Parish Council
The St. George Greek community is governed by an elected committee called the Parish Council. The entire Greenville Greek Orthodox community votes to elect the members of the Parish Council. Elections being held every 2 years. Not all seats are up for reelection each year (the council seats are elected on a staggered basis, half of the seats voted on at any given election, providing stability and consistency to the governing body). Seats on the Parish Council are held for a term lasting 4 years and subject to a 3-term limit. The Greenville Parish Council consists of 12 members. The number of members of any Greek Parish Council is defined by the community they serve.
The Parish Council is the governing body of the church, the deciding authority for all church operations. They set policy and make the many important decisions that go into operating a church, including the selection and hiring of the priest. They are stewards of the church finances which calls them to manage our resources responsibly as they budget, plan, save, develop long-term goals, invest wisely, and keep our church financially stable. All day-to-day operations come under the authority of the Parish Council, as well as plans and goals for the future.
The priest is the spiritual leader of the church and its community. He is also a guiding force and member of the Parish Council. The bishop is the spiritual leader of the entire diocese, encompassing several states. The archbishop is the leader of North America and the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople is the supreme leader of the Greek Orthodox Faith in the world.
Parish Councils have always been in existence, going back to the beginning of the Greek Orthodox Church. The election of the Council reflects a democracy invented by the ancient Greeks, who heralded democracy as a very important aspect of their lives. The word "democracy" comes from Greek demos (people) and kratos (power). It is important to the Greek community to represent all families within the church and the election of the Parish Council honors that need. In the early days of the Greek Orthodox Church in Greenville, SC, circa 1930s-1960s, Parish Council members were predominantly Greek immigrants and often spoke in the Greek language at the meetings, which has changed drastically, as the Eastern Orthodox Faith is composed of all nationalities. Today, the members are from the generation that was born in America, and some were not born of Greek ethnicity, but converted to become Greek Orthodox.
St. George Greek Orthodox Clergy:
Father Michael Merkouris 1936-1940
Father James Lolakas 1940-1941
Father Aemil Pouleropoulos 1941-1945
Father Peter Koskores 1946-1948
Father Spyridon Economos 1948-1950
Father Charles Goumenis 1950-1964
Father Andrew Vasilas 1965-1976
Father George Alexson 1976-1987
Father Tom Pistolis 1987-present
Parish Council, February 20, 1956
