OCA Chancery
Syosset, New York
February, 2001
OCA Chancery
Syosset, New York
And let our people also learn to apply themselves to good deeds so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. Titus 3:14
Dear Mission Appeal Supporters,
This year’s Orthodox Church in America Mission Appeal may be one of the most important calls for missionary assistance since I was called to serve as Primate of the Orthodox Church in America in 1977. We are being asked this year to personally put our faith into action by helping the historic missionary work of our Church and in particular that being accomplished on our Lord’s behalf in Mexico and Alaska.
In St. Paul’s letter to Titus, the Apostle reminds his fellow laborer in the Lord’s Vineyard to always be open and responsive to the needs of the Church. The advice to Titus is no less true for us as the Church begins Her third millennium. For indeed, although over 2000 years have passed since the Birth of Christ, the Gospel message of Christ is forever young in its missionary spirit! But for this spirit to continue it must bear fruit by being harvested by all of us who call ourselves Orthodox Christians!
In addition to our on-going support for the OCA Church Planting Grant Program and local diocesan missionary efforts, the Holy Synod is asking us to directly support the missionary outreach of our clergy in rural Alaska and Mexico. This means that through our Mission Appeal gifts we will positively impact the missionary outreach of our clergy who are laboring on the frontiers of the Faith—who are enduring hardships as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. (II Timothy 2:3)
Indeed, all those who labor as missionaries deserve our prayerful support. But why do these Alaskan and Mexican missionaries deserve our special love and support? Because they live and work in conditions of great personal sacrifice and depravation. They face the challenges of transmitting the Good News of Jesus Christ in regions hard hit by economic and social conditions that require deep faith and fortitude
Dearly beloved, we have a spiritual opportunity this year and for years to come to re-energize our Church’s missionary spirit! To do this we must return to our historic missionary roots in Alaska and help those who first gave us the Orthodox Faith. They need our prayerful support to sustain their efforts to offer an Orthodox witness in remote villages under attack both economically and socially. In Mexico tens of thousands of native Indian peoples in isolated regions of rural mountainous Mexico now call themselves Orthodox. They need clergy to teach them and churches to worship in. We thank God that two Mexican students now attending St. Tikhon’s Seminary will return to Mexico and work in these missionary regions. But they will need homes to live in and Church’s to serve in.
Last year’s Orthodox Church in America Mission Appeal was again a great success. In the past several years we have seen a steady increase in free will gifts to the Mission Appeal. This, I believe is a sign of our growing maturity as a Church to embody the words of St. Paul to Titus,
And let our people also learn to apply themselves to good deeds so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. Titus 3:14
I also believe that as we continue to respond to the missionary call of our Lord, we will discover new ways to help our missionaries and in the process help ourselves become better missionaries in our neighborhoods, and parishes. I am confident that if we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us we will answer every missionary call to action with joy and resolve.
Yes, the work of all our missionaries and our Church Planting Grant missions, but especially those in Alaska and Mexico is a challenge. But my previous years as the Bishop of Sitka and my Archpastoral visits to Mexico have shown me that the clergy and faithful in these regions also strive to live as our Lord taught all of us:
Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
In closing, I invite you to read the next issue of The Orthodox Church newspaper, and if you can, to log on to the OCA website at http://www.oca.org where you can see in more detail how your support for this year’s OCA Mission Appeal will make a dramatic difference in our ability as a Church to fulfill the commandment of our Lord to baptize all nations.
Your most generous 2001 Mission Appeal gift will truly be an act of missionary outreach and love.
With love in Christ,
+ THEODOSIUS
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada