SOUTHAMPTON, NY – The Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America, announced that the Sixteenth Annual National Archon Lenten Retreat will take place on April 12 and 13, under the chairmanship of Archon Hieromnimon Peter J. Skeadas and co-chairman Archon Ostiarios Michael G. Psaros. Once again, this year’s Lenten retreat will be at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Christian Church, 111 Saint Andrews Road in Southampton, NY. The Retreat Master will be the Rev. Deacon Perry T. Hamalis, PhD, Cecelia Schneller Mueller Professor of Religion, 2015-16 Fulbright Scholar, Yonsei University (Seoul, Republic of Korea), and his topic will be “Lent as Liberation.” Father Alexander Karloutsos and Father Constantine Lazarakis are the Retreat Pastors.
The full text of the press release follows:
With the blessings of Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America, Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, it is with great joy that we invite you and your families to attend the Sixteenth Annual National Archon Lenten Retreat on April 12 and 13, 2019 under the superb chairmanship of Archon Hieromnimon Peter J. Skeadas and co-chairman Archon Ostiarios Michael G. Psaros. Once again, this year’s Lenten retreat will be at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Christian Church located in Southampton, New York (111 Saint Andrews Road, Southampton, NY 11968, Tel.: 631-283-6169). Our Retreat Master will be the Rev. Deacon Perry T. Hamalis, Ph.D., Cecelia Schneller Mueller Professor of Religion, 2015-16 Fulbright Scholar, Yonsei University (Seoul, Republic of Korea), and his topic will be “Lent as Liberation.” Father Alexander Karloutsos and Father Constantine Lazarakis will join us as Retreat Pastors.
Please set aside the time on your calendars to join us in fellowship and prayer with your brother Archons and their families. It is an experience you will not forget and one that will re-energize your spiritual commitment to live a Christ-centered life. All of the information you will need is contained in the attached materials. There are a few actions you must take if you intend to come, including:
Making your reservation with the Southampton Inn of Southampton. Call 631-283-6500 and mention the group name “Archons” to qualify for the special rate of $140, total price, for a room. Due to limited room availability, please make your hotel reservations as soon as possible and use the group name “Archons”.
Sending a check for $50 per person, payable to the “Order of St. Andrew the Apostle” and your completed form, by no later than March 29, 2019.
The Retreat will begin on Friday, April 12th at 5:30 pm with the Akathistos Service at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church followed by a Lenten Fellowship Dinner in The Muses. On Saturday, April 13th, we will convene in the Church at 8:30 am for Divine Liturgy, a light breakfast and continue the Retreat sessions. We expect to conclude approximately at 4:00 pm.
Please take advantage of this opportunity to turbocharge your Orthodoxy and strengthen your devotion to our Lord and Savior so that we may serve the needs of the Great Church of Christ with the “shield of faith,” the “helmet of salvation” and the “sword of the Spirit” in the words of St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, as we seek religious freedom for the Holy and Great Mother Church of Constantinople.
In Christ,
Anthony J. Limberakis, MD
Archon Aktouarios
National Commander
ABOUT THIS YEAR’S RETREAT MASTER
Rev. Dr. Perry Hamalis
Cecelia Schneller Mueller Professor of Religion
North Central College, Naperville, IL
Rev. Dr. Perry Hamalis is the Cecelia Schneller Mueller Professor of Religion at North Central College (Naperville, IL). He earned a B.A. in Philosophy from Boston College (phi beta kappa), an M.Div. from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (valedictorian), and a Ph.D. in Religious Ethics from the University of Chicago. At North Central College, he teaches courses in Christian Ethics, Philosophical Ethics, Religion and Politics, and related topics. In 2015, he was awarded a 12-month Fulbright Senior Research Fellowship from the U.S. Department of State and was appointed as Underwood Visiting Professor of Theology at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. During his year in Korea, he was ordained a deacon by His Eminence Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea.
Fr. Perry was an expert consultant to the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches from 2007-2012 and was a delegate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the WCC’s General Assembly in Busan, Korea (2013). He has lectured across the U.S., in Greece, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Argentina, and Korea on topics pertaining to Eastern Orthodoxy and Social Ethics, and has over 30 academic publications. His most recent work is the book he co-edited with Dr. Valerie Karras, Orthodox Christian Perspectives on War, published by University of Notre Dame Press (2018). Fr. Perry served for 6 years (2012-18) as a Trustee of Hellenic College Holy Cross, co-chairing the Academic Affairs committee. He, Diakonissa Panayiota, and their children (Michael & Gia) are currently members of Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church in Westchester, IL.
ABOUT THIS YEAR’S RETREAT
Lent as Liberation
On the first day of Lent in Greece, it is traditional for families to fly kites; it is a meaningful symbol of Lent as a time of “lightness,” “ascent,” and “freedom.” This practice reminds us that Lent, properly understood, is not a burden but a liberation. Indeed, the theme of liberation or freedom is not only present at the start of Lent, it is threaded throughout the Lenten journey and developed on multiple levels. The 2019 National Archon Lenten Retreat centers on the theme, “Lent as Liberation” and draws its inspiration from St. Paul’s words, “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:1). During the retreat, we will reflect on the meaning of “Lent as Liberation” as it relates to God’s plan for salvation, our personal renewal and unburdening in Christ, and our engagement with social issues surrounding freedom in our local and global contexts.
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