HOPING, YET AGAIN, FOR A BRIGHTER NEW YEAR!

We are about to enter yet another new year – the tenth since our ποιμενάρχη disbanded this community’s parish council in 2002. For nearly five years this site has documented the community’s “death by a thousand cuts”.  This stagnation has affected all of us, including and especially, our children. Sadly, this ongoing disaster is directly attributable to a leadership, spiritual and temporal, that is short-sighted, secretive, disingenuous, and yes, unchristian. It is beyond comprehension that those who would purport to be following the example of our Savior could contend that “this is what Jesus would do.”

Surely there is a way we can continue the legacy of our beloved forebears for ourselves and our children! Surely this is the year we can return to being a dynamic, vibrant community for ourselves and our children, and for the greater glory of our Lord. Surely this is the year we can begin to heal? May the Lord grant that it is so!

We wish all a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous New Year.  Ευτυχισμἐνο το Νἐο Ετος!

- the Moderators

The National Herald - Lack of Ecclesiastical Conscience in Utah

Moderator's Note: the article posted below may be found on The National Herald's Web site.

by Theodore Kalmoukos

Proved yet again in a vivid and painful way by the recent developments of the Holy Trinity Church in Salt Lake City, UT is the fact that our ecclesiastical life has reached its lowest level under the ministry of Archbishop Demetrios.

The presence of police officers and firefighters at the parish’s General Assembly shows the lack of even the smallest hint of ecclesiastical conscience.

Instead of Demetrios having gone to Utah in person to deal with the issue in a loving, reconciling, and pastoral way before the situation had reached the point of total deterioration, he chose to observe “the crime” being committed from far away. Yes, it is a “crime” indeed, when a parish is allowed to deteriorate. After all, Demetrios contributed to the problem and deterioration of the historic Salt Lake City parish by attempting to divide it into two parishes, by granting a new charter for the Prophet Elias without examining all of the consequences ahead of time. After a few months he was forced to recall the charter, but it was too late because the damage had already been done. Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver defied and continues to defy the Eparchial Synod’s and the archbishop’s decision not to proceed, claiming that he is “the ruling hierarch” in Utah.

Isaiah, too, did not dare to appear at the parish or its General Assembly. Instead, he sent his emissaries, who attempted with legalistic and fearful tactics to demonize decent people such as Nick Bapis.

Keep in mind, your Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew, that Mr. Bapis is an Archon of the Mother Church of Constantinople, a great benefactor of his parish in Utah, and a member of the Leadership 100. At the end of the General Assembly the blessed people of God spoke with their vote so strongly as if to say: “enough is enough!”

What can one say about Isaiah’s “excommunication” of those six parishioners who had the courage to appeal to the civil court after they had exhausted all the proper ecclesiastical ways and avenues? Isaiah had the audacity to ask the six faithful to send him a written apology and also to go to confession. Wow!

Well, Metropolitan Isaiah, Archbishop Demetrios and the rest of the archpriests received the proper answer from Yiannis Armaou, one of the “excommunicated,” that he plans to go to Rev. Demetrios Rekachinas from Connecticut for confession.

Isaiah did not urge Katinas, the pedophile priest of his Metropolis, to go to confession and repent for his pedophiliac despicable activities and for traumatizing so many innocent children, but instead he supported him wholeheartedly. What a shame! What hypocrisy!

The situation in Utah has become far from ecclesiastical. There is no love, peace, harmony, or respect because brother has turned against brother, family against family, friend against friend. This is the drama of our Church in America, Patriarch Bartholomew. The Church’s deterioration comes from those who should be points of unity, love, peace, and reconciliation – the hierarchs. What a pity, really, for a Church such ours with so much potential!

Once again, the only ruling hierarch, or shepherd, of the Archdiocese of America is Archbishop Demetrios, because according to the existing ecclesiastical and canonical order of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, there is only one Ecclesiastical Eparchy here in the United States – the Archdiocese of America. The Metropolises are not autonomous and do not belong directly to the Patriarchate, as is the case with the Metropolises of Europe or the Dodecanese in Greece. The Metropolises here belong to the one, unified, and undivided Archdiocese of America.

For that reason, when Demetrios visits and liturgizes in the Metropolis of Boston, Atlanta, or Pittsburgh, for example, he is recognized as the ruling hierarch of that Metropolis while presiding at the Eucharistic Assembly. It is not possible for any Metropolis – such as the one in Boston, for instance – to have two ruling hierarchs (two heads) for basic and substantial Ecclesiological and Canonical reasons.

The local Metropolitans are not full ruling hierarchs. Rather, they are a strange mixture between auxiliary Bishops and Titular Metropolitans.

During all those years in the Iakovos Era they were just decorative figures, but now, given this contortioned ecclesiological situation, are leading the Church to vicissitude.

Letter & Discussion Topics from Unity Parishioner-Representatives to Metropolitan Isaiah

SUMMARY REPORT TO HIS EMINENCE METROPOLITAN ISAIAH
& TO THE GREEK ORTHODOX COMMUNITY OF GREATER SALT LAKE

Background:

Internal and external tensions in the Salt Lake City Greek Orthodox Community have become untenable. Those issues, ranging from rumors of our parish splitting, allegations of mismanaged community funds, personal attacks on parish members, and the absence of general assemblies and free elections, have gotten to the point where our parish can barely function. Those tensions came to a head at the November 20, 2011 Special Assembly during which articles and bylaws meant to supposedly bring our parish into
uniformity with other Greek Orthodox parishes were soundly rejected by the members. Indeed, that assembly vote is better interpreted as a referendum vote--wrought of frustration against current parish operations and less so as an outright rejection of the UPRs or of the Archdiocese.

Request:

In early December, Metropolitan Isaiah wisely contacted Father Matthew Gilbert, asking him to gather a small group of parishioners who primarily worship at Holy Trinity to meet informally with the Metropolitan for a lunch meeting in Salt Lake City. The Metropolitan was concerned that he had only been informed about “one side” of the sundry issues in Salt Lake City and wished to hear from Holy Trinity parishioners directly, as they are broadly considered to be on “the other side.” He also sought to learn why all representatives from Holy Trinity previously asked this past year to serve on an interim parish council had each declined. To that end, he also hoped there might be some persons from Holy Trinity who would serve on an upcoming interim parish council if the need arises.

Participants:

Father Matthew settled on eight persons to meet with His Eminence. They were Christina Athas, Bill Chaus, Nicole Mouskondis, George Pappas, John Saltas, Ted Sargetakis, Tykie Skedros and Harry Souvall. The group was told they were chosen because they are informed on community issues, and because they comprise individuals who could reliably and respectfully articulate parish concerns. Each also represented segments of the larger community via their familial and cultural ties or had previous expertise in parish operations. Three have relatives who were banned from the Special Assembly, three previously served on the parish council (one a past president), and one had served on a parish council outside of Utah and could also address legal issues. Our youth organizations, the choir and Sunday School also had voice. The group was instructed to speak openly. And each person did.

Setting:

The group met with His Eminence on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at the Alta Club in downtown Salt Lake City. Father Matthew was present, as well as John Johns, legal counsel for the Metropolis in Denver. The meeting began at 11:30 a.m. and ended at nearly 2:30 p.m. Lunch was served. Everyone chose Lenten fare, despite Lamb and Greek Chicken being offered on our special Greek menu.

His Eminence began with a prayer, followed by a short, anecdotal talk regarding his feelings and insights about Salt Lake City, the Metropolis, the Archdiocese and Orthodoxy generally. He relayed that he was in Salt Lake City without an agenda, had come with an open mind, and was here to listen. We expressed our appreciation to speak directly to him. We also shared our sincere wish that persons from Prophet Elias might also have attended in order to assert we are indeed one community.

What the Metropolitan heard follows.

The Message:

It is impossible to adequately and accurately convey every nuance and discussion point here. To that end, below is a bullet point summary of the major concerns that were delivered to His Eminence. Each bullet point was first delivered by one group member, then discussed by any number of members multiple times. As a group we knew we were charged with delivering not only our personal points of view, but we were also keenly aware that we were the voice of hundreds of local parishioners who have been without voice for nearly two years, including the growing number of formerly active parishioners who have become disenfranchised from our community in recent years.

Great care was taken to consolidate the major issues of our community into a singular message designed to move our united community forward in one mission:
To restore openness and trust; to rebuild our ethical core; to assert our Orthodox values; and, to ensure our Church thrives into the next generation and beyond.

Primary Discussion Topics:

1. We follow and accept the same Orthodox faith and Orthodox principles as His Eminence.
• We are loyal Orthodox Christians. We are not a “club.” We are not “against the church or Christ.”

2. We feel strongly that our parish must remain united as one. The forced “split” has not worked.
• Most of us have become involved because we are concerned that our beloved parish is completely non-functional, causing a blanket loss of faith which could also lead to financial ruin.

3. We require General Assemblies open to the entire community without exclusion.
• Announce and hold a general assembly that follows the rules set in the UPRs.
• Elect a parish council in an open General Assembly before the end of January 2012.

4. We must forbid manipulation of parish council candidates (and members) and settle on a sustainable, equitable standard of participation absent of personal bias from the clergy.
• Several of the group indicated that they would be willing to serve on a parish council if it is a council that has true independent decision making authority.
• Candidates for parish council must not be subject to arbitrary elimination from the ballot.
• Some of us would be willing to serve on an interim council if there was a firm date for elections.

5. Create methods of open dialogue--no secrets. We must have open meetings and full transparency.
• It is important that His Eminence visit Salt Lake City more frequently. His presence is needed to begin new relationships, to restore lost trust and to correct community wrongs.
• Communication at every level is poor. We desire open, respectful communication between Denver and Salt Lake City, from the parish council to parishioners, and between Holy Trinity and Prophet Elias.
• Letters from the Metropolitan sometimes contradict previous letters, or the letters themselves sometimes enflame individuals or groups. Verbal communication is better than letter writing.
• Deliver to our community minutes and financial records they have not seen in nearly 2 years.
• We have not seen a response to the Audit Committee Report, if it even exists.

6. Restore “The Six” parishioners who were banned from the November special assembly to full parish membership, privileges and participation.
• Standing for honor, truth and integrity is not a quest for “power” or “control.”
• Not one person among the “unity” members has ever expressed desire for control of our parish, its people or its resources.
• We are not a “small group of troublemakers.” Each election or vote indicates growing support.

7. Our youth are leaving the parish. Develop a plan to keep our youth active and involved.
• Our beautiful facility at Prophet Elias is no longer used for basketball practice.
• Some of our GOYA teams are now practicing at local LDS wards--and paying for them.
• Our youth are the pawns in the war of words between clergy and laity.
• Sunday School enrollment at Prophet Elias has dropped from just over 330 students to 150 students in just the past few years. Sunday School enrollment is up at Holy Trinity, but it has not fully captured the loss from Prophet Elias.

8. External fundraising groups, including the HCF, do not compete with parish fundraising efforts.
• The HCF can attract donations from corporations and other foundations (and has done so) that are not accessible to the Church proper.
• Those additional funds are important for our parish growth.
• Those funds benefit our Church, our community, improve facilities and help expand Orthodoxy.
• Monies that remain from prior fundraising efforts are in the safe control of our General Assembly.

9. To date, His Eminence receives only one point of view regarding community matters.
• Often that message derives from the pulpit of Prophet Elias or from parish council members who have little or no contact with Holy Trinity.
• Holy Trinity is growing due to members abandoning the services at Prophet Elias. As well, a great many loyal Prophet Elias attendees side with their brothers and sisters at Holy Trinity in matters of the above. All of that creates the real truth: The vast majority of Salt Lake’s Orthodox community seeks only peace, harmony and faith, not accusatory, inflammatory or self-serving rhetoric.
• We have deep concerns that Father Michael has abdicated his early role of community healer and is now considered to be a divisive force.
• We are equally concerned that Father Michael has lost the trust of the larger Salt Lake City Greek Orthodox Community and is no longer an effective shepherd of our parish.

In the coming days, we will submit a list of recommendations to His Eminence for moving forward. We are honored to have the opportunity to work with His Eminence as we build and improve the Greek Orthodox Community of Salt Lake City together.

We were honored to have had this opportunity and greatly appreciate our time with His Eminence.

Thank you.

Christina Athas
Bill Chaus
Nicole Mouskondis
George Pappas
John Saltas
Ted Sargetakis
Tykie Skedros
Harry Souvall

George Karahalios Comments on Banning Basketball Practice at P.E.

Moderator's Note: the following is posted with Mr. Karahalios' permission.

I coach the sixth grade GOYA basketball team. I had a very difficult time filling a team of five players, but through a great deal of perseverance I was able to get 6 to play on our team.



I wanted my son to play on a GOYA team because I did not want him to go and play on a team with kids outside our youth group. I assured him we would fill a team and he would play for GOYA. This, I was able to do.



Our team was set and our practice time was 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday nights. I thought the practices were going to be at our newer and state-of-the-art facility built for basketball at Prophet Elias. However I was informed that somebody called Metropolitan Isaiah and complained that there were not enough youth activities at Holy Trinity. Then I was informed that instead of thinking through a plan to split activities up and have some at Holy Trinity and some at Prophet Elias, the decision was made on a whim to hold all practices for basketball at Holy Trinity.



Because I have to carpool a few kids and the late night practice for 11 year olds, I was told by several parents that their kids would not play if that was the case. So in order to keep our youth playing with our own kids, I had to find an alternate practice facility. I asked my neighbor, an LDS bishop, if it would be ok to practice at his wardhouse gym, and lo and behold it was not only OK, but he moved his young women's and young mens group out of their gym and has allowed us to use their gym as we wish and welcomed us with open arms.

PATHETIC, that we can't use our own beautiful gym to keep our youth playing at their own church, but rather we are forced to use facilities at other churches. 


I am very upset that our President (Jim Mylonakis) made this ridiculous and blind decision, so I tried to contact him with no response. I sent an email so he would not think I was attacking but rather trying to understand the logic behind this. I got zero response.



I then called the Metropolis in Denver and asked to speak to his Eminence. Again no response. I then called Denver again and asked to speak with the Fr. Luke. I left phone numbers day and night where I could be reached and again no response.

I guess when one sends John Johns to give us a lecture and to tell us we can call anytime and talk to anyone at the Metropolis, he should check with the individuals involved if they are willing to talk.



I am very frustrated at the lack of leadership we have as a community. We need elections so we can elect competent people that know how to run a community and know how and when to react in certain situations. WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE APPOINTED INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COWARDS AND DON'T RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE!!!



The only way we will practice again at our facility is if this incredible and pathetic decision to send all basketball practices to HT is reversed, so we can then go back and play at the gym that was built to play basketball during basketball season.

George Karahalios

Bill Paulos Comments on What To Do Now

Moderator Note:  The following was sent by Bill Paulos and is part of an e-mail thread regarding the recent developments from the Special General Assembly and has been posted with the permission of the author.

George,

Thank you for your quick and thoughtful reply.  I’m sorry I’ve been slow in getting back to you.

I must say I am one of the people who find the results of the past few years of leadership in our community and metropolis to be deeply disappointing.  I’m not close enough to the process to know why things have failed, but clearly there is little support in the community for the current leadership; in the form of the parish council, priests and metropolitan.

I completely respect your opinion regarding the elders of the church and I often wish I had the blind faith in them that I can’t seem to find.

This is clearly a “three martini discussion”, but my position is that the majority of our community has voted repeatedly to reject the current direction of our “leaders” and I strongly believe we must change the individuals in the leadership positions before any message will be accepted.  If we look around the world and our own country this lesson has been taught to us many times over.  When you are a leader and few are following, it’s only a matter of time before the leadership collapses.  Our leaders are holding tightly to rejected policies and it’s a losing proposition for everyone involved.

My recommendation is for the parish council to resign immediately, the parish priests to do the honorable thing and resign and for our community to attempt to clear the decks to begin to rebuild.  The representatives of the minority must begin to put the greater good of the community ahead of their own agenda’s.  It’s over.  They have lost every referendum in the past several years.  Even those that have been completely rigged to win….for example the presentation of only one side of the UPR discussion.  Do you think you would have received 40% of the vote if everyone in the community would have been allowed to vote and/or if the opposition had an opportunity to present its side of the argument?

Of course not.  The vote would have been 80-20 just like the vote to split the community was a few years ago.

The current parish council, the current priests have the support of the minority of the community and they must be replaced.  Plain and simple.  People win and lose every day.  They have lost.

I really don’t expect the metropolitan to ever understand democracy.  It’s messy when people exert their free enterprise.  But unfortunately that is what is happening here.  He is risking losing everything in this community.  And it’s not a risk worth taking.  Support for his reckless behavior is in the minority.  He needs to move to another project.

Incidentally, if my position was in the minority I would be disappointed, but I would accept the will of the community and support the majority’s right to govern the secular activities of our community.  That is really all I’m asking.  Allow the majority of the people to move forward as the governing body of our community in secular affairs.

Sorry for my rambling.  I hope you and your beautiful family are well.  I wish you nothing but the best.

Bill.