Assembly of Bishops XIII Concludes; Hierarchs Pray for Victims of Hurricane “Helene,” Peace in the Middle East & Ukraine
Tuesday, October 01, 2024
ATLANTA – The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America met for their 13th meeting from September 28 – October 1, 2024. The Atlanta Inter-Parish Association graciously hosted the 29 Hierarchs with customary southern hospitality.
The Members of the Assembly expressed sorrow for the absence of their Brother Hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church and sincerely encouraged their return to participate in future Assemblies.
On Saturday, September 28, the Executive Committee met to affirm the agenda and conduct regular business. Later that evening, St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church hosted a Vespers Service followed by a fellowship meal. Archbishop Elpidophoros, Chair of the Assembly, thanked Fr. Gabriel Tannous, parish priest of St. Elias, by presenting him with a silver icon of “Christ the Vine” for hosting a memorable event.
September 29 began with Divine Liturgy at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation. The Executive Committee – Archbishop Elpidophoros, Bishop Thomas, Bishop Irinej, Metropolitan Nicolae, Bishop Saba, Metropolitan Tikhon, Metropolitan Gregory, and Archbishop Michael – concelebrated. Bishop Thomas offered the sermon. At the conclusion of the service, Archbishop Elpidophoros thanked members of the Cathedral community – Fr. Paul Kaplanis, Fr. Christos Mars, and Ginnie Roglin – for organizing and hosting the 2024 Assembly of Bishops meeting. Dr. Gayle Woloschak received one of the first honors from the Assembly of Bishops for her dedication to Orthodox Christian unity in the United States of America. Following the Divine Liturgy, the Cathedral community hosted a southern-style brunch in its hall.
On September 30, the opening session began with standard business items including the roll call, approval of the agenda, approval of the 2023 minutes, opening address by the Chair, reports from the Secretary and Treasurer, respectively Metropolitan Gregory and Archbishop Michael, the adoption of the 2025 budget, and the reelection of the Secretary and Treasurer. In his opening remarks, the Chair stated that “the unity we seek as Orthodox Christians is defined by what we confess at every Divine Liturgy: ‘One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church’.” Following the opening remarks, Eric Namee received one of the first honors from the Assembly of Bishops for his dedication to Orthodox Christian Unity in the United States of America.
After the morning business session, the Agencies of the Assembly – International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM), Orthodox Volunteer Corps (OVC), Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF), and Orthodox Youth and Young Adult Ministries (OYM) – presented updates on their respective ministries. After lunch, Fr. Nicholas Anton, Sangeetha Thomas, and Spyridoula Fotinis reported on the Assembly’s direct ministries: Mental Health Ministries, Inter-Parish Associations, Accessibility Ministry, and the mobile app.
In its final session of the day, the Assembly discussed and approved Guidelines for Clergy Transfers – as proposed by the Committee for Clergy Matters – and reviewed the work of the Committee for Liturgy. The members were also updated on the work of other Committees, including the progress of the Parish Directory, and appointed Metropolitan Constantine as the new Episcopal Liaison to OCPM.
Following a Service for the Blessing of the Water on October 1, the presidents, rectors, and deans of the various Orthodox Christian theological schools and seminaries across the country presented on “Clerical Formation and Contemporary Challenges.” They discussed mission versus chaplaincy, envisioning the skills necessary for the next twenty years, ethnic proficiency versus inculturation, converts, second vocation seminarians, seminarian marriages and families, distance/hybrid programs, building a practicum for Master of Divinity students, and chronology of vocational discernment. Their presentation was followed by an open and honest dialogue with the Hierarchs about the future of clerical formation in the country. The Hierarchs expressed interest in seeing a syllabus for a theological course that would be embraced across all our schools and seminaries.
During their deliberations, the Hierarchs called to mind and lamented the immense loss of life and vast devastation in the wake of Hurricane “Helene,” whose aftermath from heavy rains and unprecedented floods leaves behind a crisis of disastrous proportions from Florida’s Gulf Coast to Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains, and especially the State of North Carolina. IOCC is coordinating deployment in response with the Hierarchy and local parishes for short- and long-term recovery efforts for those impacted. The Assembly encourages the faithful to support IOCC’s efforts.
Further, the Assembly of Bishops reflected on and decried the escalation of violence that now threatens to embroil Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and the wider region. On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel in an act of terror on civilians, amounting to numerous casualties and hostages, some of whom remain in captivity. Israel’s response, and the continuing devastation in Gaza, where tens of thousands of innocent civilians have been killed – while the physical and psychological wounding and crippling to upwards of one hundred thousand civilians – are as unconscionable as they are unacceptable. Israel’s recent attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon further hurl the region into a spiral of onslaught and retaliation.
In this light, the Hierarchs prayed for the safety, especially of the Patriarchates of Antioch and Jerusalem, as well as for a speedy end to conflict, the return of all hostages, and for the rebuilding of Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and the entire region in accordance with the standards of human dignity and international law, as well as a sustainable peace in the Middle East. Violence can never solve violence, and peace should be pursued at all costs.
The Assembly reiterated its “concern and profound sorrow for the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation as well as the ecclesiastical challenges in the country” and continues to pray “for a peaceful resolution to this invasion that upholds the civil and human rights of all Ukrainians … calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the return of all captives.”[1]
Finally, the meeting ended with the establishment of the dates of Assembly XIV (2025) and XV (2026). The 2025 Assembly will meet September 20-23 in Denver, CO, and the 2026 Assembly will meet October 3-6 in Pittsburgh, PA.
[1] Statement on Ukrainian Law 3894 and a Call for Peace (https://www.assemblyofbishops.org/news/2024/uk-law-3894-peace).