On Friday, June 17, 2016, the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America concluded their annual retreat at Holy Dormition Monastery, Rives Junction, MI. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon chaired the gathering, which opened on the preceding Tuesday.
The retreat was held within the context of the celebration of the daily liturgical cycle in the monastery church, which included the celebration of the Hours, Vespers, Matins, and the Divine Liturgy.
Metropolitan Tikhon offered the opening reflection and remarks, after which the members of the Holy Synod considered a variety of matters related to theological education, including formation, governance models for the three OCA seminaries, the relationship of seminarians to their dioceses, the ordination process, and expectations with regard to theological education in general. They also participated in an ORSMA/SMPAC workshop conducted by Archpriest John Jillions, OCA Chancellor, and Cindy Heise, Dr. Al Rossi and Bernie Wilson.
The members of the Holy Synod are deeply grateful to Mother Gabriella, Abbess, and the monastic sisterhood for their traditional hospitality during the retreat.
In addition to Metropolitan Tikhon, the retreat was attended by His Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate; His Eminence, Archbishop Nikon of Boston, New England and the Albanian Archdiocese; His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West; His Eminence, Archbishop Melchisedek of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania; His Eminence, Archbishop Mark of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania; His Eminence, Archbishop Michael of New York and New York and New Jersey; His Grace, Bishop Alexander of Dallas, the South and the Bulgarian Diocese; His Grace, Bishop David of Sitka and Alaska; His Grace, Bishop Paul of Chicago and the Midwest; and His Grace, Bishop Daniel of Santa Rosa.
