The Diocese of the Midwest, the Archdiocese of Western Pennsylvania and the Bulgarian Diocese announced that the ninth annual Parish Development Forum will be held online on Friday, June 17. Registration will begin in mid-May.
“While we hope to return to in-person Forums in coming years, it seems most effective to once again offer the Parish Development Forum as a one-day online session,” said Joseph Kormos, Forum co-chairperson and Parish Development Ministry Leader for the Archdiocese of Western Pennsylvania. “Having the Forum online will also help parishes redirect their travel budgets to the upcoming All-American Council,” he added.
“The keynote address for the 2022 Forum will be delivered by His Grace Bishop Daniel of Santa Rosa, who will introduce the Forum’s theme, Parishes Becoming Vessels of Ministry,” said Archpriest Alexander Cadman, clergy co-chair of the Forum. “Our theme was chosen to enhance the theme of the 20th All-American Council, Becoming Vessels of Grace, and to emphasize the importance of renewing ministry in post-COVID parish life.”
“The agenda will incorporate a blend of keynote presentations and parallel breakout meetings in which attendees can choose from an array of skill building and dialogue sessions,” said Kormos. Topics will be organized into three important content tracks: “Managing Ministry” will help parish leaders to determine the array of ministries appropriate for their parish, find and build good ministry leaders, and to remove obstacles to ministry participation. “Living Active Ministry” will help those involved in parish ministry by exploring examples and best practices of essential and unique “in-reach” and outreach activities. The third track, “Education As and For Ministry”, will examine ways of renewing and rethinking the ministry of education in the parish in light of new technologies and new needs.
Archpriest Cadman added, “For the past eight years this conference has attracted persons from virtually every OCA Diocese and many other Orthodox jurisdictions. The online venue makes this opportunity available to a broad group of potential attendees.”
Registration will be online only and will open in mid-May. Sessions will begin at 10:00 AM Eastern time Friday, June 17 and conclude at 5:30 PM that afternoon. There is no cost to participate in the Forum, but a freewill offering can be made electronically when registering. For more information, contact Joseph Kormos at joekormos1@gmail.com.
