WESTFIELD, NJ – [Photos: Douglas John Photography]
On Monday, May 4, 2026, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan of Apostolos, the Metropolis of New Jersey hosted the Clergy-Laity Grand Banquet Honoring the Metropolis Pioneers at The Merion in Cinnaminson, New Jersey.
The Metropolis Pioneers Initiative is a new program of the Metropolis of New Jersey spearheaded by His Eminence that is focused on the safeguarding the future ministries of the Metropolis. Metropolitan Apostolos was joined by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America at the banquet to congratulate the founding members of the program for their foresight and generosity.
“The program, which is modeled on the enormously successful Leadership One Hundred Endowment of the Archdiocese, is a great step forward for the Metropolis. In fact, you have taken a leap of faith into the future, with a promise to fulfill your own motto: Building Today. Securing Tomorrow. Honoring Our Faith”, stressed Archbishop Elpidophoros, offering his laudatory remarks.
Greetings were offered by Metropolis Philoptochos president Eleni Constantinides and Archon H. James Polos, Vice-Chair of the Metropolis Council. Archon George Horiates, the program chair, recognized each of the Metropolis Pioneers with both Hierarchs bestowing them with the newly minted Metropolis Pioneer Pin. Archon John Vasiliou served as the evening’s Master of Ceremonies.
Metropolitan Apostolos expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all those present at this special event, which was organized for the first time in the Metropolis, bringing together clergy and laity from every city and region of the Metropolis. He also thanked the organizing committee of this event and, with deep appreciation, extended his gratitude to all the families and parishes that support and have supported this initiative of the new program.
According to a post by the Metropolis, the program has a single purpose: to strengthen the ministry of the Metropolis, and especially every youth program, so that we may preserve and continue to walk in the footsteps of Christ and the Holy Gospel here in the United States. It also aims to honor and support the early pioneers who founded and built our churches, as well as the Greek schools dedicated to the teaching of our faith and Hellenic education.
Each family is asked to contribute $1,000 per year for ten years. Already from the dinner, an amount of $132,000 was collected, while during the sessions of the Clergy–Laity Congress, pledges over $600,000 were made.
