First Meeting of the New Metropolis Council

The 29th Clergy-Laity Assembly, which took place this year from May 26th to June 1st in Belleville, Ontario, elected a new Metropolis Council. It is comprised of 51 members, from Halifax to Vancouver.

On Monday, October 16, 2017, the Metropolis Council had its first meeting, under the presidency of Metropolitan Sotirios. From the 51 members, 39 were present.

The meeting began with prayer, along with the Biblical reading and exegesis of Matthew 10:32: “Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father who is in the Heavens.”

Elections for the Metropolis Council Executive followed. According to the Special Regulations of our Holy Metropolis, the Metropolitan is always the President. Elected were: Archon Maestor J. Dagonas, 1st Vice President; Archon Aktouarios L. Mirkopoulos, 2nd Vice President; Archon Depoutatos and President of the Archons of Canada J. Anas, Treasurer; E. Sotiropoulos, Secretary.

The Metropolitan then gave his report to the Council, citing all the events that occurred from the last meeting of the Metropolis Council until today, along with the progress achieved by our Metropolis. His Eminence focused on the spiritual growth and the blossoming financial state of the Metropolis, along with the building of a new wing to Metamorphosis Greek Orthodox Day School, which has 10 new classrooms and costs about $1,700,000. For this cause, the Metropolis will be giving $1,000,000, while the rest will be collected through fundraising efforts, something that has already begun. In about one month, the new wing of the school will be ready to welcome the students who are now on waiting lists to join our program.

The chairpersons of the 24 committees of the Metropolis Council presented their reports on the work achieved thus far. According to the procedure followed, every committee chairperson must present their report in a two-page length report, both in Greek and English. No verbal reports are allowed. Every report is then discussed and the appropriate decisions are made.

This meeting of the Metropolis Council was very organized, promising much satisfaction and optimism for the future.

The meeting finished with prayer, with His Eminence first expressing his gratitude and thanking all of the participants, glorifying the Thrice-Holy Triune God for the beautiful and successful journey of our Holy Metropolis in Canada.

Below are the list of committee reports, in alphabetical order:

•     Academy: V. Rev. Fr. Athenagoras Ziliaskopoulos
•     AHEPA: Mr. Christos Argiriou
•     Canada Daughters of Penelope: Ms. Dimitra Vassilas
•     Clergy-Laity Assembly: His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios
•     Ecuhomes: Rev. Fr. Michael Michael
•     Ecumenical Patriarchate Archons in Canada (EPAC): Mr. Jim Anas
•     Finance: Mr. Jim Anas
•     Greek Education: Mr. Spyros Volonakis
•     Greek Orthodox Education in Ontario: Mrs. Toula Reppas
•     iEcclesia: Rev. Fr. Timoleon Prattas
•     Inter-Church Relations: Rev. Fr. Panagiotis Avgeropoulos
•     Klironomia: Mrs. Lucy Grigoriadis
•     Legal: Mr. George J. Karayannides/Mr. James D. Smirnios
•     Metamorphosis Summer Camp: Rev. Frs. Theologos Drakos / Constantinos Economos
•     Metropolis Philoptochos Board: Mrs. Sapfo Rassias
•     Missions: Mr. Basilios Roccas
•     Oratorical Festival / Religious Education: Rev. Fr. Fanourios Pappas
•     Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF): Rev. Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos
•     Orthodox Voice: Rev. Fr. Haridimos Sarris
•     Presbyters’ Council: Rev. Fr. Panagiotis Avgeropoulos
•     School of Byzantine Music: Rev. Fr. Odisseys Drossos
•     Social Services: Rev. Fr. Haridimos Sarris/Mrs. Lucy Grigoriadis
•     Youth: V. Rev. Fr. Demetrios Antonopoulos