OCF Honors Founder: Initiates Endowment

admin — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:12:00 GMT

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
“Keeping our College Students Connected to the Church”

Fishers, IN – September 21, 2010

Orthodox Christian Fellowship honored its founder, His Grace Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos, with a tribute dinner on Friday, September 17, 2010 at the San Jose Country Club in Jacksonville, Florida.

As a recent seminary graduate in the 1960’s, Bishop Dimitrios (James Couchell) was the driving force in establishing what has become the joint campus ministry arm of all canonical Orthodox jurisdictions in North America. The dinner gathered clergy and laity from throughout North America to honor His Grace’s dedication and devotion to college students and to celebrate the ever-growing network that OCF has been able to build upon the foundation he laid years ago.

At the dinner the OCF Board of Directors announced the establishment of the Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos Orthodox Christian Fellowship Ministry Endowment, which has been created to sustain and further the ministries of OCF. An anonymous donation of $100,000 has been given to initiate the fund.

Board of Directors Chairman and Interim Executive Director, Rev. Mark Leondis said, “Bishop Dimitrios has offered so much to Orthodox Christianity in North America and throughout the world in various capacities. Specifically, his efforts on behalf of college students are significant and this recognition of his work is long overdue.”

In conjunction with the dinner, Orthodox Christian Fellowship held organizational meetings September 16-19, 2010 at St. John the Divine parish in Jacksonville, Florida. In addition to the bi-annual Board of Directors meeting, the Regional Chaplains Network and Student Advisory Board (SAB) gathered to discuss their cooperative efforts.

Those who are interested in participating in the Bishop Dimitrios Ministry Endowment are encouraged to contact OCF Development Director Presvytera Shyla Hadzellis at 800-919-1OCF (1623).

OCF to honor His Grace Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 02:25:00 GMT

Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) to honor

His Grace Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos

Fishers, IN – August 19, 2010

The OCF Board of Directors will be honoring His Grace Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos for his tremendous contributions in establishing Orthodox Christian Fellowship with a celebratory dinner in Jacksonville, Florida, on September 17, 2010.

Beginning in 1960 as a recent seminary graduate, Bishop Dimitrios (James Couchell) was the driving force in establishing what has become the all-important campus ministry arm of the Orthodox Church. Inspired by his dedication and devotion to college students, OCF has been able to build upon the foundation he laid 50 years ago.

In the year 2000 OCF experienced a renewal, which included the strong and continuing support of the various Orthodox jurisdictions in North America. Recognizing these two milestones, this fall marks the 50^th anniversary of OCF’s creation and the 10^th anniversary of its current efforts.

In addition to the dinner, OCF will be holding its annual Board of Directors, Chaplain’s Network and Student Advisory Board meetings throughout the weekend. These planning meetings will lead into OCF’s College Student Sunday on September 19th, which was designated by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) as the Sunday after the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross. On this day, Orthodox Christians are asked to call to mind, support and prayer all of our college students.

OCF News & Events : Dimitrios

OCF Honors Founder: Initiates Endowment

OCF to honor His Grace Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos