Outreach

Name: Lee Kopulos
Job: Head of Outreach Programs
Email: LeeKopulos@aol.com

Job Description

Initiates and organizes parish outreach projects. These include missionary activities; membership drives, welcoming programs, etc. Supervises the special activities of advertising, literature displays, parish bulletin, lectures and other promotions of Orthodox Christianity. With the priest, helps in the planning and implementation of special programs, speakers, etc.-as they relate to the growing up of the Body of Christ's Church.

Responsible for the organization of the Greeters program. Greeters distribute Welcome Cards, seat guests, provide literature and booklets, take offerings, organize communion attendants, and assist the priest in an orderly dismissal. Greeters insure that the name and address of all guests are given to the priest and welcome card writer and makes sure offerings are given to the Financial Secretary after Divine Liturgy.

Current Events & Information

Aspects of Evangelism

The first objective of Christian Evangelism is to encourage and prepare the membership to be witnesses of our Lord & Savior (Acts1: 8). This preparation in today's Churches embodies the whole of the Church. All of its functions are dedicated toward lifting up the spirit of the membership as it witnesses to Christ on earth. At St. Luke Parish this takes the form of various Ministries that members have responsibility for be it charity, Bible Study, fellowship, publications, retreats, building, etc. The member is asked to share his/her faith with fellow parishioners as "doers of the word" as below:

"...receive with meekness the implanted word which is
able to save your souls. But be doers of the word and not
hearers only...this one will be blessed in what he does. (Jas. 1:21-22,25)

The second action necessary is to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." (Matt. 28:19-20). This is done in our daily living as we share (witness) our love for Christ with our fellow man. We do this by sharing with St. FRAN as we call it, i.e., our Friends, Relatives, Associates and Neighbors, as we seek to bring them to God's Church for their salvation.

"Being a witness is not difficult," says Fr. Jon Braun. "It is, simply put, sharing the good news of Christ in our daily life." Since we share our life's experiences in our jobs and families with our fellow man, why can't we share our love of Christ the same way? Tell them what God has done in your life. How you are saved by participation in the Holy Mysteries of the Church in the Church. As an Orthodox Christian have you ever been asked:

Are you saved? Have you received the Holy Spirit? Have you found Christ?

What we witness to is how God has come to us in Christ. In this connection, the famous Metropolitan of England, Anthony Bloom, said recently:

"We are a group of people who have chosen to be Orthodox, who have
chosen to remain faithful to the Gospel as proclaimed by the Orthodox Church
from the very beginning......it means that we must be what the Church is called
to be ...a body of people who have chosen to be messengers of the Gospel and
and the messengers of Christ in the world in which we live."

The early Church was a body of people who were very alien to one another. They could not even communicate other than through the Church. Today we see remnants of this as America has broken down morally and theologically. However, we see a great opportunity in America for Orthodoxy as many Americans are seeking more from the Church than preaching the word or modern music. Orthodoxy offers the rich heritage of the Ancient Church with its firm foundation of theology and its deep sense of God in its worship services.

Special Programs - The central theme this year was on Women in the Church

The Women's Retreat, March 23-24. - Fr. Andrew ministered to 11 St. Luke women at the Kopulos Retreat House in New Buffalo, Mi. We thank Linda Kopulos and Mic Sloan for their planning of this very successful program. It will be an annual event.

3rd Annual St. Luke Forum , Oct 20 - Feminism Betrayed. The role of Women in the Church . How to juggle your career and family.

Special Speaker: Frederica Mathewes-Green. Nationally known author, columnist, National Public Radio commentator and wife of an Orthodox Priest. Over 130 guests attended this fine presentation - one of the best programs and turnouts we've ever had.

Personal Testimony: Mother Theonymphie, St. Mary of Egypt Mission, Cleveland, Ohio.
Mother spoke on her commitment to inner city welfare programs
for Americans of all walks of life.

Personal Testimony: Cindy Bastunas, St. Vladimir's Seminary student. Cindy explained how she gave up a very successful business career for service to Christ's Church after the age of 40.

New Outreach Brochure - A new full color brochure highlighting our diversity and community was produced through the production expertise of Andrea Dauro and George Poulos.

Special Seminars - Both Sue Lisowski and Pearl Homiak attended two special Evangelical Seminars. BOOT CAMP at St. Vladimir's in Crestwood, N.Y. run by Fr. John Reeves, Director of Church Growth & Evangelism. Later, on the Labor Day weekend, they went to Ligonier, Pa. to participate in the ANNUAL MISSION & EVANGELISM CONFERENCE Directed by Fr. Peter Gillquist at Antiochian Village.

Prison Ministry - Lee Kopulos and Fr. Andrew were scheduled to go to Denver for the first annual conference in September, but it was cancelled until 2002.

Adult Guests - St. Luke had another good year in reaching out to those seeking a church home. Here are the comparisons and results for the last 4 years:

"an icon of an American Orthodox Church"