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The Archdiocese of Western Pennsylvania, the Diocese of the Midwest, and the Bulgarian Diocese announced that the 2024 Parish Development Forum will be held at the Woodside Event Center at Archangel Michael Orthodox Church in the Cleveland suburb of Broadview Heights, OH. The Forum will begin at 1:30 PM Tuesday July 9 and conclude before noon on Thursday July 11, 2024.
The Parish Development Forum, is a conference for clergy and laity dedicated to exploring the challenges facing Orthodox parishes, delivering actionable ideas and good practices valuable to parish leaders and creating mutually supportive relationships among participants.
“The 2024 Forum theme will be “Our Parish and the Future: Equipping to Serve in a Secular World”, noted Archpriest Stephen Frase, Clergy Chairperson for the Forum. “During this Forum attendees will again collaborate on ‘the 2030 project’, an effort to explore the present and future challenges of N. American Orthodox parishes as they witness to the faith and live as the body of Christ in a time of rampant secularity and skepticism. Sessions will consider the important societal, cultural, demographic and even technological trends that will shape the growth, health and impact of Orthodoxy and Orthodox parishes in N. America over the next five to ten years. Most importantly attendees will define and explore critical attitudes, behaviors and strengths needed by parishes to prepare to thrive in 2030 and beyond.”
“This will be the eleventh anniversary of the Forum,” said Joseph Kormos Forum Lay Chairperson and Parish Development Ministry Leader for the Archdiocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. The 2023 Forum attracted an active group of parish leaders from six OCA Dioceses, the Antiochian Archdiocese, the Greek Archdiocese, and from Ukrainian Orthodox parishes in the US and Canada. The agenda will include keynote presentations, facilitated small group discussion, connection and worship.
Our Greater Cleveland location provides an excellent conference setting. The host parish is 15 minutes from Cleveland Hopkins Airport and ten minutes from the Ohio Turnpike. Over half of the OCA’s parishes are within a manageable drive of the site,” noted Mr. Kormos.
Forum registration will be online only and will begin after Pascha. To maintain an atmosphere of fellowship and dialogue among attendees, registration will be limited to 100 persons. Sessions will begin at 1:30 PM Tuesday July 9 and conclude at noon on Thursday July 15. Conference registration is $150 per person. An early bird rate of $110 per person will be available until June 19. The registration fee includes meals, breaks, forum materials and a hospitality reception. A block of rooms has been reserved at a local hotel at special Forum rates.
Questions and enquiries may be directed to Mr. Kormos at joekormos1@gmail.com.
