St. Herman Sobor, Edmonton, hosts second Canadian OCA Town Hall Meeting

St. Herman Sobor, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, was the site of the fifth OCA Town Hall meeting in preparation for the Church’s 15th All-American Council in November of this year. The Edmonton Town Hall Meeting was the second one to be held in Canada.

Taking part in the meeting were His Eminence, Archbishop Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada; His Grace, Bishop Nikon of Boston, New England, and the Albanian Archdiocese, and approximately 50 participants from numerous parishes in the Edmonton area. The meeting was facilitated by Preconciliar Commission member Matushka Michelle Jannakos.

“Characteristic of all Town Hall Meetings to-date, participants at the Edmonton meeting engaged in a candid and open discussion about the state of the Orthodox Church in America at this time,” said Archpriest Andrew Jarmus, OCA Director of Ministries and Communications. “Participants spoke of their overall satisfaction with the Church locally, within the Archdiocese of Canada and in their parishes. However, they noted that the central Administration of the Church was in need of a concentrated effort to restore it to a proper, functional place within the wider framework of the OCA.”

“Participants also shared their disappointment that the OCA does not do more to visibly express that its canonical territory includes all three North American countries: the USA, Canada and Mexico,” Father Andrew added.

Notes from the Edmonton Town Hall meeting will be posted shortly on the 15th All-American Council blog.

The next Town Hall Meeting will take place at St. Vladimir’s Seminary, Saturday, July 12, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.