New Missions Institute of Orthodox Christianity to Send Seminary Students on an OCMC Mission Team

The newly established Missions Institute of Orthodox Christianity and the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) present The Missiology of Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of Albania and Practical Evangelism in Albania. This 3-credit graduate level summer course will combine in-class study with an exciting mission practicum and on-field team experience.

The course will study in depth the life, missiology and writings of Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of Albania and examine how he has practically lived out this missiology through his ministry in the Church of Albania. The course will be devoted to a mission practicum where the students will travel to Albania for two weeks, witnessing the resurrection of the Church of Albania, meeting OCMC missionaries and the indigenous leaders of the Church, and participating in an evangelism program within the country.

Course leader, Fr. Luke Veronis, who was an OCMC missionary to Albania for more than a decade, was able to secure a grant to organize a mission team in conjunction with a new missions course. Fr. Luke states, “This grant allows us to offer to a group of seminarians from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and St. Vladimir’s Seminary an exciting course in Orthodox missiology, combined with an inspiring cross-cultural mission experience at minimal cost. This type of event can truly be a life-transforming moment in the lives of these students.”

The course will look at the foundation and calling of missions. It will focus on the resurrection of the Church of Albania over the past 20 years, examining and analyzing the successes of how the church has succeeded in living out the missiology of Archbishop Anastasios, and where the church still faces difficult challenges.

The course will include at least ten Orthodox seminary students, who will participate in 25 hours of in-class time at Holy Cross, and then go on a two week OCMC mission team practicum from May 23 - June 5, 2010. In Albania, the students will have classes with Archbishop Anastasios and other leaders, while also participating with Albanian students in some aspect of practical evangelism. Specific readings, with response papers, will include the books Facing the World: Orthodox Christian Essays on Global Concerns and Missions: Footsteps in Christ’s Way by Archbishop Anastasios, as well as Go Forth: Stories of Missions and Resurrection from Albania by Fr. Luke A. Veronis, and The Resurrection of the Church of Albania by Jim Forest.

The grant given to the Mission Institute of Orthodoxy Christianity will subsidize the cost of the trip, so that students will be required to contribute only $500 towards the overall cost of the class and trip.

For additional information on the Missions Institute of Orthodox Christianity and the upcominig OCMC team, please visit the OCMC website, http://teams.ocmc.org.