TOC to resume publication in 2006; news magazine format to be introduced

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] — Reactions to reader feedback to the posting of “The Orthodox Church” newspaper on the web site of the Orthodox Church in America were reviewed at a meeting of members of the OCA Office of Communications and chancery staff members here on Monday, November 21, 2005.

“While the response to the decision to post ‘The Orthodox Church’ in PDF format on the web site was universally positive, the vast majority of readers who reacted to the decision expressed strong opinions concerning the need to continue publishing TOC in hard-copy format, especially since many faithful do not have internet access,” said the Very Rev. John Matusiak, OCA communications director and TOC managing editor. “Hence, it was decided that in 2006, six bi-monthly issues will be published and mailed free of charge to all registered members of OCA parishes.”

It was also decided to adopt an 8.5 X 11 inch, 32-page news magazine format instead of the oversized tabloid format used since the publication made its debut four decades ago.

“Sharp, unanticipated increases in paper and production costs and the recently announced increase in postage rates, slated to go into effect in the second week of January 2006, have had an impact on TOC,” Father Matusiak added.

In an effort to reduce unnecessary expenses associated with the publication of TOC, it also was decided that

while reported parish members—that is, those included in a parish’s reported “fair share” statistics—will continue to receive TOC free of charge, subscription rates for non-parish members will be increased for the first time in 16 years from $15.00 to $30.00.

all complimentary “outreach subscriptions” to non-parish members and enquirers will be eliminated, although gratis subscriptions will still be given to the sister Orthodox Churches abroad, hierarchs, seminary libraries, institutions, and Church organizations. “In some instances, parishes reporting memberships of 50 or 100 souls were requesting two or three hundred complimentary subscriptions for visitors and potential members or for local outreach efforts,” Father Matusiak stated. “Eliminating ‘outreach subscriptions’ will reduce the total press run by an estimated 2000 copies per issue. Those non-parish members interested in receiving TOC will be invited to subscribe.

The Department of Pastoral Life and Ministry‘s newsletter, “Pastors to Pastors,” will be incorporated into TOC, as will selected articles from the OCA’s popular “Resource Handbook for Lay Ministries.

Parish rosters will be reviewed to ensure that current membership records are on file and up-to-date in the OCA database. “We hope to resolve discrepancies between reported parish membership and TOC subscriptions,”
Father Matusiak added. “A parish reporting 100 members for the OCA ‘fair share’ should not be submitting subscription lists of two or three hundred members, for example.”

The new format will include enhanced graphics, expanded department and parish life sections, and a number of new features.

The November-December 2005 issue will only be posted in PDF format on the OCA web site, but in the new format for ease of reading and printing. Future printed editions of TOC also will be posted to the web site, while PDFs of past issues will be posted as time permits.

Others department members and chancery staffers participating in the meeting were Protopresbyter Robert S. Kondratick; the Very Revs. Leonid Kishkovsky, Joseph Fester, Stavros Strikis, and Eugene Vansuch; Messrs. David Lucs, Gregory Sulich, and John Mindala; and Mrs. Lydia Ludemann.