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The Spring Session of the Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America opened at Immaculate Conception Seminary here on Tuesday, February 21, 2017.
His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Saint Sergius of Radonezh Chapel at the Chancery, Syosset, NY, on Tuesday morning, after which he, together with the members of the Standing Synod of Bishops and the Metropolitan Council, gathered for the Council’s opening session at the seminary.
Following his opening address, Metropolitan Tikhon will engage Council members in a strategic planning session. The remainder of the day’s agenda includes reports by Archpriest John Jillions, Chancellor; Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, Secretary; and Alexis Liberovsky, Archivist. Judge E. R. Lanier and Angela Parks will report on legal matters and present a compliance report on the Statute of the Orthodox Church in America, which was approved at the 18th All-American Council in July 2015.
On Wednesday, February 21, Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak will offer a detailed report on the Stewards of the Orthodox Church in America [SOCA], after which reports on the ongoing work of the Metropolitan Council’s committees will be given. Archpriest Alexander Kuchta will report on the work of the Charity Committee, while Archpriest Thomas Moore will offer an update on the Ethnics Committee’s activities. Lisa Mikhalevsky will offer a report on Human Resources, after which Archpriest Chad Hatfield will update Council members on the work of the Internal Governance Committee.
Melanie Ringa, Treasurer, will offer her report on Wednesday afternoon, while Archpriest John Dresko will report on the work of the Finance/Investment Committee. Reports also will be given by Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky, Director of External Affairs, who will update Council members on a variety of current issues. A second strategic planning session and open discussion with Metropolitan Tikhon will follow.
Matushka Mary Buletza will update Council members on the status of the OCA Pension Plan on Thursday, February 22. The work of two departments—Christian Education and Christian Service and Humanitarian Aid—will be highlighted in reports given by Matushka Valerie Zahirsky and Donna Karabin respectively. Council members will participate in a final strategic planning session before adjourning in the afternoon.
Reports and minutes of the Spring Session will be posted as they become available.
The Metropolitan Council is the permanent executive body of the Church Administration which exists for the purpose of implementing the decisions of the All-American Council and continuing its work between sessions. Members include the Metropolitan, who serves as Chair; the Chancellor, the Secretary, and the Treasurer; one priest and one layperson elected by each diocese; and three priests and an equal number of laypersons elected by the All-American Council.
