Share in a Journey of Faith: Join a 2010 Mission Team!
 
“I am surrounded by love. It's not the kind of love you see on TV or in the movies, but love in its most true and simple form. It is the love that can only come from God ... I have already found that love in abundance everywhere I look.” - A 2009 Team member
 
Now is the time for you to have a Teams experience!  In 2010, Teams will be offered during more times of the year and for varying amounts of time (as few as 9 days and as long as 3 weeks) and there will be opportunities for families as well!  Be a living witness of your Faith on a Teaching team; provide labor on a Construction team; engage the future of our Church on a Youth team; or take part in the holistic mission of the Church on a Health Care team.  Develop deep relationships with others, have a cultural learning experience, and live in response to the Lord’s command to “make disciples of all nations”.
 
For over 20 years, Team members have proudly served through OCMC to participate in the Holy Orthodox Church’s unending mission effort to bring the saving message of salvation to the ends of the earth. Join the thousands of Orthodox Christians from North America who have been witnessing to the hope and good news of the risen Christ with the world. There will be at least 14 opportunities to participate on a Team in 2010:  Alaska – Teaching  and Outreach; Albania – Youth camp; Guatemala – Youth camp; India – Teaching; Kenya – Teaching; Korea – Youth camp (ESL); Madagascar – Teaching; Romania – Youth camp; South Africa – Teaching; Tanzania – Construction and Teaching; Uganda – Health Care and Zimbabwe – Teaching.
 
Team applications and more detailed information are available online at http://teams.ocmc.org or you can call the OCMC at 1.877.463.6787 (ext 142) for more information. 

POSITION: Major Gift Officer
 
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Open until filled
 
SALARY RANGE: $60,000.00 - Negotiable
 
QUALIFICATIONS:
 
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center is now accepting applications for the position of Major Gift Officer. The Major Gift Officer is responsible for all facets of fundraising for the Mission Center.  The successful candidate will identify, cultivate, solicit and steward major donors. He/she will nurture long-term relationships with contributors including individuals, corporations, and foundations.
 
The Major Gift Officer will report to the Associate Director and work closely with the Executive Director providing support for identification of potential donors, cultivation and solicitation.
 
Minimum qualifications for the position include experience in major gift fundraising. Managerial, organization, interpersonal, and communication skills are required. Knowledge of fundraising and ability to prepare proposals from start to finish are essential.
 
TO APPLY: Submit your resume and cover letter, including a brief statement of fundraising qualifications  with emphasis on past experience  to: Fr. Martin Ritsi, Executive Director, Orthodox Christian Mission Center, 220 Mason Manatee Way, St. Augustine, FL 32086 or by email to missions@ocmc.org. For additional information please contact Fr. David Rucker, Associate Director, by phone at (904) 829-5123 ext. 102 or by e-mail at assocdirector@ocmc.org.
 

Friday, September 25, 2009

Press Release
September 25, 2009

SCOBA Hierarchs Convene For Special Session

New York, NY - A Special Session of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) met on September 25, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., hosted by the Chairman of SCOBA, Archbishop Demetrios of America, at the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in Manhattan. The session was attended by the following Members of SCOBA: Archbishop Demetrios, Chairman (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese), Metropolitan Philip, Vice-Chairman (Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese), Metropolitan Christopher, Secretary (Serbian Orthodox Church), Archbishop Nicolae (Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese), Metropolitan Joseph (Bulgarian Orthodox Church), Metropolitan Jonah (Orthodox Church in America) Archbishop Antony (proxy, Ukrainian Orthodox Church) and Archpriest Alexander Abramov (Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA).
Also present were the General Secretary and members of the SCOBA Study and Planning Commission representing the SCOBA member Churches.

The entire discussion was focused on the documents related to the "Organization of Episcopal Assemblies" in the regions of the world that are outside the borders of the Autocephalous Churches. These Episcopal Assemblies have been authorized by the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference which met at the Orthodox Center of Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Switzerland from 6 - 13, June 2009. It was decided unanimously by the Hierarchs that the first such Episcopal Assembly shall be convened during Post-Pentecost Week of 2010, which will fall in the last week of May. The likely days of the Assembly will be May 26-27, 2010. There was also discussion as to the location of the Assembly, with a specific venue to be decided after investigation of locales and resources.

The Hierarchs also outlined an initial staging process, combining Hierarchs of SCOBA with sub-committees, which will formulate the outline of the form and agenda of the Assembly.

Documents related to the "Organization of Episcopal Assemblies"
The official Greek texts and English Translations (Ecumenical
Patriarchate) of the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference in
Chambesy (June 6-13) can be found here.