Gathered as One Body: Disability, Accessibility, and Inclusion in the Orthodox Church

Gathered as One Body: Disability, Accessibility, and Inclusion in the Orthodox Church

The Huffington Ecumenical Institute at Hellenic College Holy Cross invites you to GATHERED AS ONE BODY, a groundbreaking conference dedicated to fostering accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities within the Orthodox Church.

This event marks the official launch of the five-year GOA “On Behalf of All” Pilot Program on Parish Accessibility, funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc. The conference will bring together Orthodox church leaders, clergy, theologians, and disability advocates to explore practical and spiritual approaches to creating truly inclusive parishes.

Key Highlights:

Keynotes & Reflections featuring Archbishop Elpidophoros, Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, and other Orthodox leaders
Practical Workshops & Panels on church accessibility, advocacy, caregiving, and inclusive parish strategies
Theological & Spiritual Insights exploring disability in Orthodox theology and community life
Real-World Inclusion Stories from thriving disability ministries and initiatives

Event Details:

May 1, 2025 | 6:00 PM – Taxiarchae Greek Orthodox Church, Watertown, MA
May 2 & 3, 2025 | 9:00 AM – St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Weston, MA

Program:

Thursday, May 1, 2025 | Taxiarchae Greek Orthodox Church (Watertown, MA)

6.00 pm: Paraklesis Service | 6.30 pm: Registration and Reception (Livestream)

7.45 pm: Opening Session: The Accessible Parish (Livestream)

Moderator: Fr. John Chryssavgis

Keynote Addresses: Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, Fr. Matthew Schneider

Concluding Remarks: Nicholas Racheotes

Friday, May 2, 2025 | St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (Weston, MA) (Livestream)

9.00 am: Divine Liturgy (Sermon: Archbishop Elpidophoros of America)

11.00 am:        Break

11.30 am: Session I

Leadership and Commitment: Brief Reflections

Moderator: Fr. John Chryssavgis

Archbishop Elpidophoros of America

                             Metropolitan Methodios of Boston

                             Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh

                             Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago

                             Bishop John Abdalah of Worcester

                             Bishop Irinej of Eastern America

1:00 pm: Lunch (Generously sponsored by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros)

2.30 pm: Session II

Pilot Program 1

Moderator:  Fr. James Kordaris

                   Presvytera Melanie DiStefano, Archon Constantine Zografopoulos 

“On Behalf of All” Lilly Grant Overview | How we got here and where we want to go | Inspiring stories and examples

4.00 pm: Break

4.30 pm: Session III

Pilot Program 2

Moderator: V. Rev. Anthony G. Yazge

                  Summer Kinard, Natalie Kapeluk Nixon

Best Practices and Models |  Learning from Existing, Thriving Disability Ministries

6.00 pm: Dinner

7.45 pm: Session IV

            Theological and Spiritual Perspectives

Moderator: Fr. Perry Hamalis

               Disability and Theology (Mary Jo Ioccio)

               Disability and Sanctity (Charlotte Riggle)

               Mental Health and Spirituality (Katherine Karam McCray)

Saturday, May 3, 2025 | St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (Weston, MA) 

9.00 am: Session V (Livestream)

Pilot Program 3

Moderator: Fr. Constantine Lazarakis

                  Marissa Eliades, Eleni Anast

Getting your parish on board for changes toward accessibility for the participation of all. What is essential? Best practice sharing

10.30 am         Break

11.00 am: Parallel Workshops 1

Caregivers (Presvytera Maria Drossos, Matushka Carrie Foley)

                  Orthodox with Disabilities (Tim Mehok, Irene Tunanidas)

                  Advocacy (Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, Lisa Liberatore)

                  Liturgy (Abby Vlahos, Jeremy Swartz)

                  Church Classes (Summer Kinard)

12.30 pm: Lunch

1.30 pm: Parallel Workshops 2

Caregivers (Presvytera Maria Drossos, Matushka Carrie Foley)

                  Orthodox with Disabilities (Tim Mehok, Irene Tunanidas)

                  Advocacy (Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, Lisa Liberatore)

                  Liturgy (Abby Vlahos, Jeremy Swartz)

                  Church Classes (Summer Kinard)

3.00 pm: Plenary Conclusion

Why Attend?

• Gain practical tools to enhance accessibility in your parish
• Learn from experts and those with lived experiences
• Help shape the future of inclusivity in the Orthodox Church

Free | Open to the public | Livestreamed | Recorded (Adaptive Liturgy)

Supported by the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston.

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*To register, fill out our REGISTRATION FORM

**For any other information or to donate, contact hei@hchc.edu or complete the form below.