Lesser Synod, Metropolitan Council to meet February 21-23, 2012
The Lesser Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America will meet at the Chancery here Tuesday, February 21, 2012.
In addition to His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, other members of the Lesser Synod include His Grace, Bishop Tikhon, Secretary; His Grace, Bishop Nikon; and His Grace, Bishop Benjamin. His Grace, Bishop Melchisedek, also will be in attendance.
According to Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary, the hierarchs will hear reports from the officers of the Church on a number of pastoral, administrative and financial issues; review ongoing legal matters; review the 16th All-American Council’s initiatives, resolutions, and Strategic Plan goals; consider plans for the consecration of Archimandrite Alexander [Golitzin], Bishop-elect of the Bulgarian Diocese, slated to be celebrated in Toledo, OH May 4-5, 2012; and set the agenda for the Holy Synod of Bishops’ spring session May 7-10, 2012. The hierarchs also will meet with members of the Sexual Misconduct Policy Advisory Committee [SMPAC] to review updated policies and procedures, job descriptions and mandates, and ongoing cases.
Concurrently, Priest John Vitko will chair a meeting of the Strategic Plan Committee.
The spring meeting of the Metropolitan Council will open on Tuesday evening with remarks by Metropolitan Jonah and the report of the OCA Chancellor, Archpriest John Jillions, who also will offer a report on the SMPAC. On Tuesday, Febuary 22, the Metropolitan Council will hear reports by Fathers Tosi and Vitko. Additional reports will be offered by the Metropolitan Council’s committees on Charity [Archpriest John Reeves], Council Development, Crisis Management [Dr. Dimitri Solodow], Ethics [Archpriest David Mahaffey], Human Resources [Priest David Garretson], and Internal Governance [Dr. Solodow]. The Legal Committee also will offer a report on the Statute issue from the 16th All-American Council and other current and ongoing issues.
Following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the Chancery’s Saint Sergius of Radonezh Chapel on Thursday morning, February 23, Mrs. Melanie Ringa, OCA Treasurer, will offer the finance report, review of the 2010 Statement, and present the External Audit report. Priest Gleb McFatter will present the Finance Committee’s 2012 budget changes, while Mr. David Yeosock will report on financial development. Reports on the recent meeting of the diocesan chancellors and treasurers—see https://www.oca.org/news/headline-news/diocesan-chancellors-treasurers-consider-move-from-per-capita-to-proportion for background—the Pension Board, and the OCA’s ministry departments will round out the closing session.