Archiepiscopal Encyclical for National Leadership 100 Sunday

Protocol Number 43/19
October 20, 2019
National Leadership 100 Sunday

I have come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
(John 10:10)

To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On October 20, we commemorate National Leadership 100 Sunday as we look forward to the Feast of Saint Iakovos on October 23. We give thanks to God for the generosity of the faithful members of Leadership 100 and celebrate the great achievements over 35 years of the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Fund. Since its founding by Archbishop Iakovos of Blessed Memory, Leadership 100 members have been motivated by the abundance of God’s grace though Jesus Christ that has transformed their own lives. This has led to a steadfast faith, generosity and perseverance in supporting the National Ministries and the institutions of our Church so that others might know the abundant life in Jesus Christ.

I have met many of the members of Leadership 100 since becoming Archbishop of America and can attest to their great spirit, dedication and leadership.

Leadership 100 has reached out to me with love and support just as it  has done for more than three and a half decades to our Church family, to the clergy and faithful alike. Leadership 100 has faithfully supported Hellenic College/Holy Cross School of Theology with scholarship assistance for seminarians for 22 years, while supporting struggling parishes across the country through the Home Mission Parish Program for some 20 years, and also, more recently, through the Small Parish Program and Orthodox Software Initiative.

In addition, it has made it a priority to support our families and clergy through the Center for Family Care since its inception and our children, youth, and young adults through its support of Church Summer Camps in the Direct Archdiocesan District and in each Metropolis and through programs of the Youth and Young Adults Ministry and Ionian Village.

Leadership 100 has also provided essential resources for programs in Religious Education, Greek Education, Internet Ministries, Stewardship, Outreach and Evangelism and Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations.

Leadership 100 seeded and nurtured International Orthodox Christian Charities, the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, Orthodox Christian Fellowship, and Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry, ministries under the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America.

In times of national and international crises, Leadership 100 has been a beacon of hope, whether in the aftermath of September 11 or during devastating hurricanes, fires and earthquakes. And in times of special need, Leadership 100 has stepped forward, as with generous support of the building of the St. Nicholas Church and National Shrine.

On this eleventh commemoration of National Leadership 100 Sunday, I ask all of our parishes to honor Leadership 100’s faithful service to our Church and to recognize its members and their example.  Let us recognize the faithful commitment of these outstanding national stewards and acknowledge the special blessings of God through Leadership 100’s abundant gifts. We fervently pray that the Lord will continue to bless Leadership 100 in the decades to come and keep its members in good health as they bear the fruits of their faith in love.

With paternal love in Christ,
Archbishop of America