Chancellor’s Memo concerning 14th All-American Council Registration, Assessments, and Informational Materials

Memorandum to: Parishes, Mission Communities, Monasteries, and Institutions of The Orthodox Church in America

From: Protopresbyter Robert S. Kondratick, Chancellor

Date: February 7, 2005

Re: 14th All-American Council Registration, Assessments, and informational materials

This memorandum contains several key points of information concerning the 14th All-American Council. Please take the time to review and respond accordingly. At its Spring 2003 meeting, the Holy Synod of Bishops decided that the 14th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America will take place in Toronto, Canada, July 17-22, 2005. The Council will be held at:

The Sheraton Toronto Centre Hotel

123 Queen Street West

Toronto, Ontario M5H 2M9, Canada

Phone: 416-361-1000
Fax: 416-947-4854

1. In March 2005, a registration packet for the Council will be sent to all parishes and institutions of the Orthodox Church in America. Included in this packet will be further information about the Council as well as registration forms for delegates and observers, hotel and travel information, and a youth activities flier.

2. A special section linking from http://www.oca.org is dedicated to the 14th All-American Council and will go online February 21st. Council information and registration forms will be available online for you to print, complete, and submit to the Chancery along with payment for clergy, lay delegates, and observers.

3. As stated above, hotel registration information and forms will be mailed in March. However, if you would like to make your hotel reservations now, you may do so by contacting the hotel directly and indicating that you are attending the All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America. Please note that when the hotel contract was originally signed, the agreed-upon per-night hotel room rate was $160.00 Canadian dollars. Based upon the exchange rate at that time, this rate equaled approximately $105.00 US dollars. Unfortunately, due to the weakening of the US Currency exchange rate, the contracted $160.00 Canadian dollar room rate at present equates to $130.40 US dollars. While none of us can predict how the currency exchange rate will fluctuate between now and June, we have every hope that the value of the U.S. dollar will strengthen prior to the Council, thereby making the hotel room rates more in line with what we are accustomed to paying.

4. All-American Council Assessments were due December 31, 2004. A second mailing was recently sent to those parishes and institutions that have not yet submitted their minimum financial assessment to support the work of the All-American Council. You are asked to kindly submit your payment to the Chancery by February 28, 2005. If your assessment has already been sent, thank you!