Greek-American (& Olympic Games) Events Outside North America

Ghana

August 1-22, 2003
2003 Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) Evangelism Team
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center will send a short-term evangelism team as part of its program to teach, build, baptize, nurture and heal in the local Orthodox communities around the world. Groups of volunteers will donate their time, money and energy to witness the Orthodox Christian faith through a variety of activities. At the request of His Grace Bishop Panteleimon, at least two OCMC teams will go to Ghana to aid in the growth of the Church. The evangelism team will be composed of eight volunteers with a firm grasp of the Orthodox Faith but not necessarily catechists. For more information, contact the Orthodox Christian Mission Center at teams@ocmc.org, 904-829-5132 or P.O. Box 4319, St. Augustine, FL 32085. Team applications are online at www.ocmc.org/teams/index or upon request by e-mail or regular mail.

Greece

June 30 – August 9, 2003
Ionian Village 2003 Summer Programs
While spending nearly three weeks on the coast of the Ionian Sea, participants of Ionian Village's summer programs are immersed in their Orthodox faith and Greek culture, meeting and making new friends from across the globe. Ionian Village allows campers not only to take part in an Orthodox camping program, but also to experience firsthand what they learn in Orthodox Life sessions as they embark on pilgrimages, walking in the footsteps of the Saints and the Apostles. Campers are taken on pilgrimages to the islands of Zakynthos and Aegina to witness the lives of Saint Dionysios and Saint Nektarios, respectively. In addition, participants travel to the churches of St. Andrew in Patras, where they are able to venerate his relics and the cross upon which he was crucified, and to the monastery at Mega Spileion, where they venerate St. Luke's icon of the Theotokos and learn of its miraculous discovery. Ionian Village also allows its participants to gain an appreciation for the contributions of their Hellenic heritage to the world by visiting the ruins at Ancient Olympia, Ancient Delphi, Cape Sounion and the Acropolis. Participants also visit historic sites significant to the Greek War for Independence and World War II to learn of their ancestors' struggles for freedom. Ionian Village is offering the following programs for the summer of 2003: Summer Travel Camp: June 30-July 17 (7th-9th grade), Byzantine Venture: July 23-August 9 (10th-12th grade), and Spiritual Odyssey: July13-28 (young adults 19-30 years of age). For more information about Ionian Village, or to request a registration/application packet, visit www.ionianvillage.org, or contact the Office of Ionian Village at (646) 519-6190 or via email at ionianvillage@goarch.org.

August 17-27, 2003 – Stavros, Thessaloniki
4th Greek Dance Seminar
This Greek traditional dance seminar, hosted by Kyriakos Moisidis, Petros Selkos (dances from Almopia), Katerina Douka (songs of Thrace, Chios and Chalkidiki) and Yiannis Amarantidis (traditional costumes), will be held at the hotel “Rihios.” Dances and songs will be taught from Thrace (Evros), Pontos (Garasari, Ak Dag Maten, Kars), Macedonia (Chalkidiki, Almopia) and Chios. Traditional costumes will also be shown from each of the regions. During the seminar, there will be glendia at night in nearby villages to dance with the local dance groups and local people of the village. Particpants will also travel to Eptamilon, Serres, for a Pontic glendi, and to a glendi in Stavros. There will be 4-5 hours of dance lessons next to the sea each day, many with live music. The seminar costs 680 Euro. For further information, call Kyriakos Moisidis at +30 2310940989 or +30 (0)932491135, or by e-mail at krksm@hotmail.com.

October 7-11, 2003 – Athens
7th IOC International Olympic Conference on Sports Sciences
The Athens 2004 Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, in cooperation with the IOC Medical Committee, will host this conference on the subject of “Physical, Nutritional and Psychological Care of the Athlete in the 21st Century." About 1,500 delegates will participate at the conference, which will take place at the Athens Hilton Hotel, the majority of which will be doctors of various expertise, such as orthopaedics, sports doctors, alternative medicine practitioners, cardiologists and psychologists. Participation is free for trainers of all sports, as well as for students of medical schools, physical education and sports sciences. Others interested in taking part can apply at a reduced fee up until May. Those wishing to make a presentation must submit a summary of their reports with an application by April 1st. There will also be an exhibition of companies who produce and sell goods and services relating to the conference subject. For further information, visit www.iocworldcongress.com.

India

September 8 – October 1, 2003 – Calcutta/Bengal
2003 Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) Mission Team
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center will send a short-term mission team as part of its program to teach, build, baptize, nurture and heal in the local Orthodox communities around the world. This unique team will travel to India in the footsteps of the Apostle Thomas who first brought the Gospel message to India. Due to local conditions and the nature of this trip, it is limited to members of the clergy who will serve as teachers and catechists, and (alongside local clergy) will provide the sacraments. For more information, contact the Orthodox Christian Mission Center at teams@ocmc.org, 904-829-5132 or P.O. Box 4319, St. Augustine, FL 32085. Team applications are online at www.ocmc.org/teams/index or upon request by e-mail or regular mail.

Romania

August 7-21, 2003
2003 Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) Mission Team
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center will send a short-term mission team as part of its program to teach, build, baptize, nurture and heal in the local Orthodox communities around the world. Eight volunteers are needed to assist long-term missionaries Craig and Victoria Goodwin at the newly established Protection of the Theotokos Infant and Maternal Center. The purpose of this center is to prevent child abandonment and to nurture the bond between mother and child (infants up to 24 months), discouraging abortion and abandonment while increasing strong family ties for infants. For more information, contact the Orthodox Christian Mission Center at teams@ocmc.org, 904-829-5132 or P.O. Box 4319, St. Augustine, FL 32085. Team applications are online at www.ocmc.org/teams/index or upon request by e-mail or regular mail.

Uganda

July 13 – August 23, 2003
2003 Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) Mission Team
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center will send a short-term mission team as part of its program to teach, build, baptize, nurture and heal in the local Orthodox communities around the world. This mission team will consist of physicians, physicians' assistants and nurses (RN and LPN). (There is also need for a surgeon and a dentist at the main hospital, as well as a surgeon for basic medicine in some of the villages. A pharmacist would be useful managing the medications.) Volunteers will treat mostly tropical diseases (malaria, leprosy, TB, as well as secondary infections from AIDS, general aches, pains and infections). Due to the heavy schedules of most healthcare professionals, a schedule will be developed to allow for rotating replacement. For more information, contact the Orthodox Christian Mission Center at teams@ocmc.org, 904-829-5132 or P.O. Box 4319, St. Augustine, FL 32085. Team applications are online at www.ocmc.org/teams/index or upon request by e-mail or regular mail.