On Saturday September 22, parish leaders from Holy Assumption parish in
Canton OH met to explore future directions and plans for their parish
community.

The parish has endured a series of stressful situations in past
years. In introducing the session attendees were asked to focus "upward
and forward" and to make serious effort to listen more than advocate
their personal viewpoints.

With
the assistance of Fr John Steffaro (Dean) and Fr. Gregory Jensen Joseph
Kormos, parish health facilitator for the Diocese led 25 parishioners
fthrough the following agenda:

• A reflective period -- asking
  parishioners to focus on the love they share for one another and the
  qualities of the parish and its persons that they appreciate.

• Discussion
  of a set of "fundamental questions" to help the group focus on what it
  does well, its gifts and where improvements are needed.

• Examples of outreach projects from other parishes

• Information on the qualities of growing Orthodox parishes based on previous surveys.

• Finally,
  the group broke down into smaller discussion groups to describe the
  desirable qualities of healthy Orthodox parishes in America. The three
  groups reported back and found reasonable consensus in their vision for
  their parish. A step in the right direction.

Prayer Request
The
session concluded with the attendees agreeing to pray that their parish
family finds the wisdom to discern and follow God's will, and the
humility for each person to see their own faults and to forgive one
another for wrongs that may have been committed.

The parish asked that all in the Diocese pray for the renewed health of their parish.