Orthodox Christians Called By SCOBA Hierarchs To Pray And Give To Missions
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), St. Augustine, FL - On
March 5, 2006, Orthodox Christians will observe Mission Sunday, a day
designated by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in
the Americas (SCOBA) to focus on the sacred missionary work of our
Orthodox Church and especially the ministry of the Orthodox Christian
Mission Center (OCMC).
The nine hierarchs of SCOBA write: “On this day, we commend the noble
work of our Orthodox Christian missionaries everywhere who have realized
Jesus’ words that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few
(Matthew 9:37), and who have prayerfully responded to His call by going
out as laborers to spread the Good News of salvation to all corners of
the earth.”
They also call on all Orthodox Christians to participate in this
calling: “Through your prayers, perhaps you yourselves may be led to
consider the immense spiritual rewards of participating in one of the
many missions offered by the OCMC as a direct means of answering the
Lord’s call to go forth and make disciples of all nations (Matthew
28:19). Alternatively, your fervent prayers may lead you to consider
supporting the OCMC by contributing to its work through your financial
and material support, according to your own abilities, supporting those
worthy laborers abroad who have answered the Lord’s call to go forth
into His harvest.”
“As we enter into the Lenten season, embarking upon a spiritual and
disciplined journey toward our eternal salvation, let us remember Jesus’
exhortation to pray that the Lord may send forth laborers into His
harvest, so that all persons from all places of the earth may come to
know His abiding love and saving truth.”
The full text of the SCOBA Encyclical can be found at the special Mission Sunday 2006 section of the OCMC website.
Also available in this section of the website are tools to help parishes
participate in Mission Sunday. Parish priests are encouraged to
observe Mission Sunday by reading the SCOBA Encyclical at the end of the
Liturgy, taking a special offering, and praying for OCMC missionaries
and the people they serve. Bulletin inserts are provided for parishes to
include in their Sunday bulletins. Sunday school teachers can take
advantage of OCMC’s mission education lesson plans and have their
students participate in the Lenten mission coin box program. A special
Mission Sunday sermon brings additional perspective on the need for
Orthodox missions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in
the Americas (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