Orthodox Youth Ministries Sunday 2023

As the Episcopal Liaison of the Orthodox Youth & Young Adult Ministries (www.theOYM.org), I encourage everyone to observe this day and reflect on the importance of young people in the life of the Church.

Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday 2023

As the Episcopal Liaison to Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM), I place a challenge to you, our faithful in America, and respectfully request that you observe this day of awareness and support Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry. Open your hearts to God’s children behind bars.

AoB Announces Inter-Parish Assocation Program

Reflection by OCPM's Mark Santana

Sunday July 30, 2023, has been appointed by the Assembly of Bishops as Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday (PMAS), when all Orthodox churches of every jurisdiction recognize the importance of prison ministry for the life of the Church. OCPM Church Programs Manager, Mark Santana, has written a simple reflection on his most recent visit inside a prison, SCI Waymart, near St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS).

Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation Concludes its 101st Meeting

2023 Mental Health Awareness Month Promotion

2023 Mental Health Awareness Month Promotion

Communiqué

On November 18, 2022, the Orthodox Bishops of the Assembly received a communication from the ROCOR Eastern American Diocese regarding Archpriest Peter Heers. This communication stated “that the Very Reverend Archpriest Peter Heers is not a clergyman of the Eastern American Diocese or of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, nor is there any pending consideration of his reception.”

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Awards $200,000 Grant to the Assembly of Bishops for its Groundbreaking Mental Health Ministries

During the process, it was noted that the Assembly of Bishops training program, Peace of Mind, is a groundbreaking effort to bridge the gap between faith and mental health.

Announcement: Update on AoB Agency Sundays

During their January 28, 2023 meeting, the Executive Committee of the Assembly of Bishops assigned Sundays to the two newest agencies, Orthodox Volunteer Corps and Orthodox Youth Ministries, and approved adjustments to the dates for the existing agencies.

Assembly of Bishops’ Calls All to Prayer for Earthquake Victims in Türkiye and Syria

We implore the Lord “to give rest to His departed servants in a place of light, in a place of green pasture, in a place of refreshment, from where pain, sorrow, and sighing have fled away.” Furthermore, we ask that God may “bring peace from above” to those enduring the loss of their loved ones.

Communiqué of the 12th Convening of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA

Finally, an expression of appreciation was extended to Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, and the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sophia for their Abrahamic hospitality.

Chairman's Closing Remarks at AoB XII

The greatest risk that the Church has always faced is not persecution from without, but fragmentation from within. And in our modern, technologically-driven age, where anyone can become an influence on others via Social Media, we have an uphill battle to take command of the narrative about the Church and about the Faith.

Chairman's Opening Address at AoB XII

We are very blessed indeed to be gathered together here in Los Angeles, where we have been in prayer and fellowship with one another the past days. I believe that these opportunities to come together as Hierarchs of the Holy Church are precious and few; so let us take full advantage of this καιρός that the Lord has granted us.

Bishop Maxim's Homily During the AoB XII Opening Liturgy

The light with which Sava illuminates our present and future still shines today. It is up to each of us to recognize him and to adopt Sava’s ethos, as much as possible. Today, my brethren, we are called to listen to his call, a call which he addresses to us from the Communion of the Saints. This call is identical with the one Christ gives to us in today’s Gospel reading: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” And the saying “There shall be one flock, one Shepherd” (Jn 10:16) we experience as something already accomplished.

Chairman's Homily During Vespers before AoB XII

And therein lies the moral for us all – hierarchs, clergy and laity alike. How far are we willing to go beyond the circle of our own comfort to seek out those in need? It is easy to preach the Gospel within the walls of our Churches, like in this beautiful Cathedral, to those who come willingly to hear. But what of the stranger, the foreigner, the other? How far are we willing to go to find those who need the Gospel, and challenge them to embrace it?

Mission Sunday 2023

On Sunday, February 26, just prior to Great Lent, our Orthodox Christian churches throughout our nation will be observing Mission Sunday, a time to recall our own mission as the People of God within this world.  As we begin our Lenten preparation for Pascha, throughout these days we will affirm “the Light of Christ illumines all” (at each Presanctified Divine Liturgy), culminating in receiving the Light as we proclaim and glorify the Lord’s Resurrection. 

Series Premiere: Wisdom on Wheels

The Assembly of Bishops announces the premiere of its new series entitled Wisdom on Wheels, a series of interviews with the leadership of the Orthodox Christian Church in the USA. Enjoy this opportunity to learn about your bishops and other leaders: their stories, interests, and more!

Assembly of Bishops' Chairman Calls for the Preservation of Human Rights and Religious Freedom in Serbian & Kosovo

Assembly of Bishops' Chairman Calls for the Preservation of Human Rights and Religious Freedom in Serbian & Kosovo

Communique

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America is made up of all the active, canonical Orthodox Bishops in the United States of America, from every universally-recognized autocephalous Orthodox jurisdiction. From time to time, clarification is needed regarding our membership.

Assembly of Bishops Executive Committee Meets, Approves Agenda for AoB XII as well as a Working Group on Marriage and Family Ministries

Assembly of Bishops Executive Committee Meets, Approves Agenda for AoB XII as well as a Working Group on Marriage and Family Ministries