Parish Development

An Orthodox vision of the parish.
Parish administration and leadership.
Needs and talents assessment.
Education in the parish.
Parish fellowship and outreach.
Addressing special needs, and problems in the parish.
Groups, organizations and programs that contribute to parish life.
Parish growth.


God’s Gift of Personality

Volume II - 1997

That people are different is no secret. Our Lord clearly uses people with different personalities to do His work. The Bible is full of different types. For example: there’s the direct and creative style of St Paul,…

A Christmas Cookie Walk

Volume II - 1996

The following is a description of a fundraiser used by the St. Mark Orthodox Church in Rochester Hills, MI. Their Cookie Walk is to raise money for their Building Fund, but it can be used to raise money for all kinds…

A Creation Celebration

Volume II - 1996

Building An Awareness Of God’s Gift Of Creation In The Church School

For the past six years, our parish clergy, Church School teachers and parents have engaged in what we consider a “laboratory” setting. By this I…

Who Is My Neighbor?

Volume II - 1996

In 1989, our parish, Saint Joseph’s, was established in Chicago’s far-western DuPage County suburbs, a rapidly-growing area of around one million people which, at the time, had only three Orthodox churches.…

An Orthodox Christian Living With AIDS

Volume II - 1996

In January, 1996, Arlene Kallaur, Editor of the Resource Handbook for Lay Ministries, and Michael Anderson, OCA Director of Office of the Youth and Young Adults, met with Andrew Buleza, a member of Holy Resurrection…

The Power of Personal Stories

Volume II - 1994

Personal stories from childhood which pertain to the Church have unique power. Given the right opportunity, sharing these stories with others can be a gratifying experience for ourselves, and for others. Faith can be…

When The Unspeakable Happens

Volume II - 1994

Sexual Abuse In God’s Family

It is time for the church family to bring sexual abuses out of the closet, to face this problem, and to move forward rebuilding the shattered image of the family of God when such abuses…

How Our Parish Dealt With AIDS

Volume II - 1993

FACING THE REALITY OF AIDS

“No one can responsibly deal with [the AIDS] crisis by denial, and that is what we are tempted to do. We are not immune as some would imagine. As one person is reported to have said, I…

Parish-To-Parish Program In Action

Volume II - 1993

The beginning of our Parish-to-parish outreach was established slightly before my coming to St. Nicholas Church in Norwich, Connecticut. Our parish had already received an assigned parish through the national church…

One Parish’s Church School Alternative

Volume II - 1992

Some parishes schedule church school classes before the Sunday Divine Liturgy; some, after the Liturgy; and still others, during a “part” of the Liturgy. In addition, however, there are more and more Orthodox…