We would like to thank the 309 people that took part in the Special General Assembly.
A message that was read at Prophet Elias urging the people not to attend this meeting, it fell
on deaf ears as quite a few members from PE were in attendance.
“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
The Metropolitan’s latest missive announces yet another rump parish council – appointed, not elected – and filled by persons who have not been nominated in a general assembly. To no one’s surprise, he has appointed several persons who have presided under a system of failed governance and improper accounting as detailed in the 2009 Audit Report. No further audits have been conducted, it might be added; nor have any of the problems detailed by the last report been addressed.
The makeup of this council (and the two extras!) is further appalling. The Metropolitan is asking for unity, yet he takes six or seven persons who have all along been in favor of maintaining this community’s unity, and adds to them ELEVEN people who have been consistent in their efforts to split and divide this community and its assets. No one is surprised that the Metropolitan and the clergy continue to thwart free elections. And, typically, he and his proistamenoi, along with their lay minions, care nothing for fairness; care nothing for at least appointing a council that represents the community more equitably. Those who were assigned from Holy Trinity indicated that this is what they were guaranteed. So much for the truthfulness of Christ’s Apostolic successors.
Two months ago, this community had a “gun” held to its head and was told to vote, by two-thirds margin, to unconditionally accept the Charter and UPRs, and to foreswear the community’s historical CONTRACTUAL exception to such in terms of independently owning its properties. As it turned out, nearly two-thirds voted NO. Isn't it ironic that this latest selected board's make-up is approximately the same proportion as that of the assembly in November - in reverse ?!!
Adding insult to injury, the Metropolitan “generously” allows that “since the last affirmation of office was given at the Prophet Elias parish” (a “parish” that does not exist, by the way), the affirmation to this selected board will be conducted at Holy Trinity Cathedral. To rub the noses of the majority in yet one more outrage?
Finally, having witnessed, yet again, our hierarch’s contempt for his own rules, for fairness, for justice, for the love that Christ showed his flock, that he, first among us, should exemplify, he throws out the notion that the majority in this community caused embarrassment and “unintentionally brought scandal upon Christ’s Church.”
The embarrassment belongs to him and his minions who have:
Moderator's Note: the original of this document may be viewed here.
A scan of the Metropolitan's January 19, 2012 letter may be viewed here.
Additionally, the Metropolitan's follow-up letter, dated January 20, 2012 may be viewed here.
This letter is an appropriate response to both.
"Ηλί Ηλί Λαμά Σαβαχθανί" ("Θεε μου γιατι με εγκατελειψες;")
‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me ?’ "
This is what our community has been shouting to Denver, New York and Constantinople for the past two years in trying to get out of our mess. Deafening silence everywhere.
Why? Do they listen? Don't they care? Maybe they do not.
They send a "captain" to steer the ship. The crew members, realizing that the captain is incapable of his duties, one by one are jumping off the ship. In the last few days, many letters have been sent from Denver asking individuals to serve on an appointed parish council FOR ONE YEAR!? Many to their credit have turned it DOWN.
Who is the Metropolitan trying to save? His captain is looking for a life boat like his counterpart on the Costa Concordia. Maybe his eight chosen will trip him in to a life boat? The captain is not my concern, but this community is. We have no idea how this community is operating (no budget, elections, free General Assemblies), I am afraid we will have a rude awakening when this is done and over with.
See you all January 29, 2012 at the General Assembly.
"God helps those that help themselves".
- Yannis Armaou
Dear Parishioners,
In following the UPRs not less than 10% of parishioners in good standing filed [with a transmittal letter from my office] the original of the petition and signatures with the main corporate office of the Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Salt Lake at Holy Trinity Cathedral; copies of the entire package were mailed to the Denver Metropolitan and to Archbishop Demetrios in New York.
The envelope addressed to the Denver Metropolitan was returned unopened today. A copy is attached.
TO: Mssrs. Johns, Zavitsanos and Roussalis as vassals of our POIMENARCHOI, Isaiah et al.
FROM: The PEOPLE of the LORD in the SALT LAKE CITY GREEK ORTHODOX COMMUNITY (living and asleep in the Lord)
Once again we have properly followed YOUR procedures in requesting a General Assembly, which is OUR RIGHT.
It is now quite clear that your much-vaunted Uniform Parish Regulations are nothing more than a manifesto of tyranny to be followed to the letter by the laity, but to be cast aside as it suits our "leaders" (see Mr. Diamataras' commentary in the previous blog). You yourselves won't even follow them! Yet you demand we adopt them? (We remind you of the single word uttered by Metaxas in 1941 - OXI! The response of General Anthony McAuliffe at the Battle of Bastogne is further instructive!)
A picture is, after all, worth a thousand words.
From The National Herald by A.H. Diamataris
When Andreas Papandreou died, Constantine Karamanlis asked one of his aides to write a statement on his behalf.
The aide hailed the contribution made by the former head of the PASOK party. "Don't write head, write leader," Karamanlis said, correcting him. "No one can deny him that."
I cite this true story to stress a point that it is by now common knowledge to most of us: that our Church has a head, but not a leader. And because this situation has been carrying on for many years now and causing major negative consequences for all of us, I believe the time has come to separate the interests of one man from the general interest of our community.
The late Archbishop Iakovos had made more than a decade ago, a prophetic prediction regarding the situation that was forming, noting that we had come to a standstill.
The situation has frozen since then, the leadership vacuum has grown, and it is becoming painfully obvious that the clergy in charge are unsuitable to meet the challenges.
Do you want me to give you examples? You do not have to look too far to find them. Just look at what is happening in Lynn and Salt Lake City, where the local bishops brought havoc to wonderful communities on a mere whim. Take the big community of Astoria, where the former presiding priest escaped- “the city will follow” no matter where you might go, said the great poet Cavafis - and his position has remained vacant since November 1. Or just look at what is happening at the Archdiocesan Cathedral, which is under the direct personal supervision of the Archbishop.
Do you need more examples? Two Greek-American day schools closed down last summer, and one more is on the brink of closing. Meanwhile, the head of the Archdiocese is either in hiding or in denial. How else can one explain his failure to utter a single word about it. Just one, for pride's sake.
Now, presenting you with these examples, you probably understand well what I mean when I point out the difference between heads and leaders.
4 January 2012
Dear Dr. Roussalis,
YOU HAVE STATED IN YOUR RECENT LETTER: His Eminence asks that we have a 100% attendance from our parishes for this vital meeting. If either the parish priest or the parish council president cannot attend, please make sure a representative is sent in your place.
WE ANSWER: Sir, we have NO properly elected Parish Council according to the flawed UPRs that the beleaguered Greek Orthodox Church in this country is forced to operate under; hence even though our assigned priests might attend, no elected president from this community exists. This community has been described (by your colleague, John Zavitsanos at our recent Special General Assembly) as a "pillar" of the Metropolis. Therefore, it is shameful that we do not have a properly elected Parish Council, OR, Parish Council President. The majority in this community has followed proper procedure in asking for a general assembly and for elections for nearly two years now, to no avail. Each petition for such has been thwarted by our priests and lay "leaders" or denied by our Metropolitan.
The Parish Pastor and President Meeting has been developed and used in other Metropolises with very constructive and positive out comes. The specific goals of our Meeting in January are:
1. To discuss the vital role of transparency at both the Metropolis and parish level to combat the spread of rumor and misinformation as well as to maintain a culture of respect, peace, love, and unity.
Transparency? We have been subjected to secrecy, lies and threats for nearly a decade! We have seen our beloved community sundered by our "shepherds". We have had our true leaders sanctioned and libeled. We have had no general assemblies, no budgets, NO ELECTIONS; when we did have them we witnessed stewards of long standing culled from the ballot. Our once-vibrant community has been rendered moribund. Our kids are turned away from our own facilities and forced to hold dance practices in warehouse space, while our youth basketball teams are practicing at local Mormon churches. In the meantime our programs and facilities wither and our priests spout platitudes, when they are not delivering threats!
There is no rumor or misinformation here, sir. Our parents and grandparents fought for their community's right to own its church asset properties in its own name. We do not intend to sully their memory by allowing for even the possibility that a capricious "shepherd", now or in the future, might put any part of this legacy at risk. Considering the financial and other misbehaviors we are witnessing from our clergy, monks and "poimenarchoi" in this country and worldwide, we recognize the wisdom our our forefathers.
As for respect, peace, love and unity, sir, we dotted every "i" and crossed every "t" in the UPR dispute resolutions. We went through all the proper channels. We have witnessed where such "respect" has led us. Respect, love, unity, and peace require a true two-way discourse, NOT dictatorial demands or simply sitting on hands and hoping the problem will eventually go away. Face it, the UPR dispute resolutions are not intended to resolve anything - disputes, sexual misconduct, whatever. They can be easily summarized with the phrase "pay, pray and obey" - and nothing more.
2. To present the Metropolis financial report.
We'd like to see a financial report for our community as well. We haven't had one presented since our last regularly scheduled general assembly in January 2010. Our SELECTED Parish Council doesn't think they have to provide any to the parishioners in this community even though the UPRs require it, to say nothing of the community's 501(c)3 bylaws. Both are ignored. Also ignored is a damning 2009 Audit Report which clearly documents several areas of flawed accounting and governance. We haven't seen any actions to rectify the named problems, nor has a further audit of 2010 been permitted - again ignoring the requirement by both the UPRs and the bylaws. In my parents' and grandparents' day people thus disgraced had the decency to do the honorable thing and RESIGN. Not this group!
3. To explain the present Total Commitment system, and to evaluate the implications for our Metropolis income.
Fascinating! The Metropolitan's actions in this community, along with those of his Proistamenoi and our selected leaders, claiming to act under his direction, have had seriously adverse implications with regard to this community's income. Ironically, this has impacted the Metropolis' income. Economics, Psychology and Ethics 101 seem to have been courses lacking in several of our leaders' (spiritual and temporal) coursework selections.
6. To explain the status of the Salt Lake City situation.
Dr. Roussalis, again with all due respect, you surely must have seen the anguish present in our community when you came here as a Metropolis representative during our Special General Assembly, November 20, 2011. If you interpreted the explicit frustration due to several YEARS of appalling misadministration and governance as "disrespect" you are WRONG. If anything, we respect too much and love too deeply! If we did not, we would have given up and accepted the portions of the latest UPRs that our forefathers would have never accepted!
We had SIX of our fellow parishioners (none of whom are youngsters, two of whom are Archons) who have given of themselves to the utmost in TIME, TALENT and TREASURE, sitting outside their own church, five of them in below-freezing weather during a general assembly that they were absolutely entitled to attend. This was especially true since they were vilified without being allowed to be present to defend themselves! You and Mr. Zavitsanos, along with our SELECTED leaders, made it very clear that the consequences of a "NO" vote would be dire. And yet, reminiscent of the Greek nation in 1941, the people's answer was, overwhelmingly, NO! - OXI! Φωνή λαοὐ, οργἠ Θεοὐ!
What is there to "explain"? We will NOT turn our backs on the legacy the founders of this community left to us. If you, or others in other communities, wish to help us, in a forthright, inclusive, honest and open way, to find a fair and reasonable way forward, fine. If your answer is nothing more than asking us to acquiesce to a continuation of the threats, deceit and abysmal governance that our once-vibrant community continues to endure, then, respectfully, leave us to do that which our forebears would expect of us!
It's simple: you understand, or you do not, or you choose not to do so. There is nothing to "explain".
Best regards,
Barbara Billinis Colessides
Moderators' Note - the letter below contains the text of a letter written by Dr. Louis Roussalis, who was present at our Special General Assembly on Nov. 20, 2011, with regard to our community. The original, written on Metropolis letterhead, may be viewed here.
December 30, 2011
Dear Pastors and Parish Council Presidents,
Happy New Year to all of you!
This letter is being sent to all the parishes in the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver to announce that His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah will convene our first Parish Pastor and President Meeting. The meeting will take place at the Metropolis Center in Denver on Saturday January 28, 2011.
His Eminence asks that we have a 100% attendance from our parishes for this vital meeting. If either the parish priest or the parish council president cannot attend, please make sure a representative is sent in your place.
The Parish Pastor and President Meeting has been developed and used in other Metropolises with very constructive and positive out comes. The specific goals of our Meeting in January are:
1. To discuss the vital role of transparency at both the Metropolis and parish level to combat the spread of rumor and misinformation as well as to maintain a culture of respect, peace, love, and unity.
2. To present the Metropolis financial report.
3. To explain the present Total Commitment system, and to evaluate the implications for our Metropolis income.
4. To explain the role of Advocates 1000.
5. To explain the mortgage debt and maintenance needs of the Metropolis Center.
6. To explain the status of the Salt Lake City situation.
7. To afford an open discussion for all the pastors and presidents, so as to foster learning from each other and helping each other.
Members of the Metropolis Council finance committee will also be present at this meeting to answer any questions you may have, and to contribute to the discussions. As we all appreciate, we need to work together and thus grow together - this is the major goal of our meeting.
Faithfully,
/s/
Dr. Louis J. Roussalis, MD
