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Parish Administration
As
specified in the By Laws, Parish council elections are
held annually at the Annual Parish Meeting. The officers
and members of our
2023
Parish Council are:
Very Reverend Archpriest Alexander Vallens, Rector, President
Ms. Karen Kopanos, Vice President
Ms. Anastasia Bowman, Secretary
Ms. Monica Kostron, Treasurer
Ms. Heidi Bryann, Member
Ms. Janet Gatseos, Member
Mr. Mike George, Member
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Parish
Council meetings are routinely scheduled on the third
Thursday of each month. Recent Parish Council meeting
minutes are as follows:
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April 26, 2023
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May 8, 2023
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June 22, 2023
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July 20, 2023
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July 20, 2023
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August 17, 2023
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As
a Mission Parish, the Parish Council will find a wealth of
extremely vital information in the
Mission Planter’s Resource Kit. The Table of Contents
of this important guide is as follows:
I. Introduction
Background and Purpose
How to Use This Manual
II. Foundations
The Church as Mission
Spiritual Growth
Theology of Church Growth
III. Mission Start-Up Strategy
Preparatory Period
Pioneer Period
Period of Growth and Organization
Period of Reproduction
IV. How-To
Church Facilities
Training
Education
Liturgical Resources
Support
Evangelism: Spiritual Basis for Mission
Mission Finances
Legal Matters
Development
Stewardship: Healthy Church Finances
St. Innocent’s Instructions to a Missionary
V. Appendices
OCA Department of Evangelization Contacts
Church Planting Grant (CPG) Program Description
CPG Application
CPG Monthly Progress Report
Mission Growth Vital Signs Matrix
Sample Catechism
Sample Advertising
Sample Invitation to Lecture Series
Ministries Based Structure
Ministries Based Organizational Chart
Church Planter Performance Profile
Time and Talent Survey
Orthodox Church Supply, Services and Sales
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The
OCA 2023 Parish Development Forum convened July 13-15,
2023 at at Holy Trinity Church in Parma OH. Sponsored by
the Archdiocese of Western Pennsylvania, the Diocese of
the Midwest, and the Bulgarian Diocese, the Forum explored
the theme, “Our Parish and the Future.”
In support of the Attracting and Integrating
Converts segment, Forum attendees received the summary
results of the Orthodox Convert Survey conducted by the
Forum.
The Parish Council will obtain important insights
regarding outreach and parish growth in this document
Orthodox Convert Survey.
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There
are regular reports which the Parish Council, through the
Treasurer, is obligated to submit to the Diocese of the
West:
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Monthly, by the 15th of the following month, the
Income/Expense Report and the calculated parish
assessment is sent to the Diocesan Office.
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Annually, by January 31 – Annual Financial Report
for the Previous Year. The information from this
report is used to assess the quality of financial
reporting to the parish and to reconcile monthly
assessment reporting with the final report. One
copy is sent to His Eminence at the Diocesan
Office, the other to: Office of the Treasurer,
Diocese of the West, 1520 Green St, San Francisco,
CA 94123-5102
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Annually, in September for publication in the
Diocesan Assembly Delegate Report Book – Parish
Membership Count as of September 1 of the current
year. Sent as part of the parish report to the
Diocesan Office.
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Annually – Parish Member and Non-Member Mailing
list sent to Administrative Assistant at the
Diocesan Office.
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January 31 – Parish Financial Reports for prior
calendar year sent to Diocesan Treasurer
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February 28 – Submit To Social Security
Administration “Copy A” of each prior year’s W-2
Form issued to employees along with a W-3
transmittal form.
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February 28 – Submit to the IRS “Copy A” of each
prior year’s 1099-Mis form issued to self-employed
persons along with a 1096 transmittal form by this
date.
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September 1 – Submit Fair Share Membership with
parish report for Diocesan Assembly Delegate
Report Book
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Annually,
the Parish Rector must submit a Parish Compliance Report
to the diocesan hierarch. The Parish Council will, of
course, assist him by providing necessary information.
Annual Parish Compliance Report
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Parish Administrative History
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On
February 1, 2021 His Eminence Archbishop Benjamin of San
Francisco and the West officially established Holy Wisdom
Mission in Grand Junction, Colorado.
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Letter from
Archbishop
Benjamin
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On
March 6, 2021 a Parish Special Meeting was convened by the
Rector, the Reverend Benjamin Huggins, for the purpose of
voting to adopt Parish By Laws and to elect the first
Parish Council.
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Minutes of
First Parish
Assembly
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Thereafter three individuals were
elected as parish council officers and two individuals
were elected as members at large. These elections were
also forwarded to Archbishop Benjamin who approved them.
The officers and members of our
first
Parish Council were:
Reverend Presbyter Benjamin Huggins, Rector, President
Dr. George Gatseos, Vice President
Ms. Anastasia Bowman, Secretary
Ms. Monica Kostron, Treasurer
Mr. Mike George, Member
Ms. Karen Kopanos, Member
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