2008 Mission Appeal

2008 Mission Appeal

Archpastoral Message of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman

To the Venerable Hierarchs, Reverend Clergy, Monastics and Faithful
of the Orthodox Church in America

“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.’” (Matthew 16:15-18)

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ declares that the confession of faith in Him is the rock upon which He will build His Church. Throughout the ages, Christ has built His Church through the efforts of His faithful, calling all peoples to the belief in Him as “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

In The Orthodox Church in America we engage in the work of building the Church up in many ways. An initiative that has been very fruitful over the years is our Church Planting Grant Program. For a parish community to flourish it must have a pastor who is able to provide ministry on a full-time basis. Church Planting Grants help qualifying OCA missions grow by covering a portion of their rector’s full-time salary. The Grant program is funded by the OCA’s Mission Appeal that takes place annually in the month of February. The number of missions that can receive Planting Grants is directly related to the amount received through the Mission Appeal. The 2007 Mission Appeal raised over $60,000.00, allowing us to award grants to six qualifying missions.

You will shortly be receiving a mailing asking you to support the OCA’s 2008 Mission Appeal. I am again encouraging our membership to assist in the evangelical work of our Church by making contributions to this year’s Appeal. I know that a great deal of the hurt and anger that our Church is dealing with now is directly related to the misappropriation of Church-wide appeal funds that has occurred the past. I want to assure you that the Central Administration now has personnel and business procedures in place that will not allow such financial mismanagement to happen again. All Mission Appeal donations are restricted funds and will be used for the sole purpose of the Mission Appeal and Church Planting Grant program.

Building a Church requires commitment, hard work and selfless giving. And it also offers many blessings in return. I invite all of our faithful clergy and laity to offer their support to the 2008 Mission Appeal. Help us grow thriving, Christ-centered parishes across this land. By supporting this worthy cause we become coworkers with Christ, building His Church in North America.

With God’s Blessings,

Signature of Metropolitan Herman

+ HERMAN

Archbishop of Washington and New York

Metropolitan of All America and Canada

A 2008 Mission Appeal poster can be downloaded in PDF format here.