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Published
by the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America,
October 1, 2004
Detroit OCF Students and
Alumni Unite Orthodox Christians |
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Detroit, MI -
Detroit area OCF students and alumni from the
various Orthodox jurisdictions under SCOBA hosted
a weekend-long event to unite Orthodox Christians
and share the ministry of Orthodox Christian
Fellowship. Attending the weekend event were Fr.
Michael Nasser, Executive Director of OCF, and Jim
King, OCF Development Director, to support the
effort and raise awareness for the national OCF
ministry effort. The events took place on
September 17-19. More than 150 individuals
concerned about the future of Orthodox campus
ministry in America attended.
The three-day event included workshops on Friday
evening at St. George Romanian Orthodox Cathedral
in Southfield, for teens, parents, college
students, and OCF Alumni, conducted by local
clergy and Orthodox business leaders. A grand
banquet was held on Saturday evening at the
Basilica of St. Mary in Livonia, which included a
silent auction, dancing, and presentations by Fr.
Michael Nasser, Jim King, and two local college
students. The weekend concluded on Sunday morning
with the Detroit area churches, in conjunction
with Orthodox parishes throughout the country,
participating in “College Student Sunday.” SCOBA
has designated the Sunday following the Elevation
of the Holy Cross, to be a day reserved for
parishes to hear about the on-going work of OCF
and learn about the many resources available to
them through the national office.
The purpose of this event and similar events being
held throughout the country is to create awareness
for the ministry of OCF and share with Orthodox
communities how every Orthodox individual may
participate in this vital ministry. Reflecting on
this national effort, OCF Development Director,
Jim King said, “Our goal is to make Orthodoxy an
option for college students, both spiritually and
educationally, by creating a real and lasting
presence on the college campus.”
The event was made possible due to the diligent
planning of a volunteer committee who worked for
eight months to promote the weekend, which turned
out to be a huge success. Committee Chair and
event coordinator Christa Shalhoub said, “Everyone
on the committee is extremely passionate about the
Orthodox campus ministry. OCF has touched and
inspired every one of us at one point in our
lives, and we want to help ensure its continued
success. OCF has such potential to reach so many
students. This event is simply a stepping stone
for the future of Orthodox campus ministry
nationwide.”
When asked about the future, OCF Executive
Director, Fr. Michael Nasser said, “Our goal is to
continue reaching out to Orthodox communities
across the country and share with them our vision
for creating a permanent Orthodox presence on
campus for our Orthodox college students.”
We encourage all Orthodox communities interested
in learning about Orthodox campus ministry and the
work of the national OCF office to consider
hosting an event in your area. For more
information about hosting an event or to learn how
you may help support the ministry of OCF, contact
the OCF development office at 805-692-6758. For
more information about the ministry of OCF, please
visit our website at www.ocf.net.
About OCF
Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) is the
official campus ministry effort of the Standing
Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the
Americas (SCOBA). It is a Pan-Orthodox effort,
overseen by an Executive Committee and aided by a
sixteen-person Student Advisory Board. The office
is located in Boston, MA, where a full time staff
develops OCF programs and resources. The staff is
available to guide and support local OCF chapters
through communication with the larger Orthodox
community, national programs, and development of
resources for use by Orthodox college students.
SCOBA designated the 3rd Sunday in September each
year as “College Student Sunday” to raise
awareness of our students on campus and OCF’s
activities.
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