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Protocol
00-01
The Pious Pators
and The Esteemed Parish Councils of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved in the Lord,
"And
the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send
relief to the brethren who lived in Judea; and they did so, sending
it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul." (Acts 11:29-30) Since the very first
days of the Church we Christians have responded in love to the physical
needs of our fellow man, having in mind the words of our Savior, "Truly,
I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren,
you did it to me." (Matthew 25:40) Accordingly, we
are called upon from time to time to respond to human calamities, whether
these are caused by natural disasters or resulting from human hostility.
On some occasions formal appeals are made by Church authorities, such
as those regarding recent earthquakes in Greece and Turkey, while at
other times parishes respond on their own initiative to circumstances
we become aware of through the media. As the hierarch
of this Diocese, I am called upon to give an ultimate accounting before
God of these good works done to the glory of His name by the parishes
and faithful for which I am spiritually responsible. At times, I am
additionally called upon to submit a reckoning to our Holy Eparchial
Synod so that our Church in America can present a coordinated response
to particular events and needs. For these reasons,
and to abide by the words of Saint Ignatius of Antioch who wrote in
AD 107: "Let no one do any of the things which concern the Church
without the Bishop," I am asking each parish to send contributions
collected for various causes to the Diocesan Office so that they may
be forwarded to the proper agencies — such as the IOCC. If in the past some
of you have sent collected funds directly to the IOCC or to the Archdiocese
or to another agency, instead of to the Diocese, please send copies
of your letters to the Diocesan Office so that we can credit the amounts
in our records.
With Paternal Blessings,
+ Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding Hierarch
of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-02
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
I
am pleased to inform you that Father Costa Pavlakos, the President of
our Diocesan Clergy Syndesmos, has begun the initial preparations for
a pre-Lenten Diocesan Clergy Retreat. Reservations have
been made at the Saint Malo retreat center near Estes Park, Colorado
for Monday evening through Wednesday noon, February 21 through 23, 2000. I expect that most
out of area priests will fly in to Denver and the clergy in the local
area will be available to help with transportation from and to the airport. This retreat is
for all priests and deacons in the Diocese of Denver: pastors, assistants,
newly-ordained, and retired clergy. You may wish to remind your parish
council that this retreat is being convened by the Diocesan Hierarch,
and that they should offer to defray your travel and lodging costs. The retreat program
will include a meeting of the Diocese Clergy Syndesmos, and an opportunity
to worship and participate in the Divine Liturgy. Further information
will be forthcoming from Father Pavlakos. May this new year
bring the Lord's many blessings to you and your families.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-03
The
Esteemed Parish Councils of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
I
am pleased to inform you that I am convening a pre-Lenten retreat for
the priests and deacons of this Diocese, in conjunction with the Diocesan
Clergy Syndesmos. The retreat will convene at the Saint Malo Retreat
Center in Estes Park, in Colorado on Monday, February 21, 2000 and will
conclude on Wednesday, February 23, 2000. All priests and
deacons in the Diocese of Denver — including pastors, assistants,
newly-ordained, and retired clergy — are being called to participate
in this event. In accordance with
the Clergy Compensation Plan for Year 2000 which was sent to your parish
this past Autumn from the Archdiocese (a copy of which I sent to you
in my Protocol 99-28 dated September 21, 1999) one of the benefits that
a parish is asked to provide its priest is to cover his expenses for
attending Diocesan Retreats. Accordingly, I am
asking you to do everything possible to assist your assigned clergy
to attend this retreat. May our merciful
Lord richly bless each of you and your loved ones in this new year as
you seek to do His will in all things as you administer the temporal
affairs of His parish.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-04
The Pious Priests
and Deacons of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved in the Lord,
As
the season of Holy and Great Lent approaches, many pastors are beginning
to prepare their schedules for the various special services and commemorations.
To assist you in your planning I am pleased to provide you with the
following guidelines. First, the
Divine Liturgy and Memorial Service should be scheduled on the three
Saturdays of the Souls (March 4, March 11, and March 18). Second, on
the First and Third Sundays in Great Lent the appropriate processions
should be observed. The Procession with
the Holy Icons normally takes place at the end of the Divine Liturgy
on the Sunday of Orthodoxy; it may also be held later on Sunday afternoon
at Vespers when this is celebrated in the city as a Pan-Orthodox service. The Veneration of
the Holy Cross on the Third Sunday of Great Lent is specified to take
place at the end of Orthros, is held at the end of the Divine Liturgy
when a majority of the congregation is present. Third, to
increase participation in the liturgical cycle which has as its purpose
the sanctification of time and of our temporal lives, all parishes throughout
the Denver Diocese should, as a minimum, offer the following services
during Great Lent:
·
Monday evenings: Great Compline
·
Wednesday morning or evening: Presanctified
Liturgy
·
Friday evenings: Salutations to the
Theotokos (Akathist Hymn)
·
(Pastors may additionally schedule the
Presanctified Liturgy on Fridays either in the morning or immediately
preceding the Salutations to the Theotokos.) Fourth, the
Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom should be celebrated to commemorate
the Annunciation to the Theotokos on Saturday, March 25, and the Presanctified
Liturgy should be celebrated to commemorate the Feast of the Forty Holy
Martyrs on Thursday, March 9. Fifth, since
Holy Week services are the most important and compunctionate, pastors
in all parishes should as a minimum schedule the following services:
·
Vespers on Friday evening; Orthros and
Divine Liturgy (Chrysostom) — Lazarus Saturday morning
·
Vespers on Saturday evening; Orthros
and Divine Liturgy (Chrysostom) — Palm Sunday morning
·
Bridegroom Service; Sunday, Monday,
and Tuesday evenings
·
*Presanctified Liturgy — early
Wednesday morning (so that those who work during the day can attend)
·
**Holy Unction Service — Wednesday
evening
·
***Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil (Last
Supper) — Thursday morning
·
Crucifixion — Thursday evening
·
Royal Hours — Friday morning
·
Descent from the Cross — Friday
afternoon (3:00 PM)
·
Lamentations — Friday evening
·
Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil (Resurrection
of those in Hades) — Saturday morning
·
Vigil, Orthros, and Divine Liturgy (Resurrection)
— Saturday night ****
·
Agape Vespers — Sunday afternoon
(after 1:00 PM)
Notes: * The Presanctified
Liturgy should also be celebrated on Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday according
to the needs of the Parish.
***They who wish
to receive Holy Communion on Holy Thursday should absent themselves
from work or school on that morning. ****The light of
the Resurrection should not be given before midnight.
Sixth, in
order to standardize the liturgical services in parishes throughout
the Diocese, I ask that you only utilize the Holy Week Easter service
book prepared by Protopresbyter George Papadeas which has been widely
used and accepted throughout our parishes for many years and which most
of our laity possess. Although other translations have been prepared
by various compilers and editors, the translation prepared by Father
Papadeas is most faithful to the original language, although there are
typographical errors in the text, as well as syntactical difficulties.
Nevertheless, you should possess the other Holy Week translations for
your personal use. Since the Orthros
of Holy Thursday is not in the Holy Week-Easter service book by Father
Papadeas, the booklet published by Father Evagoras Constantinides specifically
for this Service should be used. Alternatively, the English text from
the Lenten Triodion by Mother Mary and Archimandrite (now Bishop) Kallistos
Ware published by Faber and Faber may be used. Both are available through
the Holy Cross Bookstore in Brookline. Additionally, keep
in mind that these services should not be abbreviated, but should be
served in their entirety. If chanters and choirs are unfamiliar with
some hymns, they can be read or intoned in plainchant as appropriate,
but must not be eliminated. Seventh, please
note that the Divine Liturgies on Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday may
be scheduled at the regular time for a morning Liturgy (usually 9:00
or 10:00 AM). This way more people and the children will be able to
participate. Although it may
be argued that our faithful must work or attend school, we should be
honest and acknowledge that the schools, businesses, and even Government
agencies allow persons of other faiths, such as Jews and Moslems, to
take time off for their high holy days. In this country which protects
freedom of religion we must insist on our right to observe our most
sacred holy days. In addition, parishioners
should be advised that Holy Communion is given during the Liturgy at
the customary place and time — not before, or after, or "throughout
the day," especially on Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday. The Holy
Gifts must be consumed immediately following the Divine Liturgy, and
not kept for "latecomers." The Body and Blood of our Lord
is given to those who have prepared themselves to receive Communion;
it is not distributed as though it were "fast food" where
people run into the church, "take their Communion," and run
back to their mundane concerns. Eighth, keep
in mind that no Memorial or Trisagion Services are permitted between
the Saturday of Lazarus and the Sunday of Saint Thomas, inclusively.
Marriages are not celebrated during Great Lent and Holy Week; their
celebration resumes after the Sunday of Pascha. Ninth, during
the period the Great Fast, beginning on Clean Monday, pastors should
schedule times for the Mystery of Holy Repentance for the benefit of
the people. An excellent time for this is before or after Saturday evening
Vespers and before or after the Sunday Vespers on the five Sunday evenings.
Times for confession should also be scheduled after each of the Great
Compline Services on all Mondays of the Fast. Sadly, the Mystery of
Holy Repentance has become a "forgotten sacrament" among our
faithful, often because they do not know what confession entails, or
even what one does in confession. In addition to scheduling times for
confession, I ask the pastors to offer clear and thorough instruction
from the pulpit, in your periodic mailings, and in Bible study/inquiry
classes regarding this important Mystery. Finally, a few comments
are in order regarding fasting and March 25th celebrations. During the
Great Fast parishes may not sponsor meals at which meat is served, nor
festal celebrations at which there is drinking or dancing. This holds
true on March 25th as well, although fish is allowed on that day since
— just like Palm Sunday — it is one of the twelve great and
holy feasts. Unfortunately, the
few who celebrate Greek Independence day (March 25) with feasting and
dancing ignore the solemnity of the Feast of the Annunciation to the
Theotokos and violate the discipline of the Great Fast. Perhaps, unbeknown
to many in America, such celebrations also neglect the pious and long-standing
tradition in Greece of commemorating their national sovereignty which
was proclaimed auspiciously on the Day of the Annunciation, symbolizing
the freedom of the Greek People from centuries of foreign subjugation,
with church services, parades and patriotic lectures, but not with dancing
and feasting, since the Greek people always respected the solemnity
of the Feast of the Annunciation, the Great Fast, and Greek Independence.
In regard to dances scheduled for celebrationi of Greek Independence
Day here in the United States, I am convinced that most people do so
to have a good time and not because they have legitimate patriotic feelings
for Greece. The past few years
I have sent you a translation of the Paschal homily of Saint John Chrysostom.
This is the only version of the homily that is to be read in all parishes
of the Diocese at the appropriate place during the Resurrection Liturgy
instead of any others you may have found in the various Holy Week service
books. If the Paschal homily is read in Greek at the traditional part
of the Divine Liturgy where the people respond — just before the
Dismissal — then it should also be read in English as a sermon
immediately following the Gospel reading of the Divine Liturgy. The
homily was printed in two colors and laminated so that you could save
it as a permanent copy. Please feel free to duplicate this translation
in your parishes as necessary. Additional copies may be requested from
the Diocese Office. Through these additional
services and schedules, the priests and deacons will also benefit by
entering more easily into the spirit of the Lenten season. It is of
utmost importance for the priests and the deacons to remember that the
additional services and sacraments of this most holy period greatly
benefit the clergy as well as the laity. Even if few, or even none,
of the laity attend a service, your prayers in the services are on their
behalf and for their spiritual well-being. Do not be discouraged, but
rejoice in worshipping God Whom we are privileged to serve as His priests. May this coming
Great Lent bring many spiritual benefits to all the clergy and the laity
of this holy Diocese.
With Paternal Blessings,
+ Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding Hierarch
of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-05
The
Pious Pastors and the Esteemed Parish Councils of the Holy Diocese of
Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
I
have recently received a news release from our holy Archdiocese announcing
that the thirty-fifth Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress will convene in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from July 2 through 7, 2000. Archbishop Demetrios
has designated "Ageless Traditions in a New Millennium" as
the theme of this Congress, and will offer his vision on this subject
in his keynote address. The Clergy-Laity
Congresses are very important to the life of our Church in America,
insofar as they are concerned with all matters affecting the life, growth,
and unity of the Church as well as her institutions, finances, administration
and educational concerns. Indeed, the Special Regulations and Uniform
Parish Regulations that govern the administration of your parish are
a product of these Congresses, and it is important that each parish
expresses its voice in the formulation of regulations that affect your
parish life. Details on registration,
workshops and other events associated with the Congress will be forthcoming
from the Archdiocese in the coming months. At this time, however, I
ask that each parish consider making preparations to send its four delegates,
the parish priest, the parish council president or a representative,
and two delegates from the parish as determined by the parish assembly
to attend the Congress in Philadelphia. They may either pay their own
expenses or be reimbursed by the Parish if so determined at the Parish
Assembly. In addition, please
remember that the parish pays for all expenses involved in sending the
priest of the parish to these national biennial clergy-laity congresses.
I pray that all our Diocese parishes will be represented.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-06
The Pious Pastors
of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved in the Lord,
The
great feast of the Annunciation to our most-holy, glorious Lady, Theotokos
and ever-Virgin Mary, which annually is celebrated on March 25, will
fall on a Saturday this year. Accordingly, each
parish will celebrate Great Vespers on the eve of the feast, which will
be on Friday, March 24, 2000. Whenever this occurs,
the service of Small Compline with the Kanon of the Akathist Hymn is
not sung. Great Vespers takes precedence and only the Akathist Stasis
is sung toward the end of the Vesper Service. The order for this
is as follows:
a.
Great Vespers for the Feast of the Annunciation,
through the Aposticha and the Prayer of Saint Symeon
b.
After "??? ap????e?...," the
Kontakion "?? ?pe?µa??...,"
c.
After the Kontakion " ?? ?pe?µa??...,"
the Second Stasis of the ?a??et?sµ??? of the Theotokos (since
this year this will fall on the second Friday of Great Lent)
d.
After the Second Stasis, the Kontakion
" ?? ?pe?µa??..."
e.
After the Kontakion " ?? ?pe?µa??...,"
the Trisagion and the remainder of Great Vespers for the Feast with
the Troparion of Annunciation sung three times consecutively followed
by the Dismissal of the Feast.
May the Lord grant
to each of you and your faithful people a most spiritually edifying
Triodion season and a truly blessed Great Lent.
With Paternal Blessings,
Metropolitan Isaiah, Presiding Hierarch
of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-07
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver
Beloved
Concelebrants,
Enclosed
are copies of a booklet containing the Ninth Hour as it is read prior
to the Presanctified Liturgy during Great Lent which was prepared by
the Diocesan Office, for your use during the forthcoming period of the
Great Fast. I ask that you always
celebrate the Ninth Hour immediately before beginning the Presanctified
Liturgy. It is not appropriate simply to enter the church and begin
the Presanctified Liturgy with "Blessed is the Kingdom..." Please note that
the Ninth Hour is read by the chanter, with ekphoneses and prayers by
the priest where appropriate. It should not take you much longer than
15 minutes if it is read properly and piously. I pray that you
will find this booklet useful in your parish. May it help you and your
faithful come closer to our Lord through prayer and worship.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
*Please
contact the Diocese Office for copies of the booklet
Protocol
00-08
Beloved
in the Lord,
Last
year, in my Protocol letter 99-04 dated January 23, 1999, I asked your
parish to conduct an educational seminar for parish leadership members
to thoroughly explain the Total Commitment Program of our holy Archdiocese,
and the specific obligations of your parish. In addition, my Protocol
letter 99-15 dated May 14, 1999 provided the format and enclosures for
submitting a Declaration concerning your year 2000 Total Commitment
and the 1998 Financial Statement on which this was based. As I indicated
to you, this would be an annual effort. Accordingly, as
I asked you to do last Winter, please continue implementation of the
following schedule which will apply every year hereafter:
a.
Each Autumn the General Assembly approves
a budget for the following year.
b.
Each Winter the Parish Council prepares
a Financial Report covering the previous calendar year and the parish
finances for that year are audited by the Audit Committee.
c.
Each Winter/Spring the General Assembly
receives and accepts the Financial Report and the Audit Report for the
previous year.
d.
Each Winter/Spring the Parish Council
prepares and submits to the Diocese a Declaration concerning the current
year and following year Total Commitment obligations.
e.
Each Summer/Autumn the Parish Council
prepares the following year budget, which includes a Total Commitment
amount expressed as a percentage of net income as shown in the Financial
Report for the previous year.
I am therefore asking
you at this time to forward to my office, if possible by May 1, 2000,
(a) the Declaration concerning your 2000 and 2001 Total Commitments,
and (b) your 1999 Financial Report which has been reviewed by the Audit
Committee. Please use the formats
enclosed (a) the Transmittal Form for your Declaration, and (b) the
Format for Preparing the Financial Statement, the Parish Balance Sheet,
and the Parish Total Commitment Calculation which must be signed by
the Priest along with the Parish Council President and Treasurer. You should also
retain a copy of these forms which you are submitting, because they
will be forwarded to the Diocese Office again as part of your autumn
election package.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-09
The
Parish Priests of the Holy Diocese of Denver
Beloved
Co-Workers and Concelebrants,
As
all of us know, the Philoptochos Society of our Archdiocese is the philanthropic
arm of our holy church. We can all be proud of the accomplishments of
Philoptochos on the local, the diocesan, and the archdiocesan levels.
Simultaneously we thank our loving God for inspiring the women of the
church to give of their time and talents in order to help the less fortunate
in their life. I urge each parish
priest to give more time and attention to your parish Philoptochos chapter
so that its charitable and philanthropic programs will always meet with
great success. Without the Philoptochos, our parishes do not practice
the words of our Lord concerning the hungry, the naked, the homeless,
and those who are sick and in prison. Without such a ministry, we cannot
claim to be the Church which our Lord established for the salvation
of His people. Please keep the
following in mind:
a.
If you have an active Philoptochos chapter
in your parish, let the members know that you are ready to assist them
in ways that will increase the membership as well as the local, regional,
and national programs for the benefit of those in need.
b.
Make your local Philoptochos aware of
the urgent needs of individuals and families in your area, as well as
sudden disasters locally and in various parts of the world, such as
the recent earthquake in Greece.
c.
Urge your Philoptochos to send representatives
to the Diocese and also to the Archdiocese conferences.
d.
If your local Philoptochos chapter is
not functioning as well as it should, please inform the Diocese Philoptochos
president, Ms. Elaine Cladis, through the Diocese.
e.
If your parish does not have a Philoptochos
chapter, please inform me, as well as the Diocese Philoptochos president.
f.
If your parish has a local ladies' society
which is not Philoptochos, please inform me as to the year of its establishment,
the number of members, and the activity in which it is involved. Also
inform me why it may not wish to become Philoptochos.
I thank you for
acting immediately on this letter so that I may have a better perspective
of Philoptochos in this Diocese.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-10
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
Last
Autumn I sent each of you a copy of the procedures and the formats for
letters to be used when submitting Ecclesiastical Divorce Decree petitions
for consideration by the Spiritual Tribunal of the Diocese of Denver. I am again sending
this information to you, with minor modifications to the Ecclesiastical
Divorce Petition Data Sheet and Checklist. Please keep the
following points in mind:
a.
The Ecclesiastical Divorce Petition
Data Sheet and Checklist must be included with every petition.
b.
None of the required letters—specifically
the Recommendation by the Priest for an Ecclesiastical Divorce and the
Petitioner's Formal Ecclesiastical Divorce Petition—are "form"
letters, or "fill in the blank" letters; these are original
letters that are to be prepared by you or the petitioner.
c.
If the entire package you submit to
me is not complete, it will be returned to you without further action
by my office.
The procedures indicated
on the enclosure are effective immediately upon receipt, and will be
incorporated into the Diocesan Administrative Procedures manual in the
future.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
*Please
contact the Diocese Office for a copy of the procedures and formats.
Protocol
00-11
The
Devout Clergy and Laity of the God-Blessed Parishes of the Holy Diocese
of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
I
am truly pleased to inform you that the fund drive for your new Diocese
Center is proceeding very well. With the help of Father Anthony Scott
whom the Diocese contracted to help the campaign move forward at a quicker
pace, we have realized the wonderful generosity of many of our people. Having visited with
the faithful members in Denver, Grand Junction, Missoula, Tulsa, Salt
Lake City, and Houston, we have received $650,000 in new commitments.
One of the gifts is for $250,000 and two others are for $100,000 each.
The total in gift giving has now reached $1.5 million. We are grateful
to God for sending us to dedicated people who truly love the Church.
The promise of a Center for the holy Diocese of Denver is growing stronger
by each day. As we approach the
cosmic-changing events of our Lord Jesus Christ through His holy passion,
the Crucifixion, His Burial, and His glorious Resurrection, we ask you
to remember that the Diocese building project is taking place truly
because He came to establish His Church here on earth so that we too
may find eternal salvation. This is why we continue
to be dedicated to this holy labor of love, a holy work which glorifies
the name of our Lord even more. At the same time we are investing for
the future of our children in the faith and developing their God-given
talents to the glory of God through our Diocese youth programs. We ask you, all
the faithful, to participate in this holy service to God. Your help
will be truly honored and greatly appreciated as you serve Christ our
Lord in this special way. Please consider
a special gift toward this project during this Holy Season of sacrifice
and preparation for the celebration of the Feast of Feasts, the glorious
Resurrection of our Lord, for our salvation. Pray for us; we pray for
you.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-12
The
Devout Clergy, Monastics, and the Faithful Members of the Holy Diocese
of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
On
Holy Saturday night in our darkened churches we will remember these
words of the Prophet Isaiah. He spoke of Christ our Lord Who is the
Light of the world. Saint John the Evangelist writes, "In Him was
life and the Life was the light of men (John 1:4)." We hear these
very words in the Divine Liturgy of Pascha. We shall be assured once
more that our Lord Jesus Christ is the true Light Who gives light to
everyone who comes into the world. Why, then, is there
so much darkness in the world today? No one can deny that the powers
of darkness which are waging their final battle against the Light have
darkened the minds of many. Those who have followed the spirit of Great
Lent have escaped this darkness and the Light of Christ has been strengthened
in their lives. They are the ones who remind us that the darkness in
the world which is called light does not recognize the true Light, our
Lord. Man's knowledge which casts out God is true darkness. A parting of the
ways has begun. We now must choose to follow the darkness of the world,
which appears as light, or the Light of the world Who cannot be seen
by the world. Christ, the First
of those who have fallen asleep, gave His light to those who once walked
in darkness. He descended into the darkness of the land of the shadow
of sin and death, and shattered the power of Hades and death, redeeming
us from our sins. Thus, once again this year we join with one another
to proclaim our Lord's glorious Resurrection. Our joy will strengthen
our faith. Our happiness will spread out to many others. Our exultation
will prepare us for what may lie ahead. I greet all of you,
the members and friends of this holy Diocese, clergy, monastics, and
laity, with the life-promising words which we proclaim now and for forty
joyful days that Christ is Risen! May His love fill your hearts.
With
Love in Our Risen Lord,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-13
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
Christ
is Risen!
"Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,
to the close of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20) A number of you
have recently contacted the Diocesan Office regarding the reception
of converts from some Christian denominations through Chrismation, as
well as concerning the eligibility of certain non-Orthodox Christians
to marry an Orthodox Christian in the Mystery of Holy Matrimony. As you are aware,
much has been written in various publications, and much has been spoken
in numerous forums, concerning these matters. In regard to our practice,
the Holy Eparchial Synod of Bishops of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
of America, following the protocols and practices established by the
Holy and sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, has determined
that an individual who was previously Baptized in water, in the "Name
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" by a heterodox Christian
church or denomination that has an expressed belief in the Most Holy
Trinity is to be received into the Orthodox Church by extreme oikonomia
through Chrismation, not through re-baptism, and may be wed in the Mystery
of Marriage to his/her Orthodox fiancée. In general, an individual
Baptized in one of the following churches may be received through Chrismation
and/or may be married to an Orthodox spouse:
a.
Anglican Catholic
b.
Anglican Communion (Church of England,
Episcopal, etc.)
c.
Assembly of God
d.
Baptist
e.
Church of the Brethren
f.
Lutheran
g.
Methodist
h.
Moravians
i.
Non-Chalcedonian and Monophysite Orthodox
Churches
j.
Old Catholic (Polish National Catholic
Church, Church of Utrecht, Liberal Catholic Church, etc.)
k.
Presbyterian
l.
Roman Catholic
m.
United Church of Christ.
It is generally
assumed that priests and ministers of these thirteen denominations who
conduct baptisms, do so in conformance with the elements listed in the
previous paragraph; that is, in the Name of the Holy Trinity with the
use of water. However, it sometimes occurs that certain pastors do not
baptize in the "Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,"
or may not use water (sometimes they anoint with oil). Consequently
the Presbyter must be very cautious whenever inquiring of converts how
they were "baptized." He should insist on seeing their baptismal
certificate or a transcript of it. If it cannot be ascertained that
the heterodox baptism was done according to the criteria cited above,
the convert must be properly baptized according to the rite of the Orthodox
Church. It should be further
noted that "baptisms" performed in the following churches,
however, are not accepted and individuals from these churches may not
be married to an Orthodox spouse in an Orthodox Mystery of Marriage.
They are to be received into the Orthodox Church through Baptism and
Chrismation:
a.
Anabaptists (Mennonite, etc.)
b.
Christian Scientist
c.
Disciples of Christ
d.
Jehovah's Witness
e.
Mormon (also called "Latter Day
Saints)
f.
Quaker
g.
Salvation Army
h.
Seventh Day Adventist
i.
Swedenborgian
j.
Unitarian.
May our merciful
and risen Lord, Who called each of you to serve at His Holy Altar as
a Presbyter, grant you strength and wisdom to faithfully and properly
discharge the fearsome duties of the priestly office.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-14
The
Reverend Priest of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
Christ
is Risen!
With
the blessings of our Lord, an increasing number of our clergy have become
chaplains either on a full-time basis, such as the military chaplains,
or as part-time chaplains in prisons, hospitals, police centers, and
veterans administration centers. For the past three
Archdiocese Clergy-Laity Congresses, I have overseen the chaplains'
meeting. At the last Clergy-Laity in Orlando, Florida, there were at
least twenty-five chaplains at the meeting and workshop. All chaplains who
have participated in the past see the need for such a gathering every
two years. In order to inform
all our clergy chaplains about our next meeting in Philadelphia during
our next Archdiocese Clergy-Laity Congress, I am asking your assistance.
Enclosed is a form which I ask you to review and complete if it applies
to you in your ministry. If so, please return the completed form to
my office where I will collate the responses and inform the priests
of our coming meeting in Philadelphia. May the Lord richly
bless you as you labor in His service.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-15
The
Reverend Clergy, The Esteemed Diocese Council Members, and the Philoptochos
Chapters of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
Christ
is Risen!
The
Diocese of Denver Clergy-Laity Assembly and the Diocese Philoptochos
Conference for the year 2001 will be held on the weekend of April 29,
2001 at the Annunciation Cathedral in Houston, Texas. Except for hotel
rooms, all meetings and activities will take place at the Cathedral
in its expanded facilities. This will insure a lower cost for the Assembly
and Conference, including a lower registration fee for the delegates. Please mark your
calendars and plan your travel arrangements. Although you will be receiving
detailed information from the host committee, the outline of the weekend
will follow the general pattern as in the past:
Wednesday evening, April
25
·
Arrival of the Clergy for an evening
meal
Thursday morning, April
26
·
A brief Clergy retreat followed by a
Clergy Syndesmos meeting
Thursday evening, April
26
·
Diocese Council meeting
Friday, April 27 - Official
opening of the Assembly
·
Official opening of the Philoptochos
Conference
·
Lunch
·
Workshops, Presentations
·
Worship
·
Dinner
Saturday, April 28 - Plenary
Sessions
·
Worship
·
Official Banquet
Sunday, April 29 - Hierarchical
Divine Liturgy
·
Luncheon and departure
This
will be the first Clergy-Laity Assembly and Philoptochos Conference
in the new millennium, the twenty-first century. Let us make it a far-reaching
event for the future of our Church and our people in this Holy Diocese.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-16
Christ
is Risen!
With
the departure from the Diocesan Office of the Reverend Father Mark Leondis,
who served this Diocese well and ably for five years, I am pleased to
announce to you that the Holy Diocese of Denver has received a new full-time
Youth Director. The new Youth Director
is Mr. Paul Zaharas who will serve under me and will be my official
representative at all youth functions and affairs of the Diocese. Mr.
Zaharas is from Saints Constantine and Helen Parish in Cheyenne, Wyoming,
and has just graduated from the Holy Cross School of Theology. Mr. Zaharas worked
as an intern in our Diocese youth office during vacations from seminary,
and is familiar with the Diocesan Office, the Diocese, and many of our
programs. Many of you know him from his active participation in our
youth camps and retreats during the past several years. I am confident that
you will find Mr. Zaharas most willing to assist you and your youth
at any time. He will also be available to visit the parishes in order
to be apprised of our youth and young adults programs, and to see how
he can offer his assistance for the greater efficiency of those programs
which should focus on our Orthodox Christian faith. Please feel free
to contact Mr. Zaharas for whatever concerns you may have regarding
youth matters.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-17
Christ
is Risen!
Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew
28:19)
With
these words, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gives us as priests our
first and foremost sacramental responsibility: to join believers to
Him through the Holy Mystery of Baptism. Most often children
are brought to Holy Baptism by their parents. This affords us with the
opportunity to, in some cases, re-catechize parents who may have strayed
from the Church but who now wish at least to see their child united
to Christ. In other cases, we can encourage parents to remain faithful
in their active commitment to the Church. At other times individuals,
and sometimes families, come as inquirers concerning the Apostolic Orthodox
Church, and the Mystery of Baptism or Chrismation is the joyous culmination
of a period of study and growth in faith, fulfilling the further words
of Jesus Christ, "Teaching them to observe all things which I have
commanded you." (Matthew 28:19) Not all of our parish
churches have adequate provision for the baptism of adults or older
children. Ideally, an adult baptismal font like the one at Prophet Elias
Parish in Salt Lake City, Utah or the one at Saint Catherine Parish
in Greenwood Village, Colorado should be used. When there are no
other viable choices for adults or older children, the candidate may
be baptized by pouring water upon his head. This is in accord with the
writings of the Holy Apostles themselves:
"Baptize in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in
running water, if you do not have running water, use whatever is available.
If you do not have cold water, use warm. But if you have neither, pour
water on the head three times - in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." (Didache, Chapter 7, verses 1-3)
It sometimes happens
that in cases of emergency, a person near death must be baptized. This
might be by their own request, or the request of the family. Such "clinical
baptisms" (because they usually take place in a clinical or hospital
situation) obviously cannot be celebrated with all the prayers and actions
associated with the full Services for Making a Catechumen and for Baptism.
Rather, the person should be baptized with the sprinkling or pouring
of water only; for this purpose every priest should have a bottle of
Holy Water in his customary hospital kit, although in an emergency any
water may be used. If the priest is not available to conduct a clinical
baptism, any Christian lay person believing in the Holy Trinity may
do so. In extreme emergency,
when no water whatsoever is available, a person can be baptized "by
air" in which a child is lifted up and the Sign of the Cross is
made with him, or in which the priest places his hand on an adult and
says the customary formula. In clinical situations
it is sufficient (1) to recite the Trisagion Prayers; (2) to baptize
the person pouring water upon the individual three times, saying, "The
servant of God, (Name), is baptized in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen;" and (3)
to recite the Small Dismissal. The person is not Chrismated. Should the priest
arrive after a person has been declared dead, he cannot do a clinical
baptism, for we must baptize a living person, body and soul. This includes
stillborn infants. Should the individual
live following a clinical baptism, he must be brought to the church
for the confession of faith to be recited by the sponsor, after which
the Prayer of Chrismation is said by the celebrant. The anointing with
Holy Chrism then takes place. This is followed by the Prayer of Tonsure,
and then by the clothing in the new vesture. A person receiving clinical
baptism may receive the full funeral services of the Orthodox Church,
even though they were not Chrismated nor ever received Holy Communion. Should a catechumen
fall asleep before receiving the Mystery of Baptism, he may receive
a church funeral, according to the rubrics prescribed for Orthodox clergy
who bury non-Orthodox Christians: the three sections of Psalm 118 without
petitions or exclamations; the Apostolic and Gospel readings; and the
Dismissal.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-18
Beloved
in the Lord,
Christ
is Risen!
As
many of you are aware, warfare has broken out between the peoples of
Ethiopia and Eritrea in northeastern Africa. As in any war, those who
suffer most are the innocent civilians "men and women, young and
old" who endure hunger, thirst, deprivation of the basic human
necessities of clothing, shelter, and medical care. This conflict, which
has already displaced 350,000 civilians, exacerbates the conditions
caused by the three-year drought that has afflicted at least 16 million
people in this region of Africa. Tragically, this
present war is an affliction upon the beleaguered Christians in Africa,
who already suffer much from persecution at the hands of inimical governments
and non-Christian peoples. Sadly, this is a region of the world that
received the Christian message and embraced the Gospel of the resurrected
Christ even in the earliest Apostolic times from Saint Philip (cf. Acts
8:26-39). I have been in contact
with the offices of the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)
to ask how we in this Diocese might best provide material assistance
to those in dire need as a result of this warfare. I was told that it
is very expensive to ship food and clothing to this region, and that
distribution of these items is both costly and difficult. Instead, the
in-country IOCC representatives are arranging to procure and distribute
food and other relief materials from local sources in the region. Accordingly,
they need funds to purchase the needed items and to arrange for their
transportation to those most in need. Thus, as I asked
you to do in my Protocol 00-01, dated January 17, 2000, please send
contributions collected for this cause to the Diocesan Office so that
they may be forwarded to the IOCC. Please make the checks out to the
Diocese and stipulate on the bottom left corner of the check that it
is for Eritrea or Ethiopia or both.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
cc: Mr. Constantine Triantafilou, Executive Director, IOCC
Protocol
00-19
The
Parish Priests of the Holy Diocese of Denver
Beloved
Co-workers and Concelebrants,
Christ
is Risen!
I
am addressing these words to you to inform you that, a little over a
year ago, I received a letter from the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of
Archangel Michael in Tharri, Rhodes, whom I have known for many years.
He requested that I give my blessing to one of his monks, Archimandrite
Christodoulos Papadeas, a native of Denver, Colorado, to begin a monastic
community somewhere in the Diocese, preferably in the state of Colorado. I readily gave my
blessing to Father Christodoulos, who has been striving to succeed in
this endeavor. His Abbot stated that, if he could not succeed, then
he would return to his monastery on Rhodes. Thus far, Father
Christodoulos has had limited success, in that he is using the home
of a deceased family member which he has converted to the Brotherhood
of Saint George, and in which he has conducted daily services. Although the holy
Eparchial Synod of our Archdiocese now determines the establishment
of monasteries in America, and although Father Christodoulos is still
a priest of the Church of Greece, he nevertheless has my blessing to
attempt to succeed in his holy endeavor. If he is successful,
and he enlists monastics and begins a monastic community, he will ask
to come under the Archdiocese and consequently the Diocese. Then he
will request a release from the Church of Greece to our Archdiocese.
Once this is done, his monastic community will come into the legal possession
of the Archdiocese through the Diocese. It is Christ Himself
Who determines how His Church will be guided by the Holy Spirit for
all who are to be saved: laity, monastics, and clergy. Therefore, we
look to the Lord for the furtherance of His Church on earth. In this spirit,
I have used the services of Father Christodoulos for the needs of the
Diocese. You also may ask for his services through my office, if you
are to be absent from your parish for any reason. Father Christodoulos
has my blessing to preach whenever he is invited to do so by the parish
priests, and also to hear confessions. Moreover, you may wish to use
him for leading retreats or conducting seminars regarding our Holy Faith.
Whatever Father Christodoulos is to do, however, he must have the express
permission of the parish priest. I believe that these
words clarify the presence and the position of Father Christodoulos
in the Diocese, and will eliminate any future repetition of any confusion
or conflict which may have occurred in the past.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
cc:
Archimandrite Christodoulos Papadeas
Protocol
00-20
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
"I
believe in one Baptism for the remission of sins." In the last several
years we have seen more and more of our priests making pilgrimages to
the Holy Land. While there, our people often undergo a symbolic "baptism"
in the River Jordan. This must never be confused with the Mystery (Sacrament)
of Holy Baptism. First and foremost,
we believe in one baptism for the remission of sins. This is a baptism
(ideally by triple immersion) in the "Name of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit" which is a Mystery of the Church that unites
us to Christ. We also drink or
sprinkle ourselves with Holy Water, and we sprinkle our homes, as a
blessing especially at Theophany, or even at the beginning of each month.
Obviously this service is not a preparation for one's baptism, but it
is for our health and sanctification. When Orthodox Christians
go on pilgrimages to holy places, they often encounter wells or springs
that are regarded as holy, and drink some of that water, wash themselves
in the water, even take some of that water with them to their homes.
This water is a blessing, not a sacrament. It connects them symbolically
with the holy place, and is a reminder of God's grace manifested on
earth through His creation. Similarly, when
Orthodox pilgrims visit the Holy Land and the River Jordan in which
Christ was once baptized by John the Baptist and at which time the Holy
Trinity was manifest by the Spirit in the form of a dove and the voice
of the Father bearing witness to the Son, they seek to be "blessed"—not
baptized—with these same waters. Ideally an Orthodox Christian
would be "blessed" in the Jordan by an Orthodox hierarch or
priest. If the priests of this Diocese lead the faithful on a pilgrimage
to the Holy Land they may bless them by sprinkling them with Jordan
River water and saying, "The servant of God is blessed in the Jordan,
becoming a pilgrim of the Holy Land." Or he may say, "The
servant of God receives the waters of the Jordan, becoming a proskyniti
of the Holy Land." Such a "blessing"
(we should always avoid the word "baptism" to minimize confusion
or misinterpretation in the minds of the faithful) makes one a "proskyniti"
or "hadji" or "pilgrim." I pray that this
explanation clears any misconceptions in the minds of our people.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-21
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
By
the grace of God the campaign for the new Diocese Center continues to
move forward. Since the involvement of Stewardship Advocates, we have
raised an additional $1.25 million in gifts and pledges above and beyond
the approximate $600,000 that was raised prior to their involvement.
We plan to break ground in March of 2001 and finish the building next
year. I personally thank
the priests who have worked closely with us to meet with individual
families regarding pledge commitments, even though many of you have
your own capital campaigns in progress. I am writing to
advise you that Jeff Gaudreau, a consultant for Stewardship Advocates,
also will help us to bring this project to a successful conclusion.
Jeff was chrismated by Father Makarios in 1995 at Annunciation parish
in Missoula while a university student. Previously I mailed
to each of you my request for a suggested amount that each parish might
give toward this project. At the time, I mentioned that the amounts
could be inclusive of gifts by individual parishioners. I based this
logic on the smaller size of most of our parishes. I offered the suggested
amounts as a bare minimum coming from each parish location. Now it is time to
involve each parish individually as an active participant of this holy
project. Therefore, with my blessing and at my direction, Jeff will
be calling each of you concerning a pledge from your parish according
to your financial strength. You may consider this a three-year pledge
and have it as part of your operating budget for the years 2001, 2002,
and 2003. If it is above and beyond what individuals may give or what
subsidiary parish organizations may give, I will be most grateful to
you. My expectation is that each and every parish council will participate
with a sacrificial and meaningful gift. A few parishes have
already stepped forward with commitments from their operating budgets.
However, most have not yet done so. I need your help and your advocacy.
We wish to receive your parish pledge commitments before the end of
this year. Please know that this is a once in a lifetime campaign for
the Diocese Center which is greatly needed to better serve you and your
parish programs. I want every parish of the Diocese to participate in
this historic labor for our Lord and His holy Church. You may call Jeff
at Stewardship Advocates if you wish to take the initiative. His office
number is 212-765-5610.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-22
The
Pious Pastors and Esteemed Parish Councils of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved in the Lord,
As
we approach the time of year for holding Parish Council elections, I
pray that the parishioners will soon be choosing individuals "of
good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (cf. Acts 6:3) to
administer the temporal affairs of your parish in cooperation with your
priest. So that the elections
may be held properly and fairly, I exhort you to review the provisions
of the Special Regulations and Uniform Parish Regulations of the Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese of America (commonly referred to as the "UPR").
Please remember that your local bylaws may supplement, but cannot contravene,
these regulations. To clarify the provisions
of the UPR, and to permit my positive and timely response to your request
for ratification of the election results, I ask that your parish also
abide by the enclosed guidelines. Please note that Parish Council elections
will not be ratified unless all of the indicated forms are submitted. Please note: the
enclosed package contains the forms you are to use this autumn; forms
from previous years will not be accepted. You may wish to
reproduce these forms locally, so I have also enclosed blank copies
of the forms which can be reproduced onto your parish letterhead. You
might also wish to retype the forms and produce them locally and you
are free to do so, as long as all wording is included exactly as provided. The members of the
Parish Council, are co-workers in the sacred task of administering the
operational affairs of Christ's Holy Church at their parish. These responsibilities
are serious inasmuch as they are a service to Christ, and consequently
Parish Council Members must never take this ministry lightly or use
their position for personal gain or to further any personal desire,
but must exercise it to the glory of Christ and His Holy Church. Parish Council Members
should also recognize that as the "board of trustees" for
parishes organized under the incorporation laws in their state, they
are legally answerable in the civil courts for any suit or complaint
brought against the Parish corporation during the time of their tenure. The Parish Council
is not a policy-making body, but rather an executive agent for the Parish
General Assembly. The Parish Council thus carries out the will of the
Parish General Assembly, and does not make decisions nor take actions
contrary to that will. In this regard,
I ask that you carry out the decision reached at the Clergy-Laity Congress
in Chicago in 1994 requiring that the parish budget for the forthcoming
year be submitted at the last regular General Assembly. In other words,
your 2001 budget should be submitted to the forthcoming autumn 2000
General Assembly. This way your 2001 Parish Council will have the mandate
of the parish assembly as well as an approved budget when they begin
their term of office. From time to time
questions arise concerning membership status in our parishes and the
stewardship obligations of our faithful to their parishes. First and
foremost, we are "members" of the Church (the Body of Christ)
by virtue of the Mystery of Baptism and Chrismation. We remain "members"
by our spiritual struggle (ascesis), by our participation in the Holy
Mysteries, and by our association with the local parish. Only secondarily
do we have the notion of "membership in good standing" which
is an administrative distinction limited to determining those "members"
of the Church (as described in the previous paragraph) who are afforded
an opportunity to vote regarding certain parish administrative matters.
Such "voting membership" presupposes being a member of the
Church sacramentally, and additionally involves having demonstrated
a specified level of stewardship involvement in a particular parish. Finally, since both
membership by Baptism and Chrismation in the Church as well as "membership
in good standing" according to financial stewardship are spiritual
matters—insofar as both reflect one's responsibility to God—it
is only the parish Priest as the head of the parish and as spiritual
father of the members of that parish who can make a definitive determination
in this regard concerning the status of his parishioners. I pray that the
Lord will bless each ongoing and each newly-elected council member with
the wisdom and strength to continue serving Him as a faithful member
of the Parish Council.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-23
The Esteemed Parish
Councils and the Faithful Parishioners of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved in the Lord,
From
the early years of this century, when the Greek Orthodox Church served
struggling immigrants who brought our holy faith to this land, through
this final year of the second millennium, the clergy of the Archdiocese
have served your parishes faithfully and often under difficult and trying
circumstances. Most of the clergy
from those early years, the immigrant priests as well as those trained
at our seminary when it was in Pomfret (Connecticut), served the parishes
to which they were assigned, struggling to raise their families and
to make ends meet. In most cases, their standard of living was on the
lower end of the wage scale and many times on the poverty level. Today, the Greek
Orthodox Church is no longer comprised of immigrants struggling to establish
themselves in America. Our young people have been raised in this country
enjoying the benefits of a society that affords them every opportunity
to achieve the successes that their grandparents dreamed would be possible
for them. Some of these grandsons, now men dedicated to the service
of God, have been ordained as priests to serve the parishes of a flourishing
Orthodox Church and particularly the spiritual needs of our people. The Archdiocese
Council, in consultation with the Councils of Presbyters from the Dioceses
and the Archdiocese, has established remuneration standards for our
dedicated priests. The annual Clergy Compensation Plans that they issue
provide a reasonable standard of living for the clergy and their families
whose lives are dedicated totally to serving the Church of Jesus Christ
and His holy parishes. It is therefore
incumbent upon each Parish Council of the Diocese, and upon the parishioners
who meet in General Assemblies, to review the current Compensation Plan
and to budget the corresponding salary and benefit amounts for their
priest—and, where assigned, for their assistant clergy. In some
parishes it is vital for the operating budget to increase so that the
compensation of the priest does not appear to be excessive. I have enclosed
for your use in this regard, The Clergy Compensation Plan for Year 2001.
I ask you to review its guidelines carefully. I also ask you to provide
your priest with an annual salary increase every year, corresponding
to his years of service as a priest of the Orthodox Church. Please remember
that as a minimum, the Parish is responsible for:
a.
Paying the remuneration of the priest,
within the remuneration range indicated on the Plan for a priest with
his years of service.
b.
Paying an amount equal to 15.3% of the
remuneration, which is the priest's Social Security payment (Note: Priests
are considered self-employed for Social Security purposes).
c.
Paying the priest's health insurance
(Note: This amount will be $10,644 for a priest with family).
d.
Travel (Note: The parish must purchase
or lease an automobile for use by the priest and cover all related expenses).
e.
Paying the expenses for the priest to
attend the Archdiocese Clergy-Laity Congresses, the Diocesan Clergy-Laity
Assemblies, the National Presbyters Council Retreats, and the Diocesan
Clergy Retreats.
In regard to vacation
time, the priest is allowed to take fifteen days a year through the
first five years of service, twenty-two days a year for the sixth through
tenth years of service, twenty-nine days a year for the eleventh through
fifteenth years of service, and thirty-five days for the sixteenth year
of service and every year thereafter. Please remember that the priest
is assigned by the Diocesan Hierarch to a parish and is given a blessing
by him to be absent from his parish, pursuant to the priest's request
and considering the spiritual needs of the parish during the time of
his absence. It is understood
that the parish council is always apprised so that arrangements can
be made during the priest's absence. Whenever a substitute priest is
sent by the Diocesan Hierarch to serve in the absence of the assigned
priest, the parish is responsible for providing him with a minimum stipend
of $250 in addition to covering all his travel and lodging expenses. Please keep in mind
that nearly one-fourth of the parishes in this Diocese are presently
without a full-time priest. Those parishes that are viable and able
to do so must endeavor to do everything possible to fully compensate
their assigned priests in accordance with the current year Compensation
Plan guidelines so that the clergy will feel secure knowing that their
families are being properly cared for while they dedicate themselves
to serving the needs of the parish. I also ask that
you remember to contribute 15% of the parish income as your Total Commitment
pledge toward the national ministries of the Church, and also to remit
the additional $290 per month ($3,480 per annum)which is used to partially
meet the overhead expenses of the Archdiocese Benefits Plan. Details
concerning this Plan are described on the enclosed notice from the Archdiocese. No later than January
31, 2001, your parish is responsible to the Internal Revenue Service
for preparing the appropriate IRS Form and giving it to the priest.
Additionally, please note that although Social Security is calculated
based on the entire salary amount, the priest will not pay income taxes
on that portion of his salary designated as his housing allowance. Together
with the IRS Form, the parish should provide the priest with a letter
indicating the amount of his housing allowance.
With Paternal Blessings,
+ Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding Hierarch
of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-24
The Pious Pastors
of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
In
this season when you are preparing your Autumn schedules, I wish to
communicate to you the following concerning the Great Feast of the Nativity
According to the Flesh and the Great Feast of the Holy Theophany of
our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. As you are aware,
there are three Great Feasts in the Orthodox Church which are commemorated
by celebrating two Divine Liturgies: Pascha, the Nativity of our Lord,
and His Holy Theophany. The pattern for all three is similar, comprising
Orthros, the Royal Hours, a Vesperal Liturgy of Saint Basil, Orthros,
and the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. The specific schedule
of these services for your parish should, of course, take into account
the nature of your parishioners and should respect their pious practices.
For instance, it seems that in general the American-born Orthodox tend
to prefer attending the Divine Liturgy on Christmas Eve, whereas the
Greek-born Orthodox are accustomed to celebrate the Liturgy on Christmas
morning. Also, I ask that
you schedule and provide all of these services even though you anticipate
that only a few individuals will attend. It is good for the priest to
pray liturgically for the welfare of that portion of the flock entrusted
to him, even if no one else is in the church with him; of course, the
Divine Liturgy cannot be celebrated alone. These services celebrate
the major events that occurred in God's economy for our salvation. Keeping all of these
factors in mind, and considering that special liturgical services are
specified in the Typikon of our Church for the celebration of the Paramony
of the Nativity on a Friday, I ask that you celebrate the following
services in compliance with proper canonical order and to promote uniformity
throughout the Denver Diocese.
Friday, December
22, 2000 Forefeast of the
Nativity of Christ
·
Morning: Orthros, followed by
the Royal Hours. Note: There is no Liturgy this day.
·
Evening: Vespers.
Saturday, December
23, 2000 Saturday Before
the Nativity of Christ
·
Morning: Orthros and Divine Liturgy
of Saint John Chrysostom.
·
Afternoon or Evening: Great Vespers.
Sunday, December
24, 2000 Sunday Before
the Nativity of Christ (Proeortia of Christmas)
·
Morning: Orthros and Divine Liturgy
of Saint John Chrysostom
·
Afternoon or Evening: Great Vespers
Note: With the three prophetic readings followed by the Epistle and
the Gospel pericope; entrance with the Gospel Book.
Monday, 25 December
2000 The Nativity According
to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ
·
Morning: Orthros and Divine Liturgy
of Saint Basil the Great
Please know that
the Holy Eparchial Synod of our Archdiocese determined at its most recent
meeting that this year there should be no Divine Liturgy celebrated
on Sunday afternoon, evening or night, December 24, since the Feast
of the Nativity falls on Monday. In addition, remember
that Orthros and the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom should
be celebrated on Tuesday, December 26, 2000 (Feast of the Synaxis of
the Most-Holy Theotokos), as well as on Wednesday, December 27, 2000
(Feast of Saint Stephen, Protodeacon and Protomartyr). Great Vespers
may also be scheduled the previous evenings. To commemorate the
Feast of the Theophany, I further ask that you celebrate the following
services:
Friday, January
5, 2000 The Forefeast
of the Theophany
·
Morning: Orthros and the Royal
Hours, followed by Great Vespers with the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil
the Great.
Note:
The Service of the Small Blessing of Waters (first two prayers read
silently, third prayer, "Great are You, O Lord," read aloud)
begins at the end of the Divine Liturgy after the hymn, "Blessed
be the name of the Lord..."
Note:
The Great Vespers with the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great may
be deferred until Friday afternoon or evening, if: there will be more
than 14 hours between it and the subsequent Divine Liturgy of Saint
John Chrysostom the next morning. For example, if the Divine Liturgy
Friday evening were to begin at 6:00 pm and the Divine Liturgy Saturday
morning were to begin at 10:00 am.
Saturday, January
6, 2000 The Feast of the
Theophany
·
Morning: Orthros and Divine Liturgy
of Saint John Chrysostom.
Note:
The Service of the Great Blessing of Waters (all three prayers read
aloud) begins at the end of the Divine Liturgy after the hymn, "Blessed
be the name of the Lord..."
I pray that you
will have a very joyful and blessed Autumn season, and that you and
your parishes will find the spirit of true peace as you anticipate and
contemplate the great mysteries of the Nativity and Theophany of our
Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ.
With Paternal Blessings,
+ Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding Hierarch
of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-25
The
Parish Priests and the Esteemed Parish Councils of the Holy Diocese
of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
I
have recently been informed that our holy Patriarchate is sponsoring
a clergy-laity conference in Istanbul, at which all hierarchs from throughout
the world, including clergy and laity may participate. The conference begins
on Sunday, November 26, 2000 and ends on Thursday, November 30, 2000. Please inform those
members of your parish who wish to participate in this conference that
travel and hotel costs will be covered by the participants while the
meals will be hosted by the Patriarchate. Those who are interested
in this conference are asked to contact the parish priests who should
give to them the following information: They are to call
the travel agency called Opus 92 and speak with Mr. Efstratios Doltsiniadis
or Mr. George Papaliaris. The telephone numbers are 011-90-212-236-4234,
or 011-90-212-236-6964, or 011-90-212-259-5719.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Saints Cosmas
and Damianos Protocol
00-26
The Pious Clergy
and the Esteemed Parish Councils of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved in the Lord,
As
all of you know, the Philoptochos Society of our Holy Archdiocese, and
consequently of each diocese, is the philanthropic arm of our holy faith
in the United States. The Philoptochos Society was established in 1931
by the then-Archbishop Athenagoras, who came to the United States that
year as our new archbishop, and who saw the great tragedy, the poverty,
and the hopelessness of thousands upon thousands of people who included
the Greek Orthodox immigrants. For the past seventy
years the Philoptochos Society has been the organization among our people
in this country that has given honored recognition, respect, and esteem
to our Greek Orthodox Church in America. More than ever before, the
Philoptochos Society locally, regionally, and nationally has been at
the forefront in helping the needy, the homeless, the infirm, the children,
and the elderly. The mission statement
of Philoptochos says it all: "To aid the poor, the destitute, the
hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned,
the widowed, the handicapped, the victims of disasters, to undertake
the burial of impoverished persons, and to offer assistance to anyone
who may need the help of the Church..." Obviously, this
focus on the helpless and the needy should continue to be the criterion
of Philoptochos members when they are asked for assistance. On this
basis it is not proper for any priest or parish council to look upon
the Philoptochos for any other reason but philanthropy. The time when Philoptochos
chapters helped parish councils with their administrative expenses or
with the decoration of the church buildings by donating many religious
appointments, rather than one or two, was during the years of the Great
Depression. With gratefulness to God we are not living in such difficult
times. All of us are in the position of being more and more generous
to our parishes on an individual basis, especially with our parish stewardship
of increased monetary giving, as well as generating funds as a council. Thus, please encourage
the Philoptochos chapter of your parish to keep its focus on the less
fortunate people in our society, such as children from broken homes,
battered women's shelters, the homeless, and those unable to cover medical
and funeral expenses. Finally, please
always remember that the healthiest Greek Orthodox parish in this country
which keeps the members active and interested in the parish is the parish
which has a mortgage. If you as individuals have mortgages on your homes
and only one or two incomes help to pay that mortgage, then, when a
parish has a mortgage which is paid by twenty or sixty or one hundred
or one thousand people who have incomes, why are you so hesitant? With
confidence in our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Head of the Church,
no parish will ever be in the position of not paying its bills. During
the days of the Great Depression, not one Greek Orthodox parish lost
its mortgage. God never allows His churches to suffer to that degree
when He sees the faith of His people. I am thankful to
you for keeping these words in your minds and renewing your faithful
commitment to serve our Lord Jesus Christ and His holy Church with greater
love and dedication.
With Paternal Blessings,
+ Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding Hierarch
of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-27
The Pious Pastors
of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved in the Lord,
As
we prepare to enter the new calendar year 2001, many of you are looking
ahead to the many scheduled activities and services that will be planned. To assist you in
this regard, I am enclosing a schedule of days on which the Divine Liturgy
should be celebrated in the parishes of this Diocese. This schedule
will promote uniformity throughout the Denver Diocese, and all pastors
are expected to celebrate the Divine Liturgy on these days. It is nonetheless
understood if some of these Liturgies are not scheduled in the very
small parishes which do not have a full-time priest. As always, the specific
schedule of services for your parish should take into account the nature
of your parishioners and should respect their pious practices. For instance,
there may be other feasts that have special meaning to certain members
of the flock entrusted to your care. Please remember
that the complete liturgical cycle for the celebration of both weekday
feast days and Sundays includes Vespers, Orthros, and the Divine Liturgy. The services of
Vespers and Orthros should preferably be celebrated by the priest assisted
by the chanter or by congregational participation (or both). In small
parishes they can be simply read, even by the priest alone, if there
is no chanter to assist. Although few or no people may initially attend
Vespers and Orthros, the pastor has a solemn and sacred duty to pray
for the members of his flock. In time, as the faithful become accustomed
to these services being offered regularly and consistently, they will
attend them in greater numbers. We, as clergy, must remember that if
our people do not know of, or do not attend, Vespers and other services
we are the ones who have conditioned them not to expect them with the
lame excuse that they will not attend. Even if the priest is alone in
the church he should celebrate these services, for we believe that even
angels are invisibly in attendance. If your parish is
not currently offering Vespers on Saturday evening, as well as on the
eve of major feasts, I ask you to begin offering them. The order for celebrating
these feasts as well as all services of the Church is governed by the
Typikon of the Great Church of Constantinople, and its details are specified
in the HMEROLOGION TOU OIKOUMENIKOU PATRIARXEIOU, which each of you
orders annually through Holy Cross Orthodox Bookstore in Brookline,
Massachusetts. I pray that this
coming new year will bring to you and to the Lord's people abundant
blessings from God.
With Paternal Blessings,
+ Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding Hierarch
of the Diocese of Denver
Schedule of Sundays and Feast Days on Which the Divine
Liturgy is to be Celebrated in Parishes Throughout the Diocese
of Denver During the Year 2001
1 Jan The Feasts of Circumcision of Our Lord and of Saint
Basil the Great (Liturgy of Saint Basil) 5 Jan Eve
of the Theophany (Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great; please refer to
Protocol 00-24, dated October 6, 2000, regarding the specific order
of Theophany services.) 6 Jan Feast
of the Theophany (Please refer to Protocol 00-24, dated October 6, 2000,
regarding the specific order of Theophany services.) 7 Jan Saint
John the Baptist 14 Jan Sunday
after Theophany 17 Jan Saint
Anthony the Great 18 Jan Saints
Athanasios and Cyril of Alexandria 21 Jan Twelfth
Sunday of Saint Luke (the Ten Lepers) 25 Jan Saint
Gregory the Theologian 28 Jan Fifteenth
Sunday of Luke of Zacchaeus 30 Jan The
Three Hierarchs
2 Feb The
Meeting of Our Lord in the Temple 4 Feb Sixteenth
Sunday of Saint Luke (the Publican and the Pharisee) 6 Feb Saint
Photios 10 Feb Saint
Haralambos, Hieromartyr 11 Feb Seventeenth
Sunday of Saint Luke (the Prodigal Son) 17 Feb First
Saturday of Souls 18 Feb Meatfare
Sunday (the Last Judgement) 24 Feb Second
Saturday of Souls 25 Feb Cheesefare
Sunday (Forgiveness)
Note: Great
Fast begins on Clean Monday, February 26
1 Mar First
Friday of the Great Fast (Presanctified Liturgy) 3 Mar Third
Saturday of Souls 4 Mar First
Sunday of the Great Fast, of Orthodoxy (Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great) 9 Mar Second
Friday of the Great Fast and the Feast of the Holy Forty Martyrs (Presanctified
Liturgy) 11 Mar Second
Sunday of the Great Fast, of Saint Gregory Palamas (Liturgy of Saint
Basil the Great) 16 Mar Third
Friday of the Great Fast (Presanctified Liturgy) 18 Mar Third
Sunday of the Great Fast, of the Veneration of the Holy Cross (Liturgy
of Saint Basil the Great) 23 Mar Fourth
Friday of the Great Fast (Presanctified Liturgy) 25 Mar The
Annunciation of the Theotokos 30 Mar Fifth
Friday of the Great Fast (Presanctified Liturgy)
1 Apr Fifth
Sunday of the Great Fast, of Saint Mary of Egypt (Liturgy of Saint Basil
the Great) 6 Apr Sixth
Friday of the Great Fast (Presanctified Liturgy) 7 Apr Lazarus
Saturday 8 Apr Palm
Sunday 9 Apr Holy
Monday (Presanctified Liturgy) 10 Apr Holy
Tuesday (Presanctified Liturgy) 11 Apr Holy
Wednesday (Presanctified Liturgy) 12 Apr Holy
Thursday, the Last Supper (Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great) 14 Apr Holy
Saturday, the First Resurrection (Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great) 15 Apr HOLY
PASCHA 20 Apr Life-Giving
Fountain 22 Apr Second
Sunday, of Saint Thomas 23 Apr Saint
George 29 Apr Third
Sunday, of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
6 May Fourth
Sunday, of the Paralytic 8 May Saint
John the Theologian 9 May Mid-Pentecost 13 May Fifth
Sunday, of the Samaritan Woman 20 May Sixth
Sunday, of the Blind Man 21 May Saints
Constantine and Helen 23 May Apodosis
of Pascha 24 May Ascension 27 May Seveth
Sunday, of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council 31 May Saturday
of All Souls
1 Jun Eighth
Sunday, of Pentecost 2 Jun Monday
of the Holy Spirit 10 Jun First
Sunday of Matthew, of All Saints
Note: Apostles'
Fast Begins (June 11 through 28)
17 Jun Second
Sunday of Matthew 24 Jun Nativity
of Saint John the Baptist 29 Jun Saints
Peter and Paul 30 Jun Synaxis
of the Twelve Apostles
1 Jul Fourth
Sunday of Matthew 8 Jul Fifth
Sunday of Saint Matthew 15 Jul Sunday
of the Holy Fathers (of the Fourth Ecumenical Council) 17 Jul Feast
of Saint Marina the Great Martyr 20 Jul Saint
Elias the Prophet 22 Jul Seventh
Sunday of Saint Matthew 26 Jul Saint
Paraskeve 27 Jul Saint
Panteleimon the Great Martyr 29 Jul Eighth
Sunday of Saint Matthew
Note: Dormition
Fast Begins (August 1 through 14) Note: Paraklisis
Daily, August 1 through 13, except on the evening of August 5
5 Aug Ninth
Sunday of Matthew 6 Aug The
Transfiguration of the Lord 12 Aug Tenth
Sunday of Saint Matthew 15 Aug The
Dormition of the Theotokos 19 Aug Eleventh
Sunday of Saint Matthew 26 Aug Twelfth
Sunday of Saint Matthew 29 Aug The
Beheading of Saint John the Baptist
1 Sep The
Indiction 2 Sep Thirteenth
Sunday of Saint Matthew 8 Sep Nativity
of the Theotokos 9 Sep Sunday
Before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross 14 Sep Exaltation
of the Holy Cross 16 Sep Sunday
After the Exaltation of the Holy Cross 23 Sep First
Sunday of Saint Luke 26 Sep Repose
of Saint John the Evangelist and Theologian 30 Sep Second
Sunday of Saint Luke
7 Oct Third
Sunday of Saint Luke 14 Oct Fourth
Sunday of Saint Luke 18 Oct Saint
Luke the Apostle 21 Oct Sixth
Sunday of Saint Luke 26 Oct Saint
Demetrios the Great Martyr 28 Oct Seventh
Sunday of Saint Luke
1 Nov Saints
Kosmas and Damian 4 Nov Fifth
Sunday of Saint Luke 8 Nov Archangels
Michael and Gabriel 9 Nov Saint
Nektarios 11 Nov Eighth
Sunday of Saint Luke 13 Nov Saint
John Chrysostom 14 Nov Saint
Philip the Apostle 18 Nov Ninth
Sunday of Saint Luke 21 Nov Entrance
of the Theotokos in the Temple 25 Nov Thirteenth
Sunday of Luke, and Feast of Saint Katherine the Great Martyr 26 Nov Thirteenth
Sunday of Saint Luke 30 Nov Saint
Andrew the Apostle
2 Dec Fourteenth
Sunday of Saint Luke 4 Dec Saint
Barbara the Great Martyr 6 Dec Saint
Nicholas 9 Dec Tenth
Sunday of Saint Luke, and Feast of the Conception by Saint Anna of the
Theotokos 12 Dec Saint
Spyridon 15 Dec Saint
Eleutherios 16 Dec Eleventh
Sunday of Saint Luke, of the Forefathers of Christ 23 Dec Sunday
Before the Nativity of Our Lord 24 Dec Paramony
of the Nativity of Our Lord (Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great) 25 Dec Nativity
of Our Lord 26 Dec Synaxis
of the Theotokos 27 Dec Saint
Stephen, Protodeacon and Protomartyr 30 Dec Sunday
after the Nativity of Our Lord
Protocol
00-28
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
in the Lord,
The
attached information is provided to assist you in properly celebrating
the holy services of the Church during January 2001.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-29
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
Concelebrants,
Enclosed
are copies of a booklet containing the Royal Hours for the Forefeast
of the Theophany which was prepared by the Diocesan Office, for your
use during the forthcoming celebration of the Feast of the Theophany
of our Lord. I pray that you
will find this booklet useful in your parish. May it help you and your
faithful come closer to our Lord through prayer and worship.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-30
The
Pious Pastors of the Holy Diocese of Denver,
Beloved
Concelebrants in the Lord,
By
the grace of God we are now in position to break ground for the new
Diocese Center in the Spring of 2001. I want to once again
express my conviction that the Diocese Center has the God-given potential
to save lives and change lives. The Parish Initiative is a great encouragement
for me and for this Diocese. All the parish councils
in this God-protected Diocese have been asked to contribute in a sacrificial
and meaningful way to the Diocese Center. I am thankful for the parishes
that have responded to this important project. Holy Trinity in Dallas,
Texas has pledged $100,000 along with Saints Constantine and Helen in
Cheyenne, Wyoming that gave prior to the Parish Initiative. Also pledging
prior to the Initiative is Annunciation Cathedral in Houston, Texas
that pledged $40,000. It is our understanding that Annunciation Cathedral
has decided to continue their support giving $40,000 more. Assumption
in Galveston, Texas also pledged $1,500 prior to this initiative. Grand
Junction had already given generously prior to the Parish Initiative. New pledges along
with Holy Trinity in Dallas came from Annunciation in Kansas City, Missouri
which pledged $50,000. Four parishes have made pledges between $1,500
and $5,500. They include St. Andrew in Lubbock, Texas ($1,500), Assumption
in Price, Utah ($5,000), Saints Constantine and Helen in Boise, Idaho
($5,000), and Saint Catherine in Greenwood Village, Colorado ($5,500).
We understand that Saint Catherine intends to do more following their
2001 gift. There are also five
parishes that have pledged between $10,000 and $25,000. These parishes
include Saint George in Oklahoma City, OK ($10,000), Saint George in
Albuquerque, New Mexico ($10,800), Saint John the Theologian in Webster,
Texas (which is in addition to the $11,400 that has already been given),
Saint Sophia in San Antonio, Texas ($45,000) and Transfiguration in
Ogden, Utah ($24,000). It is my hope that
those parishes that have not yet pledged will do so for the building
up of the Orthodox Faith in the Diocese of Denver, so that all the parishes
of the Diocese will have taken an active part in this holy labor to
the glory of God.
With
Paternal Blessings,
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
Protocol
00-31
But
in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son (Hebrews 1:2)
As
we witness the final days of this twentieth century and the second millennium
since the coming of God in the flesh upon the earth, we look to the
beginning of the twenty-first century and the new millennium with mixed
emotions. Will we see better days, or will they be filled with the evil,
the death and destruction of this century? If we are living
in the last days, as the Word of God reminds us, will this earth and
its people continue on into the third millennium for another thousand
years? Or are the signs in the heavens and on earth telling the believer
that the end is almost here? These sober thoughts
must be put aside at this time for God the Father is speaking to us
through His Only-Begotten Son. The mystery of mysteries informs and
announces that uncreated God entered into His own creation in order
to grant to it an eternal destiny. Jesus Christ was born as Man into
this world, so that "man no more may die," so that mankind
may be given a "second birth," as one Christmas carol joyfully
exclaims. This, then, is the
spirit of Christmas. Our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ,
came into the world to wipe away disobedience and its consequence of
death so that you and I may have the unfading hope of life eternally. May this always
new and joyous promise and proclamation enrich your life at this time
and throughout the dawn of the new millennium.
+
Metropolitan Isaiah Presiding
Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver |
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