“Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them,

and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

But it shall not be so among you:

but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto,

but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28, KJV)


The word the Athenians used for their Assembly was Ekklesia, the same word used in the New Testament for Church
(and it is the greatest philological irony in all of Western history that this word,
which connoted equal participation in all deliberation by all members,
came to designate a kind of self-perpetuating, self-protective Spartan gerousia -
which would have seemed patent nonsense to Greek-speaking Christians of New Testament times,
who believed themselves to be equal members of their Assembly.)

- Thomas Cahill, Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter




ΦΙΛΟΤΙΜΟ: THE GREEK SECRET


Saturday, January 28, 2012

COURAGE!! ΚΟΥΡΑΓΙΟ!!

“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:

  • indulged in lies, deceits, libels, unethical and incompetent governance;
  • thumbed their noses at the even-handed “way forward” provided by the Archdiocese;
  • invited law enforcement to be present at our last assembly;
  • excluded parishioners of long-standing and attempted to intimidate parishioners to vote their way.
As for “unintentionally scandalous”, we would remind the Metropolitan and the local clergy that those who oppose their notion of governance and their spiritually bankrupt methods in leading their flock, that the scandals are theirs. Many of us choose, intentionally, to expose the scandals for what they are.

It is truly sad that the Metropolitan and the clergy continue to indulge in these tactics that are designed to cause despair, hopelessness and resignation. The truth and God's own justice will prevail. We must persevere. It is now more important than ever that we attend this Sunday's Special General Assembly right after the "affirmation" of yet another SELECTED and UNREPRESENTATIVE Parish Council. Courage! Κουρἀγιο!

5 comments:

Yannis Armaou said...

One individual(Randy Bathemess)who was picked by Fr.Kouremetis did the right thing.He said:" I will not serve on the Parish Counsel in 2012 unless there are proper elections".
Unfortunately the rest of them .....
The saga will go on with the 16 "saviors". Kudos to you Randy for doing the ONLY right thing!

Randy Bathemess said...

I do not deserve kudos Yannis, I came in peace in the name of the lord! I wasn't picked but asked if I would consider serving our parish and its people. it needs a council with integrity that can do the job elected or appointed until all this can be resolved. I love God,the only side I take!I wanted to serve him and the church and our parish however,someone got to me by hurting the lady I love in my name and she believed it, destroying my future plans oh, and the threats of being sued.(nothing personal)you know! why should I serve the people here? I take my peace back for those who want and need it and seek the Lord!
will you approve this blog author? or will you use hypocrisy and control like others accused?

Joseph Kalodimos said...

To all those in fear of censorship:

This blog and it's moderators have posted EVERYTHING that has been written on these two premises: first it has been signed by it's author and secondly, it has been written with some level civility.

Additionally, I understand there have been messages sent that have been riddled with foul language that have not been posted and rightly so. When one resorts to methods of such expression, then he/she doesn't deserve to be heard at least at this level of communication.

So "kudos" to the moderators for the highest level of fairness, temperance and discretion.

Yannis Armaou said...

As you see you got "approved" by us,sign your name and you are in.

Joseph Kalodimos said...

Randy:

Additionally, when you say your were not "picked" you are correct in saying this. In order to be "picked" that would have to happen at a FAIR AND OPEN General Assembly and we have not had one of these (I'm not referring to a Special General Assembly either controlled by the Bishop) for about 20 months.

Also, when you are asked by your peers to serve on the Parish Council you are nominated (which you weren't) by those same peers, you accept the nomination from those peers, it is discussed by those same peers and you are voted on the ballot by those same peers all at a FAIR AND OPEN General Assembly. Then, your name is put on a ballot and voted on by those same peers. This obviously didn't occur did it? Nor will this happen today at Holy Trinity.

In closing, thanks for rejecting your "choice" of not serving with this fine, inappropriately, non-nominated by it's peers, unelected by it's peers, illegitimately appointed Parish Council.