Charles H. Cotros, Chairman of Leadership 100, has announced the fifth commemoration of National Leadership 100 Sunday, on October 27th. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Church of America will issue an Encyclical on behalf of the Holy Eparchial Synod designating the date, which is the Sunday following the Feast of Saint Iakovos, chosen as a tribute to Archbishop Iakovos of Blessed Memory, the visionary Founder and namesake of the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Endowment Fund.

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and the respected Metropolitans throughout the nation will direct each Parish Priest in their respective jurisdictions to read the Encyclical. Many parishes are planning a program during the coffee hour after the Divine Liturgy.

Members of the Leadership 100 Board of Trustees in the Direct Archdiocesan District and all Metropolises will work with Parish Priests in all parishes to develop an awareness of the role of Leadership 100 in providing continuing support of the critical National Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America through a variety of charitable gifts to advance Orthodoxy and Hellenism.

In 1984, under the guidance of Archbishop Iakovos, Leadership 100 was created as an Endowment Fund of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese through which Greek Orthodox leaders were asked to commit themselves to maintaining the life-sustaining National Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and to advance Orthodoxy and Hellenism. It was formally named The Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Endowment Fund in 1998 as a separately incorporated endowment fund (501 (c) (3)).

Membership in Leadership 100 today is inextricably tied with these critical National Ministries to which more than $35.6 million in grants have been distributed over 29 years, ranging from scholarship funds for Holy Cross School of Theology to prepare future Priests; Youth, Camping and Young Adult Ministries to support the spiritual growth of our youth; Interfaith Marriage and Family Ministries to support the faithful; Information Technologies, Internet Ministries and GOTelecom to communicate the Faith; Stewardship, Outreach and Evangelism (including Home Mission) to spread the word; Religious and Greek Education to educate the faithful; Parish Development to support parishes of all sizes and in every Metropolis; and Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations to express unity of purpose.

Leadership 100 has also provided start-up funding for International Orthodox Christian Ministries (IOCC) and Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), extended its support of Metropolis Ministries, and responded to the needs of the nation and the world with assistance in the aftermath of September 11, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, and the devastating fires and earthquakes in Greece.

Today, Leadership 100 counts some 925 members from a broad spectrum of Greek Orthodox leaders, men and women of all ages from every field of endeavor, including Leadership 100 Partners, young Greek Americans given an opportunity to join at a lower contribution level, progressing as they pursue their careers, and Leadership Junior Partners, sponsored in their youth with the option to join at age 21.