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Wondering,

Unfortunately for us, the bigger problem on the table is the survival of our Carpatho-Rusyn church. Unless we act today with real vision we'll soon be extinct.

Don't get me wrong, things have definitely improved in the past decade or so. But not nearly fast enough. We're still dying. And it's not Rome this time. It's us!

In Christ,

John

Perhaps you would discuss what your vision is. Directly, not just vague vision statements, but action items.

And your timetable.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Ah djs, you ask the golden question.

Let's look at two examples of well-crafted visions:

1.) An Eastern Christian example: "The Antiochian Archdiocese, under the leadership of His Eminence Metropolitan Philip Saliba, sees itself on a mission to bring America to the ancient Orthodox Christian Faith."

2.) A secular example: http://www.ge.com/en/company/companyinfo/at_a_glance/key_growth_initiatives.htm

3.) For the Metropolia:

Perhaps something like ...

Sharing the gifts of Eastern Christianity to bring America to Christ.

What are your thoughts?

In Christ,

John

I think that the Antiochian statement and your suggestion are nice examples of "vague mission statements" rather than examples of specfic action items that give substance to a real strategic plan. I don't think that such vision statements can help in the slightest to guard against "extinction"; to the extent that that threat is real, real action in real time is required. And that is what I asked you about.

Does your Orthodox parish have a real strategic plan? What makes it "real"? What makes it effective? Are there any models that are working?

Nick

To my immediate knowledge and recollection, the only fast period affected is the fast of the Holy Apostles. If Pascha falls later in the traditional Paschalion, the Apostles fast can be reduced to less than a week.

Here are a few parishes that are on doing some wonderful things:

St. George in Aliquippa, Penn.
Patronage, Baltimore, MD
St. Elias, Brampton, ONT
Annunciation in Homer Glen, Ill.

Perhaps our forum members know specifics?

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Visions are vague. They tend to be quite aspirational too ...

Sounds like you�re looking for tactics. Here are a few thoughts in no particular order.

1. Hold an All-Metropolia Conference to lay all the cards on the table. It�s time to level with folks with a state of the ship.

2. Immediately start celebrating our complete Divine Liturgy without abbreviation in all parishes.

3. Get a core group of parishioners to commit to tithing for one year.

4. Start accepting men into minor orders and use them as ground troops in parishes to undertake the New Evangelization.

5. No more pre-cut prosphora. :rolleyes:

6. Return to our Orthodox Paschalia.

It would help if we had a vision and mission first. Then we could align appropriate tactics.

Nick:
I actually don't know about strategic plans, but the tactics that I observe at the parish level are part of what I wrote to Gordo when he asked a similar question. I can't find that post at the moment.

I can also add that my observations make it clear that Old Calendar is not considered a crucial component of EO identity, and for that matter, neither is the Eastern Paschalion.

Who knows - hard data is not easy to come by. The young fogey linked to these articles termed "a most devasting critique of the Orthodox convert boomlet".

http://ochlophobist.blogspot.com/2006/06/berfromm-snuggling-up-to-gates-of-hell.html
http://ochlophobist.blogspot.com/2006/06/berfromm-snuggling-up-to-gates-of-hell_26.html
http://ochlophobist.blogspot.com/2006/06/berfromm-snuggling-up-to-gates-of-hell_27.html
http://ochlophobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/berfromm-snuggling-up-to-gates-of-hell.html

Thanks JohnS. Although I was more interested in strategy rather than tactics, what you wrote in very illuminating. Owing to the breadth of language used people might be in broad agreement on vision statements, perhaps even on mission statements. Strategy and tactics are different because of their specificity. What you have written is very revealing.