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ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

“Keeping our College Students Connected to the Church”

 OCF Chaplains’ Conference to Focus on Helping Students Through Crises

Fishers, IN – December 21, 2010 - The North American Office of Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) announced today the details of its 2011 Chaplains Conference, to be held at the Antiochian Village in Ligonier, PA, from February 8-10, 2011. The annual gathering of clergy and lay leaders of local OCF chapters will focus on the theme of “Following Christ through Crisis,” with the goal of equipping chaplains to help students remain strong in their faith and in the pursuit of their calling in the midst of crises, be they personal or interpersonal, emotional, physical or spiritual. 

Designed to offer practical learning in the field of campus ministry, the keynote sessions will be offered by Archimandrite John Abdalah, a veteran OCF Chaplain at the University of Pittsburgh. Fr. Abdalah has a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care from Pittsburgh Theological School and a Certificate in Pastoral Counseling from Pittsburgh Pastoral Institute.  Fr. John is a founder of the Orthodox Pastoral Counseling Institute in Pittsburgh. In addition to the keynote presentations, sessions will be offered on varied  practical topics ranging from “The First Two Weeks of the Semester,” to “Developing Continuity in Student Leadership.”  

Twenty scholarships covering travel and registration costs will be awarded to applicants, with majority funding provided by  The Lilly Endowment for the Theological Exploration of Vocations, through Hellenic College’s Office of Vocation and Ministry. Current OCF Chaplains, as well as those interested in this rewarding ministry are encouraged to apply. Awarded participants will in turn submit written reflections on their personal vocations as campus ministers. 

In regard to this year’s Conference, Fr. Michael Nasser, OCF’s North American Chaplain and one of the organizers of the event said, “The reality is that a great majority of college students today will face multiple crises during their college years. Most students do well in the college setting until crisis hits and they are faced with adversity.  It is at these times that they are at great risk of losing their way. Our efforts aim to better equip chaplains to help students get through these challenging times and hold fast to Christ and His Church as their anchor.” 

For more information on the 2011 Chaplains Conference and for registration and scholarship forms, please visit www.ocf.net/chaplainconference.