Out of the Closet at Last!

What has been a poorly kept secret is now out in the open for all to see. Of course the movers and shakers behind this scheme have played their cards close to the vest, and it is fascinating that this "group of concerned parishioners who love our Church and Community..." do not have the courage of their convictions in that their names are, as usual, not signed on this 'manifesto' that they are circulating. In reproducing it for the blog, TOCB has endeavored to keep all grammar, syntax, font style and emphasis as close to the original as is possible when converting text to the Internet. We invite your comments, tocbslc@gmail.com.

INDEPENDENCE OF PROPHET ELIAS PARISH

WHAT WE ARE:

We are a group of concerned parishioners who love our Church and Community, and who wish to see the community thrive and grow as it should and could. We believe the only way this can happen is for the two Churches to operate independently of each other. We therefore call on the Parish Council to recognize the reality and inevitability of this and begin the process of calmly and thoughtfully brings about the independent status of both Parishes from the current two church/one parish system.

WHAT WE ARE NOT:

We are not people who seek controversy or a fight.
We do not come before you with personal agendas or vendettas.
We do not wish to imply anything negative about this or any prior Priest, Parish Council or President.

WHY?

TO BECOME CANONICALLY CORRECT WITH THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR BOTH CHURCHES. THIS IDEA HAS THE FULL SUPPORT OF AND HAS BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR YEARS.

ALLOW THE PARISH PRIEST TO TRULY BECOME THE SHEPHERD OF HIS FLOCK, WITH NO DISTRACTIONS OF HAVING TO SERVE TWO DIFFERENT CHURCHES WHERE ONE FEELS CONSTANTLY SHORTED.

TO ALLOW TWO INDEPENDENT PARISHES COUNCILS: A BETTER WAY TO MANAGE THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATION OF EACH PARISH, BY GETTING MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE CHURCH OPERATION, AND ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF EACH PARISH IN THE MOST TIMELY FASHION.

TO HELP MAKE STEWARDSHIP THE ONLY WAY TO FUND THE PARISH’S DAY-TO-DAY OPERATION.

AS IN ANY PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP, AS THE CHILD GROWS TO MATURITY IT BECOMES TIME TO MOVE ON AND BECOME INDEPENDENT. PROPHET ELEAS WAS BORN FROM THE HOLY TRINITY COMMUNITY AND NEEDS TO BE ALLOWED TO GROW ON ITS OWN. EACH COMMUNITY IS IN DANGER OF BECOMING AN IMPEDIMENT TO THE GROWTH OF THE OTHER!

INSTEAD OF PURSUING THE IDEA OF A SEPARATE CORPORATION FOR THE COMMUNITY WHICH HAS BEEN REJECTED BY THE ARCHDIOCESE, LET US WORK TOGETHER FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF PROPHET ELIAS.

THIS WOULD ALLOW THE NEW HOLY TRINITY PARISH COUNCIL THE TIME AND THE ABILITY TO INVOLVE MORE OF THE PEOPLE THAT CAN BEST MANAGE THE PROPERTIES OF THE PARISH AND ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF THAT PARISH, THEREFORE ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR A SEPARATE CORPORATION.

ST. SOPHIA SCHOOL WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY TWO PARISHES, BETTER THAN ONE ALONE CAN DO.

TO ALLOW EACH PARISH TO GROW INDEPENDENTLY IN THE DIRECTION IT FEELS LED (BY GOD) TO PURSUE. THERE SHOULD NOT BE A SPIRIT OF COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES BUT A MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE ATTITUDE, MUCH LIKE THAT SEEN WITH THE PHILOPTOCHOS. THE INITIAL RANCOR WOULD FADE AS PEOPLE SEE THE BENEFITS OF THE TWO BODIES WORKING INDEPENDENTLY FOR THE GOOD OF THEIR PEOPLE.

UNIFIED YOUTH PROGRAM. EACH PARISH WILL SHARE THE COST OF THE YOUTH PROGRAMS, TO INCLUDE A PAN-ORTHODOX SPORTS LEAGUE. LARGER PROGRAMS = MORE YOUTH INVOLVED. THE COST OF A YOUTH DIRECTOR, WHO DEVELOPS PROGRAMS, COULD BE SHARED BY BOTH PARISHES.

RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE’S NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT. THE MORE PEOPLE THAT GET INVOLVED, THE MORE PROGRAMS EACH PARISH WILL OFFER, AND THUS MEET THE NEEDS OF MORE PARISHIONERS.

WHY NOT???