“I want to give youth the opportunity to speak… I want to hear the youth.”
Archbishop Makarios, January 19, 2020
On 29th June 2019, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia welcomed a new Primate and Father in His Eminence, Archbishop Makarios, and with him, a new focus on Australia’s youth and young adult community.
“In collaboration with our blessed priests,” he shared at his enthronement, “we shall give greater emphasis to the younger generations. Young people constitute a priority for the Holy Archdiocese of Australia. They are not simply the future; they are also the present of the church”.
Now in February 2020, just eight months later, an Archdiocese-led, Australia-wide series of youth and young adult conferences are being held and drawing crowds, with Sydney’s, Assemble 2020, due to take place on 29 February 2020.
Organised in close collaboration with the youth, Sydney’s Assemble 2020 is a one-day event curated for those aged 15-40, bringing everyday people, respected clergy and academics together under the leadership of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios. In essence, Assemble 2020 seeks to provide an all-new experience, bridging the gap between the youth and the Church, dissolving myths and revealing the Truth in an open forum enabling registrants to speak freely and share with likeminded people. Testament to this is the event’s panel discussion, manned by a combination of hierarchy, clergy and respected laity.
“There is no better education than to search “as one body, and with one heart” for spiritual goals that will assist not only in this life, but also in the next,” shared Dr Dimitri Kepreotes, an Assemble 2020 session presenter. “It is not a blind search, as Orthodoxy has accumulated much wisdom throughout 2000 years. This conference combines youthful searching with God’s wisdom, which is the ‘salt and light’ of the world. For this reason, I am sure we will all look back on this event in years to come as a unique opportunity for growth in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,”.
Assemble 2020 is being hosted by St Euphemia Greek Orthodox School in Bankstown. Registration is free and essential.
For more on the event and to secure your place, head to: www.cycnsw.org.au/assembleconference
