Orthodox Christian Synergy - Annual Symposium

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Orthodoxy in America

Synergy has been hosting an annual Symposium since 1995. We've gradually settled on the third Saturday in October.

The 2009 Symposium theme is The Future of Orthodoxy in America.

Speakers:

Rev. Dr. Stanley S. Harakas, Th.D., D.D. (Hon)
The Future of Orthodoxy in America: Challenges and Required Attitudes and Actions

Rev. Dn. Nicholas Belcher, M.Div.
Raising Orthodox Christians for the Next Generation

Fr. Stanley S. Harakas
was born in Pittsburgh, PA, and studied at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox
School of Theology in Brookline, MA, earning B.A. and B.Th. degrees.
He received his Th.D. degree in Social Ethics and Sociology from
Boston University in 1965, and in 1986 Boston University granted him
the "Distinguished Alumnus Award." He has studied at both
the University of Athens and the University of Thessaloniki. In 2000
he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree by Holy Cross
School of Theology.

Ordained to the Orthodox
Priesthood in 1954 he has served as a full time Priest in Lancaster,
PA, Peabody, MA, Lexington, MA and part-time (while teaching) in
several other parishes. He taught Ethics for 29½ years at Holy Cross
in Brookline, retiring in 1995. He has been active in the Ecumenical
Movement, having given a Plenary Address at the World Council of
Churches Assembly in Canberra, Australia. He has authored eighteen
books. In 1986 he was the inaugural appointee to the Archbishop
Iakovos Endowed Professorship of Orthodox Theology. He continues to
write and publish. As a priest of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America, under the Ecumenical Patriarchate, he presently serves the
Christ the Savior Greek Orthodox Mission Church of Hernando County,
Florida.

Deacon
Nicholas Belcher is Dean of Students at Hellenic College and Holy
Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. He received his B.A.
in History and B.S. in Education from the The Citadel, Military
College of South Carolina, in 1997 and his M.Div. from Saint
Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in 2005. After graduating
from the Citadel, Dn. Nicholas returned to his hometown of Altoona,
PA to teach World History and A.P. Government at the Altoona Area
High School. During his summers, he served as a counselor, Head
Counselor, and Program Director at the Antiochian Village summer camp
in Ligonier, PA. Upon graduation from seminary, Dn. Nicholas worked
as the Assistant Director of the Office of Vocation & Ministry
and Director of CrossRoad until his current assignment as Dean of
Students. He serves at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in
West Roxbury, MA where he was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by His
Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP in April of 2007.

Saturday, October 17, 2009
9:00 am - 1:30 pm

St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
1220 S. 60th Court, Cicero

Click here for a registration form

Click here for a flyer to share.

Cost:
$35 for individuals until October 9, $40 after
$50 for couples until October 9
$20 for high school and college students
You may register at the door

For more information call (847) 647-8880 or (630) 230-0079

Past Speakers and Topics

This section is under construction

The 2008 Symposium's theme is suicide.

Alone in a Crowd:
Issues, Signals and Strategies
Relating to Suicide
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for those aged 15-26

Speakers:

Dr. Ari Christofidis
Founder and Director of the Orthodox Christian Counseling Institute
Youth and Family Counseling

Dr. Ary Christofidis
is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and the director of the Orthodox
Christian Counseling Institute. After completing his bachelor’s degree
from Hellenic College in Brookline, MA., Dr. Christofidis moved to
Greece to study Modern Greek language, Byzantine music, and logged
several pilgrimages to Mount Athos.

Prior to completing his
master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, Dr.
Christofidis received clinical training in family therapy from Western
Psychiatric Institute and Clinic’s Family Therapy Center, now part of
the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Christofidis was
accepted at PACE University in Manhattan for his doctoral internship
where he also completed a summer rotation at Bellevue Hospital in
Manhattan co-leading a process group on the adult psychiatric inpatient
unit, as well as a psychoeducation group for the hospital’s outpatient
substance abuse program. For his post-doctoral training, Dr.
Christofidis worked on staff at Allendale Association, a residential
treatment facility for children and adolescents, many of whom have
suffered severe mental, emotional, and sexual abuse.

Currently,
Dr. Christofidis has enjoyed being a resource for the Orthodox
Christians in the Chicagoland area. He has been in the field for over
17 years and has conducted couples and family therapy for over 14
years. In addition to conducting Orthodox Christian psychotherapy, Dr.
Christofidis works as an affiliate psychologist at the Family Institute
at Northwestern University, and is on staff at the Cancer Wellness
Center in Northbrook, Illinois.

Ms. Jeanne Malnati, LCSW
Advisory Board and Speaker for Elyssa's Mission, a not-for-profit foundation
providing support and resources relative to teen suicide.
Private counseling specializing in women, teens and families

Jeanne L. Malnati, LCSW
received her master’s in social work at Loyola University in Chicago
and her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University. She previously
worked as a social worker at New Trier High School in Winnetka,
Illinois and currently is in private practice specializing in
adolescent and women’s issues.

Jeanne serves on the advisory
board of Elyssa’s Mission, a not-for-profit foundation that provides
support and resources aimed at removing the painful challenges faced by
today’s teenagers and which often can lead to suicidal ideation. Jeanne
speaks on the subject of suicide prevention as a volunteer community
educator in affiliation with Elyssa’s Mission. Jeanne has facilitated
suicide prevention and awareness programs for educators, parents and
teenagers at schools and religious institutions.

Jeanne recently
began a new endeavor: Developing Exceptional Women (DEW), which
includes classes for moms of teenagers, work-shops, therapy growth
groups and overnight retreats. DEW’s mission statement is: “To create a
safe place where women come together, and are challenged and encouraged
to discover and grow, so to become the authentic woman God designed
them to be.” (www.justDEWittoday.com)

Jeanne and her husband, Marc, have been married 28 years and have three adult children.