The Patriarch Identifies Focus Areas for Holy Synod to Ponder

Of the Church leaders some are commended, others are in the middle, while others were severely reprimanded. Church leaders found currently in Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church cannot say that the challenges that earlier Church leaders faced in those days do not exist today, as we are found in this world of many trials.

It would be difficult for one to make the claim that all problems can be avoided. However, we remember that great fathers arise amongst us who manage to exert utmost efforts to keep serious problems and gaps at bay. The fundamental issue is not the question why the gap emerged; rather the issue is, why there is complacency and lack of action in view of such a situation.  This conference is of huge significance and is expected to exert enormous efforts regarding this issue. 

Although there are tasks that should have been carried out by the Church but were not done satisfactorily, it should not be forgotten that there are still some areas of good performance.  Particularly, the efforts of the laity to support the Church and development works is very encouraging more than ever. More important of all, the efforts of the Church to spread the Word of God in different parts of the world can be claimed as an illustration that the Church has grown to become international.
Since the tasks of the Church are enormous and of diverse nature, it is important that some tasks need to be focused on for action:

• Laying down procedures to equip the Church with a modern administrative system for it to be able to manage its resources and property efficiently;
• Make sure that regulations, policies and rules that are designed  in accordance with the legal framework requirements of the Church are transparent and provide for accountability;
• Budget should be allocated this year for the master plan and media study that have been put on hold thus far, and they should be put to use urgently; 
• Laying down good governance and strengthen the spread of the Gospel so as to reverse the fleeing of the laity; 
• Strengthening the tie and relation of parish Churches overseas with the Mother Church;
• Making the Church economically prosperous by expanding development works in various sectors;
• Bringing up children and the young, who are the successor generation of the Church, with religious education and imbuing them with ethical values by organizing them in Sunday schools;
• Strengthening the efforts of Sunday schools and monasteries, and it is of utmost significance that particular attention be given to these efforts;
• On the other hand, we have realized that due to the lack of rain in our country this year, drought and shortage of food have occurred in different parts of our country, as reports of the diocese in the 34th general spiritual conference of the Church indicated;
• Thus, since it is natural that we need to carry the suffering of fellow citizens in accordance with the instructions of our religion and social values, in addition teaching the public to share what they have, this Holy Church, which is the Mother of the people, need to do everything in its capacity to help those in need, and that this conference of the Holy Synod deliberate on the issue.

Finally, we call up on this Holy Synod to discuss on the major issues raised above so as to reach at appropriate decisions. Hence this Holy Synod conference of October, 2015 has been blessed and declared open in accordance with the Church’s tradition of spiritual article 5 sub article 164.
                                                               May God Bless Our Conference  Amen!!
                        Aba Mathias Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Patriarch.