2018 Parish Council Candidate Seminars

TO:   Reverend Clergy, Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils and Members of the Boards of Elections of the Direct Archdiocesan District Parishes

FROM: Bishop Andonios

DATE: September 24, 2018

RE: Parish Council Seminars

        Once again, the time for Parish Council Elections is here. As you prepare for your Parish Assembly for the purpose of nominating candidates for election please be reminded that:

  1. In accordance with Article 25, Section 3.A of the 2014 edition of the Regulations, ALL candidates for election to the Parish Council are required to attend a seminar at which the regulations are explained.  If a candidate for the Parish Council does not attend a seminar and sign the statement, his/her name shall be deleted from the list of candidates (only under extenuating circumstances and only with prior permission from this office may a person be included on the list of candidates with the stipulation that they will attend the seminar before they take the oath of office). 
  2. Enclosed is the 2018 Schedule of Parish Council Seminars. 
    Please duplicate and give a copy to ALL potential candidates as soon as possible.  Ask them to attend a seminar early in case something extenuating arises and they aren’t unable to attend one because the program has ended. 
  3. At the conclusion of the seminars, candidates will be asked to complete THREE forms: (a) the Candidate’s Affirmation Statement, (available in English or Greek), should be signed and submitted to the clergy of the parish hosting the seminar, who will return it to the Chancellery; (b) the Certificate of Participation which MUST be signed and validated by the clergyman who hosted the seminar and returned by the candidate to the Board of Elections of his / her own parish.  Unless this form is properly completed and submitted to the Board of Elections that person’s name should not be placed on the ballot; (c) the Conflict Disclosure Statement must be signed by the candidate and also presented by the candidate to the Board of Elections of his / her own parish.  The Certificates of Participation and the Conflict Disclosure Statements must be sent together with the Parish’s Election results to the Chancellery.
  4. Please direct each candidate to the website of the Archdiocese (www.goarch.org) so that they can print out a copy of the Regulations* which they SHOULD read before the seminar.

          As always my office will strictly adhere to the requirements outlined by the Regulations. Everyone wishing to be eligible for the Parish Council must do their utmost to fulfill their obligations by following the procedures outlined above. 

            A copy of this memo should be duplicated and given to each person interested in running for your parish council so that they are fully aware of their responsibilities. 

            If there are any questions about any of the above, do not hesitate to contact my office at (212) 570-3513.

       In closing, I convey to you the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios. 

The grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the love of God and Father and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  

 

 

* Reference: Regulations, Article 25 “Election of Parish Council”, Section 3

 


TO ACCESS THE SCHEDULE OF SEMINARS, PLEASE CLICK  HERE