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There was a topic, now closed, on the issue of successful parish growth in the Orthodox Church (https://www.byzcath.org/bboard/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=003781) I think the topic was prematurely closed because there was a real issue which had barely been addressed: Why are some Orthodox parishes in the U.S. growing and others aren�t? It is a topic that has much for all Eastern Christians --including Eastern Catholics-- to consider. So, I�m going to try to jump start the topic here. My post is long, and I thank anyone in advance who actually reads this. The topic began by a post to a link to an article by Ms. Frederica Matthewes-Green. I'm Catholic, not Orthodox, so I'm writing as an outsider. I apologize in advance if I cause any offense by my remarks. I haven't read much of Ms. Matthewes-Green's writings. What I have read (including this article) leaves me with decidedly mixed feelings. On the one hand, her analyses can be intelligent, probative and devout. On the other hand, she is given to making generalizations which are quite inaccurate and which therefore impair the credibility of the rest of her remarks. For example, Ms. Matthewes-Green wrote: Unlike Western Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy has not been plagued by denominational splintering; it is already "one church" in the most important ways. Administrative unity will make little difference on Sunday morning. Where divisions occur among Orthodox, it is due to basic human sin - pride, power-hunger, greed - rather than disagreement about what the faith entails. Really? I seem to recall that the (first seven) Ecumenical Councils were called precisely to settle doctrinal disagreements that gave rise to denominational splintering: Arianism, Monophytisim, Nesotorianism, Monotheletism and Iconoclasm. In the Middle Ages, Orthodoxy was faced with the sects of the Bogomils and the Paulicians. In early modern Russia, there were the Old Believers (who, if I remember correctly, were themselves divided into many sects). Today, if I see things correctly, the Orthodox have divisions over the calendar, ecumenism, and others topics. Etc. So, this statement by Ms. Matthewes-Green is just plain wrong. And, it impairs the credibility of the rest of her article. For another example, Ms. Matthewes-Green wrote: What lies ahead? When immigrants landed on these shores a century or more ago, it was understandable that they would establish congregations based on their language and national background. Much the same happened among Catholic immigrants in the 19th century, who set up separate Italian, German, and Irish Catholic parishes. But with the passage of time all those coalesced into simply-American Catholic parishes, and Orthodox churches are undergoing a similar process. Again, I ask: Really? If I were Orthodox, I would invite Ms. Matthewes-Green to the closest city to me with an Orthodox population: Toledo, Ohio. There she could visit Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox church, St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox church, St. George OCA Orthodox Cathedral, and others. Yes, these parishes use English; yes, their ethnic make-up is mixed; yes, they think of themselves as Americans because they are Americans, and so on. Yet, these churches are happily maintaining their ethnic traditions and their own jurisdictions. In fact, ethnic plurality and heritage seem to be hallmarks of Orthodox in America. And that leads me to another point of disagreement with Ms. Matthewes-Green, to wit: Deep in the heart of a typical American city there is a magnificent old Orthodox church. The community housed here was founded about a hundred years ago, a gathering of families who had emigrated from Greece, Russia, Syria, or some other ethnically-Orthodox land. [ . . . ] As decades passed, feasts and weddings and funerals were celebrated in this building, and it was imbued with a thousand dear memories. But today, on a typical Sunday, the pews are about a third full. Most of the heads in the congregation are gray. For a third time, I say: Really? Again, if I were Orthodox, I would invite Ms. Matthewes-Green to visit two Greek orthodox parishes in Ohio which contradict her assertion. They are Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Toledo, Ohio and Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Dayton, Ohio. Both parishes were founded about 100 years ago by Greek orthodox immigrants. Both are beautiful buildings with, yes, pews. Both use English -- as well as Greek-- in their services. And, both have thriving communities. There are people of all ages who attend Divine Liturgy at both parishes every week. I know; I've seen them, talked with them, prayed with them, and socialized with them after Divine Liturgy: while drinking good American coffee and eating good Greek pastries (yum!). And, I doubt if they are the only Orthodox parishes like that . . . These three points by Ms. Matthewes-Green are just plain wrong, and they impair the credibility for the actual good points she made. For example, Ms. Matthewes-Green cogently observed why some people in America convert to Orthodoxy. These observations, in my opinion, seem accurate and well worth consideration. The range among these converts is vast. Some are leaving "low-church" congregations, because they find that ancient liturgical worship satisfies a longing to worship God with awe and beauty. Some are leaving mainline congregations, because they find Orthodoxy's structural foundation in the early church's faith and practice guarantees stability. Some are leaving a heady, intellectual Christianity for one which provides access to mystery and sacrament. Some are leaving an exuberant Spirit-filled background for one which provides careful discernment, accountability, and spiritual direction - not to mention two millennia of experience - yet is comfortable with miracles, angels, and visions. And some who have been involved in Eastern religions find that Orthodoxy offers a similarly ancient tradition of spiritual transformation, but centered in the compelling presence of the God-man Jesus Christ. These are all good and valid reasons, worthy of consideration. There is a spiritual hunger in America. There are millions of people who are spiritually seeking in America. Hence, Eastern Christianity (Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholicism) could gain many new members simply by proselytizing these people. But, Ms. Matthews-Green leaves out a huge reason for conversion: marriage. A lot of converts are the spouses of Orthodox. Often, these spouses convert in order be more part of the family: religiously, socially, culturally. The happy result, often, is that the convert is more enthusiastic and more spiritually committed than the cradle-member of the religion. That, in turn, often stimulates renewed and deeper appreciation for and participation in the religion by the whole family. It also makes likely a wholesome, enthusiastic, well-formed religious upbringing for the children of such marriages. Religious propagation by family is not bad or inconsequential. It�s good, and it�s one of the most powerful ways to witness to the Gospel and to bring others to the Gospel that there is. Yet, Ms. Matthews-Green ignores propagation by family. Thus she misses commitment to the family: a key to understanding why some parishes succeed and others fail or whither. Yes, some parishes whither because economic opportunities disappear and the population drifts away. Yet, the Greek Orthodox parishes I cited above -- Annunciation in Dayton, Ohio and Holy Trinity in Toledo, Ohio -- are in poor areas of their cities whose local inhabitants are no longer Greek. Nevertheless, there they are: thriving parishes with members of all ages. And, I suspect that a big reason for the success of those parishes is that they --their people and their leadership-- refused to give up on the Orthodox family. They made the painful investments necessary in order to maintain Greek Orthodox schools and youth activities. They also committed themselves --in time, talent and resources-- to the adults (young, middle-aged and elderly). The parishes offer substantial opportunities for service, for adult education in the faith and in the culture, and for celebration of ethnic heritage by holding annual ethnic festivals and other ethnic activities. This commitment to the family --as well as offering answers to the deeper, spiritual questions of life-- have combined (in my opinion) to make these parishes successful. Furthermore, in contrast to Ms. Matthewes-Green�s insinuation, having an ethnic dimension seems to augment the successfulness of these two parishes. Their hearty ethnic identity makes these parishes more distinctive and, frankly, more zestful, than ordinary American parishes. For a parish to succeed in the great marketplace of churches in America, there must be enough to make a parish accessible: for example, holding services in English. Yet, there often must be something distinctive and appealing too in order to gain the interest of prospective new members. Let�s be candid: I�m sure many converts to Orthodoxy were attracted as much by a prospective spouse or the good food at �Greek Fest� as the icons or the mystical liturgy. And there�s nothing wrong with that. That�s because Orthodoxy is a total way of life -- because the Gospel is the Way of Life. The Gospel divinizes all aspects of life: from earthly food at the family table or the annual ethnic festival, to the Heavenly Food of the Eucharist. Successful parishes recognize that. Successful parishes have the mystical and spiritual things: with profound devotion by the laity and with capable, righteous, enthusiastic clergy to lead them. Successful parishes *also* have family and social and cultural and physical things that, together with the spiritual things, make up the conditions of human life. And, they see no contradiction in that; they regard it all as parts of the Gospel life. Successful parishes also have rock-solid commitment to the future (especially to the youth) and abiding confidence in the present, and they back their faith up with lots of hard work and fundraising to make it all happen. And one thing more (which I failed to discuss at length): successful parishes marketed themselves by keeping themselves in the public eye --if nothing else, by having ethnic festivals-- in order for the wider community to still know of their existence. I cited two Greek Orthodox parishes in which I happened to observe all of these factors. I�m sure that they are not the only ones: in both the Orthodox Churches and the Eastern Catholic churches. And, it seems like a winning formula to be emulated. Comments? -- John
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And one thing more (which I failed to discuss at length): successful parishes marketed themselves by keeping themselves in the public eye This is a very important point! What would you suggest for the small dying Byzantine Catholic parishes? Scott
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This article was published in a Missisippi paper not too long ago Published by The Clarion-Ledger (Mississippi), July 16, 2005
Orthodoxy on the rise in the South
By Jean Gordon
Greg Jenson/The Clarion-Ledger
Archbishop Dmitri of the Orthodox Church of America's Diocese of Dallas and the South, receives flowers from Abigail Jackson, 4, Sunday upon his arrival at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton. Abigail's father, Matthew Jackson, 27, a convert, was ordained a priest during the service. There are a growing number of Orthodox congregations in the South.
CLINTON � The scent of incense wafted through the air inside Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church Sunday as worshippers gathered inside the small temple.
Behind the icon screen separating the altar from the congregation space, Matthew Jackson knelt before his bishop, who placed his hands on the deacon's head while reciting a prayer that elevated him to the priesthood.
"We're going to make some strenuous, rather hard demands on this man," Archbishop Dmitri, the Orthodox Church of America's bishop of Dallas and the South, said during his homily. "What Father Matthew will be doing is making Christ present in this community."
The Orthodox Church traces its origins to the apostolic community that Jesus called into being. Adherents believe the church is part of an unbroken chain of faith born during the feast of Pentecost, which started 50 days after the first Easter.
Though Orthodox Christians remain a minority in the United States � the Orthodox Church of America estimates there are 2 million believers in North America � Orthodoxy in the South is on the rise.
"We'd like to have more priests because we're growing and we want to start new missions," said the Rev. Paul Yerger, pastor of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church.
Over the last 30 years, Orthodox churches in the southern United States have multiplied from a handful of congregations located mainly in Florida and Texas to more than 60 churches and missions stretching from Virginia to New Mexico.
"In the Florida area most churches developed from the families from the North," said the Rev. Seraphim Hipsh of the Diocese of Dallas and the South, explaining transplants from such states as Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey � where immigrant groups created a high concentration of Orthodox churches � brought their faith south.
But after the Diocese of Dallas and the South formed in the late 1970s, new Orthodox churches and missions have sprouted throughout its jurisdiction, which includes Mississippi and 12 other states in the southern quarter of the country.
"The South has hands down the greatest growth," said the Rev. John Matusiak, a spokesman for the Orthodox Church of America. "Growth of the church simply mirrors demographics of the country. More people are moving South and West."
There are six Orthodox churches in Mississippi, including a century-old Antiochian Orthodox congregation in Vicksburg and a three-year-old mission in McComb.
Orthodoxy has three main branches in the United States, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the Orthodox Church of America and the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese. Though the church bodies are not administratively linked, most churches are in communion with one another.
Yerger said people seeking answers to questions about historical Christianity are fueling church growth. Converts make up the majority of Holy Resurrection's congregation, and include Yerger himself.
A former Episcopal priest, Yerger, 62, converted to Orthodoxy in 1977 � during an era of great change in the Episcopal church.
In the 1970s, the Episcopal church revised its prayer book that guides the order of services and began ordaining women.
After being ordained an Orthodox priest, Yerger became the first priest to lead Holy Resurrection in Clinton.
He said converts to Orthodoxy discover a tradition long "hidden" in immigrant communities.
"In America it was mainly known for a long time as a church for various ethnic groups," he said. "People still say to us, 'Is your mother Greek or is your father Russian?' "
Indeed, Orthodoxy encompasses a variety of cultural distinctions including Greek, Ukrainian, Russian and Romanian. The Orthodox Church of America dates back to 1794, when Russian monks founded the first Orthodox mission which later became Alaska.
Yerger said the majority of Orthodox churches now conduct services in English.
Called the Divine Liturgy, worship services consist of a series of songs and chants that offer praise and prayers to God. All of the words are from Scripture or ancient Christian texts.
Worshippers venerate icons, which are paintings of Jesus and the saints. The icons symbolize how God revealed himself in a physical form through Jesus.
"All Orthodox churches do the same services," said the Rev. Theoharis Theoharis, pastor of Holy Trinity-St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church, which opened in 1957 on West Capitol Street in Jackson.
Founded by Greek immigrants, it's the oldest Orthodox church in the metro area. There are some 85 families in the congregation, including people from Greece, Lebanon, Russia, Romania, Ethiopia and the United States.
Like other Orthodox churches, many of its members are converts.
"There is a lot of interest," Theoharis said, adding he requires people seeking conversion to read the history of Orthodoxy and to take their time discerning whether the church is for them. "I'm a strong believer it's got to be you making the decisions and not me pushing you."
Jackson, 27, started attending Holy Resurrection in Clinton while a student at Mississippi College. The Jackson native grew up a Southern Baptist, but drifted from the church as a teenager.
"There were so many questions that weren't answered," he said. "Like what was the early church? I wasn't able to find anybody who could answer any questions for me to show we were connected."
But after Jackson and his wife's first child was born, the couple started looking for a church. They sampled several until discovering Holy Resurrection.
"We never looked back," he said.
After he completes his final year in a Pennsylvania seminary, Jackson plans to return to Mississippi and serve the state's newest Orthodox church in McComb.
Though Orthodoxy traces its origin to the first century, many people are still unfamiliar with the tradition. Some confuse the faith with Catholicism, also a liturgical religion with roots in early Christianity.
Though they share common beginnings, the two traditions diverged in the 11th century due to differences in theology and practice.
Other people hear the word "Orthodox" and may conclude Jackson is Jewish � despite the large crucifix he wears on a chain around his neck.
"The biggest problem is not misconception but lack of conception," he said. "They just don't know who you are and what you're doing."
� A closer look
The Clarion-Ledger
� Origin: The Orthodox Church has existed continuously in the Middle East and Greece from the time of the apostles. It is the faith of the majority of Christians in the Middle East, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Russia. With the exception of Rome, the local churches mentioned in the New Testament, such as Corinth, Thessaloniki and Damascus, have existed continuously until today and are Orthodox.
� Worship: The beauty of Orthodox worship must be experienced to be understood. The Divine Liturgy expresses the entire Christian faith in a continuous song of praise and prayer addressed to God.
Since much of the service is the same every week, worshippers know it and can participate personally, either by singing along or by prayerful attention.
The entire service (except for the sermon) is sung, mostly to Russian chants and melodies. No organ or other instruments are used. The words are all from Scripture or ancient Christian texts. No rhyming metrical hymns are used.
� Icons: Icons are paintings of Christ and the saints. They must be painted according to a strict tradition because they are an important way the faith is handed down and taught.
Icons and crosses are kissed ("venerated"), but not worshipped, as a sign of the belief that in Christ God took a physical body and became part of the physical world so we could know him. Other human beings who unite themselves with Christ become holy and the image of God becomes visible in them, so their icons are honored as well.
� Incense, vestments and candles: These are part of the imagery of heavenly worship in the Book of Revelation. In the liturgy we participate while still in this world in the worship of the angels and saints in heaven. Many people buy candles and place them in the church as an offering of light to the Lord, who told us to let our light shine.
� Prayers and hymns: Standard prayers and hymns are used rather than extemporaneous or modern ones because they contain the accumulated insights of many centuries of Christians. Most are packed with biblical quotations. They are repetitious so they become rooted in our minds. They are chanted or sung rather than spoken so worshippers are less conscious of the personality of the individual reader.
Source: Holy Resurrection Church, Clinton. There are many ways parishes can be successful or might grow. Different things probably work for different communities. I think the words of Bishop Dmitri that I bolded are the essence of what will make parishes grow and be successful in the truest sense though. Andrew
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A great article. I dont know about marketing but there has to be life in the the community at all levels of a parish, clergy and laity, who are enthusiastic at being the living Church. It is how people treat each other and how they make their community and support each other as a manifestation of the faith that is celebrated at the altar that indicates success to me.
ICXC
NIKA
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Dear John you said:
"I�m sure many converts to Orthodoxy were attracted as much by a prospective spouse"
I say:
Hee, hee, hee! Now that's the way to get them.
Greek boys are usually good catches. I guess it's because they are part of a community, and the mother has to make sure her peers won't gossip.
No charity there!
Zenovia
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Originally posted by Zenovia:
Hee, hee, hee! Now that's the way to get them.
Greek boys are usually good catches.
Zenovia You Greek girls aren't so bad either! 
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quote:
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And one thing more (which I failed to discuss at length): successful parishes marketed themselves by keeping themselves in the public eye
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This is a very important point! What would you suggest for the small dying Byzantine Catholic parishes?
Scott
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Originally posted by Scott Arbuckle:
"successful parishes marketed themselves by keeping themselves in the public eye"
This is a very important point! What would you suggest for the small dying Byzantine Catholic parishes? Scott Scott, I think what Andrew and Pavel wrote are the key, the base, for any successful evangelization. Originally posted by Rilian:
"What Father Matthew will be doing is making Christ present in this community." [ . . . ] There are many ways parishes can be successful or might grow. Different things probably work for different communities. I think the words of Bishop Dmitri that I bolded are the essence of what will make parishes grow and be successful in the truest sense though.
Andrew Originally posted by Pavel Ivanovich:
[ . . . ] there has to be life in the community at all levels of a parish, clergy and laity, who are enthusiastic at being the living Church. It is how people treat each other and how they make their community and support each other as a manifestation of the faith that is celebrated at the altar that indicates success to me. But what then? Assuming this love for Christ and His Church and His life-giving Gospel, what should parishes do then to "get the Word/word" out? That topic has been abundantly discussed in the Evangelization forum of this website. There are lots of good ideas there: good websites, outreach to fallen-away members, outreach to spiritual seekers, parish ethnic festivals, care for youth, adult education, ministry in various good works, and so on. I don't mean to duck your question; I would simply refer you to that Forum and its threads for specific ideas. But as far as successful parishes go, I think the points that Andrew and Pavel made are key; the other things I observed are outgrowths of that basic love for Christ, His Church and the neighbor. In other words, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness, and all else shall be added unto you." The "all else" can't be pre-programmed; the all else is a natural outgrowth, by responding to the specific needs of the local community and to the universal needs of human beings, served by people whose motivation is love for Christ and His Church and His life-giving, life-sharing Gospel. In short, as people love the Life of Christ, they will be impelled to share that Life to those around them: however that Life is needed by the people around them. -- John
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Dittoes to what Zenovia and Dr. Eric said.  -- John
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I re-read the article this morning. There are some grains of truth in certain ways. Generally though I would say it is extremely weak in its argument and just plain wrong in places.
I didn't care for it.
Andrew
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I didn't read the article, but I'll tell everybody the secret to successful Orthodox parishes. You ready? You SURE you can handle it? Okay. The key to a successful Orthodox parish is... <drumroll> BE THE CHURCH!That wasn't nearly as dramatic as I had hoped for. I firmly believe that the successful churches are those that do what the church is supposed to do: liturgia, kyrigma and diakonia. Churches that worship well and often (not just on Sunday mornings), preach the Word (firstly through teaching the people in the church, and secondly by living the Gospel as example to others), and do philanthropic work will succeed. There's no "one size fits all" way of doing these three things, and it often depends on size, demographics, etc. but they are definately the marks of successful churches (Orthodox or otherwise). Dave
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