Membership

Mission Statement: Increase attendance at Sunday liturgical and other services, from the start of such services until their end, and to foster and maintain the warmest, loving Orthodox Christian environment within our parish community.

Goals

  1. To increase regular attendance at Sunday liturgical services by 50% within the next three years and to increase attendance at “other” services as well.
  2. To increase parishioners who arrive at the beginning of Sunday liturgical services by 300% within the next three years.
  3. To create a united parish community that includes addressing inter-faith marriages.
  4. Address the special needs of members including VIPs and their activities.

Plan

  • August 2007 – Compile list from church membership records of those many, perhaps hundreds of members who do not “regularly” or seldom attend Sunday liturgical services.
  • Send those members a letter or pamphlet which describes all of the ministries/programs, including organizations, with names, addresses and telephone numbers of contact persons.
  • Follow up with a telephone call from a relative or friend to further solicit his/her interest in a ministry or program or in attending Sunday liturgical services.
  • Develop a follow-up committee and determine format for telephone calls within 120-days.
  • Record the result of the call and perform appropriate follow-up to see that the addressee has enlisted in the ministry/program or has begun attending church. Such follow-up is critical to consolidating gains in regular church attendance.
  • May 2007 – Invite newlyweds, parents of recently “churched” (40-day blessing) and/or baptized infants to a special reception following Sunday services to extend the congregation’s best wishes. The reception could be held in the Philoptochos Room and attendance would be limited to the honorees, Fr. Doug, Fr. Achilles and church “leaders.”
  • May 2007 – Establish a “Welcoming Subcommittee” to act as hosts during Fellowship Hour to engage new members. • Members of the subcommittee would be a cross-section of the community. Encourage them to participate in those programs, organizations or ministries which are of particular interest to them. They would also serve as an “apple pie” committee which upon being advised by the church office secretary of a new member would bake a pie, personally deliver it and welcome the new member on behalf of the Proistamenos, parish council and congregation.
  • Establish Youth Sunday once a month. Members of GOYA would assume the ushering duties during liturgy, turn on the chandeliers, ring the church bell, tend to the candles until the Handmaidens arrive, pass out the weekly bulletin, dismiss for communion, pass baskets, and assist in tabulating weekly donations.
  • Include articles written by Fr. Doug and Fr. Achilles in the weekly and monthly bulletins on the relevance and importance of timely attendance, church decorum, etc. Set aside a few minutes each Sunday of the sermon to educate the faithful about some part or aspect of the liturgy or Scripture.
  • Use the Highway 40 property for picnics once a month during late spring, summer and early fall. Sponsor events open to non-members, e.g. trivia night, recreational leagues.