Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 21st AAC Conclude
On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the hierarchs, clergy, and lay representatives of the Orthodox Church In America met for two more Plenary Sessions of the 21st All-American Council in Phoenix, AZ.
The second Plenary Session focused on the reports of the Metropolitan and Chancellor. After congratulating His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon on the occasion of his birthday, the delegation heard his report on the internal and external affairs of the Church. His Beatitude’s report focused on three areas of his primatial ministry: the glorification of righteous Olga of Kwethluk, external affairs, and internal developments in the life of the Church.
His Beatitude emphasized the importance of a Christ-centered conciliarity focused on discerning God’s will through the guidance of the holy Scriptures, holy canons, and the writings of the saints. “Conciliar harmony,” he said, “is not the clamoring and jockeying of democracy: it is the mystery we experience when we authentically seek the will of God together.” His Beatitude reminded the delegates that the Church is not their project, but the project of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.
His Beatitude pointed to the recent glorification of the Righteous Olga of Kwethluk—the first such canonization by the OCA since St. Raphael of Brooklyn—as a reminder of what an autocephalous church can accomplish in responding to its mission in the world. His Beatitude described the rite of glorification in June 2025 as “reverent, joyful, and inspiring,” despite challenges, and emphasized that the Church’s mission is nothing less than the making of saints. “We cannot but pray and strive,” he said, “so that the glorification of saints becomes a cornerstone of our life as the local Church in the lands of North America.”
Turning to external affairs, His Beatitude spoke of his visits to Ukraine, Romania, and Constantinople as part of his ongoing work of maintaining good relationships with other autocephalous churches. In addition, he highlighted the meetings of his Chancellor, Archpriest Margheritino, with His Holiness Patriarch Daniil of Bulgaria and His Holiness Patriarch Porifije of Serbia. The latter meeting has resulted in the recognition of the full canonicity of the Macedonian Orthodox Church by the Orthodox Church in America at the request of the Serbian Orthodox Church. His Beatitude also announced a forthcoming concelebration with His Beatitude Archbishop Stefan of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, which will be crowned with recognition of the Macedonian Church’s autocephaly and the addition of Archbishop Stefan to the diptychs.
Regarding the internal work of the OCA, His Beatitude commented on changes in staff at the Chancery, including the appointment of Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino as Chancellor, Priest David Bozeman as Secretary, and Mark Hamilton as General Counsel. Additionally, His Beatitude thanked Alexis Liberovsky, soon to be retired, for his nearly forty years of work as OCA Archivist, giving him the title Archivist Emeritus.
His Beatitude concluded his report with gratitude for the work of the past three years and encouragement for the future. Though the Church continues to face challenges, such as the ongoing search for a permanent Chancery location, he emphasized that its foundation remains unshaken. He ended by saying that it is “[w]ith courage and tenacity, discernment and vigor, humility and prayer, [that] we seek to live out the mystery of conciliarity through obedience to the will of God … unto the everlasting glory of his holy Name.”
Following the Metropolitan’s Report, Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino presented the Chancellor’s Report. His oral report focused on the concept of sobornost, or conciliarity. He explained that the work of the Chancery, the Metropolitan Council, and the All-American Council are reflections of sobornost in that they seek to discern what is best for the whole Body of Christ.
At the end of the session, an amendment to the OCA Statute was proposed and discussed, intending to set calendar terms for those elected to the Metropolitan Council, beginning with January 1 and concluding three years later on December 31. The proposed amendment was defeated.
At the third Plenary Session at the All-American Council, OCA Treasurer Andrew Smith presented the Financial Report, highlighting the positive and transparent financial state of the OCA. This was followed by the Audit Report, presented by Matushka Sharon Hubiak on behalf of her team. These reports were followed by the proposal of a Funding Resolution for the next three years, which preserves current proportional giving arrangement whereby the majority of our territorial dioceses offer 34% of their annual budget to the work of the OCA at large. The special arrangements pertaining to the Dioceses of Alaska, Canada, and Mexico, as well as the non-territorial dioceses, were also retained. The resolution passed by large majority.
The Pension Board Report was presented by Matushka Mary Buletza Breton. The report highlighted a number of positive developments with regard to the plan. Participation in the Pension Plan continues to grow, and with the increase of contributions, Matushka Mary reported that, all other conditions remaining constant, the plan is projected to be fully funded by 2037.
To conclude the third Plenary Session, the stavropegial monasteries of New Skete and St. Tikhon’s Monastery presented their reports. Igumen Christopher, of the Monks of New Skete, spoke of the skete’s recent work to provide the community with a stable future, its dog training program, the Companions of New Skete, and the monks’ role in providing spiritual direction; Mother Cecilia, of the Nuns of New Skete, spoke about the aims and methods of monastic life; while Archimandrite Sergius of St. Tikhon’s Monastery spoke of the vibrancy of St. Tikhon’s and its service to the wider Church, calling attention especially to the monastery’s new iconography and choir schools.
For more updates from the 21st All-American Council please visit oca.org/aac.