Metropolitan Council to consider Strategic Plan at spring session
Members of the Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America will offer input into the ongoing Strategic Plan process during their spring session at the Chancery here March 1-5, 2010.
As defined in Article 5 of The Statute of the Orthodox Church in America, 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.
Highlights of the four-day gathering, in which the Lesser Synod of Bishops will participate in part, include the following.
Monday, March 1—Five Metropolitan Council committees will continue their work at individual meetings: the Sexual Misconduct Committee [Archpriest Alexander Garklavs], the Strategic Plan Committee [Archpriest Robert Arida], the Human Resources Committee [Archpriest David Garretson], the Ethics Committee [Archpriest Theodore Bobosh], and the Finance Committee [Archpriest Matthew Tate].
Tuesday, March 2—Council members will participate in a full-day workshop on the Strategic Plan and review in detail a working document in preparation by members of the Strategic Plan Committee. As reported earlier on http://www.oca.org, the Strategic Plan Committee has been meeting regularly for several months. Committee members envision soliciting input from every level of the Church in formulating a final plan for presentation at the 16th All-American Council in 2012.
On Tuesday evening, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, will lead Council members in a retreat on “Discipleship” in the Chancery’s Saint Sergius of Radonezh Chapel.
Wednesday, March 3—Metropolitan Jonah will preside at the celebration of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts with members of the Lesser Synod of Bishops and Metropolitan Council prior to the opening of the day’s morning session. Following a review of the agenda [Father Tosi] and approval of the previous minutes [Father Garklavs], Metropolitan Jonah will offer opening remarks and the OCA officers [Father Garklavs, Chancellor; Father Tosi, Secretary; and Melanie Ringa, Treasurer] will deliver their reports.
On Wednesday afternoon and evening, reports will be delivered by the Charity Committee [Archpriest John Reeves], on Council Development [Protodeacon Peter Danilchick], on Crisis Management [Dr. Dmitri Solodow], and from the Ethics Committee [Archpriest Ted Bobosh]. Father Arida will then present the report of the Strategic Plan Committee. A review of legal issues will follow.
Thursday, March 4—Committee and other reports will continue throughout the morning: Human Resource Committee [Father Garretson], Internal Governance [Mark Stokoe], SIC Implementation [Father Tosi], and Alaska Lands [Archpriest Michael Oleksa]. In her report on finances, OCA Treasurer Melanie Ringa will review the 2009 annual statement, the report of the external auditors, and discuss business process and procedures. Recommendations from the internal auditors’ report will also be presented.
On Thursday afternoon, Father Tate will present the report of the Finance/Investment Committee and the 2010 budget. Prior to adjournment, a presentation on preliminary plans for the 16th All-American Council will be offered by Father Tosi.
Members of the Metropolitan Council include the Primate of the Church, Metropolitan Jonah; the officers of the Church—Archpriest Alexander Garklavs, Chancellor; Archpriest Eric Tosi, Secretary; and Melanie Ringa, Treasurer; clergy and lay members elected at the All-American Council; and clergy and lay members elected by their respective dioceses.
- Members elected at the 14th All-American Council for six-year terms: Archpriest Theodore Boback and Eleana Silk.
- Members elected at the 15th All-American Council for six-year terms: Archpriest David Garretson and Dr. Faith Skordinski.
- Members elected at the 15th All-American Council for three-year terms: Archpriest Theodore Bobosh and Protodeacon Peter Danilchick.
- Alternates elected at the 15th All-American Council for three-year terms: Priest Thomas Moore and Dr. Paul Meyendorff.
- Members elected by their respective dioceses include Archpriest Michael Oleksa and Anna Cheryl Andrew [Alaska], Archpriest Joseph Gallick and William Peters [Albanian], Archpriest Andrew Moulton and Protodeacon Michael Myers [Bulgarian], Archpriest Cyprian Hutcheon and David Grier [Canada], Archpriest David Mahaffey and David Yeosock [Eastern Pennsylvania], Archpriest Michael Matsko and Mark Stokoe [Midwest], Archpriest Robert Arida and Deacon John Zarras [New England], Archpriest Alexis Vinogradov and John Kozey [New York and New Jersey], Priest Gleb McFatter and Judge Ray Lanier [South], Priest John Vitko and Rosalie Luster [Washington], Archpriest Matthew Tate and Dr. Dmitri Solodow [West], and Archpriest John Reeves and Gregory J. Nescott [Western Pennsylvania]. The Romanian Episcopate representations remain vacant at this time.