Department of Marriage & Parish Family Ministries Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church of North America Department of Marriage & Parish Family Ministries Department of Marriage & Parish Family Ministries

Mission Statement The Department of Marriage and Parish Family Ministries exists to preserve and enhance the marriages and parish families of this Archdiocese utilizing Orthodox Christian principles and resources.

BACKGROUND Specific Measurable Goals The work of this Department is accomplished through the counseling of individuals, couples, families, and Clergy who are struggling with life challenges. Teaching seminars and retreats in parishes, seminaries, monasteries, and at conferences and conventions promotes skill-building and life-altering materials that support significant growth and development.

Crisis management is a key component of the work that is extended to those who have need. Training with the pre-marital inventory FOCCUS and maintenance of records, certifications, and materials has been a successful ongoing project with Clergy as they prepare couples for an Orthodox marriage.

Provision of a network of Orthodox Christian professional pastoral counselors and therapists is an ongoing goal so that local support can be accessed when needed for individuals and families requiring long-term therapy. Maintenance of professional licenses and credentials, malpractice insurance and Doctoral education are hallmarks of the requirements to direct this Department and deliver the aforementioned services. The target audience for the services of this Department is every Orthodox Christian or seeker who has need of assistance. The vehicle for delivery of these services is primarily through contact with the Director through email and phone. Tracking of communication is not officially kept since the nature of counseling is confidential and therefore not reportable. Annually, this Department may reach hundreds depending on the number of inquiries and counseling sessions needed as well as seminars presented. The Director is the only person in this Department. It was originally set up this way in order to maintain confidentiality and reassurance to those who contact it that they will not have any records or reports generated to identify them. This is federal HIPPA law. There are no paid persons in this Department since the budget was eliminated. It is entirely self-funded with the exception of some organizations that provide resources for occasional travel.

Working in conjunction with other Archdioceses in Australia and New Zealand, Albania, United Kingdom, and India has extended the support for Orthodox marriages and families. These efforts require traveling to these countries for teaching seminars. Communication in the past was with His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP of Thrice Blessed Memory, meeting on an annual basis and when needed for crises. This method of contact was essential to maintaining confidentiality of the Department and was necessarily done verbally without written reports. This method worked quite well. No changes are needed.

The Department of Marriage and Parish Family Ministries is an integral part of our Archdiocese as healthy families promote the health and growth of the entire Archdiocese. When individuals find the assistance they need to overcome their obstacles in an Orthodox manner, they are equipped to strengthen others.

CURRENT The target audience for the services of this Department is every Orthodox Christian or seeker who has need of assistance. Annually, this Department may reach hundreds depending on the number of inquiries and counseling sessions needed as well as seminars presented.

The vehicle for delivery of these services is primarily through contact with the Director through email and phone. Tracking of communication is not officially kept since the nature of counseling is confidential and therefore not reportable. The Director is the only person in this Department. It was originally set up this way in order to maintain confidentiality and reassurance to those who contact it that they will not have any records or reports generated to identify them. This is federal HIPPA law.

There are no paid persons in this Department since the budget was eliminated. It is entirely self-funded with the exception of some organizations that provide resources for occasional travel. A modest budget was proposed for FYI 2019/2020/2021 in order to support the continued functioning of this Department. Funding of this Department would enhance the ability to deliver these services. The greatest challenge has been lack of funding to promote the Department’s many resources and to continue to add to them.

Specific Measurable Goals for 2016/2017- 2022 In all areas aforementioned the Department will continue to provide these services and more as needed by individuals, families, Archdioceses, and organizations to promote healthy Christ-loving families. These goals continue to be met since last year’s Annual Department Heads meeting.

This Department does not overlap with any other This Department does not overlap with any other. Confidential consultations are occasionally necessary with the Director of Pastoral Counseling. We do not collaborate or depend on each other, however professional support is valued. The greatest success of this Department is the reunion of separated marriages, overcoming life-challenges of those who request counseling, and eliminating dysfunction in individuals, families, the healing of parishes, and organizations. This success is due to the availability of a trained professional who is able to maintain confidential communication and counseling.

FUTURE The goals of this Department are met by the needs presented when individuals request counseling or through life-building skills training. In the future, as these needs change, the Department will evolve by finding the resources required to assist and heal those in need. Funding is necessary for the Department to meet these needs, especially for travel to conferences and conventions to provide the contact with the Director needed by the attendees and for teaching seminars to provide the information and skills required to make life-altering change.