Your Eminence Thank you for your willingness to respond to our inquiry about the situation at the Greek

k Orthodox parish here in Salt Lake City. These are the questions I feel are most important in this case: 1. There has been tension between some members of the parish and the church hierarchy for some time over questions such as dividing the parish and the valuation and ownership of church property, even leading to a lawsuit. What has been done to resolve these issues and to recognize the concerns of parishioners? The Uniform Parish Regulations of the Archdiocese specifically state that all parish property and funds belong to the parish membership, (Article 16, Section 2), while each current parish council is the custodian of them. Unfortunately in 1974 the parish was reincorporated as being under the State of Utah instead of the Greek Orthodox Archdioceses of America. According to democratic procedures, it is expected that the members of the parish will officially declare that the parish is one of over five hundred parishes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and not an autocephalous Greek cultural and social society. 2. The parish has been facing a serious financial deficit for years. Some of the lay leadership felt they could not sustain the salaries of three priests and proposed a pay cut. Why is that unacceptable? What other options are available to help resolve the financial issues? The parish has been financially solvent until 2010 when dissentions arose and the parishioners held back their stewardship to the present days because of the increasing disunity. Some of the lay leadership are current members of Leadership 100 of the Archdiocese by contributing one hundred thousand dollars to it. Do they wish to pay the mortgages of the homes of the clergy and other vital financial obligations? Do you know what a 40% salary reduction is for each of the three clergy? 3. Could or should the hierarchy have spent more time trying to resolve parishioners concerns at the recent general meeting in Salt Lake City? Many of the parishioners were grateful for the hierarchical visit July 20 and 21 especially in being enlightened with things they had incorrect knowledge or no knowledge of at all. 4. Do you anticipate an end to the suspension of priestly services in the parish soon?

The services of the two churches have not been totally suspended. I expect on the morning of August 15, The Assumption of the Virgin Mary, that the two churches will be filled to capacity. Services will be allowed to indicate that the clergy who were ordained by the Holy Spirit and assigned by the hierarch are not employees of any parish council, but under the spiritual direction of their presiding hierarch. The presiding hierarch will determine what services and sacraments will take place until the clergy of the parish will again receive their full compensation in harmony with the Archdiocese Regulations (Article 17, Section 8-B). While I appreciate the sensitivity of some of these questions, interest in this story has grown beyond the Greek Orthodox community. Our listeners include many in your congregations and many others who share a concern about the strength and the future of the parish here in Salt Lake. Thanks again, Dan Bammes Morning Edition Host/Reporter 101 S. Wasatch Drive University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT 84112 dbammes@kuer.org