In July 2023, the Holy Spirit spoke to my wife Gail and me.

When Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Chair of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation (EPBF), first announced the formation of the Foundation, his enthusiasm was contagious. This was clear from the Archons’ enthusiastic reaction; they pledged over $23.5 million in an impressive short period of time. In 2020, Gail and I saw the potential of the Foundation and immediately realized the good it could do. We were likewise impressed with the leadership, the transparency of its accounting and the appointment of a stellar Investment Committee. In recognition of all this and our desire to help protect the Ecumenical Patriarchate, along with our expression of gratitude to God and His Holy Church, we became Founders with a $100,000 pledge, with an option of making payments of $10,000 per year.  

That was the situation for three years. We made regular payments and intended to continue to do so for another seven years. But that was when the Spirit spoke to us, through Father Alex Karloutsos, the Archon Spiritual Advisor, during a National Council Zoom conversation focused on the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation. Father Alex made a comment that kept ringing in our ears: “Those who can, but don’t: are they really fulfilling their commitment to God?”

Wow!

The key words for us were “those who can.” We could, so why didn’t we? With open hearts, on July 25, 2023, Gail and I paid in full our balance of $70,000, thereby fulfilling not only our $100,000 pledge to the EPBF but also our commitment to God. Doing so gave us a euphoric feeling of joy. We remain grateful to Commander Dr. Limberakis and the Board for their vision, and to Father Alex for the extraordinary wake-up call!

Our family’s story is no different from that of those of the thousands of faithful Orthodox Christians who traveled from foreign lands to America for a better life. We owe it to them never to forget who we are and where we came from. Our job is to continue to inculcate in our children what our families instilled in us: love, respect, and the value of hard work, with our Church being the backbone of our family as Orthodox Christians.    

Having had the privilege of visiting the Ecumenical Patriarchate and meeting with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew cemented for me the importance of our responsibility to continue our individual support for our Holy and Great Mother Church. It is the center of who we are, the beacon of light and hope for us and for generations to come.  Our generation’s legacy should be to continue what our ancestors started. It is up to us to ensure the perpetual existence of our Holy and Great Mother Church. When we asked ourselves how we could be the most effective in supporting the worthy ministry of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the answer was clear: through the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation.

It is a tremendous honor for me to work with such exemplary leaders and stewards of our Church. In fact, it is one of the major highlights of my life. There are no words that can express the feeling of gratitude that I have every day for having the opportunity and ability to serve our Holy and Great Mother Church. The Archons, under the leadership of National Commander Dr. Limberakis, are making a positive difference for the future of our faith; as National Secretary, I see it every day. I am truly blessed to be a small part of this proactive and dedicated organization.