Related Forms
Speakers
Rev. Vasileios Thermos, M.D., Ph.D.
Rev. Vasileios Thermos, M.D., Ph.D., was born in 1957 at Lefkada. He studied at the Medical School of Athens University and after he graduated he studied at the Theological School of the same University. He was specialized in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry which he still practices in Athens. In 1986 he was ordained and keeps serving at the diocese of Viotia. He has been engaged into training programs for clergy in Greece, Cyprus, USA.
In 1996-97 he was a Visiting Scholar at Harvard Divinity School; he took classes also in Harvard School of Arts and Humanities, Boston College, Boston University, Andover Newton Theological School. In 1997 he received his PhD in Pastoral Psychology from the Theological School of Athens University. In 2014 he worked for 3 months as a Visiting Research Scholar at the Institute of Medical Humanities of the Medical School of Texas University on a project about homosexuality and contemporary gender theories. He has also conducted a research on clergy health and burnout. He has written numerous books and articles in Greek; some of them have been translated into English, French, Russian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Spanish. He is the editor of a new journal in Greek (Psyches dromoi: Ways of the Soul), published every 6 months, on the relationships between theology/religion and psychiatry/psychology (first issue in May 2011).
In 2004 a master thesis on his total work appeared by Peter Kazaku at the Theological School of Balamand University, Lebanon. This thesis was updated and enriched, thus forming the book "Orthodoxy and Psychoanalysis: Dirge or Polychronion to the Centuries-old Tradition?", which was published in 2013 by Peter Lang publications in the series ‘European University Studies’, volume 938.
During 2001-2013 he was a Visiting Professor of Pastoral Psychology and Psychology of Religion in the Theological Academy of the Orthodox Church of Albania. Since 2013 he teaches as an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology and Pastoral Psychology in the University Ecclesiastical Academy of Athens.
He has been a member of scientific committees organizing conferences on the relationship between theology and psychiatry/psychology. He has also given thousands of lectures to seminars, parents groups, clergy assemblies, camps, high schools, radio and TV etc.
His areas of interest are: Relationship between psychological sciences and religion; Psychology of religious beliefs and experiences; Dialogue between psychoanalysis and religion; Psychology of clergy and of the ecclesiastical organization; Psychology of culture; Religious development of child and adolescent; Language, psychology, and religion; Post-modernity and religion.
George D. Caravakis
George D. Caravakis, President of the GDC Financial Group, Inc., is the Third Party Administrator (TPA) for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. He is the President of The GDC Financial Group, Inc. His company administers the insurance for the Archdiocese, including the Medical, Dental, Life, Long Term Disability and Pension Life Insurance. In addition, GDC administers the electronic collection of both the Parish Benefit Obligation as well as the Clergy Personal Pension Contributions. Mr. Caravakis brings more than Thirty (30) years of healthcare and group insurance experience to GDC. Mr. Caravakis began his insurance career with New York Life Insurance Company after spending ten (10) years in the computer industry with North American Philips Corporation. At New York Life he was recognized as a leader in the group insurance market and received company awards for sales in that market. Mr. Caravakis has grown GDC Financial into a $50MM + in annual revenue organization with clients in locations across the United States. His clients vary widely from individual, small group, large employers as well as unions and municipalities. He personally developed a proprietary system used in-house to track client eligibility and billing for GDC’s various clientele. Mr. Caravakis has worked as Plan Administrator for several national benefit programs for both non-profit organizations as well as corporate benefits plans, and is a General Agent for several insurance carriers. He is a member of the Life Underwriters Training Council (LUTC) and the Fairfield County Broker Advisory Council for United HealthCare.
Overview
This year the clergy and lay leaders of the Metropolis of San Francisco will have the opportunity to come together at the 2016 Metropolis Clergy-Laity Assembly to be held on February 29 - March 1, 2016 at Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center in Dunlap, California. This annual gathering provides a forum for the leadership of all our communities to deliberate on important matters for our Metropolis and engage in dialogue and fellowship to enrich our common ministry. The Assembly will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, February 29, and will conclude with lunch on Tuesday, March 1.
The theme for this year's Clergy-Laity Assembly is "Looking Inward, Looking Outward", based on Proverbs 27:19, "As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart." We will look "inward" at the individual with the assistance of our guest speaker the Rev. Vasileios Thermos, M.D., Ph.D., who is currently an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology and Pastoral Psychology at the Ecclesiastical Academy of the University of Athens. Fr. Thermos will offer an engaging presentation entitled, "Addiction and the Person: A Psychological and Theological Approach."
We will look "outward" as a Metropolis through the progress of our Metropolis Strategic Plan, with presentations by the Metropolis Commission for Orthodox Missions and Evangelism (C.O.M.E.), Family Wellness Ministry and the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries.
In response to numerous questions from our communities about Clergy Benefits, we have also invited Mr. George Caravakis of GDC Financial to make a very informative presentation on clergy benefits. This is a vital component of each parish's budget and is important for the health and wellness of our clergy and their families.
This year we will hold elections for eight clergy and eight laity to serve on the Metropolis Council for the next two- year term, and for one clergy and two laity to serve on the Archdiocesan Council for the same term. Nomination forms have already been sent to all parish clergy and this is another very important item for this year's Assembly.
