“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I remember being a new seminary student and attending evening family Bible studies at the home of our New Testament professor, Fr. Ted Stylianopoulos. Sitting around his living room with a wonderful group of people and beginning each evening in song was a transformational experience. It was here that I first learned Christian songs that I have taken with me all my life. One of my favorites is “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” This song has stayed with me until today and I’ve sung it with family, friends and mission partners in many languages around the world.
While I haven’t been able to apply the lyrics of this Bible verse as fully as I could, this is something I have set as a goal in life, and it’s a goal we should all aspire to. The amazing thing is that every time, and the more radically I’ve followed this (seeking God’s will above anything else, even when it seems difficult or scary), the more intensely I’ve received surprising blessings in return. I imagine this is because God’s will for each of us is to fulfill our own nature as we are created. So, whether it be in work or play, in ministry, or profession, in marriage or celibacy – to seek God’s will first is to follow the path that we are created for. Sometimes this means leaving everything and travelling to far-off, unfamiliar places. Other times it might mean going home, and still at others it may mean leaving something that has been an important and joyful part of our lives.
Why am I writing to you about this now? It is because I’ve come to a point in my life where seeking God’s will first means leaving a position I’ve been blessed to hold for the last 26 years. This is not a sudden or unexpected juncture, though. In fact, it is part of a natural progression in life – one that was foreseen and planned for with the Orthodox Christian Mission Center Board of Directors when we began a succession planning process years ago. At that time, I was asked to consider how much longer I could foresee remaining in my position. Knowing that I was approaching retirement, I did my best to answer that question, even though it still seemed far away and not something I felt the Lord had yet confirmed. Now, as retirement age is right around the corner, and after praying earnestly throughout these past years, it is clear and confirmed that to seek God’s will at this time in my life, means taking a step towards retirement, helping to find a successor that will lead our organization to its next level of accomplishments, and exploring new ways I can continue to support our efforts through mission service.
Looking back over these 26 years as Executive Director – and even further to 37 years ago when my family first left for Africa as missionaries – it has been an amazing journey. One where we have tried to seek God’s will above all things, and one where His blessings have been given in return beyond anything we could have imagined. In these years, the Mission Center and the landscape of Orthodox Missions have evolved tremendously.
When we first began, the most common response to our family leaving an established, vibrant parish to be missionaries in Africa was, “Oh, I didn’t know that Orthodox do missions. That’s a Protestant practice, not Orthodox.” At that time, Orthodox missions were few and far between. Now, we have missions around the globe and the modern Orthodox mission movement is firmly planted. The awareness that missions is a longstanding Orthodox practice is accepted as a norm. We have youth who have grown up reading about, hearing from, and being inspired by Orthodox missionaries from their childhood…as if it had always been that way!
In the field, missions that were just beginning in the 1970s and ‘80s are now reaching maturity – with their own bishops, hundreds of clergy, and seminaries. Numerous Orthodox faithful from these mission fields now hold doctorates in theology.
During my years of service as Executive Director, here at “headquarters,” our staff has grown from a few college graduates just beginning their careers, to 20 people who are professionals in their fields. We moved from a small house converted to offices, to a 20-acre site where we constructed the 12,000 square foot Archbishop Anastasios and Archbishop Dimitrios Missionary Training Center that now stands as a testament to the importance of missions in the Orthodox Church today. During this time, our board has transitioned from a managing board to an involved, governing board, and our capacity overall has grown sixfold to support missionaries around the world and offer substantial grants to mission churches to bring new people to Christ, establish those Churches, and share Christ’s love.
Over the years, the Orthodox Christian Mission Center has sent 3,000 people into the field (over 125 of whom were long-term missionaries) and has built churches, seminaries, mission centers, schools, clinics, and orphanages around the world. Millions of dollars have been given in grants to develop and establish the Church, to sponsor ministries, and to aid the poor. New communities have been started among completely unevangelized peoples. In post-communist lands like Albania, we have seen Orthodoxy re established among a persecuted people with a vibrancy that leaves us in awe. Throughout these years, the Lord has performed miracles as He blesses this effort to share the fullness of faith to the ends of the earth.
While it is with many emotions that I prepare to leave this vibrant and blessed ministry, I am fully confident that the Lord is calling a new leader who will be able to build upon a firm and solid foundation to carry Orthodox Missions to new and greater heights! We have come so far, but there is still so much more we can do. The world needs the Lord, and as we apply ourselves to make disciples of all nations, we can be confident that He will continue to empower and bless this ministry that is at the heart of the Christian faith.
Finally, as I move on to this next step in service to the Lord together with my wife, partner, and co-worker, Presbytera Renee, I want to thank all who have made these decades of ministry and the many accomplishments of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center possible – from our hierarchs and clergy, to our board and staff, to donors and partners in prayer, and to all those we’ve worked with in the field around the world. Through your love, encouragement, support, and prayers we have felt united with you and surrounded by God’s grace, both in times of joy and in times of fear and uncertainty. Without you, nothing we have seen would have been possible. With you, we look forward to the amazing and surprising blessings to come, as we move forward from glory to glory and seek first the Kingdom of God.
If you feel that God is calling you to lead our mission, or if you know someone who would be compelled to serve in this way, please do not hesitate to apply or offer a candidate recommendation. To review the job description and application process, please click the link below.
In Christ,
Fr. Martin Ritsi
Executive Director
Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne
Orthodox Christian Mission Center