PARISH COUNCIL
The Parish Council is composed of the Priest and practicing Orthodox Christians elected by the members of the parish at the General Assembly of Voting Members each year in January or appointed by the pastor for the purpose of working together with the Priest in fulfilling the needs of the St. George Church in accordance with its Constitution and by-laws.
A Parish Council is composed of this brief description of a local governing body also describes the fundamental structure of the Orthodox Church. That is, that we, as clergy and laity together, are the "People of God", seeking, to the best of our human capabilities, to fulfill the mission ascribed to us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We are very fortunate to have men and women to serve on our Parish Council who are dedicated Orthodox Christians and who sacrifice their time, talents and resources for the Church.
Members of the Parish Council have assumed a sacred office, one that demands total love, loyalty and dedication to the Holy Orthodox Church. They are official representatives of the Church, and as such are expected to exert every effort to exemplify its sacred character and spirit. Upon being elected to this trusted office they assume three basic obligations which will help guide them in making the many decisions and policies that are their responsibility. This is attested to publicly when the oath of office is administered by the parish priest. These obligations are:
-To uphold the Gospel, and the teachings and holy traditions of the Orthodox Church.
-To abide by the uniform parish regulations and by-laws as set forth by the Antiochian Archdiocese.
-To utilize their God-given talents and energies for the progress and advancement of the parish.
The role that the Parish Council member plays is best understood, however, when the parish is viewed as one part of the total structure of the overall Church. Seeds of misunderstanding find fertile ground when the Church is looked upon purely from a local parochial point of view. To be sure, the needs of the local parish are the most direct concern of each individual member of the Parish Council, but to see only this, and fail to comprehend the role of the parish in the overall life and structure of the Church is like one family member showing no interest in or responsibility for the problems and needs of other members of this immediate family.
Without a basic understanding that the Church is the body of Christ, the parish can easily become an organizational center or administrative structure instead of the holy and divine institution which sets it apart from all other organizations and bodies in society.
For further information, please contact Fr. Fadi or the Parish Council Chairman.