Source: Orthodox Christian Laity
About OCL
Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) is an independent, national, Pan-Orthodox, 501(c)3 non-profit, educational association, incorporated in the State of Illinois on March 17, 1988, to advance the renewal of the Orthodox Christian Church in the United States by advocating that the laity remain part of the conciliar governance process which provides balance to the hierarchy and clergy, all working together in governance, spiritual and other matters to ensure accountability and transparency in the affairs of the Church. OCL is committed to the establishment of an administratively and canonically unified, self-governing Orthodox Church in the United States.
Annual Meeting and Conference
The Board of Directors of OCL held the organization’s 37th annual business meeting and conference on October 18-19, 2024, at St. George Romanian Orthodox Cathedral, Southfield, Michigan. Board members and Advisors met on October 18 to discuss the focus of OCL’s efforts in 2025.
OCL organized a conference on October 19 on Inter Parish Associations (IPA) and Dialogue Across Orthodox Jurisdictions featuring Reverend Father Nicholas Anton, Director of Operations of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA, as keynote speaker. Fr. Anton introduced Spyridoula Fotinis, Director of the Assembly’s IPA program who joined the conference via ZOOM, and presented a slide presentation highlighting the scope, purpose and progress of the project to date. The conference participants then had an opportunity to ask questions of a panel that included Fr. Anton, Ms. Fotinis and Their Eminences, Metropolitan Nicholas of Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit and Archbishop Nathaniel of The Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America.
Subdeacon Adam Murphy, Director of FOCUS Detroit, presented a slide presentation and answered questions about his work with people in the inner city of Detroit.
Following lunch, OCL President William Souvall read a letter of appreciation to Archbishop Nathaniel for his 24 years of active service on OCL’s Board of Advisors and presented him with a donation to the Episcopate’s Archbishop’s Charity Endowment Fund. Following a short video highlighting the Archbishop’s participation in OCL’s events, Reverend Father Nicholas Greanias, also a long-time Advisory Board member, sang an original musical tribute to the Archbishop to the delight of all the participants.
The participants then gathered for a round-table discussion on several topics: What successful examples of cross-ethnic collaboration exist within our Church? What are some practical steps to integrate parishioners from different backgrounds? What theological foundations support the pursuit of unity? How do we celebrate cultural diversity while maintaining Orthodox unity? How do personal biases hinder parish unity, and how can they be addressed?
The conference concluded with Great Vespers celebrated by Fr. George Cautis, parish priest of St. George Cathedral, and Fr. Nicholas Anton, with heavenly responses by the Orthodox Choir of Detroit under the direction of Matushka Victoria Kopistiansky.
The OCL Board expresses heartfelt gratitude to St. George Cathedral (Parish Priest Fr. George Cautis, Parish Council President George Teodorescu, and Cultural Center Manager Mark Kalugar and parishioners) for hosting the meeting and conference and providing such warm hospitality.
Click here to view OCL’s 37th Annual Conference 2024 – Videos
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Photos courtesy of Bill Caras, OCL Vice President. Thank you, Bill!
3 Comments
OCL has advocated for the creation of the Assembly of Bishops since 1997. OCL made a generous donation to assist in planning the first gathering of the Assembly after it was created in 2008. Its first meeting was held in NYC. OCL is enthusiastic about the development of Inter Parish Associations (IPAs) developing throughout the nation. The laity of different jurisdictions have been working together before the bishops of different jurisdictions met together in this land. The highpoint of working together was the young adult movements of the 1950’s culminating in the gathering of 13,000 young adults in Pittsburgh on Labor Day Weekend 1963 at the Mellon Center. This event was sponsored by the Council of Eastern Orthodox Youth Leaders of the Americas (C.E.O.Y.L.A.). Most of the approved ministries of the Assembly of Bishops were started by laypersons, and when they were viable, the Assembly blessed them.
Inter Parish Associations are a way to assist local parishes of different jurisdictions in the same geographic areas to work together, share resources and strengthen outreach and ministries to the local community. It is a program that helps build grassroots unity at a local level. Get your local parishes involved in this unity effort.
I’d like to say that to have more unity in Orthodoxy, Litugical music should become more universal in all ethnic styles and jurisdictions. Hence when folks visit other parishes, it should be easier to sing in the choirs when, if one is not that savvy in music, then one can easily sing and join in with familiarity, without hesitancy or reluctance, no? I hope I articulated this properly.
As a choir member for over fifty years, it would be wonderful to see a common source of music for all Orthodox churches. One important choir formed by Dr. William Attra of St George’s Orthodox Church in Houston was the St Romanos Chorale, that was able to sing the liturgical setting in English, Greek, Arabic, and Church Slavonic. We practiced In Houston and travelled around the country to churches without choirs, and some with mediocre choirs, and some with large choirs wanting to hear an acapella choir in the language of its jurisdiction. This was no easy feat and Dr. Attra has since retired after many years of managing schedules, music, settings, and travel. God bless him for this and his great efforts to share our
beautiful church music!
Better yet Mr. Warholak, wouldn’t it just be a greater goal to see a united Orthodox Church where people of all jurisdictions could participate together for the glory of God? This is what OCL has been advocating for more than thirty years. We must try to support the newest efforts by the Assembly of Bishops and assist them in spreading the news of the Inter-Parish Association. We as Orthodox Christians need to assist them in advocating for closer ties between churches and joining in worship, joint activities, and yes, even singing together in choir.