Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ;
How do you measure the worthiness of an organization? This is a big question for any organization, especially for non-profit financial organizations like OCCIF. Investors count on us to safeguard their funds and ensure we provide loans to eligible candidates. However, building this trust is not straightforward.
Over the years, we have tried many ways to communicate this message. We meet with many of you at diocesan functions (meetings, assemblies, presentations), one-on-one meetings, and provide investor testimonials, newsletters, and successful project profiles. Yet despite all of this good work, measuring the perception of OCCIF within the Orthodox Church is difficult.
This is why the addition of Father Athanasius Kone to the new position of Executive Director for OCCIF and Father Matthew Howell to OCCIF’s board is so powerful: because both worked in the past with OCCIF to get loans for their parishes.
They “get” OCCIF because they have first-hand experience of the good that OCCIF can do for the Church. I’m humbled that these former loan recipients believe so resolutely in OCCIF’s mission that they want to become a part of our future.
We are honored to have Father Athanasius and Father Matthew join us in our ministry to help grow the Church in the United States.
Father John Dresko
President/CEO
Orthodox Church Capital Improvement Fund
Father Athanasius Kone: New Director, Same Mission
Recently we had a chance to catch up with our Executive Director Father Athanasius at his new parish St. Innocent Orthodox Church in Eureka, California.
Father Athanasius’s experience with economics will bring invaluable perspective to OCCIF’s future directions.
“[Today’s financial system is] a very difficult environment to operate in,” notes Father Athanasius.
“In the past banks would give people 3% interest back on their deposits. And they would loan out the money that they received from those deposits at 6%. And they would be, making 3% themselves.The joke was that they’d be on the golf course by 3 p.m.”
According to Father Athanasius, this “three-three-three”process doesn’t work anymore. “We live in a world where things are much more complicated and interest rates are not so easy to predict,” said Father Athanasius. “ As a result, we have to become more agile in how we acquire the capital and how we disperse it.”
Father Athanasius is looking forward to making OCCIF a resource during each stage of an Orthodox capital improvement project.
“[With OCCIF] we can help give back feedback to the parish councils and priests on what is to expect [in a capital improvement project],” notes Father Athanasius. “We can show a process that eliminates many roadblocks or bumps to remove barriers so people can get funding and financing for their projects.”
Welcome to the Board: Father Matthew Howell
Father Matthew Howell is the rector of Saint Herman of Alaska Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in Wasilla, Alaska, and our newest addition to the OCCIF Board. Father Matthew also brings a unique perspective to the OCCIF board as someone whose parish received a loan from OCCIF to his church.
Father Matthew has experienced firsthand the good work that OCCIF can do and looks forward to expanding this message to the Orthodox Church. “I see the potential for OCCIF to be the financial institution and resource center for all Orthodox Churches in North America,” said Father Matthew.
“Every parish deals with volunteers on their parish council, so they act as bookkeepers and treasurers,” notes Father Matthew. “OCCIF can become a resource for financial literacy and education. So when the building is merely a dream, they should ask OCCIF how to make it a reality.”
Father Matthew sees OCCIF as a critical resource for the Orthodox Church. “We provide a direct link between Orthodox investors and lenders,” notes Father Matthew. “We make it so that the lender is just one step away from that kid in Sunday school who’s enjoying the new building or that choir member singing in the choir with beautiful acoustics singing in the church. “