His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros

Invocation – Paternal Exhortation - Benediction

Board of Trustees Meeting

32nd Annual Leadership 100 Conference

February 1, 2023

The Phoenician – Salons I & J

Scottsdale, Arizona

My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Invocation

Let us commence with prayer.

Let us pray to the Lord. Kyrie Eleison.

We give thanks to You, O Christ our God, for all Your tender mercies and your compassionate love. We ask your blessings upon our days together in the fellowship of Leadership 100, and upon all our members and their families. Guide our deliberations aright, that we may always say and do what is pleasing in Your sight; through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and all the Saints. Amen.

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My friends – and as I look around the room, I can tell you that is exactly what I see – friends. What a joy to be together here at the 32nd Leadership 100 Conference.

This organization – unique in the life of our Sacred Archdiocese – has been a bulwark for me, and a mainstay for our Church through the years of my ministry. I cannot help but always have a grateful heart for the insightfulness of the ever-memorable Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America, who conceived and led the formation of this organization so many decades ago. His providential wisdom has been proven, time and time again, to be visionary in its scale and amazingly efficacious in the results that have come forth.

Last year, our Centennial Year, was made possible in great part, thanks to the generosity of Leadership and your efforts – individually and collectively. I cannot express enough my gratitude for the new captain of the ship, our dear friend Jim Logothetis, and as always, for the incredible and indefatigable Paulette Poulos, our beloved Executive Director. Paulette, I know that I speak for every Trustee, and for every member of Leadership 100 that we are privileged every day to have your presence and your energy – which seems inexhaustible!

Earlier today with the Executive Committee, I once again feel that Leadership is on the right track – both in how it manages its own affairs, and in its relationship to the Archdiocese. Most of you know that the Fund began under the Archdiocese, and was only spun off into a non-profit under my predecessor, Archbishop Spyridon. (And allow me this point of personal privilege, as I mention my living predecessors – today is Archbishop Demetrios’ 95th Birthday. I know that we all wish him well. Many Years!)

As a separate non-profit, you, my friends, have the extraordinary responsibility for the good of the Fund, its management, and its distribution. We work together harmoniously, so that we build together new foundations around the National Ministries of the Church.

I want you all to know how appreciative I am of your efforts, your sacrifices, and your generosity. I look forward to hearing the good news of this conference, and enjoying the fellowship that we will surely experience in an atmosphere of Christian love and good will, here at the Thirty-Second Annual Leadership 100 Conference.

Thank you all for your service, your dedication, and your passionate and reverent zeal for our Holy Church.

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Benediction 

Let us close our meeting today, by giving thanks and praise to God:

O Lord our God, You have called us to be stewards of Your Church: Accept our praise and thanks for Your faith in us, and grant that we may have such faith in You, the One True God, that we may always serve Your Divine Will, and ascribe all honor to You: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, magnified and glorified unto the ages of ages. Amen.