Our Religious Leaders have let us down again. Nero burned Rome; did he want to save it???

(see original scanned document here)

GREEK ORTHODOX METROPOLIS OF DENVER
April 16, 2010

Reverend Michael Kouremetis, Proistamenos
Reverend Matthew Gilbert, Proistamenos
The Esteemed Parish Council
Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church, and
The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral
c/o 5335 S. Highland Drive
Holladay, UT 84117

Beloved in the Lord,

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Never in my forty-eight years in the holy priesthood have I seen such blatant disregard for the teachings and traditions of the Church, which our Lord established almost two thousand years ago, and specifically against the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

I am speaking of the removal of funds from the treasury of the parish several months ago. These were funds which were the property of the Church, and which were transferred very quietly to a secular corporation which has no connection to the Church. This action has stolen the responsibilities from your Parish Council, which represents the total membership of the community which voted for it as their official representatives, and which Parish Council is the canonical custodian of all parish funds and property, as noted in the Uniform Parish Regulations, Article 34, Section 1.

From the standpoint of the Church, this is outright robbery.

They who are responsible for this sinful act have in essence excommunicated themselves from the Church, according to the holy canons. They are therefore free to join any other religious body they so choose, but not any other canonical Orthodox Church. If there is repentance on their part, they may return as obedient members of the Church. If they do not, I can formally declare them excommunicated from the Church.

However, in the spirit of Christ our Savior, I will exercise patience. I will attempt to understand why Doug Anderson, Vasilios Priskos, Thomas W. Peters, Basil S. Chelemes, Stella Daskalakis, Chris Gamvrouls, Andy Giannis, Kosta Katsohirakis, Damon Kirchmeir, Mike Makris, Maxine Margaritis, John Pappas, William P. Souvall, Tykie Skedros, and Dimitrios Tsagaris refuse to recognize the canonical representatives of the community who are the current members of the Parish Council, by creating a rival anti-Archdiocese entity.

What is the purpose of such a secular organization in Salt Lake City? Is its purpose to collect monies which would otherwise go to the Church? Is it to take gifts intended for God and to use them in other ways? We know that whatever blessings we have in this life come from God, and it is only proper for a portion of those blessings to be given to Christ our Lord and to His Church.

The actions of this group of people against the community attest to the fact that we are in the last days. Saint Paul brings this out very clearly to his disciple Timothy. He writes, "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money ... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:1-4)." Again I ask, "What is the purpose of the Hellenic Community Foundation?" It is obvious that the word Hellenic in this title does not mean Orthodox Christian, since the Church of Christ is not limited to only one ethnicity, but embraces all ethnicities. This is why on Holy Saturday morning we chant "Arise, 0 God, and judge the earth; for You shall take an inheritance from every nation." This is also why, at the Agape Vespers of Pascha, the Gospel reading of our Lord's Resurrection is read in many languages.

Finally, if this secular organization continues to act contrary to the teachings of the Church and the Uniform Parish Regulations of our Archdiocese. I will be given no other choice but to formally recognize their self-excommunication by letter to each and every member. with copies to all canonical Orthodox jurisdictions. I pray that I do not have to do this; for I believe that among them there are those who love God and who wish to live according to His teachings for their eternal salvation.

With Paternal Blessings
in our Risen Lord,

/s/

+ Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver

April 22, 2010

Via fax: 303/333-7796

His Excellency Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver

A follow up on Jim Kastanis’ most recent letter (4/22/10):

Dear Jim,

Thank for your very thoughtful letter and your courageous call to action. Your example must be emulated by many of us who think like you.

Both Proistamenoi have lost their ability to lead the Community. They worked very hard to earn the right to become irrelevant to our spiritual lives; and all in such a short time.

They teach hate, not love. They involve themselves in Byzantine machinations. This community is tired of persons with Napoleonic complexes. There is only one way to put an end to this conundrum. Both Proistamenoi must be relocated; they need to go where they can atone for their sins.

During the 60's our collective motto then is just as appropriate now: We shall overcome.

The Clergy cannot force us back to 15th century style of Roman Catholicism. Orthodoxy is The Faith of Love and Forgiveness. The Spanish Inquisition does not need to be resurrected in our community. Threats of ecclesiastical sanctions do not work against those who have Faith. There is no room here for the methods used by the Holy Inquisition.

We should stay united in purpose; no amount of threats concerning “ecclesiastical sanctions” must dissuade us from reaching our goal.

Everyone should write a letter to the Metropolitan in Denver, with a copy to the Archdiocese in New York, and a copy to the Patriarch in Constantinople; we need to let His Holiness know that his flock in Utah is suffering its own Golgotha under the Metropolitan He appointed.

T P M G.

Christos Anesti

/s/

Nick J. Colessides

P.S. Borrowing a page from John Saltas’ book, please distribute this message as you deem fit; we have to make sure that the “work of devil” is not perpetuated.

A Question for the Community

How long are we, as a community, going to allow the Dignity and the Moral Character of our members to be attacked by this Parish Council and the Proistamenoi? Metropolitans come and go, as do Priests. Parish Councils change yearly, but we the members of the community remain year after year to perpetuate our Greek Orthodox Faith, Cultural and Heritage.

For far too many years now, members are attacked as to their character for parish council membership, dismissed from the parish council and denied their Sacraments just because they ask questions. Stewards of the community, with unquestionable devotion, have had their character attacked. We have hit ROCK BOTTOM.

It is time for a town meeting where we tell the Proistamenoi to stick to their Ecclesiastical duties and leave all the secular duties to the parish council - a fairly and properly elected parish council, not one where candidates are cherry-picked on the whims of the clergy. The parish council from here forward is to represent the members of the community that elected them and not the clergy who come and go.

- Jim Kastanis

Letter from Mr. Nick Bapis in Response to April 15, 2010 Parish Council Letter to the Greek Orthodox Community of Salt Lake City

April 18, 2010

Dear Fellow Parishioners,

Xristos Anesti.

In a letter dated April 15, 2010, the Parish Council informed the Greek Orthodox Community of Greater Salt Lake of financial transactions occurring at HighTower Advisors in church accounts. This letter is deliberately misleading and compels my response.

The following explanation points out several fallacies stated in the letter summarizing the Bapis Group involvement in the funds in question. Please keep in mind as you are reading through the following that funds custodied at financial institutions require authorized signatures before they can be transferred from one portfolio to another.

Note: All quoted excerpts refer to the Parish Council’s words in the April letter.

“Monies for the Holy Trinity Renovation Project have been donated to the Parish over a number of years, by various donors.”

Monies for the Holy Trinity Restoration (not Renovation) Project were donated by various donors to the Holy Trinity Restoration Project not DIRECTLY to the Parish General Account. These funds were designated for specific projects by the donors.

“Funds for the Holy Trinity Restoration Project were deposited in accounts at Morgan Stanley owned by the Parish and managed by the Bapis Group.”

Funds were deposited in the Holy Trinity Restoration Project in ONE portfolio (Holy Trinity Restoration Portfolio). These funds have been managed by the Bapis Group at NO cost to the Holy Trinity Restoration Portfolio. This portfolio was monitored by the Budget/Economic Sub-committee (see Appendix B). The Holy Trinity Restoration Committee was also referred to as the Hellenic Heritage Committee. This committee met every Wednesday morning at 7:00 a.m. from June 1999 until the Holy Trinity restoration was completed.

”The Morgan Stanley accounts were apparently set up with three signatories, only one of which, Nick Varanakis, was a member of the Parish Council.”

The Morgan Stanley Portfolios WERE established (NOT APPARENTLY) by direction of the Holy Trinity Restoration Committee, with three signatories authorized by the Holy Trinity Restoration Committee (see Appendix C).

“On December 11, 2008 the monies in the Morgan Stanley Accounts were transferred to the new parish accounts at High Tower and opened under the Parish ID Number. The new High Tower accounts are managed by The Bapis Group and were apparently set up with the same three signatories.”

On or about December 11, 2008, the assets in the Morgan Stanley Portfolio were transferred to a new Holy Trinity Restoration portfolio at High Tower and opened under the Parish Tax I.D. number. The new High Tower portfolio is still managed by the Bapis Group and WAS set up (NOT APPARENTLY) with the three signatories authorized by the Holy Trinity Restoration Committee.

“The transfer of the monies from Morgan Stanley to High Tower was approved by the same three signatories and occurred without the knowledge or consent of the Parish Council. The transfer from Morgan Stanley to the High Tower was ratified in February 2009 by the then active Parish Council.”

The transfer of the monies from Morgan Stanley to Hightower was approved by the same three signatories who are authorized by the Holy Trinity Restoration Committee (including the Parish Council President at that time).

“In July of 2009, the signers on the High Tower account signed a form at the request of the Bapis Group purporting to authorize the transfer of $807,249 in funds designated for the construction of a new gymnasium at Holy Trinity (Gymnasium Funds) from the Parish account to a High Tower account owned by the HCF.”

On or about July of 2009 a new portfolio was established at High Tower known as the Holy Trinity Anthony Skedros Memorial Multi-purpose Center Portfolio at the request of Gregory Skedros in memory of his son and wife. This separate portfolio was funded by the Gregory Skedros Family and their acquaintances for temporary custodialship. These funds were part of endowments that were being dissolved. They were also funded by Gregory Skedros and were rolled over from his 401K retirement portfolio which were done in a timely matter to meet the distributions allowed by the Federal Government.

The Anthony Skedros Portfolio was then transferred to the Hellenic Community Foundation, authorized by the signatories of the Holy Trinity Restoration Fund for the purpose of beginning the fundraiser to raise the money for the Holy Trinity Anthony Skedros Multi-purpose Center. This transfer was at the request of the three authorized signatories (including the Parish Council President at that time) NOT the Bapis Group. High Tower executed the transfer based on the instructions from the three authorized signatories (including the Parish Council President).

This transfer was authorized by the same three signatories who authorized payment of ALL invoices for the Holy Trinity Restoration Project during construction. In addition, three different donors on three different occasions transferred funds with EXACTY the same protocol as the above transfer. One donor transferred money from the Restoration Fund to another non-profit. Another donor transferred money from the Restoration Fund to an Air Conditioning company to pay for an air conditioner at the Memorial Building. And the third funds were transferred from the Holy Trinity Restoration Fund to the Church’s general account to pay for stewardship obligations. All three transfers were upon the request of the pertinent parishioner and authorized by the same three signatories on the Holy Trinity Restoration Portfolio (including the Parish Council President at the time).

“The Gymnasium Funds were transferred to the HCF account on October 8, 2009.”

The Parish Council letter of April 15, 2010 referred to the HCF without explaining what this group is. The Hellenic Community Foundation (HCF) was formed after five years of planning which included various members of the Parish Council, specifically the Parish Council Executive Committee and more precisely the Parish Council treasurer. The Hellenic Community Foundation Board Members were elected by the parishioners of our community during the latter part of 2009 (Appendix D).

The Holy Trinity Restoration Anthony Skedros Multi-Purpose Center Funds were transferred to the Hellenic Community Foundation Fund on or about October of 2009. The transfer was requested by the authorized signatories on the High Tower Portfolio (including the Parish Council President) NOT under the instructions of the Bapis Group.

“Members of the Parish Council discovered the transfer on February 8, 2010 at which time an investigation into the transfer commenced.”

It is unknown to the Bapis Group or High Tower when the Parish Council discovered the October 2009 transfer. It is clear that the transfer was authorized by the three signatories on the portfolio (including the Parish Council President). The Church offices receive monthly statements and annual reports on the Portfolio in question. The Parish Council Executive Committee has the fiduciary responsibility to read those statements in a timely manner. Please note the Parish Council took action on the transfer in question FOUR months after the transfer occurred and statements were sent.

“The Parish Council received no request for a transfer of the Gymnasium Funds to the HCF, did not see the form purporting to authorize the transfer, and did not authorize, approve or ratify the transfer to the HCF.”

The Bapis Group at High Tower followed instructions given to them by the three authorized signatories (including the Parish Council President). High Tower also sent a separate statement to the church office outlining the process for the transfer of funds from the Holy Trinity Restoration Anthony Skedros Multi-Purpose Center to the Hellenic Community Foundation Portfolio.

“The Parish Council has made both informal and formal requests verbally and in writing for the HCF to return the Gymnasium Funds to the Parish. To date the funds have not been returned.”

No one from High Tower or the Bapis Group at High Tower is a member of the Hellenic Community Foundation Board of Directors and therefore cannot act upon the above request because they are not authorized signatories.

“On March 29, 2010, the Parish Council directed that the signers on all Parish accounts at High Tower be changed to the officers of the Parish Council, so as to conform with the UPRs. This directive has been rejected by the Bapis Group.”

The Bapis Group has no authority to change signatories on the Holy Trinity Restoration Portfolio, the Hellenic Community Foundation Portfolio, nor other church organizations’ portfolios without the official consent of the authorized signatories. Those authorized signatories did not direct the Bapis Group nor High Tower to conduct that transfer and therefore the above quote misrepresents the transaction.

The Holy Trinity Foundation’s protocol and procedure for protecting the donated funds of both the Restoration and the Foundation have been in full compliance with the Resolutions of the General Assembly.

During the past month, Doug Anderson, Greg Skedros and his legal representative, Manoli Sargetakis and I have met with Parish Council members to resolve the current quagmire. We have met with Phil Floor, George Cayias, Joe Sasich, Jim Mellos, and Chuck Karpakis in attempts to resolve the “Funds” issues amicably. It is surprising then that these Parish Council representatives endorsed the April letter alleging that the Bapis Group and High Tower transferred funds using unauthorized signatories.

Fellow Parishioners, anyone who has enjoyed the use of the Prophet Elias Multipurpose Center and the Restored Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral since 1999 has been the recipient of the thousands of hours of volunteer service and personal money donated from parishioners’ committee work and noble service. Sadly, the Hellenic Community Foundation committee was near completing the plans for the new Holy Trinity Campus to be enjoyed and ready to begin fundraising campaign under the Foundation when members of the Parish Council and the two Proistamenoi obstructed forward-moving efforts to do so and have chosen instead to argue over use of the allocated and designated funds.

I was raised by a hardworking immigrant father and dedicated mother who always taught honesty and filotimo. I have worked since I was 11 years old to assist our family in a way to honor those ideals.

I served as an altar boy at the age of eleven for approximately seven years under the then newly ordained Father Isaiah. Since 1967 when I returned from the military, I have been very active in our community. My family and I worked diligently with other parishioners in this community to help build the Multi-Purpose Center at Prophet Elias. Under my service as Parish Council President, the members of the General Assembly on June 27^th, 1999, instructed our progressive parishioners to raise funds to restore the Holy Trinity Cathedral. From that point to the present I have safeguarded the remaining funds from the Restoration Portfolio successfully and completely unscathed in the biggest economic crisis of our lifetime AND at no cost to the donors or the Parishioners.

My family and I have donated a great amount of time and over one million dollars for the Prophet Elias improvements, for the Holy Trinity Restoration, for the Hellenic Community Foundation, for Saint Sophia School, and for many other parish organizations.

Having assisted in all these ways and having accommodated hierarchy since I was an altar boy, I am frankly baffled at the actions of the two Proistamenoi and Parish Council. The Bapis Group at High Tower has diligently followed instructions for fund transfers authorized by proper signatories and will continue to implement the legal transfer of funds as instructed by proper paperwork with authorized signatories.

In my forty-two years of hard work in the financial industry I have never been maliciously attacked and defamed in the manner of the Parish Council’s April 15, 2010 letter to the entire community. The only missing part to their attack was that the letter should have been written on March 15 instead of April 15.

I once heard his Eminence Archbishop Demitrios speak about recognizing the nefarious in life. I wrote that word down then, not knowing that it would have so much meaning to me today.

Sincerely,

/s/

Nick M. Bapis

Appendix A

Hellenic Heritage Campaign/Holy Trinity Restoration Board

Nick Angelides Dave Katsanevas Con Skedros Nick Bapis

Bill Chaus Victoria Kidman Margo Sotiriou Sam Chelemes

Steven Kogianes Jeanine P. Timothy Nick Colessides Mike Korologos

Dimitri Tsagaris Bill Drossos George Metos Nick Varankis

Perry Drossos George Miller Fr. Michael Kouemetis Julie Fotes

Vasilios Priskos Chris Gamvroulas Manoli Sargetakis

Appendix B

Budget/Economic Sub-Committee

Dimitrios Tsagaris Bill Chaus Nick Varanakis Kosta Katsohirakis Basil Chelemes

Appendix C

Authorized Signatories:

1. Holy Trinity Restoration Funds/Hellenic Heritage Campaign

2. Holy Trinity/Anthony Skedros Multi-purpose Funds

*Nick Varanakis (then President of the Parish) *George Metos *Manoli Sargetakis*(elected by the original Holy Trinity Restoration Committee, authorized at the 1999 General Assembly)

Appendix D

Hellenic Community Foundation Board

Doug Anderson, President

Vasilios Priskos, Vice President

Thomas W. Peters, Secretary

Basil S. Chelemes, Treasurer

Stella Daskalakis

Chris Gamvroulas

Andy Giannis

Kosta Katsohirakis

Damon Kirchmeir

Mike Makris

Maxine Margaritis

John Pappas

William P. Souvall

Tykie Skedros

Dimitrios Tsagaris

VIA Electronic Mail

Scapegoating 101

Our esteemed treasurer in the last special general assembly gave us all a rather condescending lecture about budgets and accounting, and the implications of shortfalls - in short, a synopsis of Accounting 101. Yet we question whether he himself GETS it.

May we suggest the following:

ACCOUNTING 101- continued. Accounting 102? Whatever... let the appropriate lessons be found, for heaven's sake!

Further, and to avoid the ongoing ineptitude, the treasurer might wish to (please!) reconcile the balance statements from the bank on a monthly basis; otherwise he could be missing real money!

This is just BASIC bookkeeping - not higher-level accounting. Is there really a surprise here?

In the meantime, we all wonder who the next "whipping boy" will be. Is it to be the bookkeeping staff? Or will it once again be current or former Parish Council members? Or is it the ELECTED Audit Committee?

A final thought ... in view of recent events, is it NOT a GIGANTIC stretch of the imagination to consider the following scenario?

One fine morning last fall, Messrs. Varanakis, Sargetakis, and Metos contacted Mr. Bapis, and SUDDENLY all took it into their heads to transfer the Anthony G. Skedros Memorial Gymnasium Funds from a church account controlled solely by the parish council into the HCF account.

Can we please get serious?

"Sorry" Is Meaningless If Nothing Changes

Απο τότε που βγήκε το «συγγνώμη» χάθηκε το φιλότιμο. (From the time that “sorry” became a stock phrase, the sense of honor, and love of honor, was lost.)

We made reference in our Easter wishes to the community that the recent visit by Metropolitan Isaiah gave us cause for hope. He expressed regret, both to individuals and to the congregation, that errors had been made. We were heartened and felt that this was a good beginning.

The incidents of the past few days, during, of all times, Holy Week, have dashed hopes that healing might begin and that a move toward harmony and unity would begin.

We have witnessed a negative and threatening letter signed by our proistamenoi, along with the members of the parish council. The letter criticizes an honorable member of our community – a man who has given much not only to this community, but to Orthodoxy and Hellenic culture throughout this country and the world. Nick Bapis deserves THANKS, not criticism.

Additionally, the letter is critical of Nick Varanakis, Manoli Sargetakis and George Metos. While many who write on this blog have had differences with Mr. Varanakis, the fact is that in this circumstance none of these gentlemen did anything wrong. Despite this fact, Mr. Varanakis was “thrown under the bus” and forced to resign.

In another recent example of inappropriate interference, the parish council demanded that the audit committee sign a confidentiality agreement. This demand is in DIRECT opposition to the Uniform Parish Regulations (as seen in Chapter Three, Article 30, Section 3.)

No one who understands the function of an audit seriously expects the Audit Committee to divulge or discuss individual stewardship contributions or salaries, etc. The people elected to this committee are highly respected professionals who take their task seriously. For four months since time of their appointment, the parish council has refused to allow the elected board of auditors to proceed unless each member signed a confidentiality agreement. Audit committee members rightly refused, citing the UPRs. They also cited the Metropolitan's own Administrative Guidelines for Parish Council Elections that were in effect at that time.

Interestingly, Metropolitan Isaiah revised his own guidelines this past month and eliminated the Board of Auditors from the passage on page 25 as to who may examine stewardship records. (It is further interesting that the Metropolitan's revision violates those often-cited UPRs.) In the face of this eleventh-hour revision, the Audit Committee signed, with reservations, the confidentiality agreement in order that their work could proceed.

In addition to these recent events, our proistamenoi and the parish council now insist that ALL formerly separate accounts must be transferred to the sole control of the parish council. These would include those of the Philoptochos (which has historically had separate accounts), the Hellenic Heritage Fundraising Campaign (which was authorized by the General Assembly as an entity with its own accounts), and the Anthony Skedros Memorial Gymnasium Fund Foundation, along with others.

These recent occurrences provide further disappointment to an already disheartened community that has been praying for a climate of healing after so many years of discord. The Metropolitan expressed regret – a highly positive step. Yet there is nothing that indicates that our clergy and our leaders will follow-up in seeking unity and harmony. Instead, the behaviors that have caused discord are continuing. Sadly, "sorry" is not enough.

Character Assassination by Innuendo

It has been appalling to witness the character assassination of Nick Bapis by innuendo.

The Good Friday letter, having first and foremost the signatures of the clergy, is truly an un-Christian act. The content and the mailing timing choice is beyond comprehension. This travesty portends worse things to come.

How can the Clergy have so little respect for the character and the feelings of a person like Nick Bapis ??

Nick Bapis, throughout his entire life, has faithfully and selflessly served the Greek Orthodox Faith, and particularly our Salt Lake Greek Orthodox Community! One cannot count the ways that the Bapis family has contributed to our community. Nick has advanced the well-being of our community; he has advanced our faith; and, he has made extraordinary contributions to our ethnic heritage.

The Bapis family's contributions are immense and immeasurable. Nobody should assail the family's name in such a hateful and shameful way. The signatory [to the letter] priests should not be so blinded as to think themselves as αναμάρτητοι (sinless) so that they can “be the first to cast the stone!” Our Lord was clear on this message.

Answers for such actions are indeed found in the Bible. Part of one of the Holy Week’s passages is instructive in this instance. "Ουαί, ουαί Γραμματείς και Φαρισαίοι υποκριταί." (“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!). The Clergy should have been the first ones to seek out Nick Bapis, to ask to be fully informed, and to discuss with him the issue that disturbed them. There is no need to create this new turmoil. The priests should have attempted to find a solution first, before precipitating this latest in a series of conflicts. Is it inappropriate to wonder, "Tι ψυχή θα παραδόσουν ?" (What soul or spirit will they offer to their Maker?)

Our Greek Orthodox Community does not need clergymen who support and condone hate; we do not need priests who sow dissension; we need priests who exemplify the ministry of our Lord - a ministry of LOVE - the one thing they have yet to try to do.

The Metropolitan's recent visit, and his words to us, gave us hope to believe that during Easter we were expecting messages of love, of forgiveness, of new beginnings. Instead we were given Judas' kiss of betrayal.

Let us one and all support the Bapis family during their Golgotha as perpetrated by our priests. The Bapis family deserves everyone’s support.

- Nick J. Colessides

Wishes for a Blessed Holy Week

As our community prepares for the continuing Holy Week Services, and waits in anticipation of our Lord's glorious Resurrection, we reflect and ponder recent events.

One that left us highly hopeful was Metropolitan Isaiah's visit a few Sundays ago. He acknowledged that mistakes had been made and that he too yearned for the unity and harmony we all surely want. This visit and His Eminence's expressed sentiments provides a very good beginning - one that we hope and pray will introduce a period of more harmony, more transparency, more unity for this community in particular and for our Church in general.

Kali Anastasi s'olous!

The Moderators

The real "negotiation"story

To further inform you about the previous article,we provide you with the link
to see exactly the form of negotiations that we were told took place in Denver!??
Below is part of the protocol from the metropolitan..........
"As stated previously, I found sufficient disparity among these raw calculated assessments
that it became obvious to me that there was no other choice than to adjust these amounts even
though none of you had submitted an appeal."


http://www.denver.goarch.org/protocols/2009-Protocols/protocol-09-20.pdf

P.S
Please click on the link!

The con continues!

A review of the chart below shows an initial reduction of our annual Archdiocese commitment of $20,000. We were told at the last general assembly that successful negotiations took place to save the community $10,000. It appears that the negotiations were SO successful that instead of a $20,000 decrease we were given a $10,000 decrease. Review the chart below and make your own assessment.

P.S
click picture to enlarge.

THE CON IS STILL ON

Last night the biggest con in our church history was continued!

Our treasurer, after giving yet another unnecessary Economics 101 budgeting lecture, attempted to convince those gathered by faulty graphics that the problems we are facing are due to current economic conditions. (Prior to yesterday evening, the misleading graphics were supposedly telling us that everything was fine, despite ample evidence for several months and years now that this was not the case.)

He showed us in an annual graph that stewardship peaked in 2006, with sharp decline in 2007; then he showed in a monthly graph the rapid deterioration of 2008 and 2009, attributing all declines solely to economic conditions. I was amazed that the economist who got up and spoke later did not show any concern that his science, which is supposed to be based on observable and verifiable facts, statistics and trends, was twisted and misused! Why? Because THE CON IS ON!

In the oil and gas business in the 90s we used the term the "Saddam Effect" when we wanted to explain the impact the first Gulf War had on oil prices. My dear friends, we in this community are witnessing a similar condition; just substitute "Saddam" and you have the "Fr. Michael / Metropolitan Isaiah Effect".

What happened in 2002, 2006 and then in early 2007? Did we forget so easily? The con has been on for several YEARS now. In 2002, our Metropolitan dismissed an entire ELECTED parish council, replacing them with members more pliant to the strictures imposed by the post-Iakovos regime. In late 2006, our Metropolitan overturned an overwhelming vote by this community to establish a vibrant Heritage Corporation, designed to best leverage this community’s non-ecclesiastical assets. In early 2007, the Metropolitan was informed of one board member’s reaction to this dismissal of a plan that was in our community’s best interests. He responded by excommunicating that member. (The Metropolitan later rescinded the sanctions, asserting he had been “misinformed” but did not allow the member to be reinstated on the parish council.) Several stewards of this community responded to this series of outrages in the only way left to them – by reducing the amount they were paying to the church. Fr. Michael and his rubber-stamp board may deny vehemently that he had anything to do with this series of injustices, along with several others, but he knows better. Add to these issues the problem of payment to clergy abuse victims and there's some serious trends our "economists" have overlooked. Some may deny that this has affected stewardship – ALL know better. THE CON HAS BEEN ON, IS ON, REMAINS ON!!!

Do we remember the economy in 2006 and most of 2007? It was at that time booming! You could buy a house and within three months you could flip the property with a 25% return on your capital, and the banks were handing out loans to nearly anyone who knew how to sign their name.

But in 2007 stewardship was significantly down from the year before! Why? Individuals did not feel the general economic stress in their pocketbooks until 2008 when gas prices went through the roof and the real estate bubble was bursting! Try as hard as they – our priests, and their rubber-stamp parish council – have in the past several general assemblies to deny it, anyone with any sense knows that a MAJOR reason the stewardship is down significantly since 2006 is because of the "Fr. Michael / Metropolitan Isaiah Effect".

Our treasurer has tried for several assemblies in a row to convince us differently. Despite incomplete information provided, despite the trends anyone can see, we are constantly told that the money was coming in, is coming in, will come in – oh wait, we require Festival funds – oops, our bad?! (In the winter general assembly we were chastised by our priests for going to Las Vegas and Wendover, but not paying enough for stewardship. Even our clergy do not believe that "it’s the economy, stupid." They “know” the community is spending some money somewhere else. They want it.) Now we’re told, it’s the economy. All because … THE CON WAS AND IS ON!

Mr. Jim Kastanis got up and made a proposal and immediately our President and Parliamentarian jumped up to point out that it was pointless and absurd to think that we have any power to demand reduction in salaries of the priests as well as our assessment to the Archdiocese. Once again we are told the UPRs are like the constitution; people voted for the UPRs.

Those "people", the delegates in the post-Iakovos era were and still are hand-picked even before the general assembly has met. They are confirmed through the regular "fix". If two "people" and one clergyman from each community go to the clergy-laity conferences, is it not amazing that all that comes out of those meetings is the one message that is loud clear? Pay, pray and obey! THE CON GOES ON!

All this has been done to the laity in communities in this nation “democratically”! The hand-picked and personally phoned people voted to close discussion before all people were able to express their opinion. The parliamentarian announced that all would be heard, no one would speak a second time before all who wanted to speak were heard a first time; yet someone slickly calls the question, discussion gets cut off, and the victim, as usual, is impartiality, along with good, fair governance. The game gets fixed; if the budget doesn’t pass the first time, discussion and participation gets rigged; it passes the second time, with festival funds diverted, of course, along with the ever-present threat of closures and program cuts.

As for the notion that these UPRs, forced upon us by supposedly democratic clergy-laity congresses, are not subject to question or alteration, I offer the following counter. Two hundred plus years ago there was a “constitution” in this country – the unwritten common-law British one. Its existence did not prevent the revolution or the creation of the American Nation! Those great patriots, like many of our stewards, said "enough is enough". What is absurd is the notion that we must accept this outrageous situation or we cannot be “good” Orthodox Christians. THE CON CONTINUES...

It is time for us all to say ENOUGH! And, it’s past time for our parish council and our clergy to see that this system, based on THE CON, is not working.

Constantine Gus J. Colessides

Proposal by Jim Kastanis - January 31, 2010

Special General Assembly
Jan. 31, 2010

I have reviewed the revised budget for the special general assembly to be presented today, January 31, 2010, and have made the following observations.

Page 7 Revenue Section:
The stewardship was increased $29,250 (585,000-614,250)
Greek School: $10,000 ($7,000-17,000)

Page 7 Expenses Section: Salaries & wages decreased $29,314 (526,434-497,120)

Utilities: Decreased $44,000 (135,000-91000)

Repairs & Maint.: $2700 (90,000-87,300)

Payroll Taxes: Decreased $3,401 (69,577-66,176)

Retirement non-clergy: Decreased $6519 (6519-0)

Greek School Supplies: Decreased $191 (700-559)

Donations $150 (750-600)

Choirs & Cantors: $250 (750-500)

This adds up to a total decrease of $86,525 or 7.15% while the revenue side increased $29,250 or a total adjustment of $115,775. This still leaves a deficit of $205,211 and if you correct the Greek School account by $10,000 it increases the deficit to $215,211.

I therefore propose this assembly consider a motion to cut the Archdiocese Commitment 50% or $69,624; Priests salaries 25% or $69,156; Priests Auto expense 25% or $5,850 for an additional cut of $144,630. This puts our deficit now at $215,211-144,630 to$70,581. Now add the Parking and Apartment income of $ 205,211we end up with a surplus of $134,630 which enables us to replace the retirement benefits and salary reductions to our non-clergy employees and continue to keep our doors OPEN to both churches for all activities we currently have.

Jim Kastanis

Throw the KIDS Under the Bus!

There is a special General Assembly scheduled for January 31^st to discuss and vote upon the 2010 budget – the one that did not pass last winter. If the rumors coming out of the Parish Council are true, every member of this community has an obligation to be there.

It seems that the CLERGY and board members have been unable to get the message we are trying to get across to them.

If everything we hear is true, we are going to be presented with two options; one would be the original budget which requires us to allot some $135,000 from the Festival proceeds. The other option will involve budgetary cuts involving Youth Expenditures!

Yes, again, we witness that our clergy, along with its hand-picked parish council, is perfectly WILLING to throw our kids under the bus in order to coerce the community to hand over more monies to them!

We do not need our youth, do we? Let them go play basketball, soccer, practice dancing, or go camping, or even attend Sunday school at their neighboring LDS wards! And we do not need hourly paid employees to maintain our properties! NO. Let’s just give pay raises to the ones who already draw six-figure salaries, even in a depressed economy, while others suffer. One wonders if the Parish Council members run their family affairs and finances in the same manner as they seek to run our community’s finances.

In last 100 years we have been through the Great Depression and several recessions since then, but never before have we experienced the financial difficulties our Church is going through now. Nor have we ever witnessed the indifference of the clergy and our elected leaders to this degree in prior times of hardship.

Certainly this is not 1929, but why are we having these problems? In the last few years we have conducted two surveys; we still don’t know the full results; we just have the commentaries, but no “big picture” interpretation – surely our board must have learned SOMETHING from these surveys – why are they not publicizing them or ACTING upon them. Is it because they didn’t get the answers they hoped to get? Our Parish Council undoubtedly has looked at these surveys and they know what has brought us to this BIG FAT MESS we are in right now. It is unfortunate that our Parish Council members have agreed to be so blinded and so cowed.

For those who will attend this General Assembly, we ask that they remember that almost 50% of our budget expenses are in priests’ salaries, along with our obligation to the Metropolis and Archdiocese. THIS is where cuts should be made, and not in our Youth programs. Once again we see our clergy and hierarchy holding our own kids hostage.

We should all be there, and we should all remember that it takes a Village, a Community, a CHURCH, to make a difference in the lives of our youth, our future!

Expectations

Certainly everyone has received the latest stewardship materials. In the January/February issue of the Messenger a footnote on the Stewardship Review page states: "**Based on the outcome of the Fall 2009 General Assembly, it was determined that the projected operating deficit of $135,000 for the 2010 budget be recovered through Stewardship." We further read that this is an increase of 15% over the budgeted amount for 2009 of $625,000.

If memory serves, the General Assembly asked for cuts in the 2010 budget, which was never passed. How is it now that we are told that stewardship must increase by $135,000? We are expected to give generously yet we are deprived of the opportunity to worship on major feast days. Information that we are entitled to according to the UPRs is withheld; general assemblies are no longer a place where our voice can be heard as we are either out of order or cut off; qualified members of our community are excluded from serving on the parish council for frivolous reasons, yet we are expected to give generously. How can our leaders have such expectations when they continue to enforce pray, pay and obey?

New Year - Old Habits

Happy New Year.

We begin the new year with the same strange behavior to which we have grown accustomed. Even though we have here in Salt Lake City three full-time priests, the two proistamenoi chose to take vacation resulting in Holy Trinity being closed on the feast of St. Basil. Why did both proistamenoi choose to take vacation now instead of earlier in the year? How does a parish council, who supposedly represents the people, allow such a thing to happen? How can we spend more than one-third of our budget on their salaries and not receive their services?

Also of concern is the closure again of Holy Trinity on Epiphany. Our metropolitan has provided Protocol 09-18 with the policy of the metropolis for the celebration of services for this feast which says in part: "to promote uniformity throughout the Metropolis of Denver, please prepare your schedules according to the following guidelines." www.denver.goarch.org/protocols/2009-Protocols/protocol-09-18.pdf. Does closing Holy Trinity promote uniformity as requested?

It might be a new year but some things never change.

SOMEBODY HAD TO SAY THIS! An op-ed from the National Herald

Give us your property!!! December 11, 2009

The demand - for that is what it is, in essence - by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to our Metropolitans, presented in a letter signed by him, to transfer ownership of at least one building from each one of them to the Patriarchate, is a terrible idea and the request should be withdrawn immediately. If it is not withdrawn, then the metropolitans ought to make it clear to Barthlomew that for the sake of maintaining the unity of the church, and the ties to the Patriarchate, they will refuse to obey or even discuss it with the laity. If there should be a metropolitan who, acting to serve his narrow self interest, tries to pressure the parishioners into transferring a property of their community or the diocese to the Patriarchate, then the people should deny him his request and hold him in low esteem. Because, should this outrageous demand be obeyed, it could lead to the breaking up into pieces of our Church, and to its being controlled by forces in Turkey, which would work toward its neutralization, if not its dissolution as an ethnic group. We wish there was a nicer way to say it, but this demand by Bartholomew has crossed the line. It is so unacceptable and offensive, but also so revealing of his designs on our Church and its assets, that it raises many questions about his relationship to this community. This newspaper - as well as our Greek language sister publication – has been very sensitive and supportive of the Patriarchate as a religious institution, with its long and important history. We have also been supportive of its continuing ecclesiastical authority over our Greek American Church. However, we hold nothing more dear than the interests of our community. It is to the community that we owe our total dedication and alliance. The Patriarchate's letter to the metropolitans does not serve its interests. It sounds innocent: Transfer ownership of "at least" one building to us from each metropolis so that we can, somehow - even if it is not very clear how - save the Patriarchate. It is hard to believe that a Patriarch would attach his signature to such a proposal. Still, if all it took to save the Patriarchate from the reach of the Turks was transferring a number of buildings to it, we would probably be the first ones to support the plan. But of course it is not a transparent solution. Thus, what Barthlomew is demanding is totally unacceptable, and raises a number of issues and troubling questions: First of all, our people work too hard to come up with the money needed to buy the properties that belong to the communities and to the metropolises to give them away. Second, the Ecumenical Patriarchate is - by political necessity - a Turkish institution subject to the interference, if not the control, of the Turkish state. Even if the transfer of properties were to be hidden in a web of international corporations, at the end of the day, ownership would be traced back to where it would belong, to the Turkish State. Third, by taking over at least one building in each metropolis – and one wonders why so many building are needed - the Patriarchate would establish direct ownership authority at a local level. In due time, they might ask for a second building and so on, thus moving towards controlling the finances as well of each metropolis and through them, the parishes. Fourth, sending this kind of letter was made possible after breaking up our archdiocese into Metropolises, thus weakening its administrative cohesiveness and the office of the Archbishop. Fifth, should a building be transferred to new owners, who would collect any income it might have or pay for its maintenance? Finally, Bartholomew should learn to trust and communicate openly with our people. In our system and way of life, our leaders consult with the people, explain their proposals and ask for their approval. They do not use others to manipulate them. The argument that Bartholmew uses to appeal to the metropolitans to do his bidding troubles us greatly: he appeals to the sense of indebtedness the metropolitans might feel toward him. "We do not doubt at all,” he writes, “that your Eminence too, in its known love and devotion to the Mother Church that fed you and made you what you are, that you will act, according to the above ecclesiastical decision as soon as possible, and inform us in writing, attaching all the signed related documents and title of ownership of a property or titles of ownership of properties so that we can file them in the proper place." How naive do they think we are?

FYI - An Article from the National Herald

Patriarchate Asks for Title to U.S. Church Property

Theodore Kalmoukos

BOSTON - The Ecumenical Patriarchate – in an official letter recently sent to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and its local Metropolises - requested the official transfer of the ownership of at least one real estate property belonging to each metropolis to the Patriarchate. Archbishop Demetrios of America and the metropolitans have yet to notify the parishes of the Archdiocese of the request of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The same request was made to all other eparchies (ecclesiastical provinces) outside of Turkey that belong to the ecclesiastical and spiritual jurisdiction of the Patriarchate, that they “register at least one real estate property irreversibly in the name of the Patriarchate.”

By taking this action, the Patriarchate is trying to secure its legal position vis-a-vis the Turkish government. The Turkish government does not recognize Ecumenical Patriarchate as a legal entity or its ecumenical nature and mission, and has treated the institution with disrespect since the creation of the Turkish Republic in 1923. The interference and abuses of Turkish officials have been reported in the international media for decades and occasionally elicit protests from U.S. and other government officials and agencies. Patriarch Bartholomew in his letter (protocol number 861) stated that “The (Turkish) authorities refuse to recognize the legal status of our most sacred institution.” Ankara considers it to be a Turkish institution in the Phanar district of Constantinople under the administrative jurisdiction of the district’s prefect.
The issues that pertained to the property request were discussed at the Holy Synod in Constantinople and the Patriarch stated in his letter that, “We were led to the decision to urge, though this Patriarchal letter, the hierarchs of the Eparchies abroad to register in the Registry of Deeds in the country in which their Eparchy is located, at least one real estate property, community or parish in the legal name of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as follows: “Ecumenical Patriarch, instituted according to the International Law whose See is in Constantinople (Istanbul).”
The Patriarchal letter appeals to the good faith and respect of the hierarchs, reminding them that it was the Patriarchate that elevated them to the rank of metropolitans and archbishops. The Patriarch requests that the hierarchs send “all the signed documents of their transactions of the recording of the real estate property to the Patriarchate in order to be placed in their file.”
It was not clear if this request included the Metropolises of the so-called New Lands (sees whose administration was delegated to the Church of Greece in 1928 but are spiritually under the Ecumenical Patriarchate), or the Metropolises of the Dodecanese or the semi-autonomous Church of Crete, which fall into the ecclesiastical, canonical and spiritual jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The prefect of the Phanar often gets involved in issues that have to do with the life and operation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and there is concern that any transferred properties and parishes would be exposed to interference from Turkish authorities.
Prefects have been aggressive to the point that they the Patriarch into their office to give explanations and clarifications. The National Herald is in a position to know of many instances when the Ecumenical Patriarch was called into the prefecture of the Phanar. The most revealing and egregious case of this kind took place in August, 1990 and involved the late Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios. After his return to Constantinople from a month-long, historic visit to the United States. The Patriarch was summoned to the prefecture and was put through an exhausting examination by the authorities. It has been said by his close associates that Patriarch Dimitrios became so upset that - a few weeks later - he suffered a stroke which led to his death.
There is some speculation at to whether the letter about the properties is related to other recent developments regarding the relations of hierachs outside of Turkey with the Patriarchate. The National Herald exclusively revealed, on November 12, that “The government of Turkey seems to be willing to grant Turkish citizenship to all those hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate who serve outside of Turkey. Turkish citizenship will allow them to freely participate in all the administrative activities of the Patriarchate including the right to be candidates for the Ecumenical Throne when a vacancy arises. It was made clear by the Ecumenical Patriarch himself that ‘they will have the right to elect and to be elected.’ Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew broke the news to Archbishop Demetrios of America and to the hierarchs of the Archdiocese during his recent visit to the U.S. at the luncheon that has held at the Carlyle Hotel after the Patriarchal Liturgy at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York on Sunday, November 1.”
This newspaper also reported that “Prime Minister Erdogan told Patriarch Bartholomew that his request will be satisfied and asked him to send the appropriate information with names of the hierarchs and other details to the government of Turkey.”
To this day the Archdiocese has not officially notified the Greek Orthodox people and the community in general about which and how many metropolitans will become Turkish citizens, including Archbishop Demetrios himself.

Καλα Χριστουγενvα! ΕΥΤYΧΙΣΜΕΝΟ ΤΟ ΝΕΟ ΕΤΟΣ! Merry Christmas! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The moderators of TOCB wish all parishioners in this community a blessed, safe and Joyous Christmas Season and a Happy, Prosperous and GENTLE New Year.

Above all, we pray for the Holy Spirit to enter into all our hearts and help us find a way out of this morass and to overcome obstacles that exist against our community’s harmony and its good will toward all, regardless of point of view.

God willing, 2010 will be the year!

PS - one thought: our clergy has tried everything else, WHY NOT TRY LOVE?

Interesting Article - Manipulators

In light of the recent general assembly melt down by the proistameno of Prophet Elias only, we might gain some understanding from the points below. The full article can be found at www.sheerbalance.com/mind-body.

1. Buttering You Up: To get their way, manipulators will often make you feel good so that they can then ask you to do something that they want. The person may first compliment you or tell you what a wonderful job you did on something. Making you feel good will, in their mind, make it difficult for you to say no…after all, you wouldn’t want to disappoint them or give them reason to think you didn’t deserve the compliment in the first place. What you can do: Return the compliments and the niceties before saying no. Jim Kastanis' recent letter highlights such platitudes.

2. Guilt: This doesn’t only pertain to Catholics and Jewish Mothers; guilt trips have been a successful manipulation tactic for centuries. The saddest part of this strategy is that the victims of this tactic succumb to the manipulators’ demands because they feel they HAVE to, not because they WANT to. In personal relationships, this sets up a co-dependency that is extremely unhealthy. What you can do: Ask the individual if they want you to do something because you have to or because you want to. If they say they want you to want to do it, tell them that you don’t and that they are trying to force you into something you don’t feel comfortable with. The recent melt down in addition to other "sermons" berating the lack of financial support (among other things) rings a bell.

3. Broken Record: Probably the most obvious of formats is the broken record tactic. If a person asks you enough or pushes their agenda enough…constantly repeating the question or request over and over again…in slightly different ways, the victim will inevitably give in and give them what they want. Oye! What you can do: Ask the individual what they don’t understand about the word “no.” Tell them that asking you over and over again isn’t going to change anything and that they are inappropriately over-stepping boundaries. Confidentiality the proistameno of Prophet Elias only requires in all aspects of the function of our community, a theme he continually repeats, or laying blame everywhere except at his own feet bears this out.

4. Selective Memory: This one gets me the most. You swear you have a conversation about a plan and everyone is on the same page, and then one day, the manipulator pretends to remember the conversation completely differently, if at all. What you can do: Record your conversations…seriously! Okay, maybe not. At least have a witness that you can count on to back you up if the person pulls this shenanigan. Call them out on the fact that they conveniently change the game to fit their needs. The selective memory examples are plentiful with the proistameno of Prophet Elias only. His memory is clear regarding the UPR section used to disqualify parishioners from being candidates for the parish council but he doesn't wish to recall the UPR section requiring an audit committee for 7 years.

5. Bullying: If a person doesn’t get their way, they make you out to look or feel like the bad guy…like you are the wrong one. What you can do: Be firm and tell them that their bullying tactics are inappropriate and unacceptable. How often have we been reminded who works for who in this community? His disparaging remarks about this blog and his ability to blame all that is wrong in our community on everything except his actions should make us scratch our heads in bewilderment.

Self explanatory!

Was the treasurer and the parish council aware of this?
They should have been?!
Could it be that they were kept in the Dark by the proistameno from Prophet Elias only?

"anti Church"? NOT!

In their recent rejection letters to "ineligible" Parish Council nominees, our proistamenoi labeled this blog site "an anti Church, Archdiocese, Metropolis and Clergy venue".

It is true that we have been critical of an Archdiocese and a Metropolis that for DECADES, like their Roman Catholic bretheren, supported and protected pedophile priests. We decry a hierarchy that pays millions of the church's funds - the funds WE provide to our Church, the Bride of Christ - for "hush money" to prevent the facts of the Katinas case, and others, from becoming public, supposedly to "protect the church". We aren't being disrespectful in asking for a hierarchy and clergy that puts the spiritual and physical well-being of our children, FIRST, and does not seek to protect those who would hurt them.

We yearn for a hierarchy that respectfully and lovingly rules with its flock, the laity, and not over them. We ask for an Archdiocese that insists that the Greek Orthodox Church in America be given either a formal, or at very least the de facto autonomy it once enjoyed before the current Patriarch "gifted" us our new charter and UPRs, rammed through a Clergy-Laity Congress where no opposing opinion was allowed, much less heard. We ask for an Archdiocese that seeks and embraces its rightful place in World Orthodoxy and world religion, and is not simply happy to be relegated to being a patriarchal province and a cash cow. We ask for a hierarchy, here and abroad, that RESISTS a Papal model (or locally, a Mormon one!) for Orthodoxy, rather than embracing it.

We have pointed out that our Metropolitan came out several times squarely in support of a defrocked priest, even after the Archdiocese had cut its losses with Katinas, rather than expressing any sympathy at all for Katinas's numerous victims. Based on Metropolitan Isaiah's Protocol 8-27, the laity of this Metropolis (or of others for that matter) cannot be confident that another Katinas situation will not occur.

This site has also been critical of the Metropolis' negative attitude toward our community that has actively and aggressively promoted disunity and disharmony, along with others in his metropolis, toward concerned parishioners, and toward genuine and honest differences of opinion as to sound church asset governance. Sadly, the clergy and hierarchy have the arrogance to behave as though they, solely, comprise "the Church". They fail to recognize that Church, the Bride of Christ, is ALL of us - clergy and laity, those who agree with us and those who don't.

If those of us who write on this blog and others were truly "anti Church", we simply would not care. We would do what so many others who are distressed by the misdeeds of our supposed leaders do: show up every so often to services or events, pay the minimum, and go about our business without expressing any opinion at all. Since the clergy and hierarchy have currently stifled honest differences of opinion in local and national laity assemblies, we, along with others throughout this country, have turned to "venues" they cannot silence.

We love our church. We LOVE the traditions we grew up with. We revere the clergymen, leaders of their flocks, past and present, who taught us, presided with love, reason and compassion, and who labored and ruled WITH their flock and not OVER it. We love our church enough to care when things are not right and to try to find ways to put them right.

Anti-Church? That is THE one thing WE ARE NOT!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T (find out what it means...)

From the recent nominee rejection letters:

We thank you for your interest in wanting to serve the Lord on the Parish Council. The Uniform Parish Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America states that in order to be eligible as a candidate for the Parish Council, a parishioner must respect (emphasis added) all ecclesiastical authority and all governing bodies of our Church; be obedient in matters of the Faith, practice and ecclesiastical order; contribute to the progress of the Church's sacred mission; and be an effective witness and example of the Orthodox Faith and Traditions to all people.

His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah has made it clear to us that anyone who writes or comments on the blog is not eligible to be on the Parish Council. Your writing on the blog, which is an anti Church, Archdiocese, Metropolis and Clergy venue, has disqualified you as a candidate.

Respect ... MUST respect? This mistaken notion is the essence of the problem. Where respect is due, there is no need to demand it. Where it is merited, it is given naturally.

Respect cannot be demanded; respect is earned. It does not really matter that the demand for respect is in the "legal" language of the recent UPRs (part and parcel of that "gift", along with the "gift" of the new charter "granted" to us by the Patriarch a few years ago). The clergy, higher and lower, will not get the respect it demands no matter what language is used in their rules and regulations, unless it earns it. The clergy, lower and higher, needs to examine the significant differences between deference, coercion, submission and respect. (Hint: these terms are NOT interchangeable.)

Respect is, by definition, mutual. If the clergy wants true respect from its flock, then it must respect the laity as well. The clergy must stop viewing its flock as simply the source of its unquestioning funding. The clergy must engage its flock, work with its parishioners - ALL of them, and stop resorting to threats and unfair ostracism when it finds differences of opinion.

A recent blog article asked when we might expect the "Inquisition" to begin based on our clergy's and hierarchy's Dark Ages mentality. The answer is, it is already in evidence.

This Year's Round of Rejection Letters to the "Ineligible" and Disqualified Nominees

We suppose we should be grateful in that this year's "ineligible" nominees are at least given credit for wanting to serve the Lord.

Interestingly, Mr. Gamvroulas was allowed to run last year, though he had at that point written on the blog, but chose to withdraw his nomination. This year he was declared ineligible for writing on the blog. Most of the wording for each nominee (we presume so for Mr. Kastanis as well) is similar.

In the case of Mr. Sakellariou, the proistamenoi cannot resist getting in an extra kick by adding additional language to his notice of rejection. "Sakis, the lack of respect you continue to show towards the Clergy proves (emphasis added) that you are not a candidate or a person that would serve the Parish Council (emphasis added) faithfully."

What is viewed by our clergy as "proof" of a "lack of respect" might more objectively be considered ongoing frustration at the unwillingness or inability by our clergy to seek harmony and unity in this community. For too long, neither priest has been willing to sit down, engage in discourse, or seek common solutions. Their mindset is solely that of "I decide, and I command." (So much easier than messy democratic governance, isn't it?) Further, neither understands that Parish Council members are NOT elected by the laity to "serve the Parish Council". They are elected to serve Christ's Church and their community. Contrary in particular to Fr. Michael's misguided assertions, council members do NOT work for him. They work for the Christ's church and that church includes US - all of us - laity and priests.

We remind our priests of the following: "Η έκκλησία δεv είvαι εξoυσία, ειvαι διακovεία." "The Church's purpose in not that of dominion or power; it is that of service." - Ieronymos, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece

I Am Confused!

December 5, 2009

Which Father Michael, as my spiritual leader and Proistamenos here at Prophet Elias Church, am I to believe?

Is he the one who greets me with embraces and pecks to my cheeks, seeks me out in a crowd of people to congratulate me on my Name Day, and tells me congratulations for being a candidate for the Parish Council. Or, is he the one who doesn’t have the courtesy to call me and discuss his concerns as to my candidacy for the Parish Council, but for two years in a row sends me a registered letter stating I am not eligible to be on the Parish Council because I have written on the Blog.

I thought we lived in America where Free Speech was a right.

- Jim Kastanis

The Blog Has Arrived!

The Blog has finally arrived; see letters from the priests to the “denied.” According to the local clergy the Metropolitan now does not like it either.

In view of the spurious reasons for the disqualification of Kastanis, Gamvroulas, and Sakellariou, is there any other conclusion than:

This Proistameno Must Go. The sooner the better.

Welcome to 12th Century Christianity.
What can we expect next? Inquisition trials?

Best wishes for the Holiday Season,

Nick J. Colessides

P.S. From the sublime to the ridiculous!

Qualified Last Year; Disqualified This Year?

Mendacity Continues Unabated

I couldn't make it the other night to the General Assembly.

No, I haven't given up. I just was not able, at what should be a time of somber reflection and anticipation of the joyous holiday to come, to endure yet another general assembly of platitudes, excuses, blatant dissembling and parliamentary maneuverings further designed to ensure such vapid governance. That this situation continues is baffling and sad.

It is clear that today's clergy, lower and higher, continues to hold the Greek Orthodox laity hostage. Complain too much and you cannot serve on the Parish Council. Have kids in church activities? They are held hostage too. Any failure, real or perceived, to strictly conform, and even our kids face criticism, humiliation and ostracism.

Then, there is the question of money - which we are continuously assured (with incomplete data at every assembly) is coming in fabulously. Yet the congregation is vilified by its clergy for spending on frivolous secular pursuits, instead of handing it over with no questions asked or allowed.

We continue to be expected to check our minds at the door, close our mouths and open our wallets. We have all lived in this valley long enough to have no trouble in guessing who we're being asked to resemble on all counts.

The height of insult, once again, to what little discernment we're allowed to maintain, is that our Proistamenos-of-Prophet Elias-only declared that this blog is: a) responsible for any and all rifts in our community; b) the reason we have two proistamenoi (this is a new one!); and, c) the work of the devil.

In the first place, the rifts in this community began in earnest several years before this blog was established. The major rift began with our Metropolitan's disbanding of an elected Parish Council in 2002, whereby he literally pitted family members and friends against each other within the community.

The rifts continued with our Proistamenos' (then leader of both church communities) desire to control absolutely, so much so that he caused members to be either barred from serving on the Parish Council, or to be sanctioned and expelled from it. The blog began because of these circumstances; it certainly did not precede them.

Further rifts occurred due to the clergy's clear intent to follow Metropolitan Isaiah's specifically expressed desire (several times and in writing prior to October 2007 when he made it official insofar as having two proistamenoi) to split this community into two parishes. There is no ambiguity here. There is PLENTY of prior evidence to this fact, including His Eminence's labeling this community as having committed spiritual polygamy in a letter to the community in December 2007. Contending that the blog caused the appointment of two Proistamenoi is utter nonsense.

As for declaring this blog to be the work of the devil, this ruse is an historical condemnation issued by every despot from time immemorial, in the ecclesiastical realm or otherwise, who lacks the ability or the desire to lead with reason, compassion and love.

- Barbara Billinis Colessides