I think most people would prefer the existing committees produce fruit instead of adding more committees, but youth is always an easy and popular topic for people. Parents are happy to let the church do more teaching and occupying their children's time and the church is happy to look "engaged." And yet basic competence of the faith doesn't seem to be moving forward even as surveys show all manner of heterodox ideas are finding purchase in their minds. As Chesterton said, "I've searched all the parks in all the cities and found no statues of committees."
(EA) - After a second day of productive deliberations, the Assembly of Bishops agreed on a Common Vision that commits themselves to work together toward Orthodox Christian Unity and Outreach, Common Orthodox Witness, Ministries and Initiatives, and Organizational Excellence.
The collaborative process, initiated by the Executive Committee, acknowledges the spiritual needs of the collective Orthodox faithful in the United States of America. The Bishops look forward to working with the clergy and laity to implement their Common Vision.
Metropolitan Joseph, Vice-Chair of the Assembly of Bishops, commented, “Declaring 2021 as the Year of the Youth will set us on the right path to achieving our Common Vision. The youth are our present and our future.”
As such, the Assembly is beginning the process to create two new Agencies – a Youth Ministry Agency, as well as the Orthodox Volunteer Corps – to launch in 2021. Additionally, the Committee for Youth will continue to work on Orthodox Youth Spiritual Formation by taking inventory of existing efforts and developing new tools. The Assembly updated the Committee’s Terms of Reference to allow a wider breadth of work and approved the annual Orthodox Camping and Youth Workers Conference to take place again in 2021.
Finally, the Hierarchs of the Assembly released a Message of Hope during a difficult time in our country’s history.
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More agencies that aren't really doing anything? Neat.
ReplyDeleteLove the Chesterton quote!
ReplyDeleteAn Orthodox matchmaking committee which also got Orthodox men a job referral network and Orthodox women homeschooling and child-rearing support would be a lot more bang for the buck.
ReplyDeleteOr think really big: figure out how we can take over western Pennsylvania. Or west Texas.
This is really good stuff Anti-Gnostic and goes to the heart of the matter(s). I would say something like "I want to vote you onto a committee!" but that would just be cruel... ;)
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