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emkdist
1 Posts |
 Posted - 11/10/2006 : 03:18:23
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It is truly with a heavy heart that I read the postings on this site and like others, I debated whether I should add my comments. However, I decided I would like to share "facts" with you all and you can draw your on conclusions.
First, I am George Kaloroumakis and I worship at St. George in Ocean City, Md. I served as the Parish Council President for the five years that my brother in Christ, Father Peter, faithfully served in this parish.
I will never forget the day I received a phone call from His Grace, the late Bishop George, who advised me he was re*****igning Father Peter to another parish. He went on to say that this was necessary because Father Peter was a strong and energetic spiritual leader with the skills required to bring two communities together as one and this was his decision as the Bishop. It is clear that Father Peter has had divine guidance and support considering the progress that has been made toward this goal. Bishop George knew Father Peter's character and love for his parishioners when he made this decision.
During his short tenure at St. George, our parish became spiritually centered, and we shed our "Greek Club" mentality. Were there some dissatisfied individuals? Of course, but during that time we went from dues to stewardship, from 125 (members) to over 225 families (stewards) and from 4000 sq. ft. to 8000 sq. ft. Bishop George knew what he was doing.
About a year after his re*****ignment, the parishioners of St. George chartered a bus and traveled five hours to meet with the parishioners of Sts. Constantine and Helen and enjoy an afternoon of fellowship. They still talk about this trip today.
My family and I have visited Father Peter and Presbytera GiGi many times since their re*****ignment and worshipped at Sts Constantine and Helen on many occasions. I have observed this community's wonderful spirit and love for their priest and his family each visit.
Father Peter's family was and still is truly loved by all. They have developed life long friendships with a number of families here in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. May god continue to bless them and give them strength during this stressful time. I am confident they forgive their tresp*****ers.
Nine years ago, Father Peter and several board members presented the idea of having an Epiphany Service and blessing of the waters in Ocean City and the idea was supported. Our first service occurred during the week of Epiphany in January and over 400 faithful attended. This was an outreach program of the parish to the city. The mayor, city council, police chief, Coast Guard Auxiliary, members of the beach patrol, and community at large came out to witness this blessed event. The priests and churches in Annapolis and Baltimore also supported this event. Our young men and women braved the frigid waters to receive the Blessings of the Cross.
This coming year there will be no Blessing of the Waters in Ocean City in January during the time we commemorate our Savior's Baptism. The tradition has been broken. The waters of Ocean City will not be blessed this coming season. Our priest was directed not to do it on his own. Last January 2006 His Eminence set the date so he could preside. Through someone's failure to communicate, the Annapolis Youth Folk Dance Festival was set for the same day. His Eminence went to Annapolis and asked another bishop to preside in Ocean City with the Chancellor. Meanwhile, families drove their children over 300 miles that day back and forth from Annapolis and Ocean City so that could dive for the Cross and go back and dance.
This year we were told at our General *****embly meeting that the Archbishop set the date for the Dance Festival again on the same date we had tentatively reserved for the Blessing of the Waters. He said he would give us a date, but the answer came back no date, no blessing. The dance festival and a basketball tournament in Baltimore are taking precedence. Having coached our youth, I understand these times of fellowship are important but what message are we sending? Dance and sport are more important than spiritual traditions.
After nine years, this tradition was cancelled, and no logical or theological explanation has been offered to our community. Lord have Mercy.
I must add we were blessed by His Grace, the late Bishop George, with the appointment of our current spiritual leader, Father Vasilios. We love him very much for his wisdom and the spiritual example he sets.
The Evil One is having a field day in our Metropolis. Our Savior told His disciples some spirits can only be driven out with prayer and fasting. As we approach this Nativity Lenten period may we who truly love our Lord, our faith and our spiritual fathers follow these words and drive Satan out.
In closing, may we all be held accountable for our postings and post responsibly.
George K |
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observer
25 Posts |
Posted - 11/28/2006 : 18:53:05
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The experience described by Mr. Kaloroumakis is emblematic of the way Metropolitan Evangelos bullies his way into events and programs. Disorganized and without any ideas of his own, he surveys what is going on around the metropolis, demands that the event become a "metropolis event" and then proceeds to botch it up. His primary focus is being "the boss" (he micromanages the event but is ultimately incapable of making any well-thought out decisions because he lacks personal experience in effective administration/organization), he enslaves the parish hosting the event and then *****umes that every function can become a source of income for him. Its about money, power and a picture of him in the Kyrika or Orthodox Observer.
The dance festival pre-existed his arrival on the scene and was on its way to becoming a high quality function for our youth. Then he arrived, pinned a banner on the stage curtain that said "Metropolis of New Jersey Dance Festival" and showed up to have his picture taken. He brought no benefit whatsoever to this event.
Carpetbagging the Ocean City Epiphany Celebration is consistent with his pattern. He demands to take it over, doesnt have the ability apparently to even put it on his calendar correctly and then destroys the hard work of good people. Traditions are so hard to build but can so easily be destroyed. He has a talent for that.
He has pushed his way into other events in the same fashion. He makes demands, wants control, has no desire to do any real work and is incapable of even returning a phone call. Sadly, he is surrounded by similarly "talented" people who do nothing other than validate him and his incompetence on a daily basis.
Have you ever tried to get anything done at the Metropolis? Have you every found him there before 11AM? He is incapable of even having a meeting before 2pm. We were so much better off without a bishop--Archbishop Demetrios, acting as locum tenens, did a better job (and all he had was his chancellor and an office manager).
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Greatly Saddened
103 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2006 : 11:25:46
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Mr. Kaloroumakis ... As difficult as it must have been to post your personal comments, I do commend you. I contemplated for quite sometime before deciding to sign on and post. I felt extremely uncomfortable in doing so. Then I thought, if I and others don't do so, we will have only ourselves to blame.
No matter what, the "Evangelites" will continue to deny. Why shouldn't they? These same narrow minded individuals with blindfolds on are the same who have him in their pockets. They have invested so much in their boy. Why would they want him to leave? If Evangelos leaves, where will it leave them? They for sure will lose the control they now have. How sad.
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Nostos
12 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2006 : 00:47:57
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I am so sorry to hear about a religious event overshadowed by a cutural one, especially involving the youth. I am equally sorry to note that on a different occ*****ion a major cultural event is overshadowed by a "religious" one such as a youth retreat.
For 2 years in a row the Metropolis schedules a youth religious retreat on the eve of the Greek Parade in New York. Most of our youth cannot make it back on time to come to the parade.
I raised my children GREEK ORTHODOX, and I expect the Metropolitan to respect both words. Otherwise there is no need for us to go to our local church, the Russian Orthodox church is closer to my house and a panorthodox parish is only down the street. Might as well go to one of these churches.
In this great country we live, most of us I hope, we strive to keep our Orthodox Faith and our Greek Heritage. How difficult is for the Metropolitan to schedule himself to uphold what we value so much.... |
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truth
27 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2006 : 20:32:31
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| Why is it that ever since Evangelos came to power, any purchases of large church items, such as chandeliers, have to be made through the Metropolis. If there is a local donor and he wants to pay for an item for his church, why should this involve the Metropolis? Why should the order and the money go through Evangelos? |
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yannis
8 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2006 : 22:26:06
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Money? Did someone say money?
First, a purchase should never have to go through the Metropolis. Come on parish Council members, you are buying, you are paying, you place the order on your own. Of course, on major items for the church inside the council or relevent committee should be talking with the priest very regularly. His input is needed. He might have to take the lead. But it should stay in the parish.
Second, did someone say money? That reminds me. In a couple of months audit committees around the nation should be sitting down to audit parish books and make a report to general *****embly.
Question. Who is auditing the Metropolis books? What are the Metropolis' income and expenses? From where, to where. Not just for the NJ metropolis, but for all of the others. All our dioceses. Who is auditing. Should be done by CPA's and their report published. And from their report other CPA's can tell if we get a snow job.
In NJ, what happens to the money that comes in for the "chandeliers"? Is he making profit? If so, where does it go? How about all those registration fees for diocesan *****emblies? Did they go to metropolis's coffers and the hosting parish have to pay, or were those fees used properly for the church's work? WHO IS AUDITING THE BISHOPS?? It is OUR money for we are all the Church, not just he.
Is anyone keeping a list of what he asks for, or demands when he comes to parishes, to diocesan *****emblies? Who is watching the money?
yannis |
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One from Ocean City Speaks
