This evening, H.H. Pope Tawadros II attended the celebration held by the Coptic Institute for Church Management and Development (COPTICAD) on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of its founding, in the presence of a number of bishops, priests, and partners of the Institute.
The celebration included a documentary presenting the fruits of the Institute’s work in serving the Church in Alexandria, as well as another example from the Diocese of Services, followed by a speech from Dr. Magdy Latif El-Sendy, the Dean of the Institute, in which he spoke about the ten-year journey of COPTICAD.
Presentations were given for the three winning projects of the competition launched by the Institute of Church Management and Development. They were:
-Saint Joseph the Carpenter Comprehensive Sustainable Development Service at the Church of the Virgin Mary in Ard El-Golf, Heliopolis.
-Development of youth meetings in the Diocese of Banha and Quesna.
-The experience of “Mother Dolagy School” for Sudanese children in Ezbet El-Nakhl.
Additional presentations were given about the activities of the Institute and the experiences of trainees in several dioceses and churches outside Egypt—in the Dioceses of Austria, Namibia and its affiliated regions, Sydney in Australia, and the Church of St. Mina in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates.
Then the results of the focus group seminars were presented: “Institutional Leadership” and “Partnership in Sustainable Development,” which were organized by the Institute last September with the attendance of experts and partners of the Institute. The launch of the Church Institutional Leadership Course (CIL), the Learning Management System platform (LMS), and the Diploma of Church and Sustainable Development was announced—along with an introduction to the Institute’s digital platforms and the alumni association.
Afterward, His Holiness delivered a speech in which he presented a vision for integrated work in the Church, likening it to a fabric made of vertical and horizontal threads. The vertical threads represent the Church, while the horizontal threads are the organizational work that connects the components of the Church.
His Holiness pointed out that these horizontal threads progressed through several stages in his management of the Church:
- Phase of issuing organizational regulations for work: The Holy Synod exerted great effort, with the cooperation of the fathers and specialists, to provide a set of regulations that organize ecclesiastical work—such as the regulation for selecting the priest and his service, the regulation for the bishop, and others. All these regulations integrated with the vertical threads, and the fabric began to reveal its beauty.
Pope Tawadros emphasized that change may take many years, but we also know that the beginning is half of the work. Now, these regulations have become essential in the work and are gradually spreading. We may review or reformulate them if required. - Phase of establishing the Institute of Church Management and Development: This was done in 2015. In the Institute, we find studies, curricula, professors, systems, and various stages. The Institute is considered a tool that connects the successful vertical threads, and we have seen the harvest after ten years. The Institute’s work began to flow into the body of the Church and took on a vital role—it connects churches with one another. It is not appropriate for ecclesiastical work to be managed by personal preference; rather, every work must be done to glorify the name of Christ in our lives.
- Phase of the Coptic St. Mark Academy:
The idea began ten years ago, and regulations were made for it. The Academy will be the umbrella that gathers all educational aspects in the Coptic Church, through the recognition of the specialized committees of the Holy Synod. I expect the Academy to include fifty members inside and outside Egypt. It will undertake the process of regulating performance in matters of ecclesiastical education across all curricula presented in the Church, in every form—so that all may be disciplined, purposeful, and fruitful.
At these three levels, we move—by the grace of Christ—horizontally, so that the fabric may be completed with the vertical threads, forming the Church’s beautiful and glorious tapestry.
He concluded:
“I repeat my thanks to all the beloved who serve, labor greatly, and present a wonderful work that the Church needs. I thank them for their effort, and I thank all who participate and integrate into this great equation in which we all work.”
After his speech, Pope Tawadros handed certificates of appreciation to the bishops, the Institute’s partners, and the three winning projects.
This page is also available in:
العربية
