[Published in The Greek Australian Vema, October 2009, 11]

Promises and Hopes: The 9th State Youth Conference of NSW

By Revd Doru Costache

This year, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia has organised in Sydney the
9th State Youth Conference of NSW, between 9 and 11 October. The event was mainly
hosted by the Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of Archangel Michael (Crows
Nest) after being inaugurated through a doxology presided by His Eminence
Archbishop Stylianos in the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Annunciation of the
Theotokos (Redfern).

Thus, on the evening of Friday, 9 October, the parish priests, religion teachers and
youth representatives from throughout NSW were led in prayer by His Eminence
(assisted by His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias and other clergymen), who also
delivered an exhortation inviting the zeal and commitment of the participants. In the
address, Archbishop Stylianos reflected on the crucial importance of the ecclesial
tradition, which can guide and inspire the Orthodox Christian youth and the entire
body of the Church as well. His Eminence likewise reiterated his deep conviction that
the future of the Church depends on God and the enthusiastic work of the youth. In
the conclusion of the exhortation, Archbishop Stylianos expressed his best wishes to
all the participants and for the success of the Conference.

The doxology was followed by a reception in the Hall of the Archdiocese, offering the
youth delegates (numbering 150) opportunities to make acquaintance and informally
address topics related to the theme of the Conference.

On Saturday, 10 October, the proceedings of the Conference were coordinated by His

Grace Bishop Seraphim. Proceeding with the opening prayer, Bishop Seraphim
conveyed His Eminence’s blessing and addressed a word of encouragement for the
participants to speak their minds in truthfulness and to think of the Church’s
wellbeing.

After His Grace’s address, the two keynote speakers (Mr Peter Kariatlis and myself)
presented their papers. The first paper, offered by me and bearing the title Church,
Youth and Society in Light of the Letter to Diognetos: A Traditional Approach to
Contemporary Issues, undertook to explore the wisdom of an ancient Christian text
and its relevance to our current circumstances. The paper presented by Mr Kariatlis
posed the meaningful question Where Do I Fit In? Youth in the Church, endeavouring
to point out that Christian youth are part of the Church and beneficiary of the gifts of
the Holy Spirit, together with the responsibilities pertaining to their ecclesial
membership. Both papers were received with enthusiasm, making them the object of
a wide range of questions and comments from the participants. In fact, after each
paper there were sessions of group discussion whose outcomes had been
represented by the succinct reports, proposed by the group leaders within the closing
plenary session.

Among the most important suggestions and proposals coming from the groups, the
following are indeed worth mentioning: the need to build a more functional and
widely representative website of the Central Youth Committee; the establishment of
fellowship groups for all parishes; the need of networking and organising more
actions in common, involving two or more fellowship groups; the perspective of
organising the State Youth Conferences annually instead of biannually; the
organisation of catechetical lessons for youth and young adults through the
Archdiocese and the parishes etc.

Answering the questions and comments, His Grace Bishop Seraphim encouraged the
participants to be committed to their very positive ideas for the benefit of the
Church. Also, His Grace invited the young Orthodox to assume a more active and
complete role in the Church, not only with reference to the specific youth activities
(non-liturgical in nature) but more so through their participation in the Divine Liturgy
and the Holy Eucharist. Furthermore, Bishop Seraphim highlighted the need for the
Christian youth to become consistently involved with, and supportive of, the program
for Scripture teaching organised by the Archdiocese in the public schools. Finally,
given that for now the perspective of an annual Conference is not feasible, His Grace
promised that he will invite the delegates next year to a half day discussion and
lunch, in order to analyse what has been accomplished after the 9th State Youth
Conference of NSW.

The deliberations closed through prayer by His Grace Bishop Seraphim. The same
evening the delegates were hosted by Fr Christos Triantafyllou and the Parish and
Community of All Saints (Belmore), for a Youth Dinner Dance.

On Sunday, 11 October, the delegates took part in the Divine Liturgy celebrated by
Bishop Seraphim in the church of St Michael (Crows Nest), receiving Holy
Communion. In his homily, His Grace reminded the participants of the centrality of
the Holy Eucharist for any ecclesial undertaking and the personal formation of
Christian youth. The Divine Liturgy was followed by a common meal generously
offered, as in the previous day, by the Parish and Community of St Michael, in the
presence and with the effort of its parish priest, Fr John Daskalakis, the members of
the Committee and the ladies of the Philoptochos.

The Conference was indeed a tremendous success, both from the point of view of the
organisation and the outcomes.