Source: Orthodox Church in America
SPRINGFIELD, VA [OCA] On April 2-4, 2024, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America met for its Regular Spring 2024 Session in Springfield, VA, under the presidency of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon.
The meetings of the Synod were preceded by a special joint meeting in which the Bishops were joined by the Church Officers, the Diocesan Chancellors, the General Counsel, and representatives of the Pension Board. The joint meeting began on Monday, April 1, with an education session led by Mr. David Jarrett, FSA, EA, MAAA, FCA, Principal and Consulting Actuary. This presentation was similar to the session the Metropolitan Council held with the Pension Board last October in compliance with the resolution approved at the 20th All-American Council.
On Tuesday morning, the joint meeting resumed receiving the report of the Pension Board and a presentation from the Pension actuarial firm, Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Company (GRS), which included a presentation of the modeling tool for projecting the effects of various changes upon the funded status of the plan. There was extensive conversation following the presentations on numerous aspects of the Pension Plan and retirement vehicles.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Holy Synod began its Spring Session with a Molieben and heard a few preliminary remarks by Metropolitan Tikhon. His Beatitude then called on Mr. Andrew Smith, Treasurer, who offered his report on the financial state of the Church and an update on the 2024 budget. Following the financial report, Mr. Mark Hamilton, the new General Counsel of the Orthodox Church in America, offered his first report to the Holy Synod, noting updates on a number of legal cases. Metropolitan Tikhon then called on Archpriest Kirill Sokolov to offer the report of the Board of Theological Education and a list of candidates for ordination for synodal consideration.
On Wednesday, the Holy Synod continued its Spring Session hearing reports from His Beatitude, Archpriest Alexander Rentel, Chancellor, and Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino, Secretary. In the evening, the bishops were transferred to St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, DC, for the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts presided by His Beatitude and in the presence of the Sitka icon brought by His Grace Bishops Alexei for a visit to local parishes in greater Washington.
On Thursday, the Holy Synod heard a report from Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk, Dean of the Representation Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr in Moscow, reports from Archpriest Chad Hatfield and Archpriest John Parker on the two Stavropegial seminaries, and a report from Archpriest Nicholas Solak on the Office of Pastoral Life.
Later that day, the Holy Synod received an update from His Eminence Archbishop Daniel and Bishop Alexei on the canonization process of blessed Matushka Olga. Further plans are currently undertaken, and more updates will be shared in the coming weeks.
The bishops received a number of other reports including the report of the Departments of the OCA, a report from the Director of Communication, Institutional Chaplains, Military Chaplains, and the Sexual Misconduct Policy Advisory Committee.
Throughout the week, the bishops also considered several clergy cases and awards and discussed several other aspects of Church life.