The 14th All-American Council

Our Church and the Future

The 14th All-American Council
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · July 17 - 22, 2005

Synopsis

The Fourteenth All-American Council was only the second council to be convened outside of the United States.  It was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on July 17 - 22, 2005.  In order to focus on specific aspects of the theme, study materials were prepared and distributed prior to the council, covering the following topics:

  • Vision and Identity
  • Clergy Formation and Development
  • Parish Health
  • Evangelism
  • Orthodox Relations

As at the council in 2002, plenary sessions were again held in a ballroom which had been transformed into a chapel for the duration of the council, thus providing a prayerful setting for council deliberations.

During the council, at least one plenary session was devoted to each of the five topics and included presentation of background information as well as panel, table and floor discussions with question-and-answer sessions.  Particularly noteworthy during deliberation on “Vision and Identity” were the reflections on autocephaly by Protopresbyter Daniel Hubiak and Dr. Constantine Kallaur, who offered personal perspectives as members of the OCA delegation sent to Moscow in 1970 to receive the Tomos of Autocephaly.  In the session devoted to “Orthodox Relations”, a video message from Bishop Basil (Essey) of Wichita and Mid-America of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese was a clarion call for a united Orthodox presence in North America and it was received with a standing ovation.  Fruitful discourse took place on each of the five topics leading to the formulation of ideas for more effective ministry in each area.

Other council events and proceedings included the Address of the Metropolitan, the Reports of the Chancellor and Treasurer, extensive youth and young adult activities, and numerous luncheon forums at which special interest topics were treated in small groups. 

At this council, a Summary Team was appointed and tasked with summarizing each day’s discussions and, at the conclusion of the council, gleaning the three most compelling priority areas of concern in the OCA for future action from formal deliberations and private conversations.  In its final report, the Summary Team listed the following as the main areas of concern distilled from all the proceedings of the council:

  • Mission
  • Education and Formation
  • Orthodox unity

The report also included specific proposals - both long-range and immediate – for wide-ranging initiatives in each of the three areas identified, to be developed in cooperation with other Orthodox jurisdictions whenever possible.  Having established “Mission” as a preeminent, urgent concern among council participants, the Summary Team proposed it as the theme of the next All-American Council.

The Fourteenth Council, in looking towards the future, revealed an overarching yearning among Council participants for administrative unity among all Orthodox Christians in North America in order to strengthen the Church’s witness on this continent and to manifest proper ecclesial order.

Written by Alexis Liberovsky
OCA Archivist, Director of the Department of History and Archives.

Associated news


Forms and Memos

Memorandum from Protopresbyter Robert S. Kondratick

Memorandum from Protopresbyter Robert S. Kondratick

(Attire, Protocol, Breakfasts)

Council Information and Tentative Schedule

F.O.S. Tours and Travel Flight Fares Information

Youth and Young Adult Information Flyer

Hotel Registration Form

Council Registration Form - Clergy and Lay Delegate

Council Registration Form - Retired Clergy and Clergy Widows

Council Registration Form - Observer

Council Registration Form - Youth Observer

Council Registration Form - Young Adult Observer [18+]


Papers and Memos

Cover Letter of Bishop Seraphim to Council Participants

Memo of Fr. Kondratick to all Clergy Delegates

Memo of Fr. Kondratick to all Lay Delegates

Introduction

(to the Council Papers)

Vision and Identity Paper

Evangelizing North America Paper

(Please note on pg. 24 of the Evangelizing North America paper, that the top header of the table is missing on the hard copy. The header is available in this PDF version. We apologize for the printing error.)

Clergy Formation Paper

Orthodox Relations Paper

Parish Health Paper


The Church Ministries Report

Table of Contents

Introduction

(pg. 1)

Church Ministry Departments

Department of Chaplaincies

(pg. 3-12)

Department of Christian Education

(pg. 13-14)

Department of Christian Witness and Service

(pg. 15-19)

Department of Communications

(pg. 20-23)

Department of Evangelization

(pg. 24-27)

Department of External Affairs

(pg. 28-29)

Department of Hist. & Archives

(pg. 30-33)

Department of Liturgical Music

(pg. 34-35)

Department of Pastoral Life

(pg. 36-39)

Department of Stewardship

(pg. 40-41)

Fellowship of Orthodox Stewards

(pg. 42)

Special Appeals

(pg. 43-46)

Department of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministries

(pg. 47-53)

Church Ministry Offices

Office of Humanitarian Aid and Adoption Referral Services

(pg. 54-56)

Office of Benefits Programs

(pg. 57-58)

Office of Institutional Chaplains

(pg. 59-60)

Church Ministry Commissions

Canonization Commission

(pg. 61)

Commission on Canons and Statues

(pg. 62-63)

Medical / Ethics Commission

(pg. 64-65)

Church Ministry Committees

Committee on Late Vocations

(pg. 66)

Social Service Institutions and Organizations

SS. Cosmas and Damian Adult Home

(pg. 67-68)

Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America [FOCA]

(pg. 69)

St. Silhoun Retreat

(pg. 72)

Monastic Communities

Holy Assumption Monastery

(pg. 73)

Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery

(pg. 74-75)

Communities of New Skete

(pg. 76-78)

Monastery of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk

(pg. 79-80)

Holy Protection Monastery

(pg. 81-82)

Seminaries

St. Herman Seminary

(pg. 83-88)

St. Tikhon's Seminary

(pg. 89-92)

St. Vladimir's Seminary

(pg. 93-97)

Funding the Vision, Taking the Next Step

Financial Report and Fair Share Resolution

Pension Report


Delegate Handbook

Delegate Handbook


Liturgical Music for the 14th AAC Divine Liturgies

The Divine Liturgy


Exhibits / Displays

Exhibit / Vendor Assignments

Exhibit Hall Map


Profile of Parish Practices Results

This survey was prepared by the Rev. Jonathan Ivanoff and distributed amongst OCA clergy to gather information about the growth of their parishes.

Diocese of Alaska

Albanian Archdiocese

Bulgarian Diocese

Archdiocese of Canada

Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania

Diocese of the Midwest

Diocese of New England

Diocese of the South

Diocese of the West


All Dioceses

(Slide Show)

"Good Growth" Parishes

(Slide Show)


14th AAC Official Minutes

Official Minutes

(entire document in PDF format)


Photo Galleries

Exhibition hall features displays from Seminaries, Departments, Institutions at 14th All-American Council

Final Divine Liturgy celebrated at 14th All-American Council

Plenary VI: Orthodox Relations discussed at 14th All-American Council

Plenary VII: Report of the Treasurer at 14th All-American Council

Lunch Forums continue during 14th All-American Council

Grand Banquet held during 14th All-American Council

Plenary VIII: Youth Presentation at the 14th All-American Council

Holy Synod of Bishops, Metropolitan Herman, meet with Metropolitan Council after conclusion of 14th All-American Council