A (Surprised) Welcome

December 1st, 2009 by Fr Basil Biberdorf

Welcome to all those visiting from AOI and any other blogs that picked up the Eli’s Road post below. I wasn’t intending this site to be live just yet, but, like so many things, we’ll roll with it as it happens. Just ignore the unpainted wall and bare concrete floor, please. I’ll get it done as time allows.

Since there was some question about who I am, my name is Basil Biberdorf as noted on the About page. I am the assistant rector at the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church (OCA) in State College, PA. My aim is not to cause a big splash. Rather, I want to talk about fundamental issues of leadership in the Orthodox Church. If a frank discussion of these topics is enough to raise the ire of Church leaders, then we have serious difficulties indeed. Most of the issues to be taken up here will not be all that explosive (I hope!).

I want all of you who have an interest in leadership issues to participate. It’s a discussion, after all, not a monologue. (Please do use real names, though. If your point is libelous, it shouldn’t be made at all. If it’s sensitive, we can discuss it via email.) So, pull up a crate (or bring your own folding chair), and have a nice visit.

Posted in Administrative | 4 comments

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  1. Fr. Michael Regan:

    December 1st, 2009 at 9:34 pm

    Dear Fr. Basil:

    You are correct — for a while after the AAC it looked as if we, the OCA, were moving towards cleaning our house, but now we seem to be drifting, dead in the water, especially on moral issues.

    Fr. Michael Regan

  2. Fr Basil:

    December 1st, 2009 at 11:10 pm

    I have some observations on what’s happened in the OCA over the past year coming up in the next week or two.

    I’m not interested solely in moral issues, either. We need to raise our standard (tremendously) on the moral front, but we’ve got work to do in other areas, too.

    Fr Basil

  3. Mark C. Phinney:

    December 2nd, 2009 at 6:39 am

    Fr. Basil and Fr. Michael,

    May God bless, guide, and protect you in this work and the rest of your ministries.

    I look forward to your coming comments.

  4. Trudy Ellmore:

    December 6th, 2009 at 9:15 pm

    Dear Fr. Basil,

    Count me in when it comes to calling our leaders to a higher standard and discussing leadership issues. What I would be more than interested in is not only ‘discussing’ but engage in active work to move our clergy, etc. to better leadership standards. I am well familiar with the issue of leadership as that is what my husband’s PhD is all about, as well as his dissertation.

    By your holy prayers.