PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S RESPONSE TO THE DENVER METROPOLITAN

THE ORIGINAL RESPONSE BY THE PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT TO THE DENVER METROPOLITAN'S LATEST CORRESPONDENCE MAY BE VIEWED HERE.

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His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver
4550 East Alameda Ave.
Denver, CO 80246

Your Eminence,

We are in receipt of your letter dated October 23. 2013. Attached please find the letter sent to the community by the last interim Parish Council dated April28, 2012. The letter indicates that the term of office for the eight (8) candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be until the end of2014 and the remaining seven (7) candidates' term will run until the end of2013. The letter further states that nominations for these seven (7) positions will take place in November 2013. This is the premise under which the current Parish Council and the Community have been operating.

In regards to the absentee ballots, it should be noted that elections had not been held for 3 years prior to the May 20, 2012 election. Our Community was very anxious to have a voice in the direction of our parish and voter turnout was tremendous. The election was held in May instead ofNovember as per our usual standard with only 3 weeks' notice. Given this scenario, the number of absentee ballots can easily be accounted for. Members of the Community and the Parish Council were given no reason to suspect any improprieties on the part of the Election Committee. Any suggestion of wrongdoing should have been addressed at the time of the election.

Both the UPRs and the local Parish Bylaws specifically allow for absentee balloting. Our community has historically allowed this and we are of the opinion that it should continue.

We continue to be committed to serving our Community and our Church with honesty transparency and high moral ethics.

In His name,

For the Parish Council,

/s/

Dimitrios Tsagaris
2013 Parish Council President

cc: His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios

LETTER FROM THE DENVER METROPOLITAN, OCTOBER 23, 2013.

Moderator's Note: The original letter sent by the Metropolitan of Denver may be viewed here.

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October 23, 2013

Reverend Matthew Gilbert
The Esteemed Parish Council
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral
279 South 300 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Beloved in the Lord,

Having been informed that a general assembly is scheduled in the community for Sunday,November 10, 2013 and being aware of the fact that parish council elections for eight seats will take place before the end of the year, I am pleased to make you aware of the proper procedures that are to take place in order for me to be able to ratify the elections.

As you know, in March and April of 2012, I totally relaxed the qualifications of all the members of the community to be able to vote. However, I never imagined that there would have been 142 absentee ballots cast. With the inclusion of such a high number of absentee ballots (which is usually the total number who vote in parish council elections for an average size parish); it appears this was the reason most of the candidates who were successfully elected identify with only one of the two churches. This of course, contributed to the continuing tensions and divisions which have not diminished these past seventeen months.

Now that regular parish council elections will take place for the eight positions which will be vacated, it is imperative that we return to the proper procedures which are found in the Uniform Parish Regulations. These procedures have to do not only with the candidates for the parish council, but also for the parishioners who plan to vote. Since the Priest determines whether the parishioners are in canonical and financial good standing in order to vote, as specified in Article 18 Sections 1, 2 and 3, the roster containing the names of the parishioners shall be verified by Father Gilbert and Father Kouremetis as stated in Article 25 Section 2.

Moreover, the parishioners who plan to run for the parish council must be nominated on the basis of Article 25, Sections 1, 2 and 3. This means that among other qualifications, they must attend the required seminars, attend the holy services regularly, participate in the sacrament of Holy Communion and respect all ecclesiastical authority.

Because of the appearance of abuse of absentee balloting on May 20, 2012 for the current parish council, I would not be in a position to ratify the elections if absentee balloting were allowed. It is not at all logical for absentee ballots to determine who is or is not elected at a properly conducted parish council election.

Finally, at your coming general assembly, financial reports on the parish budget must be restricted to the parish budget according to the UPR's of the Archdiocese, Article 34 Section 7.

With Paternal Blessings,

/s/

+ Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver

REMEMBERING the MEANING of "OXI"!

This blog has referred to "OXI!" - "NO!" more than once since its inception! (It is an APT metaphor!)

Please click on the link below.

http://hellenicleaders.com/blog/oxi-day-remember-their-courage/#.Um6ANKVRHfN

OF "RADICALS" AND "CONSERVATIVES"

To the Johnny-Come-Lately "UNIFIERS":

You do not get to define solely the terms of the community's ongoing discussion regarding its future.

Who are you calling "radical", and who are you to define what is "radical"?

We contend that you are radicals. We aim to conserve for our kids and grandkids that which our grandparents and parents left us. Conversely, you seek to alter - radically - what we seek to conserve.

You claim to come in peace; you claim to promote "unity".

Yet you still condone a separate corporate entity, created by unauthorized and unelected parishioners, for Prophet Elias only, under the most specious of excuses, including those provided by Denver. Incidentally, this ongoing farce is often cited, rightly or wrongly, as a major reason for constrained stewardship. The creation of that separate corporation is also contrary to those vaunted, flawed UPRs you chastise the current Parish Council for violating.

In short, people aren't giving because they know you are still actively conspiring amongst yourselves and with Denver to split this community and to take community assets that belong to all. This, despite all your protestations of "cooperation" and "unity" with the elected Parish Council and with the "silent majority" you now claim to represent.

The issue of whether the majority in this community wants a split at this time has been long settled, yet you, the true radicals, will not let it go. Sorry, your pious claims of commitment to the Lord and His Church, and desire for "unity" and "progress", ring hollow. This community is stagnating due to your machinations and those of Denver, your "piety" notwithstanding.

You chastise the parish council's injunction against “inaccurate data and commentary” and are frustrated that "such does not extend to the 'vicious' observations posted on a certain internet blog site."

This blog and Mr. Saltas have answered your paranoid desire to see free thought regarding this community's real problems squelched. Mr. Saltas put it perfectly in saying that it is not the Parish Council's duty to "make someone else's bed".

As for your unctuous pronouncements regarding "vicious observations", you may want to reinforce your own glass houses.

What is more "vicious" than:

• appealing to Denver to overturn the will of 72% of parishioners at a General Assembly (November 2006) that acknowledged that this community sees nothing wrong with alternative means of fundraising to supplement stewardship - which you insist must be the sole means of revenues - in providing services and ministries to our youth, our seniors and other church and community ministries, including community outreach and raising awareness about our faith and culture;

• standing by while stewards of long standing are unjustly chastised and/or sanctioned;

• denying the results continually of a community-wide survey that CLEARLY indicates that the "silent majority" DO NOT WANT TO SPLIT;

• deigning to remain in power, squelching the will of the majority, due to the unreasonable interference of the clergy and hierarchy in the nomination and election process, as well as regular parish assemblies, again in contravention to flawed UPRs;

• initiating a truly vicious FINRA/SEC action against an outstanding and generous member of this community that threatened the reputation and livelihood of both himself and his family (a fine example of your true Christian piety, no doubt!);

• engaging in actions that have, in effect, frozen funds needed to make vital repairs to the Holy Trinity campus - particularly the Sunday School rooms; 

• showing a casual indifference that six older parishioners were forced to either stay home or to stand in sub-freezing weather outside their own church during a "kangaroo court" Special General Assembly that featured a "hired gun" from Houston who had the gall to criticize in a cowardly and VICIOUS manner, banned members when they were not there to defend themselves;

• indulging in a cynical display of indifference when the true silent majority was forced to bring civil action against the former anointed appointed by paying your own attorneys first (the true silent majority paid for their own AND yours!) and letting the newly elected parish council figure out how to pay priests, employees, utility bills, insurance, and the like;

• claiming to be "unifiers" while still working actively to undercut and undermine unity in this community in order to split it;

• accusing the current parish council of financial malfeasance in the local press, then claiming to be satisfied with an examination of the financials, and thereafter FAILING to correct such in a follow-up interview with said local press;

• refusing to cease calling the broker and trustees of the HCF funds "robbers and thieves";

• insisting that your commitment to the Lord and Savior and His Church is your utmost concern, when it is evident that you claim sole right to define what that commitment must entail, and presuming that your "piety" is so much purer and greater than that of others.

Now cast your stones!

THE GREEK ORTHODOX FAITHFUL IN THIS COUNTRY DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS FROM THEIR SHEPHERDS

Moderator's Note: The following is a response to the National Herald article (see previous blog).

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Again we witness the logical consequences of illogical Uniform Parish Regulations and a warped Charter. 

Given limitless power, the hierarchy and clergy misuse it, act in the most unchristian manner, and adopt Dark Ages mindsets. 

The Greek Orthodox faithful in this country are currently witness to a clergy that engages in curses, ongoing threats of dismissal of elected Parish Councils, threats of excommunication, clergy strikes, misuse of benevolent funds, sex abuse scandals, the pitting of the laity against each other,  financial scandals, hierarchical tantrums by tyrannical Metropolitans who chastise both their flock and their supposed Archbishop - the list of these outrages is seemingly endless!

Further, we have an Archbishop who made a mistake; he is human, not infallible. It is clear that the clergy pool from which he has to choose is comprised of dismal choices. Admit the error and move on; your flock will understand. (Your brother bishops are, sadly, another matter.) Regardless, try to find just one priest worthy of being Proistamenos at the Archdiocesan Cathedral. Is there not one? If not, the Church structure and administration in this country - to say nothing of the theological school - is sorely in need of some serious rethinking! (See Michael Jaharis' December 2012 analysis in the National Herald) 

Is this any way to lead the Church - the Bride of Christ? 

It is time for the Patriarch to fix that which he has broken.

From The National Herald : Gounaris e-Mail Chastises Cathedral President Poll

Moderators' Note: The following is a Special Article (Oct. 10, 2013) to the National Herald by Columnist Theodore Kalmoukos and the TNH staff. For those with subscriptions to the Herald the original online article may be viewed here.

Our Greek readers may view the original article here.

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NEW YORK – Rev. Anastasios Gounaris, Presiding Priest of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of New York, sent a scathing e-mail to Parish Council President Dean Poll, wishing him “to lose everything and to end up homeless on the streets of New York,” TNH has learned.

Poll is a prominent Greek-American businessman and the owner of the famous Boathouse Restaurant in Central Park. He was appointed President of the Parish Council a few months ago by Archbishop Demetrios.

Gounaris’ email followed Poll’s TNH interview last month, in which he cited problems at the Cathedral, including dwindling attendance for church services, a mounting $250,000 deficit resulting from a $1.9 million annual budget, a large chunk of which is more than $200,000 toward the choir – which includes expenses to hire professional singers, many of which are not Orthodox, nor even Christian.

He also had spoken about the settlement of a lawsuit that the sexton’s family had brought against the Cathedral for unpaid overtime, but did not disclose the amount. The sexton continues to work at the Cathedral.

Though he did not directly link the low turnout of congregants to problems involving the Cathedral Dean and Gounaris, Poll acknowledged his relationship with Gounaris has been strained at times.

TNH has learned that Demetrios and the Archdiocesan Chancellor Bishop Andonios of Phasiane are aware of Gounaris’ polemic email to Poll. Sources close to the Archbishop’s office told TNH that Demetrios is extremely upset with Gounaris but is not doing anything about it because he does not want it to appear as if selecting Gounaris to lead the Cathedral had been a mistake in the first place.

Poll confirmed to TNH that he had in fact received the e-mail, but declined to comment. Gounaris declined to comment as well. TNH has also learned that the entire Parish Council is preparing to request to Demetrios that he remove Gounaris from the Cathedral.

Known for exhibiting flamboyant if not outright eccentric behavior, Gounaris in his Oct. 6 service spoke from the pulpit the praises of Metropolitan Augoustinos Katiotis of Florina, Greece, who died in 2010. Kantiotis was known in Greece and beyond for his extreme militant fundamentalism and extremism to the point that he had interrupted the commemoration of the Ecumenical Patriarch from the Divine Liturgy and the Sacred Services because of the engagement of the Orthodox Church in Theological Dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church. Kantiotis was against women’s beauty pageants in Greece, and he saw “enemies” of Orthodoxy virtually everywhere.

Gounaris not only read Kantiotis’ Characteristics of an Orthodox Priest, he also published it in the Cathedrals bulletin and he also e-mailed to many parishioners, referring to Kantiotis as a “defender of traditional Orthodox beliefs.”

Excerpts from a “loose translation” that Gounaris wrote of Kantiotis’ sermon follow:

“We must confess the bitter truth: the faithful who struggle to maintain Orthodoxy are few. The vast majority have gradually fallen away from the Orthodox Faith.

“The most important characteristic for the bishop or the priest is militancy, outspokenness. As the Apostle Paul said: “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). If you see a priest, theologian, metropolitan, or archbishop who isn’t persecuted and is loved and honored by all, then the words of Christ – “woe to you when everyone speaks well of you” (Luke 6:26) – apply, and you know that he is not on the right path. If he is to be considered Orthodox, he must confront the coming tide, the blizzard that threatens to destroy the world…For the devil is behind the cowardly and seductive arguments with which they attempt to cool the zeal of the handful who suffer and are oppressed for our Christian faith… 

“I don’t know what will happen. I don’t know what persecutions that we, the hierarchs … will endure. I don’t know to which Holy Mountain we will flee. 

“I do know one thing, that whatever happens – even if the stars fall from the sky and the rivers run dry and the world is turned upside down – I firmly believe that Orthodoxy will prevail in the end. When the moment of the persecution of our Orthodox Faith arrives, we have our plan – as does every person of faith. And I expect all of you to disseminate all that I have told you here today so that one becomes two, two become four, four become eight … and a great wave will wash over the world, bringing Orthodox Christianity to all.”

JOHN SALTAS PROVIDES A MEDIA PROFESSIONAL'S PERSPECTIVE ON DEMANDS TO CONDEMN FREE THOUGHT AND FREE SPEECH

Moderators' Note: Mr. Saltas gave his permission to post his thoughts, originally sent via e-mail.

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As I understand this, requests have been made of the parish council (by opponents to the blog, and also by Fr. Michael) to renounce or discredit blogs that have surfaced over the past few years, the Take Our Church Back blog and the more recent parody blog of Protect our Priests or Clergy, which now appears to be offline.

I do not believe it is the role of our parish council to denounce either blog, nor any members of our community.

My reasons are below:

1. My mainland grandparents left Greece that was impoverished, barren, and still forming a new system of government. My Cretan grandfather left Crete that was still under Turkish dominion. They left behind a system that controlled thoughts and actions and became citizens in a country that embraces free expression. To discredit their efforts to build a new home and live and speak freely here--warts and all--is not something I will ever endorse.

2. Critics of either blog turn a blind eye to other modes of social media expression. To ask that the blogs or bloggers be renounced while not asking similar of persons who make foolish or accusatory statements on Facebook, for example, is selective and wrong.

3. I am in the business of media. I am used to being criticized. I support even those who make foolish statements because looking foolish is an American right. Therefore, it doesn't bother me at all that the wife of our former parish president posts to Facebook that I'm "Evil--a person who has never cared about the church" or that the wife of Fr. Michael uses Facebook to proclaim such household wisdom that she uses City Weekly for her dogs to pee on. That's just the way it is. We are free to express here. I would never ask the parish council to ask either of them to conjure something wise or constructive to say on Facebook, and besides, I've used City Weekly for the same purpose. I am simply selective as to which pets to share it with.

4. Truth is a defense.

5. Several years ago, several of our fellow parishioners (and one in particular), were accused of working against the Church and of being robbers and thieves in a letter from Metropolitan Isaiah. We all know that was not true. That robbers and thieves canard has been repeated over and over for years now--in public and private letters, in emails, spoken aloud by a council member at a general assembly, recast into a mock community trial by some yahoo from Houston during what was supposed to be a general assembly meeting, and most recently by repeated aloud by one representing our community at a religious retreat at Camp Emmanuel. A case for slander or possibly even libel against the church is conceivable considering that the among criteria for judgement on libel, as example, are maliciousness, carelessness, damages and the claim not being true. By that reckoning, those who continue in the "robber and thieves" falsehood are hitting on all four libel case cylinders.

6. Why have those accused people never been apologized to? Why has the clergy been so silent about this when on any given Sunday they pronounce, as in Psalms, to "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit."?

7. In the case of what Yanni claims, that "Fr. Kouremetis wants to consult with his consul so he can sue me because what i write on the bloq and especially the National Herald," I believe such counsel will agree that the guidelines for libel are different for print vs. online (though that is changing). Online comments currently fall under the same protected free speech umbrella as blogs (and Facebook). Yanni cannot be held liable for being quoted in the National Herald. It is the Herald that would be at fault, if there is indeed fault at all (for what they published), and it would be terribly expensive to prove it in either case. It's more than questionable that there are any grounds to sue for anything at all in the instances cited by Yanni in this email. That would be a grand waste of time and money. I may be wrong, but I know of no case where one sued and won for having his or her feelings hurt or ego bruised.

8. If Fr. Michael wants counsel, payment must not come from any community budget or fund.

9. What is the recourse for persons who believe they have been maligned by a clergy member? Especially if those comments have come from the pulpit? There really is none. Is it not sermonized that one "reaps what one sows"?

10. Our priests and clergy (at all levels) are, by definition, tradition and standing, the community role models. If they cannot live their lives in ways that please their maker, their community, there will be issues. It is not for the parish council to make someone else's bed.

John Saltas