You can receive more information and register from this link. Registration must be done online with payment by credit card.
Last year we welcomed the largest, and most energetic group of attendees – a capacity crowd.
Still on the Fence? Three Good Reasons to attend.
- Past Results —Attendance has been growing yearly. Clergy and laity have found value. (See comments below.) Many 2024 registrants are returning for more.
- Important Content: Our Parish and the Future: Equipping to Serve in a Secular World. Orthodox parishes live in a changed environment. The parish of 2000 –some would say 2010 or 2015 is no more. Parishes face new challenges from a culture unfriendly to Churches and Christians. Sunday belongs to anything but church. Religion and faith are, one option among many. AND, Parishes face new opportunities. Many Orthodox parishes are seeing a surge of inquirers seeking truth, beauty, meaning, authentic worship, loving fellowship and an opportunity to connect with and serve others in love. Do we have the creativity and energy to serve those coming to us? Can we blend different views and values into one parish –not two or three – that together serves Christ? We need to update and reshape our parishes and ministry efforts — to BE the Church today!
- Excellent Speakers and Topics New speakers will share new ideas and shine a new light of past topics. There is plenty of opportunity for facilitated discussion and sharing your thoughts and concerns. As always you’ll find a blend of practical, spiritual and conceptual ideas about leadership, communication and strengthening the fabric of the parish.
A flyer describing the Forum can be downloaded here.
“The Parish Development Forum is a conference which encourages discussion of timely topics and discovery of practices used by healthy, vibrant Orthodox parishes,” said Joseph Kormos, Forum co-chairperson and Parish Development Ministry Leader for the Archdiocese of Western Pennsylvania. “This is the eleventh consecutive Parish Development Forum. Past Forums have drawn attendees from most OCA Dioceses and as far away as Florida and Arizona. The Cleveland area site offers excellent facilities and the location, just moments from exit 151 on I-77 and near the Ohio Turnpike, is accessible for many parishes of the OCA and other Orthodox jurisdictions.”
Theme: Our Parish and the Future: Equipping to Serve in a Secular World
Archpriest Stephen Frase, clergy co-chair of the Forum noted, “The 2024 Forum theme, ‘Our Parish and the Future: Equipping to Serve in a Secular World’, was chosen to build on the highly successful 2023 Forum discussions with a specific focus on how secular thought processes and assumptions that inhabit our lives and basic outlook have an important influence on Orthodox persons and parish ministries. By examining these cultural influences the Forum will help attendees to update their parish efforts in evangelism, incorporating inquirers, communication, and youth and adult Christian formation.”
Agenda segments will include:
- Orthodox Converts Speak: Becoming Part of the Parish Fabric
- Learning from Our American Saints: In the World Not Of the World
- Materialism, Science, and Reality: Does Science Give Us Certainty?
- Understanding Our Culture: The Impact on Evangelism, Communication and Formation
- Active Listening and Dialogue – And other Critical Parish Skills
Project 2030
“Unlike many presentation laden conferences, the Forum agenda will invite attendees to collaborate on ‘Project 2030’, a set of structured, facilitated discussions designed to share experiences and identify the key behaviors, skills and ‘new muscles’ parishes will need to thrive amidst future societal, cultural, demographic and technological trends”, said Kormos. “’Project 2030’ discussions will involve extended exploration of three significant parish issues: building a healthy, collaborative parish environment; integrating converts and newcomers, and establishing a mission mindset.”
Conference Registration – Early Bird Discount Available until June 24
Registration is open to clergy and laity from any Orthodox jurisdiction. An early bird registration discount of $50 per attendee is available until June 24. After June 24 the registration fee will be $160 per attendee.
Registration must be done online and is available here. Registration payment can be made by credit card only. To maintain an intimate setting for thoughtful exchange among attendees, Forum attendance will be limited to 90 persons.
Hotel information
A block of hotel rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn Cleveland South – Independence, 6025 001 Rockside Rd. Independence, OH 44131 . The group rate of $122 per are also available until June 9, 2024. Information for hotel registration is available at the conference registration page.
Questions and enquiries may be directed to Mr. Kormos at joekormos1@gmail.com with the subject “Forum Questions”.
