Archbishop Iakovos and the Establishment of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center
NEWS FROM THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION CENTER (OCMC)
http://www.ocmc.org
Subscribe/Unsubscribe information at the end of this email
===================================
Archbishop Iakovos and the Establishment of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center
By Fr. Alexander Veronis, OCMC Board President Emeritus
April 13, 2005
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), St. Augustine, FL -
Archbishop Iakovos, former Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
of North and South America from 1959 to 1996, fell asleep in the Lord on
April 10, 2005 at the age of 93 years old. His Eminence will be
remembered for many achievements during his fruitful ministry, including
his encouragement, support, and establishment of the Orthodox Christian
Mission Center (OCMC).
His involvement began in 1966 when Archbishop Iakovos supported a
landmark proposal submitted to the 17th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress.
The proposal requested the establishment of the first “Greek Orthodox
Archdiocesan Standing Committee of Missions,” which the Congress passed
unanimously. From 1967, this Missions Committee began to function for
the next 17 years with 20 volunteer clergy and lay Board members. The
Archbishop appointed Bishop Silas as the Episcopal Head of the Committee
and me as the Co-ordinator.
The Missions Committee had two main objectives. The first was to raise
awareness about Orthodox foreign missions through writings, lectures and
sermons. The second was to raise funds for scholarship assistance to
young men and women from Uganda, Kenya, Korea and Mexico to study at St.
Basil’s Academy and at Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox
School of Theology. Upon completion of their studies, these students
returned to their respective countries to serve as priests and teachers
of Orthodoxy.
In 1984, at the 27th Clergy-Laity Congress of New York, Archbishop
Iakovos again played a role in opening wide the door for the growth of
mission activity in the Church. The program had grown too large for
volunteers to handle the ministry and the Missions Committee requested a
salaried Executive Director and a permanent office. Archbishop Iakovos
again supported the decision wholeheartedly and appointed Fr. Dimitrios
Couchell (now Bishop of Xanthos) as the first Executive Director. The
Missions Committee became the Archdiocesan Mission Center with an office
at the St. Photios Shrine in St. Augustine, Florida.
Ten years later, in 1994 Archbishop Iakovos’ pastoral guidance and
vision supported another crucial step in the establishment of the
Orthodox Christian Mission Center as it is today. His Eminence received
very favorably the proposal to broaden the Mission Center’s ministry by
becoming pan-Orthodox under the aegis of SCOBA (Standing Conference of
Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America). The proposal received the
unanimous approval of the 32nd Greek Orthodox Clergy-Laity Congress and
of SCOBA. Archbishop Iakovos served as the long-time chairman of SCOBA
and the new name given to the ministry was the Orthodox Christian
Mission Center (OCMC).
Since its humble beginnings OCMC, which Archbishop Iakovos helped to
bring into existence, has grown into a missionary outreach impacting
thousands of lives in the name of Christ. Since 1985, the Mission Center
has sent 70 long-term missionaries to Africa, Eastern Europe, South
East Asia, and Latin America and 762 short-term Mission Team volunteers
on 95 teams to 22 countries. The OCMC has conducted 41 building and
restoration projects of churches, schools and medical clinics, and
financially supported 272 indigenous Orthodox clergy in 16 countries on
an annual basis.
The Mission Center is grateful for all of Archbishop Iakovos’ support over the years. May his memory be eternal!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center: Helping Orthodox Christians
respond to Christ's call to preach, teach, baptize, minister to the poor
and make disciples of all nations as the official international mission
agency of SCOBA.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THE OCMC LIST: Send an email to: listserv@listserv.goarch.org
In the body of the email simply type: signoff ocmc
TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE OCMC LIST: Send an email to: listserv@listserv.goarch.org
In the body of the email type: subscribe ocmc <First Name> <Last Name
*************************************** Get your first 10 digital prints
or your first roll of film FREE at: http://www.orthodoxphoto.com