Chicago, IL - The Orthodox Bishop who promotes the humanitarian work of International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) across jurisdictional lines will be honored at a banquet in Chicago on May 18.
His Grace Bishop Dimitrios, ecumenical officer for the Greek Orthodox Church of America, will be recognized at the IOCC ninth annual Pan-Orthodox Grand Banquet at The Carlisle in Lombard, Ill.
The annual awards dinner is organized by the IOCC Chicago Metropolitan Committee, one of 27 such groups across the country who advance the humanitarian mission of IOCC through fund-raising and volunteer work.
"For years, we have been seen as a church that is not interested in the poor or the refugee or the neglected. We had no agency doing these things," Bishop Dimitrios said of the Orthodox Church. "Now people can't say that anymore. Now we have, for the first time, our own humanitarian aid agency, and the work that it's doing is considerable."
In addition to his work for the Greek Archdiocese, Bishop Dimitrios is general secretary of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), the parent organization of IOCC.
Bishop Dimitrios has been a strong advocate and supporter of IOCC since its inception in 1992. As a Bishop, he promotes the work of IOCC both in his capacity as ecumenical officer and as general secretary of SCOBA.
"IOCC is certainly the most dynamic agency of SCOBA," he said. "It has proven over the years that it can provide assistance and that it can deliver - food and medical supplies and help to people desperately in need, in places where other agencies might not go. IOCC fills that great void."
His Grace said IOCC is a good example of what Orthodox Christians can do if they work together across jurisdictional lines for a common purpose.
The Chicago Metropolitan Committee gives its annual Crystal Globe Award to someone who has done an exemplary job promoting the cause of IOCC. Last year's recipients were His Eminence Metropolitan Nikitas of the Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, and the Rev. Irinej Dobrijevic, IOCC board member and executive director of the Serbian Orthodox Church's Office of External Affairs.
For reservations for the 5:30 p.m. banquet,
call (847) 679-0831 or (847) 394-3946.
Founded in 1992, IOCC is the official humanitarian aid agency of Orthodox Christians. In just 10 years, it has delivered more than $160 million in humanitarian assistance in 21 countries.
INTERNATIONAL ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHARITIES (IOCC)
110 West Road, Suite 360,
Baltimore, Md. 21204
Tel: (410) 243-9820 - Fax: (410) 243-9824
Web: www.iocc.org - E-mail: [email protected]
To learn more about IOCC's relief and development programs, please visit www.iocc.org or call toll-free 1-877-803-4622.