Metropolitan Council Fall Session opens September 19
The Fall Session of the Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America opened at Immaculate Conception Seminary here on Monday, September 19, 2016.
The four-day session will be chaired by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon. Also present will be the members of the Standing Synod of Bishops.
According to Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary, the session will open with a retreat on Monday. Protodeacon Peter Danilchick and Charles Ajalat will offer presentations on Christian Leadership in the Church.
On Tuesday, Metropolitan Tikhon will present his report and review major goals and initiatives for the upcoming year. In his report, Archpriest John Jillions, OCA Chancellor, will offer updates on the work of ORSMA and SMPAC. Reports also will be given by representatives of the Pension Board; Alexis Liberovsky, OCA Archivist; Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky, Director of External Affairs; and Angela Parks, Esq., Chair of the Metropolitan Council Legal Committee. In his report as OCA Secretary, Father Eric will present proposed dates and locations for the 19th All-American Council, slated to convene in 2018, and review the work of the OCA’s departments.
Wednesday will open with the celebration of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the OCA Chancery’s Saint Sergius of Radonezh Chapel. The remainder of the day will be devoted to reports on the Stewards of the OCA/a>; the work of the Internal and External Auditors; the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America; and the Metropolitan Council’s committees. Melanie Ringa, OCA Treasurer, will offer her report, after which Archpriest John Dresko will present the proposed 2017 budget.
On the final day of the gathering, Thursday, September 22, Metropolitan Tikhon will facilitate a strategic planning session and open discussion.
Metropolitan Council members also will participate in the Saint Sergius Day celebration on Saturday, September 24. See related story.
The Metropolitan Council is the permanent executive body of the Church Administration which exists for the purpose of implementing the decisions of the All-American Council and continuing its work between sessions. Members include the Metropolitan, who serves as Chair; the Chancellor, the Secretary, and the Treasurer; one priest and one layperson elected by each diocese; and three priests and an equal number of laypersons elected by the All-American Council.