Greek Orthodox Services Shut down after 40% Priest Pay Cut

By Mike Gorrell
The Salt Lake Tribune
August 15, 2013

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/lifestyle/56704139-80/parish-orthodox-council-greek.html.csp

Father Matthew Gilbert is one of three Utah priests of the Greek Orthodox Church who have been ordered to suspend priestly ministries due to a pay cut ordered by the cash-strapped parish council.

By official decree, rites marking the Feast of the Transfiguration were allowed to take place Monday and Tuesday in the Salt Lake Valley’s two Greek Orthodox churches, Holy Trinity and Prophet Elias.

But that’s it, for the time being. There won’t be any more Sunday services. No baptisms or weddings, either.

Metropolitan Isaiah, the Denver-based Greek Orthodox leader whose region includes Utah, recently ordered the three clergy members serving the community to "immediately suspend all priestly ministry to the parish."

"They are not to celebrate any liturgy, sacraments or services whatsoever," he added, later modifying the order to permit the priests to conduct the Great Vespers, Orthros and Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Transfiguration. "This includes Sunday liturgies, beginning this Sunday, Aug. 4, and all scheduled weddings and baptisms."

His directive came after the cash-strapped Parish Council voted July 29 to cut the pay of the three priests by 40 percent to balance the 2013 budget.

"Our community is out of money and unable to meet the payroll this week," the Parish Council explained the next day in a letter to parishioners.

The 40 percent reduction for the three priests — Father Michael Kouremetis at Prophet Elias in Holladay, Father Matthew Gilbert at Holy Trinity in downtown Salt Lake City and Father Elias Koucos — will save the parish $124,980 annually, the council calculated.

"It is with heavy hearts that the Parish Council must take such action," the letter to parishioners said, "but [we] feel this is what must be done to try and keep our community solvent during this trying time."

Parish Council Chairman Dimitrios Tsagaris declined to say much more about the financial issue in response to questions from The Salt Lake Tribune.

"This is an internal issue. We’re working with the Metropolitan to find a solution," was all he would say. "I don’t want to make a big deal out of something that will be solved soon."