St George Progressives
Reflections on a Legacy
By George F. Freije
On the weekend of September 20-22, 1985, St. George Parish celebrated the Golden Anniversary of the St George Progressives. The program book for the weekend included a history, part of which is recounted below in italics. The author of the history is unknown but attributed to William G. (Bill) Kafoure.
One evening in 1935, after closing his grocery store on Columbia Avenue, Anise G. Corey conceived the idea of starting a young people’s club for St. George Church. During the course of the evening the idea was discussed with his wife, Elizabeth, and his good friend Abraham Joseph. Following that discussion, telephone calls were made to the young people of the parish.
Shortly thereafter, on an unknown day in 1935, a group of young people gathered to form an organization. Among those who attended were Anise and Elizabeth Corey, Alex and Alice Corey, Ruth Corey (George), Selma Johns (Mesalam), Abraham Joseph, William Joseph, Alice Mesalam, and Eva Mesalam (Ferris). Others whose names are forgotten also were in attendance.
Between that time and March 2, 1936, an organization came into existence. The name was the Indianapolis Syrian Progressives and was thought of by William Joseph. The dues were ten cents per week and they met weekly. The first officers of the organization were:
Abe Joseph President
Ray George First Vice-President
Fred “Shaker” Freije Second Vice-President
Alex Corey Treasurer
Ruth Corey (George) Secretary
Marie Risk (Traina) Assistant Secretary
On July 7, 1936, the Bylaws were passed which included a name change to the St. George Progressives.
During the rest of the Thirties the Progressives were busy with weekly meetings, dances, and all types of socials. From their very beginnings they worked to physically support St. George Church . . .
December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and America entered World War II. Many of the Progressives’ young men were now bravely serving their country. Those who were left behind entered energetically into the home front effort. Care packages and letters were sent to servicemen from St. George. Socials and entertainment were held for the Syrian servicemen stationed at Fort Harrison . . .
In 1946, Metropolitan ANTONY appointed Walter C. Shamie of Detroit, Michigan to form a youth organization for the Church. Contact was made with parishes throughout the Midwest, and the Progressives answered the call. Ten people from Indianapolis: Anise and Elizabeth Corey, James and Helen Ferris, Edward and Gloria Kafoure, William and Frances Kafoure, Alice Mesalam, and Selma Mesalam attended that first meeting April 13, 1947, at the International Institute in Detroit, Michigan. At that meeting the Syrian Orthodox Youth Organization, later changed to the Society of Orthodox Youth Organizations and more affectionately called SOYO was founded. . .
Throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, the Progressives have devoted their efforts into three directions.
First, they have continued to be the principal fund raiser for the Parish of St. George . . .
Secondly, they have maintained their participation in Midwest and NAC SOYO at the highest level . . .
The third thrust of their efforts in recent years has been to realize their obligations as Orthodox Christians to their community and world.
After 1985 the Progressives continued to work in the three areas mentioned above, excelling in them all. In doing so, they also contributed leadership to St. George Parish and laid the groundwork for many of the ministries in the parish today. At the time, they didn’t know that they were one of the earliest ministries of the parish. Many of them did not know or understand their faith but they possessed a fierce loyalty to the small “Syrian Church” at 28th and later 40th and Sherman Drive. That loyalty led them on a fascinating and exciting journey throughout the years.
What began as a weekly fellowship club became a monthly gathering with pot-luck dinners and time for socializing, followed by a business meeting. These gatherings provided an opportunity to see one another besides Sunday mornings, strengthening the cohesive bond between the parishioners. The charter members were the children of immigrants or immigrants themselves. It grew as the church grew, with their children and grandchildren becoming members. The dances in the thirties provided a place for the young people of the parish to meet and get to know each other. Many, including my parents, met their spouse at those dances. The outreach to the servicemen during World War II helped to reinforce the faith of those serving overseas and in the states.
The weekly dances led to many other social activities to celebrate holidays, such as New Year’s Eve, Christmas, and Halloween and to raise funds for the church. The first signature fundraiser, the Syrian Smorgasbord, was held in 1955. It was an all-you-can-eat dinner open to the public, and the first event to make the larger Indianapolis community aware of the Middle Eastern culture and food. Its popularity and success were more than could be handled. The largest attendance was in 1966 when 2,400 people were served in the social hall during a single afternoon. The attendance was eventually cut back to about 1,000. The Smorgasbord was the forerunner of the Middle Eastern Festival that St. George holds annually today. The Hawaiian Sweepstakes was another successful fundraiser hosted by the Progressives. The evening was full of fun and excitement with a reverse raffle. The last winning ticket drawn from the barrel took home the grand prize.
Not only did the Progressives stay busy hosting local events, but they were also active in the archdiocese, hosting six Midwest SOYO conferences in 1949, 1955, 1961, 1972, 1987, and 2004. Serving as a host parish was a huge undertaking requiring committed leaders spearheading a parish-wide effort. Many former Progressive members took the helm to lead and manage the 2004 Parish Life Conference which welcomed 800 Orthodox Christians from the Midwest Region of the archdiocese for five days of meetings and fellowship. This leadership extended into the operations of Midwest SOYO. Eight presidents of Midwest SOYO had ties to this parish: William Kafoure, Salim Bashara, Nicholas Coba, Alice Mesalam, Nickolas Ferris, George F. Freije, Victoria Mesalam, and Janice Jacobs Fadel all served as Midwest SOYO Presidents. Nicholas Coba, George Freije, and Victoria Mesalam also served as President of the NAC (North American Council) SOYO.
Despite decades of dedicated service, a multitude of successful programs, and strong leadership, the membership of the Progressives eventually dwindled with time. On an unknown date sometime in 1999 or 2000, the Progressives voted to dissolve. Today, there are less than 25 surviving members of the Progressives. Even though this active SOYO chapter and fellowship ministry no longer exists, its programs and spirit are visible in all the ministries of the parish today. Through their numerous activities the Progressives served as an incubator for critical leadership that served all the ministries of the church – they sang in the choir, taught Church School, participated in social service projects through the ladies Aid Society, and served on the Parish Council- not just as members but as leaders. Above was their history. What follows is their legacy.
The Progressives started the Parish Christmas Card. The concept was simple and brilliant. Instead of everyone spending money sending individual Christmas cards to everyone in the parish, why not pool the money and send one card to everyone on behalf of everyone. The funds raised were used to provide charitable assistance where needed. Today, this holiday greeting card continues to be a principal source of funding for the Charity Ministry Team. This ministry does more charitable work than was ever imagined possible in the 1970’s and 1980’s. SOYO and the Progressives, as a part of SOYO, laid the groundwork for other charitable initiatives that are still active today. Project Loving Care, now known as the Children’s Relief Fund, provides support for needy children in the Middle East. Food For Hungry People is the archdiocesan food drive that happens every Lenten season, collecting thousands of pounds of food for hungry people around the world. Both projects continue and are administered by the Charity Ministry Team. Their roots originate from the efforts set forth by both SOYO and the Progressives.
In the 1970s “Awareness and Commitment” were added to the original pillars of the SOYO movement, along with “Unity, Love, Honesty, and Devotion.” The Progressives actively embraced these two new pillars, assisting with the establishment of St. John Chrysostom Church in Fort Wayne. This missionary activity was the first of several initiatives to foster Orthodoxy through parish development, including All Saints in Bloomington, St. Mary of Egypt in the southern suburbs of Indianapolis, and St. Ananias in Evansville.
The list can go on and on. The legacy is rich and we are the heirs of so much today because of a fellowship club which at a quick glance could be considered a social club. But hidden under that guise was a bond of fraternal love and dedication to the Orthodox Faith. The fellowship club became a charter member of a regional organization of similar fellowship clubs, and together these clubs helped preserve and grow their church. They worked hard on a local and regional level to establish many of the programs and ministries we have today, and perhaps, take for granted. As a participant in both institutions, I will not judge their success. I will leave it to others to study their acts and learn from their successes and failures. I do believe that the Progressives planted seeds so long ago that took root and blossomed in this Hoosier soil. And I believe that we have achieved so much more than our founders ever believed possible. Think of it – small beginnings for a small group of young adults, some immigrants, who banded together 91 years ago to preserve a small Syrian Church at 2745 North Sherman Drive. Could they imagine the blessings that God would bestow upon their beloved St. George?