Welcoming letter to all participants of the 13th All-American Council

13th All-American Council

Orlando, Florida

July 21, 2002

Your Beatitude, Your Eminences, Your Graces, Reverend Fathers,
Monastics, Brothers and Sisters:

On behalf of the Reverend Fathers and spiritual children entrusted to my care in the Diocese of the South, it is a joy to welcome you to the 13th All-American Council being held in Orlando, Florida.

We are pleased that His Beatitude, our Metropolitan THEODOSIUS and the Holy Synod of Bishops, along with the Preconciliar Commission, selected the Central Florida Deanery and the Diocese of the South to be your hosts for this most important gathering of our Church.

This year’s Council will also be an historic one with the retirement of His Beatitude, Metropolitan THEODOSIUS and the election of a new Primate for the Orthodox Church in America. We will gather to thank God for His Beatitude’s 25 years of service to the Orthodox Church in America as Primate. The Grand Banquet on Thursday, July 25 will be attended by Orthodox hierarchs from around the world who will honor the life and ministry of our beloved Metropolitan.

The theme of this year’s Council, “The Parish Community: Our Life in Christ,” will be experienced on many different levels during the week of the Council. As we gather to worship, pray, work, and have fellowship together, we will have the chance to explore the many opportunities given to us by our Lord to enrich our “Life in Christ” in our parish communities.

With the retirement of His Beatitude and the election of a new Primate for our Church, let us pray that our deliberations at the 13th All-American Council will be well-pleasing to the Lord!

In Christ’s love,

+ DMITRI

Archbishop of Dallas and the South