OCA departments share current, future plans for “expanding the Mission”

SYOSSET, NY [OCA]

A great deal of enthusiasm was generated by the reports offered by the Orthodox Church in America’s departments during the 18th All-American Council in July 2015. Representatives of each department highlighted their past and current work during plenary sessions while noting their hopes for the future.

We recently asked the department chairpersons to share their ongoing plans for the months and years ahead in the spirit of the AAC’s theme, “How to Expand the Mission.”  Here’s how they responded.

Department of Continuing Education

Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit, Episcopal Liaison.
Archpriest Ian Pac-Urar, Director.

The mission and focus of the Department of Continuing Education is the support of Church school teachers, clergy, families and others engaged in faith formation for every age level.

• In conjunction with the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, the Department of Continuing Education recently received an $18,000.00 grant from the Pastoral Excellence Network of the Lilly Endowment. The grant will provide initial funding for the Orthodox Pastoral Excellence Project, a program of clergy peer learning groups tailored specifically for Orthodox Christian clergy. The initial grant will be used to “jumpstart” three peer learning groups for clergy serving in parishes and missions with largely immigrant populations or who are themselves immigrants to the US or Canada. Incorporating also the goal of building solidarity and shared community between pastors, it will give foreign-born clergy the tools to build up their lives and ministries and the relationships needed to sustain continued growth and witness. The first groups will be formed during the fall of 2015.
• The Department is also collaborating with the Department of Pastoral Life to facilitate the formation of similar peer learning groups by that department. [See the Department of Pastoral Life’s report below for details.]
• The Department recently approved the ORSMA program, “Stewards of Children,” as part of the five hours of Continuing Clergy Development required annually of all OCA clergy.

Department of Pastoral Life

Archbishop Mark, Episcopal Liaison.
Archpriest John Jillions, Chair.
Priest Nathan Preston, Administrator.

Acknowledging the often unique demands borne by clergy and their families, the Department of Pastoral Life strives to offer support, serving their needs so that they, in turn, may serve others.

• Adhering to its newly approved departmental structure, the first monthly meeting of the Department of Pastoral Life’s Executive Committee since the 18th AAC will be held in mid-September 2015, at which time numerous proposed departmental endeavors will be reviewed and prioritized. Selected from diverse communities and appointments throughout the Church but united in their zeal for improving pastoral support for the OCA’s clergy, the committee’s members anticipate expanding their work in earnest.
• Remembered with particular fondness for its interviews with prominent and senior priests, back issues of Pastors to Pastors, a newsletter of the Department of Pastoral Life, are now available for the first time in an on-line archive. Spanning more 20 years, the newsletter detailed the struggles and joys in the lives of parish priests. Alternating wit and gravity, good humor and thoughtful sense, the newsletter offered an essential venue for discussion between pastors in an age before communication was instantaneous. More senior clergy may find their fathers and predecessors, even themselves there, while younger pastors will read the vibrant words of many who may just be names or second-hand memories for them.
• As reported in part above by the Department of Continuing Education, clergy peer groups will become a reality in two dioceses in 2016, thanks to significant grants awarded by the Pastoral Excellence Network [PEN]. Archpriest Nicholas Solak of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania and Archpriest Ian Pac-Urar of the Romanian Episcopate report that their proposals for funding diocesan initiatives have been accepted and will be implemented this fall. The Honoring Pastoral Excellence program [HOPE] builds upon a preexisting endeavor of the Eastern Pennsylvania diocese which brought active priests together for mutual support, learning, and personal growth. The grant of an additional $25,000.00 will greatly augment this program of building peer communities of practice, expanding it from an initial two groups into a resource available for all diocesan clergy who wish to participate. Additionally, the HOPE program will permit the charter of a similar body for clergy wives, offering them the same opportunities for shared support, personal interaction, and health. As noted above, the Romanian Episcopate’s new program is aimed specifically at meeting the needs of the diocese’s immigrant clergy and parishes. With the receipt of an $18,000.00 grant, it aims to aid those of its priests who are still becoming acclimated to life in North America.

Applications for these grants and the impetus for these programs stem from a joint endeavor of the Departments of Continuing Education and of Pastoral Life of the Orthodox Church in America. In the spring of 2015, a delegation supported by these two departments traveled to San Francisco to gain a broader understanding of clergy peer groups, the practice that informs them, and the process used to implement them. His Eminence, Archbishop Mark of Philadelphia and Fathers Solak, Pac-Urar, and Preston received training as program facilitators and acquired a richer understanding of the promise and potential such programs hold. The workshop was sponsored by PEN, a non-denominational initiative housed at Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, IN and funded by the Lilly Endowment for Religion. Additional information is available here.

Department of Christian Service and Humanitarian Aid

Archbishop Melchisedek, Episcopal Liaison.
Donna Karabin, Chair.

The Department of Christian Service and Humanitarian Aid promotes the involvement of clergy and laity in caring for the needs of others according to the Gospel teachings and Tradition of the Church. Resources are developed for ministry programs by and for people of all ages.

• Members of the Christian Service and Humanitarian Aid Department [CSHA] were gratified to meet with hierarchs, clergy and laity in their workshop sessions and at the CSHA display at the 18th All-American Council, during which the department presented two three-hour workshops—“Matthew 25 Ministries” and “Bearing One Another’s Burdens.” There was great interest in the presentation by Archpriest Thomas Alessandroni on the Pan-Orthodox “Loaves and Fishes Ministry” that serves the hungry and homeless of Atlanta’s Grant Park area. Diana Pasca shared stories of the vibrant and diverse “Inreach-Outreach Ministry” at Holy Cross Church, Medford, NJ, while Dr. Albert Rossi offered a serious and timely presentation titled “Beyond Alcoholism: Other Addictions.” In depth discussions made it possible for attendees to return to their parishes with a variety of ministry development strategies.
• Priest Timothy Yates led a workshop on small groups, in which active listening as a necessary ministry skill was highlighted. This skill is an important part of CSHA’s Compassion in Action [CiA] visitation ministry. He had recently conducted a CiA Parish Ministry Training weekend at Saint Mary Magdalene Church, Fenton, MI, where Archpriest Paul Jannakos, Deacon Michael Schlaak and lay leaders made a commitment to serve as the CiA Pilot Program. CSHA members are grateful to them and pray for the development of their caring ministry to those who are suffering physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually.
• CSHA’s Orthodox Living Will Task Force has worked diligently to produce legal and ethical documents consistent with Orthodox Christian teaching on end-of-life and after-death care. When the Holy Synod review process is completed, the Power of Attorney document and Advance Directives will be available on the OCA web site to assist clergy, laity and their families in making faith-informed medical decisions.
• Information on parish development programs and charitable outreach projects may now be accessed on-line at the “Parish Ministry Resources”. New articles are added regularly, while older articles spanning eight themes are continuously being refreshed for today’s readers. The Community Service section offers a wealth of ideas related to ministering to the needy.
• CSHA hopes that parishes will participate in the National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11. Parishes in a given area are encouraged to form partnerships to pursue charitable ministries. Many local media outlets run announcements on 9-11 volunteer opportunities for the official service days, which run through October 11.

Department of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry

Bishop Ireneu, Episcopal Liaison.
Andrew Boyd, Chair.

Recognizing that youth and young adults play a vital role in the life of the Church, the Department of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry works to train clergy, parents, and youth ministers in various aspects of ministry with, to, and by young people.

• Engagement with and building up of Syndesmos, the World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth. As a follow up to the recently concluded Syndesmos fesitval in Poland, at which the OCA was represented—see related article—the Department plans to explore ways to help the organization in its ongoing efforts to connect Orthodox Christian youth and young adults around the world.
• Closer cooperation with the Junior Fellowship of Orthodox Christians of America [FOCA]. The Department looks forward to capitalizing on the enthusiasm and energy evident during the successful youth program held in conjunction with the 18th All-American Council and the FOCA’s 89th National Convention. A priority will be working with the FOCA to help shape new Church-wide youth events.
• Expand “Praxis” Google Hangouts. Following the department’s pilot of this program in June 2015, plans are underway to offer additional “Praxis” Google Hangouts for college students and young adults in the coming months. Suggestions for topics or discussion leaders are always welcome.
• Potential Young Adult Liturgical Music Conference. Looking to the first quarter of 2016, the Department is considering hosting a Liturgical Music Conference for young adults in the Diocese of the South or the Diocese of the West over a long holiday weekend. Those interested in such a gathering are urged to contact Andrew Boyd, OCA Youth Director, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
• Youth and Camp Workers’ Conference. Every January, representatives from all jurisdictions gather for the annual Youth and Camp Workers’ Conference, which are now coupled with the Youth Consultation meetings of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA. The date and location of the 2016 conference will be announced shortly.

Department of Christian Education

Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit, Episcopal Liaison.
Matushka Valerie Zahirsky, Chair.

• Several new resources are slated to make their appearance on the Department of Christian Education’s web site in early fall 2015. Among them is Activity Book #4, “Saints And The Animals That Served Them,” which includes various ways for youth and families to learn about 12 saints whose lives reflected love for God’s creatures. Also to make its debut in the weeks to come are additional resources detailing the lives of North America’s saints. For each saint, an icon surrounded by small scenes from his life and a full written narrative of the saint’s life that follow the scene sequence will be featured.
• Ongoing projects that will soon be available on the department’s web site for free downloading include study questions to accompany each volume of the late Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko’s “Orthodox Faith” series, slated to be revised during the coming year; a Vacation Church School unit for 2016 based on the curriculum written by department members and used in the youth program at the 18th AAC; additional seasonal activities based on the five-year series of bulletin inserts produced by the department; and articles on topics related to Christian Education, including reviews of curriculum materials, books and other resources.
• Department members are developing two new retreats for parishes and groups. “Orthodox Surprises” is a full-day retreat that reflects on the lives of some lesser-known saints and on the Orthodox Church as a truly Biblical Church, while “Six Things Every Orthodox Woman Should Know” is a mini-retreat of 40 to 60 minutes that reflects on the lives of several Biblical women and saints and what their lives tell us about being members of the Orthodox Church today.

Department of Liturgical Music and Translations

Archbishop Irénée, Episcopal Liaison.
Prof. David Drillock, Chair.

The Department of Liturgical Music and Translations serves as an advisory body to the Metropolitan and the Holy Synod of Bishops in matters concerning liturgical translations and music, liturgics, and other matters affecting the liturgical life of the Church.

• In addition to providing appropriate musical settings for use in worship, the department continues to produce publications and workshop materials on liturgical singing; develops a coherent and liturgically sound approach to the singing of the divine services, especially in the English language; and coordinates the weekly postings of music, text, and audio file resources available on the OCA web site.
• The Department also continues to develop standard liturgical texts, translations, and guidelines that accurately reflect the original texts, while taking into consideration the complexities of usage and nuance.
• As part of its ongoing on-line instructional courses, the department once again is offering an on-line course, “Choral Conducting for Beginners,” beginning September 14, 2015.  Class sessions will be devoted to demonstrating basic conducting techniques, starting with elementary conducting patterns and concluding with an emphasis on conducting liturgical chant.  The course consists of 12 sessions over a 13-week period.  Additional information may be found here.  Class size is limited, so those interested in the course are urged to register no later than September 8.  The registration form may be accessed here.

Office of Orthodox Military and Veterans Administration Chaplains

Metropolitan Tikhon, Ecclesiastical Endorser for US Military Chaplains.
Archpriest Theodore Boback, Dean and Executive Director.
Archpriest Joseph Gallick, Assistant Dean and Deputy Director.

The Orthodox Church in America is a member of the National Conference of Ministry to the Armed Forces and a member of the Endorsers for Chaplaincy Veterans Affairs Centers and is recognized by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board to certify and endorse chaplains to serve in the armed forces.

• The Office offered a briefing at the 18th All-American Council, during which Metropolitan Tikhon met with the chaplains and chaplain candidates.
• This past year Archpriest Jerome Cwiklinski retired from the United States Navy and Archpriest Peter Baktis retired from the United States Army.
• Plans for the immediate future include visitations with chaplain candidates at Saint Tikhon’s and Saint Vladimir’s Seminaries and with students interested in the chaplaincy.
• The Office invites clergy who are interested in serving in the United States Armed Forces as active duty chaplains, reserve components, National Guard chaplains or VAMC chaplains to contact Archpriest Theodore Boback at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).