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Council of Ministries

UNIFORM PARISH REGULATION CHAPTER ONE PARISH AND PARISH ORGANIZATION ARTICLE 15 PARISH

Section 1: The Parish is the local eucharistic community of the Church in a given locality; organized under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese whose ecclesiastical authority is its canonically consecrated Hierarch. Locally, the Parish is headed by a canonically ordained and duly appointed Priest. The assignment of such appointed Priest shall bind the Parish to the Archdiocesan Regulations, Uniform Metropolis Regulations and Uniform Parish Regulations with the same force and effect as if the same were formally approved and adopted by the Parish.

Section 2: The aims and purposes of the Parish are to keep, practice and proclaim the Orthodox Christian Faith pure and undefiled.

Section 3: Parishes shall be governed in accordance with the holy canons, the Archdiocesan Charter and Regulations promulgated thereunder, and, as to canonical and ecclesiastical matters, by the decisions of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Eparchial Synod of the Archdiocese. In accordance with the Charter, the Parish shall express the life of the Church in the local community according to the Orthodox Christian Faith and Tradition, sanctifying the faithful through the Divine Liturgy and the Holy Sacraments. It shall edify the religious and ethical life of the faithful
in accordance with the Holy Scriptures and the decrees and canons of the Holy Apostles and the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the Church, as interpreted by the practice of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Section 4: The diakonia (ministry) of the Parish will include proclaiming and teaching the Gospel in accordance with the Orthodox Faith; sanctifying the faithful through God’s grace in worship, the Divine

Liturgy and the other sacraments; enhancing its parishioners’ spiritual life; and adding to the numbers of the faithful by receiving persons into the Church through instruction, baptism and/or chrismation. In addition, the Parish shall establish educational and philanthropic activities to foster the aims and mission of the Parish and to edify its parishioners in the Faith and ethos of the Church. The Parish shall also engage in such inter-Orthodox, ecumenical and interfaith activities as are consistent with the policies of the Archdiocese.

Section 5: The Parish shall conform faithfully to the worship, sacramental life, doctrines, canons and discipline of the Church. It shall also adhere to the Archdiocesan Charter, the Regulations and all Hierarchical encyclicals.

Section 6: Any non-conformance with the foregoing shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the canons. The Archbishop, upon the recommendation of the local Metropolitan, shall have the authority to revoke the ecclesiastical charter of a Parish, if, in his judgment, there is sufficient cause for such action. In each such case, notice of the revocation, stating the cause for such action, shall be forwarded to the Parish Council in writing.

Section 7: The Parish shall furthermore abide by the decisions of the Clergy-Laity Congresses irrespective of whether it was represented thereat, the administrative determinations of the Archdiocesan Council, and such interim legislation as may be adopted between Congresses by the Archdiocesan Council.

Section 8: Each Parish shall be known as the (name) Greek Orthodox Church of (locality). Each Parish shall use the authorized logo of the Archdiocese and the name of the respective Archdiocesan District/Metropolis on its stationery and publications, in accordance with the Archdiocesan Graphics Standards Manual.