May 18, 2008

Preconciliar Commission discusses resolution procedures and town hall meetings

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications]—On Monday, May 12, 2008, the Preconciliar Commission met at the Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America here.

Reflecting on the consultation held in April with commission members and invited guests, His Grace, Bishop Nikon of Boston, New England, and the Albanian Archdiocese, Commission Chair, noted the value of person-to-person dialogue. Commission members anticipate similar success in the upcoming town hall meeting series.

Bishop Nikon consulted with other members of the Holy Synod of Bishops during their May 13-15 session, and the following town hall meetings are now being planned:

Ottawa, ON, June 7
San Francisco, CA, June 26
Edmonton, AB, July 3
Bethlehem, PA, July 19

Dates are also being finalized for town hall meetings in: Washington, DC; Dallas, TX; Chicago, IL, and at a location in the Diocese of New England.

Consideration also is being given to holding a town hall meeting in Western Pennsylvania and offering an AAC related presentation at the annual convention of the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America in Orlando in September.

At its May 12 meeting, the Preconciliar Commission reviewed the draft AAC resolutions procedures. Bishop Nikon presented the proposed Resolution Procedures to the Holy Synod later in the week. Resolution Procedures for the 15th All-American Council, as approved by the Holy Synod, can be downloaded in PDF format here.

Commission members also discussed several issues related to the Council site and to upcoming AAC mailings, the first of which, slated to be mailed at the end of June, will include registration information.

In discussing AAC finances, Archpriest Michael Tassos, OCA treasurer, indicated that approximately 90 per cent of parishes have already submitted their Council assessments.

The next meeting of the Preconciliar Commission will be held in early June, after the first town hall meeting in Ottawa, June 7.