Coptic Church & Ecumenical Movement - Saint Mina Coptic ...

eport that only a few priests have expressed interest in or support of the work
of the Office of Ecumenical Affairs.
• It should be noted that the Board of St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church of
Cleveland, Ohio, recognizing the importance of the mission of this Office has
provided a stable budget to meet the requirements and the financial needs of
the activities of the Office, such as publications, gifts, equipment, travel and
postage. I wish to thank the Board for their generosity and for their dedication
to the cause of the Office of Ecumenical Affairs.
• The Ecumenical Officer attended the visit of His All Holiness the Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew to the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Detroit at the
invitation of H.G. Bishop Nicholas of Detroit. The Ecumenical Officer had
the opportunity to speak with the Ecumenical Patriarch, conveying to H.A.H.
the greetings of H.H. Pope Shenouda III and presenting him with a copy of the
excellent book on the Flight of the Holy Family into Egypt on behalf of His
Holiness.
• An organized representation of the Coptic Orthodox Church to the Executive
Board of National Council of Churches began with the involvement of H.G.
Bishop Serapion of Los Angeles and the Ecumenical Officer, as well as
membership on the Board of Directors of Church World Service. This is in
addition to the membership in the General Assembly of the NCC. The
General Assembly was attended by the entire delegation for the first time in
many years. A separate report on the General Assembly is attached.
• The design of an official logo for the Office of Ecumenical Affairs which
consists of a Coptic cross, the alpha and omega, a pharaonic falucca and the
ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol for the flood. This is to resemble the
well known ecumenical logos of a ship and troubled waters, but using Coptic
symbolism.
• The establishment of the official website of the Office of Ecumenical Affairs,
www.ecucopt.org.
• Participation in the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches
(SCOOCH)
• Participation in the Joint Commission established between the Oriental
Orthodox Churches (SCOOCH) and the Standing Conference of Canonical
Orthodox Bishops (SCOBA) [Eastern Orthodox Churches] in the United
States.
• Greetings were sent to the various hierarchs for the Feast of the Incarnation,
Christmas 2001, in the form of a specially printed Christmas card with the
hymn of `Ηπαρθενος (a 6 th century Greek hymn on the Nativity of Christ
chanted in both the Coptic and Byzantine churches, even though it was written
after Chalcedon).
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