In conjunction with the 19th All-American Council [AAC] of the Orthodox Church in America, slated to convene at the Saint Louis, MO Union Station Hotel July 23-27, 2018, an extensive exhibit hall will be available to vendors wishing to display and market their goods and services.

“The vendor/display areas will be centrally located, thereby offering a great opportunity for maximum exposure to Council participants,” said Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary.  “The area will be opened for extended time periods to maximize contact with delegates and guests.”

Vendors will find an introductory letter, prospectus, contracts, and related information on the AAC web site.

The deadline for reserving vendor/display space is May 25, 2018.  Space is limited, so early registration is highly encouraged.  All fees must be sent to the 19th All-American Council, c/o Melanie Ringa, PO Box 675, Syosset, NY 11791.  Final payment for booths is due by June 15, 2018.

For questions and/or additional information, please contact the Local Committee Exhibition Co-chairs, Ken Herman at kryanherman@gmail.com or Paul Reuschhoff at pdRueschhoff@sbcglobal.net.

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon opened the Fall Session of the Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America at Immaculate Conception Seminary here on Tuesday morning, September 19, 2017.

Metropolitan Tikhon is chairing the four-day session, at which the members of the Standing Synod of Bishops—His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin; His Eminence, Archbishop Michael; and His Grace, Bishop Paul—are also in attendance.

According to Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary, the session will open with the Metropolitan Council’s annual retreat.  The retreat theme will focus on the 50th anniversary of the granting of autocephaly to the OCA, slated to be celebrated in 2020.  OCA Archivist Alexis Liberovsky will present an overview of the history of the OCA.  Also speaking will be members of the original delegation  who traveled to Moscow in 1970 to receive the Tomos of Autocephaly—Protopresbyter Daniel Hubiak, Archpriest John Nehrebecki and Dr. Constantine Kalluar.  A working session will be held in the afternoon to discuss initial plans for the 2020 celebration.

“Among the highlights of this Metropolitan Council session will be the approval of the budget for 2018, a review of the plans for the 19th All-American Council, to be held in July 2018, and reports from His Beatitude, the OCA officers, and the Metropolitan Council’s various committees and departments,” Father Eric added.  “Per the cycle of department reports, Priest John Parker will update Council members on the work of the Department of Evangelization, while Archpriest Ian Pac-Urar will present a report on the work of the Department of Continuing Education.”

Metropolitan Council members also will participate in the Saint Sergius Day celebration on Saturday, September 23.

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.

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon and the staff of the Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America warmly invite the clergy and faithful to celebrate the patronal feast day of the Metropolitan’s Chapel of Saint Sergius of Radonezh at the Chancery, 6850 North Hempstead Turnpike, Syosset, NY on Saturday, September 23, 2017.

According to Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary, the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be concelebrated by Metropolitan Tikhon; His Grace, Bishop Irinej [Dobrijevic] of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America; and His Grace, Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the United States, of the Moscow Patriarchate in the Chancery’s walled garden [weather permitting] at 10:00 a.m.  Local OCA clergy and clergy from other jurisdictions also will serve.  A festive complimentary luncheon will follow on the Chancery grounds.

An informational flyer is available for downloading.

For additional information or to RSVP please contact Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak at jmatusiak@oca.org or 516-922-0550, ext. 125.

The July and August 2017 “Pastoral Changes”—the official announcements of ordinations, assignments, releases, etc. affecting the clergy of the Orthodox Church in America, as issued by the Office of the Chancellor, Archpriest John Jillions—are now available.

Listings in the “Pastoral Changes” only appear after they have been submitted to the OCA Chancery by their respective dioceses.