To all Clergy, Monastics and Lay People of the Orthodox Churches in North America
The purpose of my letter to express my heartfelt endorsement of the Share the Faith Ministry (STF) founded by Fr. Evangelos Pepps. The Share the Faith Ministries Orthodox Missionary Priest Fund is dedicated to raising funds to supplement Orthodox clergy who serve very small or needy missions.
Basically, STF seeks to provide financial assistance to New Mission Priests in North America as they work day-to-day to develop the membership and income level of the mission.
- This may take the form of small stipends for personal and or family assistance such as healthcare expense, car expense, a rent or house payment, and education of children.
- Or, due to today’s pandemic support the cost of communication thru zoom meetings. This is important in keeping the community together for Bible Studies and the catechumenate.
- Or, support outreach in the community that can take the form of such things as funding costs for advertising mission events, or feeding our OCF college and university students at monthly meetings
- Providing this kind of assistance gives the new mission priest personal encouragement. It is another resource that can help a mission priest in developing the church growth and evangelism ministry of the mission.
STF has hopes over time to help mission priests pay for fees and other costs for:
- Clinical pastoral education for Hospital Chaplaincy;
- Advanced Degrees in pastoral counseling and /or
- Prison ministry programs.
Share the Faith has assembled a team of people currently seeking to secure gifts from Orthodox Christians throughout North America to secure gifts to fund the above endeavors. Do be generous in making your offerings when contacted. You can also go to: https://sharethefaith.net/ to make a donation online. Thank you so much for your support for this worthy endeavor.
The blessing of the Lord be upon you.
With love in Christ,
+PAUL
Archbishop of Chicago and the Midwest
