Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

May the grace and peace of Jesus Christ be with you!

During these past eight years as your Metropolitan, I have made careful observations regarding the growth and progress of our parishes and Metropolis, and we have been blessed with a dynamic group of both clergy and lay leaders who have dedicated themselves to our work of our Church. In an effort to further elevate the work of the Metropolis, I have initiated a Strategic Planning process to help guide us for the next several years and provide us the road map to ensure that we are not only proceeding methodically with our work, but that we are being proactive in developing meaningful programs and ministries for the spiritual, educational and social edification of our faithful.

For two full days in early July, a group of nearly 50 clergy and laity gathered for a Strategic Planning Retreat. The participants brought with them a broad background of service to the Church, as well as reflected the diverse geography of our Metropolis. The discussions and deliberations were very positive, and all decisions were reached by consensus and with enthusiasm.

The committee’s first major tasks were to complete: 1) An analysis of our Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT); and 2) Articulate the Core Values which guide the overall work of our Metropolis:

Metropolis of San Francisco Core Values

1. Christ-centered
2. Active participation in sacramental life
3. Education
4. Integrity, transparency and accountability
5. Stewardship
6. Outreach and evangelism
7. Inclusiveness and engagement
8. Courage
9. Communications using all media
10. Financial responsibility
11. Minister to all generations and strengthen our families and relationships

These Core Values then led to the development of a Vision Statement for our Metropolis, that focused on both “What do we want to accomplish?” and “Where are we going?” After thorough and extensive analysis, prayerful reflection and consensus-driven discussions, our Strategic Planning Committee unanimously recommends our Holy Metropolis embrace the following new “SWEEPing” Vision:

Metropolis of San Francisco Vision

We will grow the Orthodox Christian Church in the Western United States through Christ-centered:

• Stewardship
• Worship
• Education
• Evangelism
• Philanthropic Outreach

We believe this Vision is fully consistent with the Mission of our Archdiocese and Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Core Values we identified as our guiding principles, and the overall calling each of us has to be great stewards of Christ’s Church. As we proceed through the next phases of our Strategic Planning, we will use our Core Values and Vision to help us prioritize our work and the steps we take to attain our goals.

To further the work of the Strategic Plan, we have now formed Task Forces which are developing detailed work plans for each of the 11 Strategic Objectives we have identified. These Task Forces will use the SWEEPing Vision as their guide and develop “SMART” strategic goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.

Metropolis of San Francisco Strategic Objective Task Forces

1. Specialized Ministries and Wellness
2. Stewardship
3. Philanthropic Outreach
4. Mission and Evangelism
5. Youth
6. Education
7. Finances
8. Liturgical Life
9. Communications
10. Parish Organization and Development
11. Metropolis Organization and Development

It is important to note that these are not listed in order of importance, for they are all critical to our work as a Metropolis. Our work will not be complete until we excel in all 11 Strategic Objectives and achieve each of the five parts of our SWEEPing Vision. In addition to the core committee which has already been formed, we will also reach out into our communities to identify additional resources to assist us in accomplishing our work.

God has blessed us, and continues to bless us every day of our lives. He has given us the stewardship responsibility over the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, and I know that you, like I, take this awesome responsibility very seriously.  There is so much we are doing well, and there are some things we can do better.  We will keep you informed every step of the way through our strategic planning process and we look forward to the full realization and implementation of this plan. There is no end to what we can achieve if we work together for God’s greater glory and as faithful stewards of His Holy Orthodox Church.

Extending to you my prayers for a restful and blessed summer, I remain,

With Love in Christ,
+ G E R A S I M O S
Metropolitan of San Francisco