Metropolitan Council to convene for Spring Session
The Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) will convene for its regular Spring Session on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, and continue on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, Due to the continuing restrictions in conjunction with the coronavirus pandemic, these meetings will again take place by video conference.
Among the items on the proposed agenda for this session, the Council will receive reports from His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, OCA Primate, Archpriest Alexander Rentel, Chancellor, Priest Alessandro Margheritino, Acting Secretary, and Mr. Andrew Smith, Treasurer, as well as the Property Committee with an update on efforts to sell the Westwood property. Deacon Peter Ilchuk will update the Council on plans to convene the postponed 20th All-American Council. Mr. Michael Stieglitz, OCA Pension Plan Administrator will report on the current status of the plan. The Metropolitan Council is also expected to revisit a resolution adopted at its Spring 2020 Session to petition the Holy Synod to create a joint commission composed of Holy Synod and Metropolitan Council members to enforce compliance with the mandate of the OCA Statute and All-American Council decisions that all eligible clergy are to be enrolled in the OCA Pension Plan. Archpriest Nicholas Solak, Director of the Thriving in Ministry peer learning program for clergy and their spouses is scheduled to present an update and he will be joined by His Grace Bishop Alexis of Bethesda, Chairman of the Office of Pastoral Life, to make a proposal for funding a series of Clergy Health Synaxes. Archpriest Thomas Soroka will update the Council on the work of the OCA departments while a report on legal matters will be provided by Judge E.R. Lanier (OCA General Counsel) and Mr. David Lane, Legal Committee Chairman.
According to Article V of the Statute of the Orthodox Church in America “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 continues the work of the Council between its sessions.” It consists of the Metropolitan as Chairman, the Chancellor, the Secretary, the Treasurer as ex officio members, two representatives from each diocese, one priest or deacon and one layperson elected by the Diocesan Assemblies, three priests or deacons and three laypersons elected by the All-American Council.