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The 2024 Parish Development Forum recently welcomed clergy and laity attendees from multiple Orthodox jurisdictions and eight OCA Dioceses to explore the Forum theme of “Our Parish and the Future: Equipping to Serve Christ in a Secular World.” Host parish for the Forum was Archangel Michael Church in Broadview Heights, OH. The Forum was once again sponsored by the OCA’s Archdiocese of Western Pennsylvania, the Diocese of the Midwest and the Bulgarian Diocese.
Archpriest Stephen Frase, Rector Saint Gregory of Nyssa Church in Columbus, OH clergy co-chair of the Forum, noted “A significant portion of the 2024 Forum agenda was given to encouraging parishes to focus long term on defining the strengths necessary for Orthodox parishes to flourish in the future.”
The Forum agenda included keynote addresses by Archpriest Esteban Vazquez, Vice Chancellor of the Diocese of the Midwest, Archpriest Christopher Rowe, Associate Development Director of Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) and Dr. Dan Buxhoeveden, retired Research Professor at the University of South Carolina and member of Holy Apostles Church in Columbia, SC. The keynote talks combined with multiple “Project 2030” facilitated small group breakout sessions and a panel discussion to identify applications for parish life. Each day ended with vespers and the final day began with Divine Liturgy served by Archpriest John Memorich, parish rector and Archpriest Steven Frase.
Issues explored during the Forum included the misconception that science and the Church are in conflict; the consistent flow of catechumens and converts to many parishes – despite a culture that makes religion burdensome, awkward, and outdated; how to integrate significant numbers of new persons into parishes; concerns about future clergy shortages and ways to encourage vocations as well as approaches to preparing parishes for a clergy transitions.
Joseph Kormos, lay co-chair of the Parish Development Forum and Parish Development leader Archdiocese of Western PA, said, “As church members and leaders, we often think we’re immune to secular influences, yet secular choices and assumptions inhabit our lives and our basic outlook. Our parishes and parishioners feel like they are swimming upstream in a culture in which religion and faith seem to be a declining option among many options. Our Forum team of planners, speakers and facilitators appreciated the opportunity to explore this topic and that attendees seemed to resonate so well with the agenda. We are now hard at work building summaries, helpful tools and online follow up sessions to assist attendees in applying insights from the Forum in their home parishes.”
While never a substitute for in-person attendance, many of the Forum presentations and support articles are available to attendees and non-attendees at this link.” Questions can be directed to joekormos1@gmail.com.
