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"We have concluded that when the principle of phyletism (i.e. ecclesiastical nationalism) is juxtaposed with the teaching of the Gospel and the constant practice of the Church, it is not only foreign to it, but also completely opposed, to it. We decree the following in the Holy Spirit: 1. We reject and condemn racial division, that is, racial differences, national quarrels and disagreements in the Church of Christ, as being contrary to the teaching of the Gospel and the holy canons of our blessed fathers, on which the holy Church is established and which adorn human society and lead it to Divine piety. 2. In accordance with the holy canons, we proclaim that those who accept such division according to races and who dare to base on it hitherto unheard-of racial assemblies are foreign to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and are real schismatics." Constantinople...1872
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    Re: Real #'s- Metropolitan Jonah's Russian Interview - "It is Time to be Direct"

    Posted by Al on 5/10/2009, 9:31 am, in reply to "Real #'s- Metropolitan Jonah's Russian Interview - "It is Time to be Direct""
    Message modified by user Al 5/10/2009, 9:45 am

    Father-

    I would be hard pressed to "average" the OCA at 150/Sunday/Parish, based on the Diocese of the West's official figures. Even if twice the number of people than just "members" show up on Sundays, that's only 98/Sunday/Parish for that diocese, and 2X the membership is wildly optimistic for the parishes in the DOW that I was familiar with.

    To be frank, I am thankful for every soul that is being potentially nutured by regular attendance at the Liturgy. However, if the Church leadership is making plans and/or decisons on people who simply don't exist, then there's a serious "management" problem. Do the 650 (+Jonah's exact number) Churches even enjoy the average size nave to accommodate 150 people? Think of the OCA Churches in your area, for example.

    During my many years in the OCA, there were many anecdotal explanations for the variances between the constantly declining "official membership" (by name census) statistics and the hundreds of thousands of claimed members. Virtually all were based on alleged factors beyond the Church's control, or "those people". None ever held up under the slightest scrutiny. One would hear that, "Yes, there are declines in the Rust Belt, but look at the growth in the West". Yet, the Diocese of the West has been relatively static in membership for a long time, even with the creation of many new "missions".

    I would be willing to bet two bottles of Ouzo (you have to come here to collect) that more Russian immigrants have joined Protestant congregations in the DOW territory than joined the OCA over the past 10 years. Before you take the bet, check this web site: http://www.ethnicharvest.org/regions/states/WAchurches.htm Look under Russian (11 Congregations), Romanian (2 Congregations), Slavic (9 Congregations) and Ukrainian (5 Congregations) and hold onto your socks. And, that's just WA State.

    There is one glimmer of light. Not a single listing of something like a "Full Life Greek Pentecostal Christian Bible Fellowship".

    It's really time to take our heads out of the sand! And, yes, "sand" is a euphemism.


    Al
    Paros Island, Greece
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