"Town-hall" meetings

The Holy Synod of Bishops in April has blessed the proposal on the "Town-hall" Meetings.

Recognizing that at this time pain and strife exist within the Orthodox Church in America, it is crucial that we find the means to heal, and move the Church forward. An important part of preparing for the 15th All-American Council will be to give the faithful of our Church an opportunity to express their concerns, and feelings. Addressing this concern before the Church meets in Pittsburgh in November will be essential in fostering a working atmosphere at the Council. In order to provide this opportunity, the Preconciliar Commission proposed a series of 'town hall' meetings throughout the Church, as 'living' study papers preceding the Council.

The aim of the meetings is for the Bishops, and the Pre-Conciliar Commission Members, to hear directly from clergy and laity about their concerns, and suggestions. Comments from this and all the "town hall meetings" will be posted on the All American Council blog on the OCA's website. It is vital that the whole Church is represented at these meetings, hierarchy together with clergy, and laity. These meetings would make this possible as the faithful of the OCA share their concerns, hopes, and fears for the Church, in the presence of the hierarchy.

The proposed agenda for these meetings would be very simple

Participants would be asked to offer their responses centred around three themes:
1. What is working well in the OCA ?
2. What are your concerns, and suggestions for the future of our Church?
3. What would you want to say to the All-American Council?

Meetings would be held on a regional basis, with nine proposed initial sites. At each meeting, a member of the Preconciliar Commission would function as facilitator, and ideally, there would be more than one hierarch present. The expectation of our hierarchs at these meetings would be simply to listen to the feedback offered by participants. It would be our hope that each member of the Holy Synod would be present for at least one town hall meeting in the series.

"Town-hall" Meetings in Canada

In Canada, the first meeting is in Ottawa, at the Annunciation Cathedral, on Saturday, 7 June, at 1300 hrs. The meeting can last three hours.
The second meeting will be in Edmonton, at St Herman's Sobor, on Thursday, 3 July, at 1800 hrs. Anyone may participate.

Archbishop Seraphim (Ottawa and Canada) will be present at both of the meetings in Canada. It is expected that at least one other bishop will be present, likely Bishop Nikon, the chairman of the Pre-Conciliar Commission. God willing, other representatives of this Commission, and the OCA Central Church Administration will also be able to articipate.