Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America to Hold Convention Concurrent with 21st All-American Council
The Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America (FOCA) will hold its 98th Annual Convention in Phoenix from Tuesday evening, July 15, through Thursday, July 17. As an official organization of the Orthodox Church in America, the Fellowship continues its practice of holding its annual convention in conjunction with the triennial All-American Council. “Our convention is condensed so that we may be fully immersed in the workings of the Church and witness the capstone [celebration to] the canonization of St. Matushka Olga,” says Basil Kochan, FOCA National President. “We are humbled to be a part of such a monumental celebration of the Orthodox Church in America. We are pleased to invite everyone attending the 21st All American Council to participate in our Tuesday evening welcome session in which we will host a screening of Sacred Alaska and hold a panel discussion on the canonization of our most recent North American Saint.”
Aiming to complement the liturgical celebration of our righteous mother Olga on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, Tuesday evening’s program will explore the background and process leading up to this blessed event in the life of the Church. “Not everyone has had the opportunity to view the movie, let alone hear from some of our church leaders closest to the investigation into the canonization speak about the entire process,” says Mr. Kochan. “Our hope is to share more [about] the glorification of a contemporary saint from a truly grassroots level.”
The screening of the movie and panel discussion will take place on Tuesday evening from 8:00 - 10:00 PM. A reception sponsored by the FOCA will follow to conclude the evening.