopagus (Acts 17:22–31), stands as an act of pastoral courage and paternal commitment


to the spiritual well-being of his flock; it is a beacon that has shone down through the ages and inspired countless genera-tions to imitate his fearless call to repentance and to accep-tance of the Gospel of Christ in the face of mockery, hostility, threats and persecution.

hIS AdhEREnCE to thE ImItAtIon oF ChRISt AS thE ultImAtE PAStoRAl lEgACy, StRAtEgy And tACtICSIt is on the basis of this courageous pastoral integrity that St. Paul could say with all modesty, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). For St. Paul there was simply no limit to the imitation of Christ’s example. In gentleness toward the weak, in boldness before the mighty, in resistance to hypocrisy, in concern for the poor, in godly sorrow for the unrepentant, in tirelessness of purpose, who in these ways and so many more matches the Christ-likeness of Paul? In ev-ery virtue, in every direction, St. Paul followed the footsteps of the Lord. But even this is not enough. The Lord said, “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). In this above all, the Apostle Paul sought to perfect in himself the imitation of Christ. As Jesus Christ went up to Jerusalem to be delivered to the hands of his enemies and be executed (Mark

10:33–34), so did St. Paul set his face for the city of Rome and for martyrdom. As for the Lord, so also for Paul, it is clear that their lives were not taken from them so much as willingly laid down by them:

It is my eager expectation and my hope that I shall not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:20–21)

Gain not only for the person of the Apostle, but gain for all Christendom in the power of his martyred blood. What more can the soul of a true shepherd desire for his flock than to demonstrate that their well-being is to him worth the price of his own life in this world? What sacrifice before God can a pastor offer on behalf of his people than to imi-tate the example of the Savior to the ultimate degree? This, his martyrdom, as an imitation of Christ is the crown jewel in the superb pastoral legacy of St. Paul.

ConCludIng woRdSWe live in a difficult world—a world that is tormented by acute problems of poverty, diseases, ideological conflicts, spiritual confusion and bitter wars.


The Church has been confronted from the very first years of her existence with difficulties, as it is clear among other doc-umentary evidence from the letters of St. Paul and the book of Acts. The difficulties necessitated intense pastoral action, which in turn became a basic function of the Church during the twenty centuries of her life and mission. Today, because of the nature, size and complexity of the difficulties, the loving and wise pastoral function of the Church becomes much more demanding. The challenge is big and unyielding. We must carefully listen to him, study him in depth, try to know him and understand his legacy. A text from St. John Chrysostom may be very appropriate at this closing point. It comes from his final homily on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. In that text St. John Chrysostom speaks passionately about St. Paul, revealing, in his well-known brilliant and subtle way, as-pects of the great Apostle’s superb pastoral legacy. After express-ing his ardent desire to visit St. Paul’s tomb in Rome and see there even the dust of his body, St. John Chrysostom says:

Who could grant me now this to throw myself around the body of Paul, and be riveted to his tomb, and to see the dust of that body which completed what was lacking in Christ’s afflictions; which bore the marks (of Christ) and sowed the Gospel every-where . . . the dust of that mouth through which Christ spoke. . . . Nor is it that mouth only, but I wish I could see the dust of Paul’s heart, too, which one should rightly call the heart of the world, the fountain of countless blessings, and the very element of our life. . . . A heart which was so large as to take in entire cities, and peoples, and nations . . . Which be-came higher than the heavens, wider than the whole world, brighter than the sun’s beam, warmer than the fire, stronger than the adamant; letting rivers flow from it . . . which was deemed to love Christ like no one else ever did.

I wish I could see the dust of Paul’s hands, hands in chains, through the imposition of which the Spirit was given, through which this divine letter [to the Romans] was written. . . .

I wish I could see the dust of those eyes which were rightly blinded and recovered their sight again for the salvation of the world; which were counted worthy to see Christ in the body; which saw earthly things, yet saw them not; which saw the things that are not seen; which knew no sleep, and were watchful even at midnight. . . .

I wish I could also see the dust of those feet, Paul’s feet, which ran through the world and were not tired, which were bound in stocks when the prison shook,

which went through parts populated and uninhab-ited, which walked on so many journeys. . . .

I wish I could see the tomb, where the weap-ons of righteousness lay, the weapons of light, the limbs of Paul, which now are alive but in life were made dead (to sin) . . . which were in Christ’s limbs, clothed in Christ, bound in the Spirit, riveted to the fear of God, bearing the marks of Christ. (St. John Chrysostom, Homily 32 on the Epistle to the Romans, PG 60, 678–80).

I pray that God grant us the gift to develop this kind of Chrys-ostomic attitude toward the astonishing Apostle St. Paul and his superb legacy.

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America delivered the sixth annual Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua Lecture in Pastoral Theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, NY, on November 23, 2008.


The 2008 National Survey of Eastern Orthodox Churches conducted by Faith Communities Today (http://fact.hartsem.edu) revealed two troubling statistics: First, 46 percent of partici-pating parishes report that they “do not have”

activities for “young, single adults.” Second, young adults made up the smallest age group in parishes, with just 13 per-cent of parishioners between ages 18–34. In contrast, senior citizens comprise 26 percent. The recent book Googling God explores the religious lives of American Roman Catholics in their 20s and 30s. Author Mike Hayes is the managing editor of www.bustedhalo.com, a Paulist Fathers site for this audience. Although there are un-doubtedly some differences between Orthodox and Roman Catholic young adults, the book provides useful insights for Orthodox readers. Hayes distills research and reflection on the various gener-ations, comparing Gen Xers (born 1964–80) and Millennials (born 1981–2000). He argues that young adults today “often seek a theology that is more contemplative and even more de-manding of them” (p. 4). One factor comes through loud and clear: diversity among young adults today is greater than ever before. For Hayes, this diversity can be classified into seven spiritual/religious types (see pp. 13–24):

Eclipsed: those who show no interest in spiritual or 1. religious matters

Private: those who pursue their religiosity privately, 2. away from the Church

Ecumenical: those who see the divisions among 3. Christians as meaningless

Evangelical: those who flock to worship services filled 4. with vibrant music and an emotional sense of prayer

Sacramental: those in tune with the liturgical and sac-5. ramental life of the Church

Prophetic: those who become active in service proj-6. ects for the poor

Communal: those who seek the fellowship groups 7. and retreats

Making these types a little more challenging is the generational differences between Gen Xers and Millennials. The types and the case studies of individuals who fit them are eye-opening, challenging Orthodox readers to think about the diversity of young adults within our parishes. Hayes then offers steps and strategies for reaching out to these different types and creating a vibrant young adult min-istry. The lesson is that the “one ministry fits all” of the past generations can no longer be the model. Parishes need to in-corporate a variety of ministries with diverse appeal. Hayes emphasizes the role of technology—Web sites, podcasts, blogs, blast e-mails, and Internet newsletters—as a critical vehicle for reaching young adults today. He emphasizes that those in young adult ministry should “go where you think you should not be; do what you think you should not do” (p. 169). Hayes points to satiric Web sites as the kind of online places to find young people, as well as the very popular Theology on Tap (www.renewtot.org) program. Theology on Tap, as the name suggests, meets in pubs and bars, usually near college cam-puses, for theological discussion. The book’s afterword is by Rev. John Cusick of the Ro-man Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. He writes: “So many young adults speak of a spiritual hunger. They present to us who minister to them a curiosity and a need to learn about their own religious traditions. The loneliness of sitting in front of a computer screen has prompted a hunger for community, a desire to meet and get connected with people of similar values, faith, and longings.”

Book Author: Mike Hayes

Publisher: Paulist Press, 2007

Anton C. Vrame, PhD, is Director of the Department of Reli-gious Education.

googling godReviewed by Anton C. Vrame, PhD


The American educator and philosopher John Dewey wrote in 1915, “What the best and wis-est parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all of its children. Any oth-er ideal for our schools is narrow and unlovely.”

Parish ministries should be thought of the same way. One critical area is keeping youth safe from abuse and harm. Parents should be able to send their children off to sum-mer camp, whether Church-sponsored or not, with confidence that their sons and daughters will be in as safe an environ-ment as possible. The Archdiocese has taken a large step by publishing the Youth Protection Manual (YPM). Its opening paragraph reads:

The Church must be a secure and safe envi-ronment where young people can grow and mature in the Faith. While we can never completely eliminate the possibility of abuse or injury, we can take concrete steps to en-sure that our Churches are as safe as possible. With so many factors beyond our control, we need to do everything possible to protect our children and youth from abuse, negligence, and accidents. (p. 2)

The many camp programs of the Archdiocese have initiated steps to keep our youth and children safe. All of them have been mandated to implement the policies of the Youth Protec-tion Manual, which provides guidance in three areas in the control of a camp program:

The words that best describe the purpose of the YPM, which is to “screen,” “teach” and

“protect” our youth. We “screen” those who work with our young people; we “teach” them the important task of training and of diligent staff selection; and we create an en-vironment where young people feel safe and thus we “protect” them. (p. 2)

The Youth Protection Manual is a quantum leap forward in policy development for the Archdiocese. The YPM defines various forms of abusive behavior, including physical, sexual, emotional and economic abuse. There is an explicit “Code of Conduct” for every camp counselor to sign (p. 6). The manual lists “appropriate” and “inappropriate” ways of demonstrating affection (pp. 10–11). The YPM provides sample forms and re-sources for conducting the required background and criminal checks. Some will find the candor about matters of abuse and how to protect children unsettling. Rightly so. This serious matter cannot be sidestepped. But a manual, no matter how thorough, is not what pro-tects children and youth. The adults who watch over them, after being screened and taught themselves, must continue screening, teaching, and supervising those who are selected as counselors and advisors. Even an individual who has been in-volved in a ministry for decades should be willing to submit to this process. Supervisors of young people must become aware of potentially dangerous situations. Some measures fall within the common sense of an experienced parent; some are new strategies because we live in a new situation where predators may offer to volunteer in a parish to gain access to children. The Youth Protection Manual is a good first step, and now we must develop policies and procedures that are appropriate for parish use and other settings. Those policies will include the same basic steps: screen, teach, and protect. Meanwhile, anyone who comes in regular contact with children should read the manual and become familiar with its provisions. It would also be prudent to become familiar with state regulations about reporting suspected child abuse. Each state has different reporting requirements about who is a “mandated reporter,” that is, someone who must report evi-dence or suspicion of abuse to state authorities and under what circumstances that reporting must occur.

Developed by the Department of Youth and Young Adult

Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Praesidium, Inc. Released in March 2009.

Available for download from www.goarch.org/archdio-cese/departments/youth/cyp

Reviewed by Anton C. Vrame, PhD

youth Protection manual


St. Nicholas School was founded by Fr. Spencer T. Kezios in 1977, achieving his dream of providing the parish and community with a parochial school. Cleo Alaoglu became the first principal and now serves as school board president. Located in the San

Fernando Valley area, the five-acre campus rests on a serene hilltop adjacent to the magnificent Byzantine-style St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. About half of the students are Or-thodox Christians and the rest are students from the commu-nity with diverse backgrounds and religious affiliations. St. Nicholas School is a private school committed to pro-viding preschool through eighth grade students with a strong academic foundation in a Christian environment. It has estab-lished a tradition of educating the whole child—spirit, mind and body—by including religion, art, music, Greek language, physical education and computers in the curriculum, in addi-tion to the core subjects. Experienced, credentialed teachers are at the core of its academic success. About 45 percent of the teachers have been employed at St. Nicholas School for more than ten years. They emphasize the fundamentals of reading, phonics and math through daily homework. Study skills are taught at all grade levels. Students are given opportunities to challenge themselves through enrichment projects and creative activities to develop their critical thinking skills. Classes are limited to about twenty students per class to better meet the individual needs of the students. St. Nicholas School instills Christian values through re-ligion classes as well as through a character development pro-gram, which rewards admirable behaviors such as kindness and respect toward others. Students are part of a loving family environment where each child is treated as an individual with talents that must be developed. An after-school enrichment program also offers opportuni-ties for each child to develop many of their talents and interests, such as art, chess club, Greek language and choir, as well as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. St. Nicholas school has a middle school

competitive sports program, with many of our teams going to division playoffs and championships. Scheduled throughout the year, we have an array of events to encourage fellowship and a family environment. Some of these events include a Father–Daughter Dance, Mother–Son Night, pre-kindergarten Mother’s Day Tea, spelling bee, and a two-day trip to the state’s capital for fifth graders. A four-day senior retreat, led by St. Nicholas pastor Fr. Anthony Savas, culminates the eighth graders’ experience at St. Nicholas. The graduates of St. Nicholas School go on to a variety of the best high schools and universities. More than a third of our se-niors consistently qualify to enter honors programs in the high schools of their choice. Over the years, St. Nicholas School has grown from the forty students for whom we opened our doors in 1977. Today, our students may wear updated uniforms, have new textbooks and use computers in their classrooms, but one thing remains the same: St. Nicholas School has always felt like home. Many of the alumni stay in contact with their teachers and remain close friends with their classmates.

St. Nicholas SchoolNorthridge, CA

• established: 1977

• Grades: pre-K–8

• Number of students: 245

• Number of teachers: 23

• Other staff: 5

• Tuition: $6,200 for nonmembers, $5,900

for St. Nicholas Church members

• principal: ms. helen Kamenos

• www.stnicholaseducation.com

St. nicholas School


A nother year of Sunday Church school has end-ed. The certificates and gifts have been awarded and the supplies have been packed away. Nat-urally, everyone is ready for a well-deserved break. Summertime, though, is a time to plan

for next year and a time to grow as a teacher. Like your back-yard garden with flowers and vegetables, summer can be a very productive time of year. With some planning and a little labor, you can prepare for a good harvest in the fall.

tImE to PlAnReview. Over the summer, spend some time reviewing what went well in your class or program and especially what did not go as well as you thought it would. Was there an activity that really well? Were there lessons that flopped?

look ahead. Will you be able to do everything the same next year as this year? Start with your calendar. Will there be an important parish event around the time when you need to or-ganize Christmas pageant rehearsals? You may have planned for five weeks on a topic but this year can only arrange four. Or you may need six. Lent in 2010 will begin February 15. Easter will be April 4 and is the same for East and West. Don’t let it sneak up on you! Shop. For all of all these new ideas, check the craft shops and bookstores for sales, especially when the back-to-school rush begins. order. If you are a supervisor, order your supplies from the Department of Religious Education early. Hold some pre-

registration Sundays in June and July and place your textbook order early.

tImE to gRowRead. Select one book on the Orthodox faith to read this sum-mer. Check out your parish bookstore or order from one of the various Orthodox publishers’ Web sites. Check past issues of PRAXIS for book reviews, too. Summer is your time for grow-ing and deepening your knowledge of the faith. Connect. Get together with the Church school teachers in your parish. Enjoy time together; have some fun; get to know one another better. You work together, and it’s important now and then to play together. Include your spouses and children if you can.worship. With Sunday school on hiatus, you can now attend

services, focusing on prayer, thanksgiving and worship. The first two weeks of August, of course, are a time to focus on the Virgin Mary, observe the fast, attend the Paraklesis services, and celebrate the Feasts of the Transfiguration and then the Dormition of the Theotokos.Attend. Consider attending the Archdiocese Department of Religious Education Summer Institute, July 30 to August 1 on the campus of Hellenic College – Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, in Brookline, Massachusetts. (For more information, visit http://religioused.goarch.org.) It is a time for connecting with Church school teachers and others, hear-ing great speakers, and learning from experienced practitioners from around the country.

Religious Education BasicsSummer: A time to grow! A time to Plan!


In this Gospel we read about four friends who brought their friend, a paralyzed man, and laid him at Jesus’s feet. They not only wanted to see Jesus themselves, but they also loved their friend and must have labored hard to place him near to Christ. The greatest gift we

can give to another person is Christ; indeed, it is our call-ing as Christians. One community in Rosyln Heights, New York, created such an opportunity for the physically and de-velopmentally challenged in their midst. Since 1990, once a month, a special Divine Lit-urgy is celebrated at Archangel Michael church for this group and their families. Partici-pants are of all ages and face a wide range of disabilities, including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, blind-ness, and some with serious injuries. The intent of the Chal-lenge Liturgy is not to isolate individuals but to offer a wor-ship environment that un-derstands their special needs and is patient and supportive as they approach the chalice, often with great difficulty. In past generations, families of-ten hid away their challenged family members. The Chal-lenge Liturgy offers these individuals and their families for worship, fellowship and mutual support, welcoming them all into the full life of the parish. As parents of a challenged child, we cofounded this program fourteen years ago with Rev. Fr. Dennis Strouzas. From its start with four families, the pro-gram has grown to include more than fifty families from eight Orthodox communities. A wheelchair ramp is just one visible indication that this

community is serious about serving those with disabilities. Since this has grown from a parish program into a regional program, complimentary bus transportation and car-pooling is provided for those with no means of getting to Rosyln Heights. All New York area challenged Orthodox Christians are wel-come. Area clergy have an open invitation to come and cel-ebrate the Challenge Liturgy as well as volunteers to welcome and assist participants as they approach Holy Communion.

This program has grown not only in size but also in scope and personal involvement. With the Divine Liturgy as the cornerstone, a fellowship hour follows with refresh-ments and social time. This group also has various other activities such as a spring pic-nic and a Christmas party. Volunteer social workers, law-yers and parishioners contrib-ute professional services and expertise to the participants and their families—the body of Christ coming together to support and share one anoth-er’s burdens. From a priest’s perspective, Fr. Strouzas says that serving in this way is deeply moving: “When I look out and see those in the congregation, I

think about the difficulties the individuals and their families face, and the great effort required for them to come and re-ceive, it is extremely humbling.” The Challenge group has grown into a close-knit “family” and, like any family, has great concern and desire to protect its most vulnerable members. The issue of survivorship—of individuals with disabilities after their caregivers’ death—is of paramount importance, offering very few acceptable solu-

The Challenge liturgy and BeyondMarina Katsoulis with Elizabeth Borch

Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and,

after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Mark 2:3–6


tions. A group residence that would permit individuals to re-main a family, close to the church, and an integral part of the Orthodox community worked out to be an ideal solution. The plan involved partnering with an agency that man-ages group residences and that could also help to petition the state of New York. The state’s funds then would help them establish a group home that they would then manage, a win-win situation. One of Long Island’s leading accredited service providers for those with developmental disabilities, ACDS of Plainview, NY, fit the bill and rose to the challenge. After four years of intense effort, a group residence opened in September 2008. Hellenos House is currently home to seven individuals of Greek heritage with developmental disabilities. The house is a 3,500 square foot split-level structure with individual bedrooms, living and dining room, den, recreation room and outdoor pool. The residents of Hellenos House enjoy a full and productive life, with their social, health and medical needs attended to 24/7 by a dedicated staff of social service and healthcare professionals. Every weekday, residents are trans-ported to their day programs. When they return before dinner, they complete assigned chores. Several nights each week they attend social, sports, or arts and crafts activities of their choice. Weekends include entertaining, movies, bowling, or shopping and, of course, the Challenge Liturgy. The overall objective of Hellenos House living is to encour-age and facilitate an independent lifestyle that incorporates adaptive living skills, community inclusion, leisure activities,

care of personal finances, and the ability to make choices. Community inclusion, in particular, has special significance for Hellenos House. Participation in parish and community activities ensures that religious, ethnic and cultural values are maintained, enriching residents’ quality of life. The record of support from the Greek-American commu-nity is encouraging. The success of the Challenge Liturgy pro-gram and support from the Archangel Michael parish, most notably its Ladies Philoptochos society, attests to the strength of the church community’s support. Hellenos House is the first of several group homes that will be needed. The likelihood of additional group homes will be influenced by the extent of community support. Early indications are that the future is very bright.

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the

needs of the saints, given to hospitality.Romans 12:10–13

For more information about the Challenge Liturgy or the Hel-lenos House, contact Marina Katsoulis at [email protected]. Elizabeth Borch is managing editor of PRAXIS magazine and a freelance video editor.


I received this e-mail several months ago; it prompted many exchanges over the course of several weeks, involving serious questions and some rather candid responses. In time, the frequency of contact decreased until it stopped completely. Since the last few exchanges with this correspondent

suggested that she and her husband were making good progress in resolving their differences, I wasn’t too concerned by her sudden silence. I assumed I’d eventually hear back from her, and I did. About six months later, I received a final e-mail: I wanted to let you know that we’re expecting . . . a girl. . . . She’ ll

where will our Children Be Baptized and Raised?

Rev. Fr. Charles Joanides, PhD, LMFT

“I’m so upset. . . . I’m Greek Orthodox and he isn’t. . . . Until recently we were thinking about starting a family. But that’s been put on hold until we figure out where the children will be baptized and raised. . . . If we can’t get past this issue, I’m afraid of what this will mean for us and our future. . . . Can you help?”

An e-mail correspondent


be raised in the Greek Church. . . . We also decided to raise her to respect her father’s Irish Catholic background. . . . Thank you for your guidance and help. . . . The purpose of this article is twofold: to explore flawed strategies inter-faith couples use to deal with the issue of the baptisms of their children and to outline successful strategies to help couples make good decisions about this issue. My conclusions are based on work with hundreds of inter-faith and intercultural couples in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese (GOA).

FlAwEd StRAtEgIES

Who Will Give In First?This strategy creates gridlock, with each partner waiting for the other to give in first. Often, however, neither partner concedes. Instead, with the passage of time, both partners become more entrenched in their positions, as illustrated by the following statement: He should have known that the baptism of our future child is very important to me. Why didn’t he ask? Well, now he’s getting what he deserves because I won’t give in. . . . I can be as stubborn as I need to be to get my way. . . . Our future baby will be baptized in my church or the baby won’t be baptized until he gives me want I want. This strategy can lead to a marital meltdown and have a markedly negative impact on family stability and the religious and spiritual development of the children. Couples who use this strategy should seek help because this gridlock is difficult to resolve.

Let’s Take Turns . . .Some couples decide to “take turns” with the baptism of their children, baptizing their first child in one partner’s faith tradition, their second child in the other’s faith tradition, and so forth. They reason that this is the fairest way to meet both parents’ needs while avoiding couple conflict. In theory, this strategy may sound attractive, but it’s inherently flawed because it fails to place the children’s religious and spiritual needs first. Moreover, such a strategy often compromises family cohesion in matters related to faith and the observance of religious holidays. Other possible consequences are articulated in the following observation from one partner who adopted this strategy: It seemed fair and good in principle when we decided to baptize and raise two of our children in the Roman Catholic Church and the other two in the Greek Church. But if I had it to do over again I’ d never make the same mistake. . . . It only confused our children and compromised their religious development. Today, none of my adult kids go to church, and I believe it’s got everything to do with our initial decision.

Let’s Postpone Starting a Family Some couples decide to postpone a family until they reach a mutual decision about the baptisms of their future children. Unfortunately, the extra time often only serves to increase tension and further irritate frayed feelings, as illustrated by the following comment: We’ve been married for five years, and we’re childless because we can’t decide in which church the baby will be baptized and raised. Sometimes I think we’ ll never get past these issues. . . . Fact is, I want children, and I want them baptized in my church. He also wants children, and he wants them baptized in the Greek Church.

Let’s Postpone BaptismSome parents decide to have children and postpone baptism. However, once again, additional time doesn’t always help couples reach a mutual decision. Often, as the months turn into years and the children remain unbaptized, tension builds and the frequency of arguments increases, serving to compromise family stability, marital satisfaction and even extended family relationships. One spouse who adopted this strategy offered the following observations: If I had known it was going to be this way, I wouldn’t have married her. . . . Whenever the subject comes up these days, she becomes so emotional and irrational that I can’t talk to her. . . . I sure wish we had figured this out before marriage.

Let the Children DecideSometimes parents decide to wait until the children are of age to make their own decision. While this strategy may spare parents and households of conflict, it also reflects an abdication of parental responsibility. In response to an e-mail asking my opinion on this strategy, I offered the following comments: Would you take this position with anything else related to your children’s development and well-being? Then why would you consider taking this position with your child’s religious and spiritual development? From my perspective, parents who leave the decision to their children are abdicating their responsibility. Children require the same degree of proactive parental involvement in their spiritual and religious development as they do in other dimensions of their lives. Interestingly, I never heard back from her.

Let’s Find a Neutral Church HomeSome parents abandon their faith traditions to seek a “neutral” church home. The problem with this strategy is that it’s difficult to find such a church. Moreover, most couples who adopt this strategy are unhappy with their choices, often because neither parent is entirely satis-fied with the new church. Quoting from one such parent:


The choice we made to find a neutral worship site was good in theory but didn’t prove to be the case in practice. The truth is, I miss the liturgy and can’t warm up to the rituals and hymns in our new church home. We haven’t talked much about this choice for several years, but I suspect my wife feels the same about the switch we made. And here’s the biggest irony. Since neither of us attends church as often as we once did, the kids’ religious training suffers. . . . Maybe we need to revisit this decision.

Avoid the Topic Until after MarriageCouples who choose to postpone discussion of this issue until after marriage often regret the decision and find no benefit in the postponement. The following observation is indicative of what many couples in this situation experience: We never talked about which church the children would be raised in until I was three months pregnant. . . . I just assumed we were going to raise our children in the Greek Orthodox Church, especially since we were getting married in the Greek Church. But when my husband began to resist this I got really upset. . . . It wasn’t that he was totally against the idea, but he wanted to wait to allow us some time to make a decision. But I wanted to make the decision before the baby arrived . . . . I would recommend that couples work through this issue before marriage—especially if they both have strong religious convictions.

SuCCESSFul StRAtEgIES

Talk before MarriageCouples who talk about the baptisms of their future children before marriage generally find these discussions to be profitable. They maintain that open, respectful and prayerful discussion works best. This approach proves especially useful when both partners have strong religious convictions, as indicated by the following statement of a non-Orthodox partner: It was a good thing we engaged in some discussion. . . . We’re both committed to our churches and would have had lots of problems if we hadn’t done some thinking and talking about this before marriage. . . . It was hard stuff to discuss, but we settled most of our issues before the wedding. . . . I think [these discussions] made us a stronger couple and family after marriage. I also have no doubt that our children benefited.

Seek Outside Help What if you and your fiancé can’t agree on when and where to baptize your future children? If such a conversation will create more problems than it will solve, it may be beneficial to get outside help. In most cases, it is best to begin with your respective pastors. If this isn’t possible, then the next best option is to consult a professional who is comfortable working with couples

and religious populations. Expect the counseling to last from two to four months. If this sounds like too much effort, then perhaps the following exchange from a couple who ignored this issue before marriage will help you to reconsider: Wife: “I knew we had problems. I just didn’t know how bad they were. Anyway, I decided to get married, believing we’ d figure things out after marriage. Boy was I wrong.” Husband: “Like my wife, I thought we could iron out our differences after marriage, but we didn’t. Matters only got worse. If you know of any engaged couples with serious issues surrounding the baptism and religious training of their future children, tell them to figure things out before they get married, or postpone the marriage until they work through the issues.” Wife: “This issue was almost a deal breaker for us after we got married. We’re lucky to have found someone who could help. . . . If you never talked about this before marriage, and now you’re married and can’t figure things out, get some help.”

Consider the Well-Being of the Children FirstMy research indicates that couples who make their children’s religious and spiritual well-being primary and their personal expectations and preferences secondary are more likely to avoid or break a deadlock, as indicated by the following remark: We were going in circles on this issue until I decided that my stay-at-home wife would likely be the one to assume responsibility for our children’s religious training, so I gave in for the sake of the children, our family and our marriage. . . . This wasn’t easy, and I still sometimes second-guess myself and wonder if I made the right choice, especially when I think about things from a selfish perspective, but . . . I’m at peace with my decision. . . . I don’t think God wanted us to continue arguing over this issue.

EXtEndEd-FAmIly IntRuSIonSIntrusions from extended family can also complicate matters when couples are trying to make a decision about the baptisms of their children. The following scenario illustrates this point while outlining some strategies that can help couples get past extended-family intrusions: Maria informs Joe that she is pregnant. A few minutes later, his mother calls. Without thinking, Joe shares the good news. Almost immediately his mother begins making plans to consult their pastor. Joe doesn’t know what to do, so he listens politely without comment. However, when he informs Maria, she becomes upset; they argue and go to bed angry. The next day they decide to consult Joe’s pastor for help. He listens to them and offers the following guidelines:

He counsels the couple to find a mutually acceptable 1. resolution apart from their parents.

After agreeing on a resolution to the dilemma, he 2.


counsels them to meet with each set of parents to respectfully listen to their suggestions and needs, and to clearly indicate that their decisions will be, first and foremost, predicated on what they as parents think is best for their children. He further counsels them that ideally they should 3. both be present when these boundaries are drawn. However, if one or both partners believe it is best if each partner approaches his or her parents privately, both partners need to agree on the boundaries and decisions they will convey to their parents. Finally, Joe is counseled to have a private conversation 4. with his mother and respectfully inform her that her opinions and expectations are valued, but that he and Maria will make the decision about their baby’s baptism based on what they believe to be best for their child. Although Joe’s mother wasn’t initially enamored with the couple’s decision, she eventually accepted it.

ConCludIng oBSERvAtIonSDeciding when and where your children will be baptized isn’t always easy for parents who come from different religious and cultural backgrounds. However, as difficult as it might

be, discussions prior to marriage can help. Further, if you first consider the well-being of the children and secondarily the preferences of the extended family, you are better positioned to make healthy, holy decisions. Finally, if you find yourselves gridlocked, getting outside help can be helpful. During the decision-making process, one or both partners may become angry, frustrated and resentful. However, if the strategies outlined above are prayerfully applied, then the Holy Spirit will facilitate repentance and forgiveness when appropriate, as well as healing, oneness and meaningful, mutually satisfying decisions.*

Rev. Fr. Charles Joanides, PhD, LMFT, works in the Department of Marriage and Family. He is pastor of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Newburgh, NY.

* A complete version of this article is located on the Interfaith Marriage Web site (www.interfaith.goarch.org). My thanks to Pres. Kerry Pappas, MA, LAMFT, for the editing work she did on this abridged version.


Basic creational truths are the same yesterday, today and forever. Our Lord is Savior yesterday, today and forever; consequently, priesthood is the same yesterday, today and forever in all places in God’s c r e -

ated world and at all times. And hi-erarchs, priests and theologians have the same mission: to preach and to teach Christ and Him crucified and resur-rected. People are the same because they are born in the image of God; they have His breath of life. They are placed in a portion of His great world for the same purpose as the first-created were placed in Eden, and that is to tend and to keep God’s created world. The words tend and keep pale next to the original Septua-gint Greek words εργαζεσθαι (ergazesthe) and ϕυλασσειν(phylassin). Εργαζεσθαι means to work with honor and in-tegrity; the word ϕυλασσειν means to nurture, to embrace and to develop. The priesthood in America in the twenty-first century is called to inspire our faithful to honorably work and

to carefully develop in wholesome stewardship all of the gifts they have received. The priesthood is called to preach the Gos-pel in all venues and in all environments. George Florovsky, the renowned priest/theologian of the

twentieth century, writes, “We measure society by the Gos-pel, not the Gospel by society.” Follow-ing this wise admo-nition, Greek Ortho-dox hierarchs, priests and theologians in America are called to present the integrity of the Gospel in or-der to change society into confirmation of God’s revealed Word, His ethics, His mo-rality and His salvific message of hope.

With the fullest understanding of Christ’s New Testament revelations, Orthodox clergy in twenty-first century America are called to proclaim the Prophet Micah’s admonition: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk hum-bly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). Having these theological truths as a foundation, who then is the Greek Orthodox clergyman in twenty-first century

greek orthodox Priesthood in America for the twenty-First Century

Fr. Nicholas C. Triantafilou

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:27

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Genesis 2:7

Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.Genesis 2:15


Come, Receive the Light New Testament

Greek OrthodoxArchdiocese of America with the American Bible Society

For less than the cost of a pamphlet, incor-

porate the Bible into your parish and out-reach ministries. This popular Orthodox Christian edition of the Good News New Testament in Today’s English Version has uniquely effective illustrations. The book includes topical reading guides and pas-sages from the Church Fathers on issues as equality, dignity of life, sin and violence. Soft cover. (Ages 12+)B01 .........summer special $2.00 $3.75

Stock up on BiBLes for All AgeS And reAding levelS

Children’sBible Reader

Greek OrthodoxArchdiocese of America

The Children’s Bible Reader brings to life central stories of the Old Testa-

ment and the New Testament, making them accessible to children. Translated from the Greek Bible Society’s acclaimed work, this English edition with its easy-to-understand text and excellent iconographic illustra-tions will certainly illumine the hearts and minds of our children and strengthen their faith as they read these inspiring stories from our sacred Scriptures. Hard cover, 293 pp. (Ages 7–11)B120 ....................................................... $19.9510 or more ......................................$15.95 ea

The Bible forYoung People

Zoe Kanavas Spencer Kezios, trans. Christos Gousides, illus.

Beautifully illus-trated Bible sto-

ries for young readers from both the Old and the New Testament. Translated from the Greek, the stories are theologically Orthodox! They are written in a fascinat-ing style that will keep the interest of the very young to whom they can be read, or for those up to age 14. A great gift! Hard cover, 162 pp. (Pre-K–14)B111 ....................................................... $17.50

To order, or for information about our Bibles and story books, please e-mail or call the Department of Religious Education.

[email protected] | (8oo) 566-1088

America? The complexion and the pedigree of this priest re-flects the composition of our parishioners in every parish across the country. The categories are as follows: a small percentage of men who have emigrated from Greece to America; a bit larger percentage of first-generation Greek Americans born in Amer-ica; a third category, which is the largest, of second-generation Greek Americans; a small percentage of third-generation Greek Americans; and, finally, a growing number of proselytes who have adopted Orthodoxy as their Christian faith. In addition to the seminarians whose parents are both Orthodox, there are seminarians whose parents started as an inter-Christian couple with one spouse eventually becoming Orthodox, and others with parents who had no Orthodox af-filiation. A smaller percentage of the parents are inter-faith, such as Greek Orthodox and Jewish. The education, therefore, of the candidates for priesthood requires that professors under-stand the tenets of all Christian denominations and all faiths. The priest entering into pastoral life will be proclaiming the Word to parishioners who represent the same multireli-

gious and multicultural reality. Priests of the twenty-first cen-tury therefore must be culturally, linguistically, religiously and sociologically informed. They must be able to plant seeds of our Greek Orthodox faith in the fertile minds and hearts of all people in our pews. Additionally, our priests of the twenty-first century must existentially love their mission and the steward-ship with which they are entrusted. Spreading the Gospel of Christ must be a way of life (a vioma). A wise contemplative, Kent Nerburn writes the following: “When all else is stripped away, a life lived with love is enough.” Life, indeed, is a product of love; love is not a product of life. Creational theology teaches us that God created because He is love. Christian Greek Orthodox priesthood must embody the truths of living. This is the call of the priesthood of the twenty-first century in America.

Fr. Nicholas C. Triantafilou is president of Hellenic College – Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

Come, Receive the Light New Testament

Greek OrthodoxArchdiocese of America with the American Bible Society

For less than the cost of a pamphlet, incor-

porate the Bible into your parish and out-reach ministries. This popular Orthodox Christian edition of the Good News New Testament in Today’s English Version has uniquely effective illustrations. The book includes topical reading guides and pas-sages from the Church Fathers on issues as equality, dignity of life, sin and violence. Soft cover. (Ages 12+)B01 .........summer special $2.00 $3.75

Stock up on BiBLes for All AgeS And reAding levelS

Children’sBible Reader

Greek OrthodoxArchdiocese of America

The Children’s Bible Reader brings to life central stories of the Old Testa-

ment and the New Testament, making them accessible to children. Translated from the Greek Bible Society’s acclaimed work, this English edition with its easy-to-understand text and excellent iconographic illustra-tions will certainly illumine the hearts and minds of our children and strengthen their faith as they read these inspiring stories from our sacred Scriptures. Hard cover, 293 pp. (Ages 7–11)B120 ....................................................... $19.9510 or more ......................................$15.95 ea

The Bible forYoung People

Zoe Kanavas Spencer Kezios, trans. Christos Gousides, illus.

Beautifully illus-trated Bible sto-

ries for young readers from both the Old and the New Testament. Translated from the Greek, the stories are theologically Orthodox! They are written in a fascinat-ing style that will keep the interest of the very young to whom they can be read, or for those up to age 14. A great gift! Hard cover, 162 pp. (Pre-K–14)B111 ....................................................... $17.50

To order, or for information about our Bibles and story books, please e-mail or call the Department of Religious Education.

[email protected] | (8oo) 566-1088

Graduation Gifts & Vacation Reads

Sale extended to July 15!

DRE Summer Sale

The Orthodox Study Bible:Old and New Testaments(Hard Cover)

This long-awaited single volume brings together an original translation of the Old Testament from the Septuagint with the classic Orthodox Study Bible: New Testament and Psalms. It is the � rst ever full-length Or-thodox study bible in English.

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Basil’s Search for Miracles Heather Zydek

Basil, an ordinary 12-year-old who dreams of being a reporter, is on a quest: he must � nd and report on true, modern miracles for his school paper. Throughout his � rst year at a private parochial school, Basil not only researches a new miracle for each issue, but also learns that everyday miracles can hap-pen even in his own life. (Ages 9–13)

CB900. . . . . . . . . . . . $13.95 sale $12.95

A Tiny Step Away fromDeepest Faith Marjorie Corbman

Although Marjorie wrote this account of her conversion to Orthodox Christianity when she was just 17, she displays amazing ma-turity. It’s the story of a typical teenager grappling with age-old and vital questions about life: who am I, why am I here, where is the meaning, and how do I � nd it?

FC902 . . . . . . . . . . . . $13.95 sale $12.95

My Orthodox Prayer Book Theodore Stylianopoulos

This popular pocket-sized prayer book in-tended for both personal and family devo-tions has traditional prayers & features a fresh format and contemporary language. (Ages 10 to adult)

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Department of Religious Education

[email protected] | (800) 566-1088

BARGAIN SET!The Lord’s Prayer Coloring Book (G342)God’s Ten Best Coloring Book (G405)My Prayer Coloring Book (G406)Coloring Book Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 for $3.50

Orthodox IQName 1. Our goal as Christians is to think, speak, and act like .

2. The name of the ecumenical patriarch is .

3. Christ was Incarnate. What does that mean? .

4. unlike roman Catholic clergy, Orthodox priests can choose to marry. Yes No

5. as Christians, we worship (circle all that apply):

The Saints Christ The Theotokos

The Church The Holy Trinity The Holy Bible

The Holy Spirit God Icons

6. a saint’s feast day (name day) is observed on the date of his or her .

7. holy Communion’s bread and wine are Christ’s actual blood and body. True False

8. Our faith’s basic beliefs are stated in one prayer, known as .

9. The Lord’s prayer (Our Father…) was taught by .

10. Who was dead for four days and brought back to life by Jesus? .

11. how many Gospels are there in the Bible? .

12. The Orthodox Church ministers primarily to Christians of hellenic heritage. True False

13. You can marry any non-Orthodox Christian in the Church. True False

14. Since God is our Father, and Christ is his Son: Is Christ, God? Yes No

15. Good Christians should partake of all of the seven sacraments. True False

16. The Divine Liturgy’s high point is this most sacred sacrament called .

17. We are members of the One holy Catholic and apostolic Church. Yes No

18. We must follow certain rules whenever kissing an icon. True False

19. pascha celebrates Christ’s glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven on the third day after His crucifi xion and burial. True False

20. What is taking place while we are kneeling during Divine Liturgy? .

Graduation Gifts & Vacation Reads

Sale extended to July 15!

DRE Summer Sale

The Orthodox Study Bible:Old and New Testaments(Hard Cover)

This long-awaited single volume brings together an original translation of the Old Testament from the Septuagint with the classic Orthodox Study Bible: New Testament and Psalms. It is the � rst ever full-length Or-thodox study bible in English.

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Basil’s Search for Miracles Heather Zydek

Basil, an ordinary 12-year-old who dreams of being a reporter, is on a quest: he must � nd and report on true, modern miracles for his school paper. Throughout his � rst year at a private parochial school, Basil not only researches a new miracle for each issue, but also learns that everyday miracles can hap-pen even in his own life. (Ages 9–13)

CB900. . . . . . . . . . . . $13.95 sale $12.95

A Tiny Step Away fromDeepest Faith Marjorie Corbman

Although Marjorie wrote this account of her conversion to Orthodox Christianity when she was just 17, she displays amazing ma-turity. It’s the story of a typical teenager grappling with age-old and vital questions about life: who am I, why am I here, where is the meaning, and how do I � nd it?

FC902 . . . . . . . . . . . . $13.95 sale $12.95

My Orthodox Prayer Book Theodore Stylianopoulos

This popular pocket-sized prayer book in-tended for both personal and family devo-tions has traditional prayers & features a fresh format and contemporary language. (Ages 10 to adult)

E78 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6.95 sale $6.50 (25+) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5.50 sale $5.35


Department of Religious Education

[email protected] | (800) 566-1088

BARGAIN SET!The Lord’s Prayer Coloring Book (G342)God’s Ten Best Coloring Book (G405)My Prayer Coloring Book (G406)Coloring Book Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 for $3.50

Orthodox IQ Answers1. Jesus. This is our goal: to be like Jesus Christ. read about him to learn how.

2. ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew.

3. Jesus was 100% God and 100% human—at the same time. This teaching was made at the Fourth ecumenical Council in 451 a.D. in Chalcedon, a city near Constantinople.

4 . No. In the Orthodox Church, marriage must occur prior to one being ordained as a deacon. roman Catholic clergy are not permitted to marry at all.

5. We worship one God: Father, Son, and holy Spirit—the holy Trinity, one in essence and undivided. The others we venerate.

6. Death. We observe this solemnly with the knowledge that they are in the Lord’s realm.

7. True. holy Communion consists of Christ’s true blood and body.

8. The Creed or Nicene Creed. It was written at the first two Ecumenical Councils: 325 A.D. in Nicaea and 381 a.D. in Constantinople. Some people call it the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed because of this.

9. Jesus Christ, in teaching his disciples how they should pray. See matthew 6:9–13.

10. Lazarus. See John 11:1–45.

11. Four. The Gospels were written by matthew, mark, Luke and John.

12. False. The Church was established in 33 a.D. for all, by the power of the holy Spirit, in an event known as pentecost. See acts 2:1–46.

13. False. They need also to have been baptized in the name of the holy Trinity.

14. Yes. The holy Trinity is three divine persons in One God. See questions 3 and 5.

15. False. Optional sacraments are holy Orders (i.e., ordination) and marriage.

16. holy Communion, also known as the eucharist.

17. Yes, since the Church began (at pentecost, in 33 a.D). In the Creed, we say “and in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.”

18. True. If possible, kiss only the hands or feet (or hair, if the icon is a close-up).

19. False. Christ’s resurrection only. his ascension took place forty days later.

20. The priest and laity pray to God to send the holy Spirit to descend on all of us and also to change the bread and wine offering into the body and blood of Christ.

George Makredes created this quiz for his junior high Church school students at St. Athanasios the Great Church in Arlington, MA.

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ARTS In THe ORTHOdOX CHURCH

Winter 2009 Vol. 8, Issue 2: Arts in the Orthodox Church $4.95

From the Director

Dear reaDer,

Summer church campForming the Body of Christ

St. Paul said, “For just as the body is one and has many mem-bers and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:12). Summer Church camps create an almost ideal situation for learning and living the Orthodox Christian Faith. A group of young people, largely strangers, comes together. They be-gin a week or two of common life and prayer, learning and reflection, and the experience of living together under one roof, playing games and sports, and in general having a great time. Most of us remember the skits and games, the serious discussions; some of us still might have the icon we painted or decoupaged or some other creative projects we made. But most of us remember that when it was time to go home, we were truly sad. Even the toughest boys could be seen crying as they bid farewell to their friends. No one wanted to leave. And then, for months afterward, we telephoned one another and sent notes and letters. Today, young people stay connected through online social networking sites, sending text messages, and instant messaging one another. But at camp, the Body of Christ—the Church—was formed and uniquely experienced in a set-ting that is hard to replicate in the day-to-day rhythm of our lives. Educationally, just one week of summer Church camp can easily exceed the time spent in one year of Sunday Church school. But, most important for the educational benefit of camp is that Christian life becomes an intensely lived reality for that period. A Sunday school lesson can talk

about forgiveness, but an Orthodox Life discussion at camp will not only talk about it, but will also provide the opportu-nity to express forgiveness. It’s not forced or compelled, but can come about naturally because the young people want to maintain the friendships they are forming at camp—after all they still will be sharing another four, five, or more days together—they still need one another, even if it is only to win the cleanest cabin competition. Again, as St. Paul said, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you.’ . . . On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Corinthians 12:21–22). The Church has and continues to expand the opportu-nity for summer camp participation. The list of camps in this issue of PRAXIS is larger and more extensive than in years past. Camps have also changed considerably since many of us were teenagers. The Church has taken more steps to ensure that they are even safer than they were before. The level of training for counselors is higher than ever. And yet, there are still “nights with God,” daily worship, craft programs and song and skit nights, as well as opportunities to learn the Orthodox faith and heritage. Well-run camp programs can be transformative experi-ences. Every parent should consider sending their sons and daughters off to camp for a week or two.

Anton C. Vrame, PhDDirector


What He Had To Do

his Father, a Creator,Wanted to overcome the hater,So he sent down his only Son,For all of us to become one.

his only Son was Jesus.he came to set an example,an example of how to live.an example of how to give.

he took away fears and tears.he is where we send our prayers.

he opened up the doors.he is my God, and is yours.

his death didn’t end with fears.Instead, ended with cheers.

He would be crucifi ed, and later reborn.While all of his followers would watch and mourn.

Now we all know, where we will go, and when we do leave,

We’ll watch the children below, and everlasting shall be his glow.

Alie Manders, 13

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