Conferences aimed at forming and strengthening Orthodox Christian leaders are being held over the coming months in four cities across the U.S. These Servant Leadership Retreats are an initiative of The Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative (OCLI), in partnership with St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS). The OCLI is developing an Intensive Program in Servant Leadership for both laity and clergy who currently serve their local church body in a variety of roles or who are interested in serving the ministry of their parishes. The upcoming retreats will serve as pilots for the Servant Leadership curriculum.
The Servant Leadership Retreats are being held in the following cities:
Outcomes for participants include:
- Achieving a better understanding of Christian leadership as doing the will of God in personal, community, church, and secular environments;
- Becoming better leaders at home, neighborhood, job, and the parish, witnessing to Christ in loving service to others and helping to bring about his Kingdom;
- Learning to attract and inspire young adults to assume increased positions of responsibility in the Church;
- Adopting a stewardship approach to life, receiving gifts from God, and giving generously to the needy;
- Acquiring a better understanding of ministerial leadership and the co-leadership of laity and clergy;
- Learning to work together strategically in a parish, seeking to be the "city on a hill" that witnesses to Christ and works in the Holy Spirit;
- Mastering the everyday managerial aspects of community effort: meetings, councils, conflict, stewardship, ethics, and finances.
More information and registration for each retreat are available on the OCLI website.
During the 2020-2021 academic year, OCLI and SVOTS will focus on extending the program at the Seminary to develop an “Organizational Leadership” emphasis for SVOTS’ existing Master of Arts (M.A.) program.
About OCLI
The Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative exists to nurture and empower Orthodox Christian servant leadership. It is a national initiative to increase generosity, servant leadership, and social outreach by clergy and laity of all jurisdictions working together nationally, regionally, and locally.
Originating from the Orthodox Vision Foundation and its annual Orthodox Advanced Leadership Conferences, the Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2018.
