New York, October 9, 2020
The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America held a two-day virtual meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the participation of 38 of the 51 canonical Orthodox bishops in the U.S.
Among its decisions, “recognizing the youth as the future of the Church, the Assembly of Bishops declared 2021 the Year of the Youth,” reports the site of the Assembly of Bishops.
A number of initiatives are expected to be launched to unite Orthodox youth from across the country, states the Assembly’s report.
Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the Chairman of the Assembly of Bishops, also spoke of the youth in his keynote address offered on Tuesday, noting that “an exciting new proposal for combining our energies, resources, and talent to reach our youth” would be heard from Metropolitan Gregory of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A.
According to a 2017 report, young adults constitute 12% of active Orthodox church members in America, while youth make up 23% of the general population. Only 15% of parishes consider young adult ministries one of their top priorities, and only 22% evaluate their young adult ministries as good or excellent, while 37% judge their young adult ministries as poor.
“Our young people need us to collaborate on their behalf, and I am grateful for the work being done to expedite and innovate new ministries,” Abp. Elpidophoros said.
According to the Assembly Chairman, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, the Assembly Vice-Chairman, was instrumental in 2021 being named the “Year of the Youth,” presenting a vision “to go beyond words and platitudes and really do something special for our youth.”
Abp. Elpidophoros also notes in his keynote address that the Assembly would hear a motion from the Executive Committee for the creation of a new Youth Agency.