Office of National Ministries launches ‘Diakonia’ weekly bulletin

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The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s National Ministries are launching an exciting new initiative to strengthen parish ministry and deepen the spiritual life of the faithful: the Diakonia weekly bulletin. Diakonia’s content can be integrated seamlessly into existing parish publishing efforts or even used as a stand-alone bulletin supplement.

Diakonia, which means “ministry” in Greek, was developed in response to a request from the Archdiocesan Presbyters Council (APC) for high-quality, weekly parish bulletin content. Funded through a generous grant from Leadership 100, Diakonia represents a significant expansion of the Archdiocese’s widely used Bulletin Builder platform.

An Idea from our Clergy

For years, clergy and parish administrators have benefited from using Bulletin Builder to streamline the creation of print and digital parish bulletins while saving countless hours and reducing administrative burdens. Yet one challenge persisted: providing consistent, high-quality, spiritually enriching and educational content for the faithful wrapped in a beautiful design. Recognizing this need, the APC partnered with the Archdiocesan National Ministries to create a solution that would deliver impactful content every week with “point-and-click” ease. The additional aim was to deliver the theological expertise of our Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology directly into the hands of the faithful each week.

What’s Inside Diakonia?

Each week, Diakonia will have weekly sections consisting of:

Scriptural Reflection: A brief reflection on a theme from the Sunday Gospel or Epistle that will provide readers with greater insight and life application.

Insight from the Biblical Greek: A meditation on an original Greek word from the original biblical text, illuminating not only its historical and theological significance, but its implications in Christian life.

Church History Spotlight: A feature that ties the local parish experience to the broader Orthodox Christian tradition.

Our Faith in Action: Educational insight on the Orthodox Christian faith and traditions, making the Orthodox faith real at home, and expressions of our Orthodox Christian faith in action.

Children’s Activity: Fun and engaging content for youth and the young at heart.

Supporting Parish Ministry

Diakonia is poised to transform parish communications and ministry. By providing ready-to-use, high-quality content, it frees clergy and administrators from the time-consuming task of sourcing material, allowing them to focus on pastoral care and outreach. For parishioners, it offers consistent, meaningful engagement with Scripture, tradition, and practical faith applications—strengthening their connection to Christ and His Church.

Moreover, Diakonia reinforces the visibility of Holy Cross Seminary, creating a tangible link between academic theology and everyday parish life. This initiative reflects the Archdiocese’s commitment to equipping ministry leaders and building up the body of Christ (cf. Ephesians 4:12).

How to Access Diakonia

Starting Tuesday, January 20, Diakonia content will be available every week through Bulletin Builder at www.bulletinbuilder.org. Parishes can choose to click and print the pre-formatted weekly edition or incorporate Diakonia articles within their existing weekly bulletin templates for the ultimate in flexibility.