Lesser Synod, Metropolitan Council conclude spring session
Following two days of meetings primarily directed at reviewing the work of individual committees and the Orthodox Church in America’s Strategic Plan, members of the Lesser Synod of Bishops and the Metropolitan Council turned their attention to reports by the Church’s officers and a variety of general matters On March 3-4, 2010.
Following the celebration of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts on Wednesday, March 3, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah opened the morning session by addressing the participants.
After expressing his pleasure with the results of the Strategic Plan workshop held the previous day - he noted that difficult issues had been discussed in a “serious, open and sober manner” - he offered observations on the immediate future of the Church, including the episcopal searches underway in the Dioceses of the South and Midwest and his “hope that there will be an election of two bishops in the fall.”
Turning his attention to broader issues affecting Orthodox Christianity in North America, he reflected on the Church’s future.
“In five, ten, twenty-five years - or longer - we will enter into a larger Church in America,” he observed. “No one can say when that will happen, but it will. The face of Orthodoxy in America will change on a diocesan and Local Church level.”
While he felt that little will change on the parochial level, “the future is not the OCA in isolation.”
“What we have to offer to this process is the vision of a conciliar Church which involves clergy and laity working together in making decisions,” he continued. “What we have to offer is our vision as a missionary Church embracing all languages, cultures, and races as we bring the Good News to all men and women. That is the particularity of the OCA - more than autocephaly itself. We can model conciliarity and missionary work for others, for the united Orthodox Church in North America.
“This process will create change, and Orthodox do not like change,” he concluded. “The most important question, above all others, is what is the Will of God? All of these questions - legal, Chambesy, mission, strategic planning, and other issues we are facing - must be addressed in light of this ultimate question: What is the Lord’s Will? How do we hear it and do it? That is our authentic mission as Orthodox Christians.”
Archpriest Alexander Garklavs, Chancellor, reported on the day-to-day operation of the Chancery, noting that while “conditions are far from ideal” - whereas several years ago the Chancery staff included dozens of members, it now consists of six full-time employees and three part-timers - a strong sense of teamwork is present as “all of the Chancery personnel are called on to perform jobs outside of their primary duties.” He expressed his appreciation for the work of the new OCA Treasurer, Melanie Ringa, whose “regular, two-day-a-week presence at the Chancery has meant that there is normal input and interaction between the Church’s chief financial officer and the operations of the central administration.”
Father Alexander went on to describe various matters involving the Metropolitan’s office, Church departments, legal issues, and the Strategic Plan process.
Archpriest Eric Tosi, Secretary, reported on a number of practical issues, including the updating of parish files for the 501(C)3 status and preliminary plans for the 16th All-American Council in 2011. He also reported on various communications issues being aggressively addressed with the release of the Director of Ministries and Communications and as a result of the the December 2009 meeting of a task force called upon to review the Church’s communications needs, web site, and publications.
Melanie Ringa, Treasurer, offered a comprehensive report in which she reported that expenses for 2009 were within or under budget in most categories. She also reported on income from the Fellowship of Orthodox Steward’s two 2009 drives, a drop in assessment income as a result of a corresponding decline in reported parish membership, and investments, which in light of the current economic environment experienced an overall decline.
The 2010 proposed budget was reviewed. After some revisions were made, the budget was approved. The completed 2008 financial audit by the Lambrides auditing firm was also presented. It was noted that a “clean audit is in sight.”
John Sedor and Maureen Ahearn reported on the OCA pension plan which, despite the economy, is stable.
While complete financial and other reports, together with minutes of the Metropolitan Council spring session, will be forthcoming from the office of Father Eric Tosi, Secretary, and posted on the OCA web site in the immediate future, other highlights of the meeting include the following.
- A detailed report on the Alaskan Lands question clarified many questions with regard to ownership and use of various properties within the Diocese of Alaska.
- Preliminary plans the 16th All-American Council, slated to be held in a Seattle, WA suburb in 2011, were reviewed in detail. It was noted that the AAC will be the first in the history of the Church to be held west of the Mississippi, thereby making it possible for greater participation on the part of parishes in Alaska. A separate release on this matter will be forthcoming on the OCA web site.
- As already reported on the OCA web site at https://www.oca.org/news/2097, the report of the Synodal Committee charged with conducting an investigation into past financial practices at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery and Bookstore was heard. The report, together with recommendations, will be submitted to the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops for review and further action at their March 16-19, 2010 spring session.
- A variety of policies and procedures to enhance the ongoing effort to make the Church more open, transparent, accountable and efficient were discussed and adopted.
- In an executive session, a number of legal issues were discussed thoroughly in the presence of the OCA’s General Counsel, Thaddeus Wojcik, Esq.
The overall reaction to the meeting was summed up by Archpriest Michael Oleksa of the Diocese of Alaska.
“I think we… rejoiced in each other, delighting in the gifts God has given each member of the Holy Synod and to each member of the Metropolitan Council,” Father Michael said. “They listened with respect and patience to each other this week, appreciating that everyone present sincerely loves God, loves Jesus Christ, and loves His Church. If we can enlarge this circle now to include more clergy and laity in the parishes and dioceses of North America, if we can bring the questions and challenges we face before the entire People of God, and with the same respect and love hear their voice, our Church will heal and regain her strength and her voice. And then we will, in whatever canonical governing structure, have the renewed commitment to our mission, bringing the joy of Pascha, the reality of the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, to the people of this continent which we also deeply love.”
Members of the Metropolitan Council include the Primate of the Church, Metropolitan Jonah; the officers of the Church—Archpriest Alexander Garklavs, Chancellor; Archpriest Eric Tosi, Secretary; and Melanie Ringa, Treasurer; clergy and lay members elected at the All-American Council; and clergy and lay members elected by their respective dioceses.
Members elected at the 14th All-American Council for six-year terms: Archpriest Theodore Boback and Eleana Silk.
Members elected at the 15th All-American Council for six-year terms: Archpriest David Garretson and Dr. Faith Skordinski.
Members elected at the 15th All-American Council for three-year terms: Archpriest Theodore Bobosh and Protodeacon Peter Danilchick.
Alternates elected at the 15th All-American Council for three-year terms: Priest Thomas Moore and Dr. Paul Meyendorff.
Members elected by their respective dioceses include Archpriest Michael Oleksa and Anna Cheryl Andrew [Alaska], Archpriest Joseph Gallick and William Peters [Albanian], Archpriest Andrew Moulton and Protodeacon Michael Myers [Bulgarian], Archpriest Cyprian Hutcheon and David Grier [Canada], Archpriest David Mahaffey and David Yeosock [Eastern Pennsylvania], Archpriest Michael Matsko and Mark Stokoe [Midwest], Archpriest Robert Arida and Deacon John Zarras [New England], Archpriest Alexis Vinogradov and John Kozey [New York and New Jersey], Priest Gleb McFatter and Judge Ray Lanier [South], Priest John Vitko and Rosalie Luster [Washington], Archpriest Matthew Tate and Dr. Dmitri Solodow [West], and Archpriest John Reeves and Gregory J. Nescott [Western Pennsylvania]. The Romanian Episcopate representations remain vacant at this time.