Begging the Question …

"I, (name) do solemnly affirm that I will uphold the dogmas, teachings, traditions, holy canons, discipline, worship and moral principles of the Greek Orthodox Church, as well as the Charter and Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and that I will fulfill faithfully and sincerely the duties and obligations required of a member of the Parish Council. So help me God."


Let’s see if we understand this latest situation:

• We have been informed recently and somewhat suddenly that a parish council member has decided to resign.
  
  
• This parish council member was appointed to serve on the replacement board after Metropolitan Isaiah disbanded an elected board in this community in 2002; since then he has stood for election and taken the oath as a parish council member several times.
  
  
• The stated reason for the resignation is due to disagreement “with the process and content of the Charter that [the]…Affirmation of Office” requires.

Some pertinent issues arise:

• The council member in question was deemed worthy by our clergy to serve, despite being obviously conflicted as to his oath, and yet the clergy and the Metropolitan ratified his candidacy and election during the past seven years.
  
  
• Curiously, another parish council member was dismissed in 2007; one of the reasons given was behavior deemed by the clergy and hierarchy to be inconsistent with the oath administered to elected parish council members.
  
  
• Several willing and qualified candidates in recent times have been presumed by our clergy to be ineligible to even stand for election, and were described by our Proistamenoi as being incapable of taking that same oath.
  

Isn't there a double standard here?

Prevarication - is it a sin when committed by the clergy?

(All of us are judged by our own deeds.)

The date is March 19, 2009. It is approximately noon. A parishioner is pulling out of a parking space at St. Sophia’s side of the Prophet Elias parking lot. About 40 feet away Fr. Michael is driving in front of the church going towards the south exit of the parking lot. As Fr. Michael is signaling to turn left at the south exit of the lot, the parishioner calls Fr. Michael on his cell phone and asks to talk to him about a religious/community-related matter.

His response is verbatim as follows: “I cannot talk to you right now; I am at the University Hospital visiting a patient.” A great response ... if it only were true.

While he is giving the above response, the parishioner is in a car, only 40-50 feet behind him at the Prophet Elias church parking lot. The parishioner is left speechless in the car. Fr. Michael drives away happy that his work for God is done right again.

Άραγες ο σκοπός αγιάζει τα μέσα?
Άλλοι που ξέρουνε λένε οτι δεν είναι η πρώτη φορά
Παράδειγμα προς μίμησιν?

Should we as parishioners emulate his example?

This Proistamenos Must Go (TPMG).

Kalo Pascha,

Nick J. Colessides

Local News

In an effort to keep our community informed, TOCB has learned of the upcoming visit of His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah on the weekend of April 11 and 12. Details of his visit will be announced to the community by our assigned clergy on Sunday, April 4.

TOCB was saddened to learn of the layoff of a staff member. In reviewing the daily cost of salaries paid by our community, we offer the following: clergy salaries cost $1090 per day, office support staff(for 2) salaries cost $299 per day. The total saving to the community of the recent layoff is $87 per day. In light of the figures at hand, this seems to make little impact on the budget but a large impact on an individual's life.

Our Stewardship Co-Chairpersons, wrote in the March/April Messenger "We are pleased to inform you that as of January 31, 2009 the stewardship commitments of our community have already surpassed our prior year commitments to date." If this is actually the case, why the layoff? Why this layoff two weeks before Pascha? Just wondering. Maybe the letter we will soon receive will answer these and other questions.