APRIL FOOLS!??? ? NOT !

The original of this letter which most of us in this community received (expecting, in light of Archbishop Demetrios' message, to perhaps receive something else, no doubt), can be found by clicking here.

GREEK ORTHODOX METROPOLIS OF DENVER

March 21, 2011 (Moderator's note - the DATE is NOTEWORTHY)

Reverend Michael Kouremetis Proistamenos
Reverend Matthew Gilbert, Proistamenos
The Esteemed Parish Council Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Salt Lake
c/o Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church
5335 Highland Drive
Holladay, UT 84117

Beloved in the Lord,

Having recently returned from our recent Holy Eparchial Synod meeting at the Archdiocese in New York City, at which a number of issues were discussed, including the pending matter in your beloved community, various decisions came about.

In the press release from the Archdiocese, dated March 18, 2011, the following was stated:

The Holy Eparchial Synod discussed current and urgent administrative matters related to the life and activity of the Church of the Holy Archdiocese. It was noted by all the Members that the responsibility of shepherding the parishes in each Holy Metropolis of the Holy Archdiocese belongs to the respective Hierarch who shepherds them according to the order of the Church, her Canons, the Charter, and the Regulations of the Holy Archdiocese

This indicates that the Archdiocesan process regarding the Salt Lake City matter is now over.
It is now time to move ahead for the good of the faithful members of the Greek Orthodox people of Utah. This means that all of the Uniform Parish Regulations of the Archdiocese must be followed faithfully. For this to be done, it must be understood that any reincorporation statements that call the Greek Orthodox parishes in Salt Lake City "The Association" rather than a religions institution, such as the reincorporation in 1974, must be eliminated from the legal documents of the Greek Orthodox community. There are also other statements made in the 1974 documents which are completely contrary to the Uniform Parish Regulations and the Canons of our Holy Orthodox Church which must also be eliminated.

It is long overdue for the faithful Orthodox Christians of the greater Salt Lake City area to express themselves and to decide if they want to identify their church as an "Association" or as a religious institution. It is time to honor once again the founders of the Greek Orthodox community of Salt Lake City, who incorporated their parish over one hundred years ago as the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. It is time to re-incorporate with the Original name of the parish of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and the Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church. In so doing, all of the Greek Orthodox people on Utah will see themselves as a continuity of the Church which our Lord Jesus Christ established almost two thousand years ago, and not as a secular investment entity hiding behind the respected name "Hellenic".

As for those individuals who came to Salt Lake City from the "old country" much later, and have achieved a kind of leadership status, who are responsible for eliminating the most revered name of our loving God, the Holy Trinity, and who show no sense of honor for those who established the Holy Trinity Church over a century ago, let us pray for them that they will see the errors of their ways. Our loving God also desires their salvation.

As we continue on in this holy period of Great Lent, let us beseech our loving God to soften the hearts and minds of those expressing un-Christian feelings against us, and to forgive them their sins. Let US also fervently pray to our Lord that He will also forgive our sins, thereby furthering our progress toward Christ and His Coming Kingdom.

With Paternal Blessings,
/s/
Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver