XXIst Regular Sobor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA develops Church strategy
21st Regular Sobor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA ran from October 19-22, 2016.
His Eminence Metropolitan Antony, Metropolitan & Prime Hierarch of UOC of the USA and Diaspora, His Eminence Metropolitan Yurij, Metropolitan of Canada and Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, His Eminence Archbishop Jeremiah, Ruling Hierarch of the Eparchy of South America and His Grace Bishop Daniel, Ruling hierarch of the Western Eparchy and President of the Consistory of the UOC of USA participated in the Sobor.
Metropolitan Antony presented the formal greeting from His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. "...as you gather to contemplate ways of spiritual and administrative growth, we encourage you in all you do to keep this standard of love in your hearts. Love for God and neighbor grows in accordance with keeping His commandments – for true love springs forth from LOVE itself – that is, from Christ. Learn to abide in Him so that you may learn to love even more, in order that you may with faith, love and the fear of God, truly draw near to Him ad to each other", reads the letter.
The main topic of the Sobor was the Strategy of the UOC in the USA development. "Our once vibrant Church has suffered from the secularism of our world. We have lost too many of our youth for various reasons, which are not just due to outside influences and societal changes, but, because of how we practice our Faith. How we behave in our parishes and how we treat each other impact how our children view our Faith. Our behavior – in any manner – has consequences in the lives of others. We need to impart a new vigor in to the life of our Church through revival in our individual and collective lives", stated in his sppech Metropolitan Antony. Metropolitan Antony introduced the Strategic Plan explaining how crucial it is that everyone participate in order for it to be successful. The Plan will be introduced at the parish level over the coming weeks and months when individuals within each parish are sought out as volunteers to coordinate efforts with the goal captains, chairpersons and our hierarchs.
The plenary sessions heard the reports of all the ministries of the Church including the Offices of Stewardship, Christian Charity, Youth & Adult Ministry, Religious Education, Liturgical Publications, Public Relations, Cultural Affairs, Archives, External Affairs, Clergy Development, St. Sophia Seminary Library, St. Andrew Cemetery, and All Saints Camp. While the reports were lengthy, they were nonetheless informative and received positively. The Sobor body learned of the various successes that the ministries of the Church have experienced over the years.
During the Sobor metropolian Anthony informed the participants that bishop Daniel Zelinskyj is be nominated for elevation to Archbishop. The nomination will be presented to His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholmew and the Holy Synod for formal election and inclusion in the Dyptychs of the Holy Ecumenical Church.
