News From the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC)
2/5/2007
NEWS FROM THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION CENTER (OCMC)
St.
Augustine, FL – It was a sunny Saturday morning that welcomed two large
tour buses to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) this past
weekend. As the breaks hissed and the doors flew open, Mission Center
staff, and former Mission Center Executive Director Bishop Dimitrios of
Xanthos, was honored to receive 40 members of the National Greek
Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society. Having traveled from around the
country, the ladies, escorted by His Grace Bishop Andonios of Phasiane
and lead by Philoptochos National president Georgia Skeadas, came to
visit the Mission Center that has been a proud recipient of its
generous support for decades.
Comprised of parish chapters
throughout the dioceses of the United States, the National Philoptochos
Society has served as the leading ladies philanthropic organization of
the Greek Orthodox Church in America for the past 75 years. It serves
to address issues of poverty and to promote the charitable, benevolent
and philanthropic purposes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America. It is also dedicated to preserving and perpetuating Orthodox
Christian concepts and the Orthodox Christian Family, and through them,
promoting the Greek Orthodox Faith and traditions.
In
accordance with this mission, the Philoptochos has extended its reach
beyond American borders, directly affecting the lives of many around
the world, through its continued support of the Mission Center. Over
the past 10 years Philoptochos has contributed over $500,000 to the
Mission Center’s many mission initiatives. A major recipient of these
funds has been OCMC’s Support a Mission Priest Program (SAMP). Today,
SAMP sponsors 289 indigenous Orthodox Clergy around the world with
financial stipends that make their ministries possible. The number of
souls brought to Orthodoxy by the tireless efforts of these Orthodox
priests is too large to be known. What is known, however, is the fact
that Philoptochos has made the spread of Orthodoxy possible by enabling
these priests to dedicate their lives to ministry.
Following a
sincere welcome from the Mission Center’s Executive Director, Fr.
Martin Ritsi, the group was escorted on a tour of the Mission Center
that included brief presentations from the Mission Center’s various
departments aimed at familiarizing them with the Mission Center’s
programs and daily operations. Their tour concluded with a final
presentation by Fr. Martin and Presbytera Renee that reinforced the
need for the continued growth of missions among the Orthodox Churches
in America. Through sharing their personal missionary experiences, they
also took the time to thank Philoptochos for their continued support of
this growth.
As the gathering drew to a close, Ms. Skeadas,
presented the Mission Center with a $20,000 check for OCMC’s SAMP
program. This sizable donation will allow the Mission Center to sponsor
even more clergy throughout the world in the coming years. Kenneth
Kidd, Coordinator of the Mission Center’s SAMP program reminds, “This
one gift equates to the support of 33 priests for an entire year. The
ladies’ generosity has given this program a much appreciated early-year
boost.”
After coffee and dessert, flash bulbs flickered as the
procession of philanthropists exited the building. “It has been a true
blessing to serve these ladies,” His Grace Bishop Andonios said to the
staff as they prepared to depart. This sentiment was shared by the
entire Mission Center, whose work toward proclaiming the fullness of
the Christian faith to all nations is made possible by the love
expressed in profound acts of charity like those of the National
Philoptochos Society.
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center
(OCMC) is the official international mission agency of the Standing
Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA),
commissioned to proclaim the fullness of the Christian faith to all
nations by establishing and nurturing vibrant, Eucharistic Orthodox
Christian communities worldwide.If you would like more information
about the Mission Center's Support a Mission Priest Program (SAMP),
please contact Kenneth Kidd at 1-877-463-6784 or by e-mail at
SAMP@ocmc.org.
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