Clergy Response to Meeting Request by Concerned Former Parish Leaders

Moderator's Note: below is the response letter by the clergy to the community. It is transcribed verbatim and is the last of three in a set of letters copied and sent to all parishioners by our current Parish Council and Proistamenoi.

GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH of GREATER SALT LAKE

Holy Trinity Cathedral
279 South 300 West
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Telephone: 801 328 9681 Fax: 801 328 9688

Prophet Elias Church
5335 Highland Drive
Salt Lake City, Utah 84117
Telephone: 801 277 2693 Fax: 801 424-1296

Web: www.goslc.com

February 19, 2009

Beloved in the Lord,

In an effort to be transparent and to keep all the Faithful informed, we send you this letter.

On February 2, 2009 only the Lay Members of the Parish Council received the enclosed letter from fourteen members of the Parish requesting a special meeting. After dialogue with His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah and receiving direction from His Eminence, the Parish Council agreed to meet with these individuals informally at either Church but not at a restaurant as requested because Church matters are to be brought to the Church. His Eminence also directed the Parish Council that this could not be a formal Parish Council Meeting because the Clergy, who are members of the Parish Council, had agreed to not be in attendance. So that these individuals could speak openly minutes would not be taken only informal notes. On February 10th, the Parish Council unanimously sent a letter to these Parishioners stating that they would meet with them informally on the requested date of Wednesday February 18, 2009 at Prophet Elias (see enclosed letter). The only thing that the Parish Council asked for was an agenda.

His Eminence and the Clergy were extremely enthused and encouraged with this scheduled informal meeting because they felt this was the beginning of dialogue which would lead to harmony and content within the Parish, something that the Clergy, the Parish Council and the entire community are striving for. On the evening of Wednesday, February 18th at 6:30 pm the Parish Council gathered in the Board Room at Prophet Elias waiting for this informal meeting to happen. They were truly disappointed when not one representative of the attached letter attended. Later that evening the Parish Council was informed that out of the fourteen who signed the letter asking for this meeting only four were willing to come to God's House. They were voted down by the other nine signees.

We are very proud of the Parish Council's efforts to serve His Church unconditionally and take time away from their families and personal life. It is sad to see that people, who profess that they want to work for the good of the Parish yet are not willing to work together unconditionally.

We again state that this is sent to you so that we can be completely transparent and to be sure that you the Faithful of His Church be informed. We feel that this is absolutely imperative so that different versions of what occurred would not be disseminated and cause further confusion and distortion of the truth, because some Parishioners have already questioned what was going on.

We pray that our Lord and Savior have mercy on us all and this season of Great Lent will reconcile us all.

In His Service,

/s/ Fr. Matthew Gilbert
Father Matthew Gilbert,
Protopresbyter

/s/ +Fr. Michael A. Kouremetis
Father Michael A Kouremetis,
Protopresbyter

/s/ Father Elias Koucos
Father Elias Koucos
Economos

Cc Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver