In a letter yesterday to Dr. Charles W. Steger, President of Virginia Tech University, Archbishop Demetrios wrote, 

“This horrific incident has shattered our thoughts and hearts while we are still journeying in the period which celebrates our Lord’s victory over death and His granting to us eternal life and salvation.  May the ‘Father of mercies and God of all comfort’ (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) give you, your faculty, the students and their parents the strength today and the days ahead to bear the heavy burden of this enormous loss.  God promises to be with us always in times of grief and unbearable pain, even in the shadow of death. 

We, at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, offer our fervent prayer for the comforting of everyone who has been affected by this act of violence.  May the Lord, the Divine Comforter and Savior of humankind, grant life to all and eternal memory to those who perished.”

Archbishop Demetrios also affirms the ministry of Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF), its Virginia Tech Chapter, and International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), who are working to provide traumatic incident counseling to those who have been affected.   OCF and IOCC are endorsed agencies of SCOBA, the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas.  For more information please log onto www.ocf.net. 

Contact:
Nikki Stephanopoulos
Tel.: 212.570.3530

Joanne, a freshman at the University of Michigan, went on a Real Break to St. John the Compassionate Mission in Toronto and shared, “Putting faces and personalities to some of Toronto’s homeless has had a big impact on me. Hearing stories, doing a tangible project that improved the Mission, and then coming back together as a group and having incredible discussions is like putting the puzzle together of what a true Christian life should be like.” Joanne and her group served the Mission by befriending the homeless, completing much-needed maintenance on the facilities and worshiping with the parish on a daily basis.
 
In addition to the group who traveled to St. John the Compassionate Mission in Toronto, Real Break teams served Hogar Rafael Ayau Orphanage in Guatemala (two groups), Project Mexico and St. Innocent Orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico (three groups), Raphael House in San Francisco, CA, Holy Monastery of the Twelve Apostles in Greece, San Cristóbal Orphanage in San Salvador, El Salvador and Jackie’s House in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Orthodox Christian students participating in Real Break also joined hundreds of other volunteers from throughout North America as part of International Orthodox Christian Charities’ (IOCC) “Volunteers in the Gulf” to help those in the New Orleans area who are still recovering from the devastating hurricanes of 2005.
 
Real Break’s intense daily schedule creates opportunities for each participant to reflect on their relationship with Christ. The majority of participants admit they sign up for Real Break with the intent of serving and giving to others, but the time spent loving their brothers and sisters in Christ has a very different effect than expected. Each student receives more than what they give; they receive a life transforming experience. Jamie, a freshman at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA, was clearly impacted on the Real Break to Jackie’s House in the Dominican Republic at one specific moment. “The most memorable and important moment of the trip was when we left Jackie’s House for the last time. The whole week, I felt like they (the children) had shown and given me so much. As we left, everyone, including the children, were bawling. It showed me how much we meant to them, and that meant the world to me.”
 
The 104 students who participated in Real Break this year brought the total number of participants over the eight years of Real Break to more than 620. The amazing growth of this program is a testimony to the fact that college students thirst for outreach opportunities in college in order to maintain and deepen their relationship with Christ.
 
OCF humbly asks each Orthodox Christian to continue to offer prayers and support for this crucial and growing college ministry.
 

Orthodox Christian Fellowship is the official campus ministry program of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA). It is a Pan-Orthodox effort which is overseen by a Board of Directors and assisted by a Student Advisory Board. Additional information on the all OCF programs can be found on the OCF website at www.ocf.net, or by calling toll-free at 800-919-1623.

Orthodox Christian Fellowship
P.O. Box 300249
Boston, MA 02130
1-800-919-1623
www.ocf.net

Candidates must be of the Greek Orthodox faith (with preference to those of Greek descent) and must be high school seniors at time of application or full-time matriculated students committed to serious study in an undergraduate degree program at an accredited college or university. 

Candidates must be firmly planning to commence or continue their studies, full time, at the college or university of their choice in the next academic year. 
Candidates must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

Candidates must provide the Scholarship Committee with evidence of their scholastic standing, including transcript records with a grade level of at least a B, 85 percent or 3.0 average.

Candidates who are high school seniors must have achieved and must provide proof of a combined new SAT minimum score of 1500*, or older SAT minimum score of 1000. If the SAT is not administered, another measure used by the academic community, for example the ACT, should be substituted.  College students must also submit both current college as well as high school transcripts, including their testing record of SAT and/or ACT scores.    *NOTE: The new SAT writing section may be waived.

Candidates must submit an application to the Scholarship Committee and be available for an interview at the Committee's discretion. Applications must be filled out in their entirety. The committee will not consider incomplete applications.

Candidates must provide evidence of financial need. Preference will be given to candidates who are orphans and to those who are undertaking studies in the sciences, business and the arts, with one scholarship reserved for a candidate who has chosen to study journalism.

Applications may be requested from the Office of the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese by calling (212) 774-0513, by e-mail at scholarships@goarch.org, or by written request.  

Completed applications should be sent to the Gioles Scholarship Fund – c/o Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America – Office of the Chancellor – 8 East 79th Street – New York, NY  10021. 

Scholarships must be postmarked by the May 15, 2007 deadline.

Applications are also available on-line at:
http://www.goarch.org/en/archdiocese/administration/chancellor/giolesscholarship.pdf

Candidates must be of the Eastern Orthodox faith (within a jurisdiction of the member Churches of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas – SCOBA), and at the time of application, high school seniors or full-time matriculated students committed to serious study in an undergraduate degree program at an accredited college or university. 

Candidates must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

Candidates must be firmly planning to commence or continue their studies, full time, at the college or university of their choice in the next academic year.

Candidates must provide the Scholarship Committee with evidence of their scholastic standing, including transcript records with a grade level of at least a B, 85 percent or 3.0 average.

Candidates must provide a typewritten one-page essay setting forth the reason for applying for the award and include as enclosures three Letters of Recommendation, as well as a Letter of Acceptance or Continuation from their undergraduate college or university.

Candidates who are high school seniors must have achieved and must provide proof of a combined new SAT minimum score of 1500*, or older SAT minimum score of 1000. If the SAT is not administered, another measure used by the academic community, for example the ACT, should be substituted.  College students must also submit both current college as well as high school transcripts, including their testing record of SAT and/or ACT scores.  *NOTE: New SAT writing section may be waived.

Candidates must submit an application to the Scholarship Committee and be available for an interview at the Committee's discretion. Applications must be filled out in their entirety. The committee will not consider incomplete applications.

Candidates must provide evidence of financial need. Preference will be given to candidates who are orphans and to those who are undertaking studies in the sciences, business and the arts. 

Applications may be requested from the Office of the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese by calling (212) 774-0513, by e-mail at scholarships@goarch.org, or by written request. 

Completed applications should be sent to the Malta Scholarship Fund – c/o Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America – Office of the Chancellor – 8 East 79th Street – New York, NY  10021. 

Scholarships must be postmarked by the May 15, 2007 deadline.

Applications are also available on-line at:
http://www.goarch.org/en/archdiocese/administration/chancellor/maltascholarship.pdf