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Rectors Annual Report January 2004

By Father Andrew Harrison

  1. Meetings - 62
  2. House Blessings & Visits - 61
  3. Hospital Visits - 19
  4. Counseling Sessions- 45
  5. Liturgical Services- 196
  6. Baptisms- 6
  7. Weddings, 6
  8. Funerals - 1
  9. Chrismations/Converts - 6
  10. Annual Confessions- 152
  11. Grave Blessings - 12
  12. Morning prayers - 96
  13. Garden Center Visits/service -12

Other Activities-Member of Lemont Clergy Association, Orthodox Clergy Association of Chicago, Oak Forest Hospital Chaplain, VA Hospital Chaplain, Radio & TV appearances. This year I added Civil Air Patrol Chaplain, CAP Summer Encampment and Delegate to the National Council of Churches. I also attended the Vasilopita Celebration with Maria Papas, preached at the Good Friday service at the Nazarene Church, received pieces of the Pentagon for our successful Sept 11memorial and was the guest chaplain at the deployment of the Illinois National Guard to Iraq. Next year a mission trip to India is planned and I will be involved at the State Prison as a Volunteer Prison Chaplain. There were other activities, which were not mentioned.

STRATEGIC PLAN

Goal #1 - Mutual Ministry

I have made every effort to follow our strategic plan. We now have 41 ministries. This year we added three new ministries. Kitchen Ministry, Blood Drive Ministry, and Golf Ministry. The goal is to have everyone involved in a personal ministry. I am searching for ministries and people to fill them. Ministries can be once a year activities or continuing activities. We just began a Christmas Decoration Ministry. We have openings for Church and State Ministry, Men’s ministry, Work Place Ministry, Prison Ministry

Goal #2 - Communications

The Internet website has continually grown. We are getting new members, visitors and international exposure because of the site. We now have a second site, which was newly developed by Will Stevens. www.easternorthodox.com. This site has a directory of all Orthodox Churches in the US. Both sites will continue to be developed. We had three additions of the Evangelist this year. We need to expand and reorganize the content in light of the Internet and other evangelistic tools such as radio and TV. We will be looking for a new Editor.

Goal #3 - Community

We have had a number of successful community events this past year. They are fully reported on under the Community Development Team. Next year we will spear head a Quad Parish Outdoor Liturgy and Picnic on June 6th with Bishop Job celebrating and we are planning to celebrate our 20th Anniversary on Oct 24th, Metropolitan Theodosius and Bishop Job have been invited.

Goal #4 - Education

I have prepared liturgical activities and sermons for both children and adults to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ. Next year I will focus on Christ in the Old Testament. I added a newsletter from Dr. Dobson to help families cope which parenting and faith issues. I taught classes on Sunday after the Liturgy, during the week and at the women’s and family retreats. New liturgical books have been modified and printed to enable greater participation of families in the Liturgical services. These activities will continue next year with new expanded Divine Liturgy books and books for the nativity services.

Goal #5 - Building and Grounds

I have continued to purchase needed items to complete the building and for the continuation of my priestly ministry. This includes risers for the choir, desk and furniture for my office and the conference room, a parish car, large screen television. The funds have come from the discretionary funds, building fund and budgeted allowances. I still have a stain glass project outstanding for our bell tower windows. Needed items will continue to be purchased. A new computer is on the top of the list.

Goal #6 - Outreach, In reach and Evangelism

The section in my report above under other activities describes my involvement in this goal. I will continue to be open to any activity that can expand the work of Christ. This outreach has led to the visits by groups seeking knowledge of the Orthodox faith. This included classes from Chicago Christian School, Methodist, Lutheran and Pentecostal Churches and has led to the use of our facilities by St. Mary’s Antiocian parish. St. Luke continues to grow slowly. There has been an increase of 10 new members but we had a loss of 9 members as of this report. We now have 105 adult members and 48 children. We still have a number of college students who should be on the roster but have not turned in giving cards. An effort will be made to include them in our membership.

I would commend all members of the Parish Council for their diligent commitment to the Lord’s work. I especially want to commend Ken Stevens who led us through the refinancing issue and other critical problems, which our parish faced during these last two years. We will miss him on the council. Also Linda Kopulos, who weathered the most difficult job as Council Treasurer, Barbara Zerlentes who, has been our first Financial Secretary, Luba Johnson for taking on the leadership of our Community Development team and to Roslyn Stevens as our Diocesan Delegate. All others council members and ministries I commend whether they were elected or appointed. Without all of your help I could not have done my job and certainly we would not have the dynamism, which St. Luke represents.