WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE! - from GREEK ORTHODOX MONASTERIES (Pantanassa & Holy Cross Monasteries)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We need your assistance - action is needed prior to Tuesday 31 May 2011!

Please send this onto as many people as possible!

After many years of hard work and fundraising, and with the support of all the Greek Orthodox Australian faithful of NSW and other States, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia has been developing two Monasteries on the Central Coast of NSW: Pantanassa Monastery at Mangrove Creek and Holy Cross Monastery at Mangrove Mountain. At the time of acquiring these lands, the construction of a monastery, including a church was permissible within the current zones, and on this basis the lands were acquired and the monasteries planned.

NOW, Gosford Council is proposing to eliminate "places of public worship" from the zones on which the Monasteries are located under its "Gosford Draft LEP 2009". This means that future development and expansion of the monasteries, including construction of new churches, is threatened and may not be permissible on monastery lands.


We have:
1. made detailed submissions to Council opposing the proposed change to the zoning - these have been rejected! and

1. asked Council to acknowledge the monasteries future development needs by placing the monasteries in the SP1 'Special Activities Zone' which would allow for development of the monasteries with Council consent based on merit considerations - this too was rejected!

On Monday 23 May 2011 we were informed that Council plans to consider the adoption of the "Gosford Draft LEP 2009" on Tuesday 31 May 2011!

You can help by sending letters we have prepared for you to the Councillors and Ministers at the click of one button. We have less than one week to let Councillors and NSW State Government Ministers know that we are very upset and disappointed with this whole matter! We must act before Tuesday 31 May 2011.

CLICK HERE TO ACT NOW!

We thank you in advance for your support and pray that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ bless you and your families. We will email you further developments if needed.

Prayerfully Yours,

Pantanassa Monastery
567 Mangrove Creek Rd, Mangrove Creek, NSW 2250
t: (02) 4374 1060
f: (02) 4374 1422
e: pantanassa@cci.net.au

Holy Cross Monastery
Lot 1, Holy Cross Rd, Mangrove Mountain, NSW 2250 P.O. Box 1799, Gosford, N.S.W. 2250
t: (02) 4374 1657
f: (02) 4374 1750
e: holycrossmonastery@bigpond.com