Metropolitan Council concludes Fall 2001 Session
The Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America held its fall session at the LaGuardia Marriott Hotel on Monday and Tuesday, November 12-13, 2001.
His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius, opened the meeting with a brief Service of Prayer, after which he welcomed the members of the Metropolitan Council to the meeting. He also shared with Metropolitan Council members his experience during his recent four-month medical leave of absence and expressed his gratitude for the prayers of the entire Church during that time. He also briefed Metropolitan Council members on his activities since returning to his primatial duties on September 1, 2001.
In his concluding remarks, Metropolitan Theodosius thanked His Eminence, Archbishop Herman of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania, who served as Temporary Administrator of the Church during his medical leave, and Protopresbyter Rodion S. Kondratick, OCA Chancellor, for overseeing the smooth coordination of the Church administration during that time.
Archbishop Herman reviewed the life of the Church during his tenure as Temporary Administrator and reviewed decisions made by the Holy Synod of Bishops during its Fall 2001 Session in October. Together with Metropolitan Theodosius, he clarified a number of points, especially with regard to misinformation circulating on the internet, especially with regard to the OCA Chancery operations and personnel and the Diocese of Alaska. In his report to the Metropolitan Council, Father Kondratick further addressed this issue, noting that several individuals who do not belong to the Orthodox Church in America have used the internet and US Postal Service to spread false information about life in the Diocese of Alaska, administrative decisions made by the Holy Synod, the Administrative Committee of the Metropolitan Council, and the Chancellor and Chancery staff. He observed that is still unclear as to the goal of these individuals, adding that their actions can only harm the Church.
Father Kondratick continued his report by explaining recent events which led to the suspension and retirement of His Grace, Bishop Innocent, Former Bishop of Hagerstown, MD. He also announced that Bishop Nikolai of Baltimore had been unanimously nominated to fill the vacant See of Sitka and Alaska by clergy and lay delegates to the Diocesan of Alaska’s Assembly on Monday, October 30, 2001, adding that the Holy Synod will gather on November 14-15, 2001 in special session for Bishop Nikolai’s canonical election.
With regard to the tragic events that unfolded on September 11, 2001, Father Kondratick reported that a special committee has been formed with members from the New York City and Washington, DC areas and that all donations to the OCA’s September 11 Disaster Relief Appeal will be distributed. He added that no funds will be kept for administrative purposes.
The Very Rev. Dimitri Oselinsky, OCA Treasurer, presented the income and expense report for the first 10 months of 2001. He also presented the operating budget and the expenses for the same period. With regard to the special Disaster Relief Appeal, he reported that as of the Metropolitan Council meeting, approximately $213,000.00 had been contributed by OCA faithful, parishes, and organizations. He also presented a resolution on behalf of the OCA Pension Board to restate the OCA Pension Plan to include all changes made during the past 25 years, which Metropolitan Council members passed unanimously.
The Very Rev. Stavros Strikis, OCA Comptroller, presented the proposed budget for 2002, which also was unanimously approved by Metropolitan Council members, while the Very Rev. Joseph Fester, OCA Development Director, presented a report in which he reviewed his office’s ongoing efforts.
Turning their attention to various programs and immediate issues, Metropolitan Council members were updated on the ongoing work of the Education Church-Wide Initiative which is responsible for the development of the FOCUS Curriculum web site. The Seminarian Internship Church-Wide Initiative, which recently completed its second successful year, and the Pastoral Conference held during summer 2001 were also reviewed.
In the ongoing effort to develop alternatives to the present per capita parish assessment, the Very Rev. John Dresko reported that members of the majority of the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops expressed the desire to use the present system for determining the diocesan “fair share” for each year of the coming triennium. He also noted that the Diocese of the Midwest and the Diocese of New England both unanimously approved resolutions to use the “fair share method” within their dioceses when meeting their diocesan financial responsibilities as related to the annual budget of the Central Administration of the Orthodox Church in America.
Father Dresko presented two proposals which Metropolitan Council members discussed in small groups and arrived at a general consensus that the proposals were sound and acceptable for presentation. It was also noted that presenting the needs and priorities of the Church is essential in charting the future direction of the Church and the means by which to fund such measures.
The Very Rev. Myron D. Manzuk and Dr. Alice Woog updated Metropolitan Council members on ongoing plans for the 13th All-American Council, slated to convene in Orlando, FL July 21-26, 2002, and reviewed the preliminary schedule.
Pleased with the positive and proactive spirit that was apparent during the deliberations during this session of the Metropolitan Council, its members look forward to putting the plans and programs into action within their respective dioceses. The next session of the Metropolitan Council will be held April 15-16, 2002.
In addition to Metropolitan Theodosius, Archbishop Herman, Fathers Kondratick, Oselinsky, and Kucynda, and Dr. Woog, other Metropolitan Council members present for the session were the Very Revs. Vladimir Berzonsky, John Dresko, Vladimir Fetcho, Ernesto Rios, Gregory Safchuk, John Tkachuk, Eugene Vansuch, Michael Westerberg, and Constantine White; the Revs. John Garvey and Lawrence Margitich; Igumen Benjamin [Peterson]; Hieromonk Joseph [Hoffman]; Deacon Christopher Rowe; and Mrs. Cheryl Andrew, Ms. Maureen Bezuhly-Galterio, Ms. Leda Dzwonczyk, Prof. John Erickson, Mr. L. William Peters, Mr. Gary Popovich, Ms. Katherine Vitko, and Dr. Richard West.