Board Members
A Parish Council is the administrative body of a
Church community elected by its stewards for the purpose of working
together with the Parish Priest or Proistamenos
in fulfilling the mission and goals of that particular parish community.
The most important responsibility of the Parish
Council is to assist the Parish Priest in the administration of the
ministries of the Parish (GOAA Regulations 29:1A). Some of the principal
roles employed by effective Parish Councils include, but are not limited
to, planning, developing, organizing, and implementing stewardship
programs and various educational ministries of the Church; reporting and
communicating to the parishioners the work and ministries of the Church at
the Metropolis and Archdiocesan levels; and recruiting and training
others for further service. The Parish Council must also abide by Local,
State, and Federal statutes applicable to the Parish and by the GOAA
(Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America) Regulations.
In all things, Council members should imitate our
Lord Jesus Christ, who “came not to be served but to serve” (Matthew
20:28). The entire focus of the Parish Council must be to serve the needs
of the faithful and to spread the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
According to St. Paul, the Church is the Body of
Christ (1 Corinthians. 12:27), the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25- 27),
and the pillar and foundation of the Truth (1 Timothy 3:15). Without this
basic understanding, the Parish can easily be reduced to little more than
an organizational center or administrative structure, a kind of religious
business enterprise, instead of being a Holy and Divine Eucharistic
community, called to be in the world, but ultimately not of the world, a
community that is set apart from all other organizations and bodies in
our secularized society.
The Orthodox Church is governed by procedures in
which both clergy and laity have a voice in determining policies and
programs. On the Metropolitan level, a Clergy-Laity Assembly comprised of
clergy and lay delegates from all parishes in a given Metropolis,
convenes at least once biennially for the purpose of developing programs
and policies of common concern for the Metropolis (GOAA Regulations 11:1).
On the Archdiocesan level, the Clergy-Laity Congress is the highest
administrative and legislative body of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
which is also convened biennially. The Congress is concerned with all
matters outside of dogmatic and canonical issues which affect the life,
mission, growth, and unity of the Archdiocese (GOAA Regulations 4:1).
Decisions of the Clergy-Laity Congress, upon approval
by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, are
implemented by the Archdiocese.
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The Archdiocese functions on
four administrative levels:
1.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople – The Patriarchate is the source from which the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America receives its administrative
authority, spiritual leadership, and the supply of Holy Chrism. It is
located in Constantinople (in what is now, Istanbul,
Turkey) and is governed by the Holy and
Sacred Synod, headed by His All Holiness the
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Please watch the Enthronement of His
All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew.
2.
The Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese of America – The Archdiocese functions under
the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and coordinates the
work and ministries of the Metropolises and the Direct Archdiocesan
District. It is governed in accordance with the Faith, Tradition, and Holy Canons of the
Church along with the provisions of the Charter, the Regulations of the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (known as the GOAA), and the
decisions of the Holy
Eparchial Synod and the Clergy-Laity
Congress. Through its various departments and offices, the
Archdiocese serves both the needs of the Metropolises and parishes. It
functions under the leadership of the Archbishop, the Holy Eparchial
Synod and the Archdiocese
Council (which comprised of both clergy and lay representatives
from each Metropolis).
Please watch the Enthronement of His
Eminence Archbishop Demetrios.
3.
The Metropolis –The
Metropolis is an ecclesiastical district/area of the Archdiocese,
headed by its respective Metropolitan, who is a member of the Holy
Eparchial Synod. The Metropolitan in their Metropolises and the
Archbishop in the Direct Archdiocesan District are assisted in their
ministry by the Local Metropolis and District Councils. These Councils
are advisory and consultative bodies to the Metropolitan and Archbishop
and are concerned with the life and growth of the Metropolis, its
ministries, institutions and finances.
Please read about His Eminence Metropolitan
Gerasimos.
4.
The Parish –The Parish is the Local
Eucharistic Community, in which faithful Orthodox Christian gather
together to hear the Good News of the Resurrection of Christ and live
the sacramental life of the Church. It is the place where God’s People
are spiritually nourished in order to live more fully as Christians and
engage in the mission which Christ has given us: to share His Gospel
with one and all and to serve those in need. The Parish functions
administratively under the leadership of the Parish Priest and is assisted by the
Parish Council, with the guidance and supervision of the Metropolitan
or Archbishop. Each Parish is governed in accordance with teaching of Holy
Scripture, Holy
Tradition, the Holy
Canons of the Church, and the Regulations of the Archdiocese.
Please read about His Reverend Fr. Demosthenes Paraskevaides.
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A
Guidebook for Parish Council Members Serving Communities of the Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese of America is available to download.
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St. Nectarios is
a parish of Metropolis of San Francisco of the Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of America
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Click Here to
Contact Us
Services:
Sunday Morning Liturgy
9:00 AM Orthros
10:00 AM Liturgy
Wednesday
Paraklesis (service)
to Saint Nectarios 7:00 PM
Church is open:
Monday thru Friday
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Saturday:
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Our services are in
Greek & English
Office Hours:
9:00 AM –
4:00 PM
Email Address:
stnectarioschurch@gmail.com
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