Food for the Soul: The Church Gathers in Council

From the very foundation of our Holy Orthodox Church the members of the Church have sought to meet in council with each other for the purpose of deciding on matters relating to the life of the Church. Indeed we find the earliest mention of the Church in council in Acts 15:6 where we see the Apostles and Disciples of Christ meeting in Jerusalem to decide on the extent to which a Gentile convert to the faith must follow the Law of Moses. The decision of the Jerusalem council employed vocabulary which gave all Church councils from there on out a certain authority which one bishop or cleric on his own could never have. In Acts 15:28 we read that those gathered stated that their work was pleasing to the Holy Spirit, "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us..." this authority which enabled them to speak in such terms comes from the words of Christ Himself, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Mt 18: 20 From the Jerusalem council on all Church Councils have spoken using the same terms.

During the first two centuries the Church regularly assembled on a local (state) level to discuss matters related to the life of the Church. As the Church grew the councils grew increasingly involving more and more bishops and clergy from more and more states of the Empire. With the legalization of Christianity in the 4th century these councils grew so large that they were soon called Oecumenical (ecumenical) Councils, meaning of or from the whole world. Of these type of councils the Orthodox Church identifies seven as being ecumenical. It is within the structure of these councils that the doctrine of faith we hold today has been formed.

So we see that our All American Council is the continuation of a long tradition. It is important here to note that while conciliarity or meeting in council is a tradition of Orthodoxy it is one that has been lost within most of the world's Orthodox churches. The OCA is the only autocephalous Orthodox church which regularly convenes a council comprised of the Holy Synod, Clergy and Laity.

This most recent council was the 14th council since the OCA was granted autocephaly in 1970. However, before the granting of autocephaly by the Russian Orthodox Church the Orthodox parishes in America administered by the church in Russia also gathered in council in what was then known as All American Sobor's. It was St Tikhon of Moscow, the then episcopal administrator of the church in America, who through the inspiration of the American experience desired to bring together the laity, clergy and bishops of the church to work together for the building up of the Church of Christ and to discuss and reflect on the mission in North America.
Reflecting on the work of St Tikhon and his vision for the church in America Fr Leonid Kishkovsky writes in The All American Council: Conciliarity, not democracy in the June /July issue of the TOC newspaper, " What he (St Tikhon) accomplished was a renewal of conciliarity as a genuine expression of the Church's faith, life, and witness. This means that the All-American Church councils of the Orthodox Church in America are assemblies seeking to discern what is right and true for the Church here and now."
A historical event has just taken place in the life of our Church. An event like no other in the world, an event which would never have taken place without the prophetic vision of St Tikhon of Moscow.
For more on council and conciliarity and the time of the Seven Ecumenical Councils see The Orthodox Church by Bishop Kallistos Ware available from Penguin Press and in most neighborhood bookstores.
For more on All American Sobor's and All American Councils of the Orthodox Church in America please visit: http://www.oca.org

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On the Calendar: St Vladimir's to Host 36th Annual Orthodox Education Day: "Icons and Ipods: Finding God in Popular Culture"

St Vladimir’s Seminary warmly invites all to attend the Thirty-sixth Annual Orthodox Education Day scheduled for Saturday, October 1, 2005. This year's theme is:
"Icons and iPods: Finding God in Popular Culture."

This annual outdoor event draws large groups of people from Orthodox parishes all over the country for a day of worship, education, fellowship, and a variety of ethnic foods. St Vladimir's Bookstore sells books at a special Education Day discount and children are drawn to the expansive activities tent set up especially for them.

Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, presided by His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN, primate of the Orthodox Church in America and president of the seminary, will begin at 9:30 am. Afternoon workshops exploring various aspects of the day's theme will follow.

St Vladimir's is pleased to announce this year's keynote speaker, His Grace, Bishop SAVAS of Troas, chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The choir of Holy Trinity Church in Parma, Ohio, will sing the responses during the liturgy together with our own SVS Chorale.

Orthodox Education Day is free of charge, open to the public, and will take place rain or shine.

Day of Prayer for the Creation

The first of September while being the first day of the ecclesiastical year is also celebrated as the Day of Prayer for the Creation. Keep a look out for the coming August YoMail which will include a short prayer service and activities which you and your parish community can implement to commemorate this day.

Are You Ready” to be Theme for 2005
Inter-Orthodox Youth Workers Conferences

Syosset, NY -- For the past several years the Inter-Orthodox Youth Worker Conferences are sponsored by the youth departments of the Orthodox Church in America, the Antiochian Christian Orthodox Archdioces, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United States of America. This year’s joint effort will be held this Octoboer in two locations: on the east coast, October 21 – 23, 2005 at the Diakonia Center in Salem, South Carolina; and on the west coast, October 14 – 16, 2005 at the Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center in Boulder City, Nevada.

This year the focus is on how youth workers can address tough situations in which teens often find themselves and will focus on teen depression, pregnancy and substance abuse. “Are You Ready” as a youth worker to deal with these situations in your youth group?

For more information, please visit www.orthodoxyouth.net

Special Featrure: Youth and Young Adults Make Presentation to Council on "Our Church in the Future: Become What You Are"

The youth and young adult program of the All American Council has become a one of a kind occassion and venue where one can catch-up with old friends, meet new ones and together celebrate through fellowship and worship. Over the past two decades the youth and young adult faithful of the Orthodox Church in America have played a very important role in the life of the All American Councils. During the final plenary session of each council the youth observers present what they learned and experienced during the week. Each presenation over the years has become an illustration of Matthew 19: 14 where Christ tells us, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Below is a poem created by the 7 - 9 year old group of children reflecting on the theme of the youth program "Our Church and the Future: Become What You Are."

The Life of the Church was our theme this week
Of God’s love daily did we talk
The life of the Church shields us from sin
To help us in our walk.

St. Tikhon’s father was a priest
Just like some of us.
He encourages us to be a lighthouse of our Faith
And be in unity in the Americas.

When you are a healthy Orthodox Christian
In five areas you must grow
You need to pray, to talk to God, and to confession you must go.

You come to Liturgy, the people’s work
And of His Body and Blood partake
You bind yourself to all of God
A healthy body this will make.

Study God’s Word, the Bible
And how the saints have lived
Serve others and deny yourself
To keep your soul well fed.

Too much fellowship will make you fat
But don’t let it be
For we have learned a lot this week
Together at the AAC!

The teen group explored the youth theme by defining beauty and looking at the ways we are both inwardly and outwardly beautiful.

We become what we are by
• Striving to be inwardly and outwardly beautiful to God
• Being good stewards of God’s Creation
• Witnessing to our faith

We define beauty as…
• how we show that God is inside of us
• the ability to see Christ in every person
• the true presentation of ourselves without any outer influences and being in tune with God
• everything God originally created us to be
• a selfless, Christ-like state of being in whichone has acquired a spirit of peace, love, and
purity

Inner and Outer Beauty
Together we realized that beauty can be achieved by…
• Striving to attain God’s perfection and beauty in our souls
• Having compassion, kindness, and understanding
• Helping people in need and reaching out to others
• Being selfless and giving of ourselves
• Becoming obedient and humble

In Conclusion
• Despite our differences, we are all one in the Church
• Here at the AAC we come together as one body in Christ where all boundaries are
transcended.
• We become who we are in Communion with our fellow believers as members of
the Body of Christ.

A Timeline of the All-American Councils

1st All American Sobor, Mayfield, Pennsylvania March 5 - 7, 1907, 1924
Saint Tikhon increasingly sought the participation and input of all clergy and laity in the governance of the diocese in North America. Eventually, this led to the idea of a gathering a council comprised of clergy and laity to deliberate a most crucial topic: How to Expand the Mission”. Along with Saint Tikhon, the key participants in this council included three priests who are now also canonized saints: Alexander Hotovitzky, John Kochurov and Alexis Toth. its primary significance was the precedent it set by its very convocation for the future councils of the American Church.

2nd All American Sobor, Cleveland, Ohio February 25 - 28, 1919
The second All American Sobor represented a very difficult time for the church in America as it took place just after the Bolsheviek revolution in Russia. The lack of ability to communicate with Russia caused much trouble. The historical importance of this council lies in the
election of Archbishop Alexander. This election set a precedent for future elections of the Church's Primates by later councils.

3rd All American Sobor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania November 7 - 9, 1922
This council elected Metropolitan Platon as the Primate of the American Church. He was given the title "Metropolitan of All America and Canada." This is still the title of the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America today.

4th All American Sobor, Detroit, Michigan April 2 - 4, 1924
At this council the church decided to refer to istelf as a “temporarily self-govering”.

5th All American Sobor, Cleveland, Ohio November 20 - 23, 1934
On April 20, 1934 Metropolitan Platon fell asleep in the Lord. The fifth Sobor was convened in November of the same year primarily for the purpose of electing a new head. Metropolitan Theolphilus was elected at this Sobor.

6th All American Sobor, New York, New York October 5 - 8, 1937
This council decided to open St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York and St. Tikhon's Pastoral School in South Canaan, PA which indicated a long term vision for the future of the Orthodoxy in America.

7th All American Sobor, Cleveland, Ohio November 26 - 29, 1946
Because of World War II the 7th Sobor was postponed for a number of years.

8th All American Sobor, New York, New York December 5 - 8, 1950
Metropolitan Theophilus fell asleep in the Lord on June 27th, 1950. The 8th Sobor elected Archbishop Leonty (Turkevich) of Chicago Metropolitan.

9th All American Sobor, New York, New York November 8 - 10, 1955
After decades of hard work the Ninth All American Sobor adopted the church's statutes or constitution. This was a major step in the maturation of the church in America.

10th All American Sobor, New York, New York November 10 - 13, 1959
The sobors (councils) became so important to the life of the church that their regular convocation was deemed essential to prayerfully plan the Church's growth in America.

11th All American Sobor, New York, New York November 12 - 15, 1963
The Eleventh Sobor created the positions of chancellor, secretary and treasurer. This was an important step leading up to Autocephaly.

12th All American Sobor, New York, New York September 22 - 23, 1965
The sole purpose for the Twelfth Sobor was the election of a successor to Metropolitan Leonty who had fallen asleep in the Lord on May 14, 1965. The Council of Bishops chose Archbishop Ireney to be the new Metropolitan.

13th All American Sobor, New York, New York November 14 - 16, 1967
The Thirteenth Sobor expressed the desire for the church in America to be a missionary Church in and for America.

14th All American Sobor / 1st All American Council, South Canaan, Pennsylvania 20 - 22, 1970
It was in this year that the church in America received autocephaly from the church in Russia. The first All-American Council was held at St Tikhon's monastery, a fitting place as it was St Tikhon's vision that was this year fulfilled.

2nd All American Council, South Canaan, Pennsylvania October 19 - 21, 1971
Bishop Stephen (Lasko) and the Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese were welcomed into the OCA at this council.

3rd All American Council, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania November 13 - 15, 1973
This was the first council to be held entirely in a hotel instead of within a church. For the first time at this type of gathering, a hotel ballroom was transformed into a chapel. Those in attendance testified to the prayerful atmosphere and centrality of the Eucharist permeating this council as compared to previous councils.

4th All American Council, Cleveland, Ohio November 10 - 13, 1975
This council was the first of the to have a theme: "MISSION."
It was also the first time that issues of survival, identity, administration and organization were replaced by more crucial issues of the day.

5th All American Council, Montreal, Quebec, Canada October 25 - 28, 1977
This council convened under the theme "STEWARDSHIP" was the first council to be held outside the United States. It also holds the distinction of electing the first Metropolitan born in America, Bishop Theodosius (Lazor) of Pittsburgh.

6th All American Council, Detroit, Michigan November 9 - 14, 1980
The 6th All American Council was organized under the theme: "ORTHODOXY, AMERICA AND THE FUTURE". It was at this council that the participants issued a call for administrative unity among all the Orthodox in North America.

7th All American Council, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania August 22 - 26, 1983 "CHURCH GROWTH" was the theme of the 7th All American Council. It was at this council that the OCA began to address key social issues and began serious discussion about the growth of the Orthodoxy in America

8th All American Council, Washington, D.C. August 17 - 22, 1986
This council saw its theme, "EVANGELIZATION," as a means to achieving "CHURCH GROWTH," the theme of the Seventh Council. In its multifaceted and innovative resolutions, the Eighth Council responded effectively to the challenge of setting goals and objectives in this key area of Church life.

9th All American Council, St. Louis, Missouri August 20 - 25, 1989
The theme of the Ninth Council was "THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA: REFLECTING ON THE PAST, PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE."
This council paid special tribute to Fr. Daniel Hubiak, retiring Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, who had served in the central administration for twenty-five years.

10th All American Council, Miami, Florida July 26 - 31, 1992
DISCERNING GOD'S WILL: OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE AND MINISTRY" was the theme of the Tenth Council. The participants mourned the passing of Fr. John Meyendorff, who was instrumental in shaping the Orthodox Church in America's vision at many All-American Councils and had died just a few days before this council.

11th All American Council, Chicago, Illinois July 16 - 21, 1995
The Eleventh Council marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in America. The spirit of this council can be summarized in its theme "GATHERED IN COMMUNITY."

12th All American Council, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania July 25 - 30, 1999
The theme "ON BEHALF OF ALL AND FOR ALL," was an effort to discern the true nature of what the Church must do to express the fullness of Christ. It was hoped that this council would draw on the conciliar experience of the Orthodox Church in America and to find ways to guide the Church into the next century and the new millennium.

13th All American Council, Orlando, Florida July 21 - 26, 2002
THE PARISH COMMUNITY: OUR LIFE IN CHRIST

14th All American Council. Toronto, ON, Canada July 17 - 22, 2005
OUR CHURCH AND THE FUTURE was the theme of the fourteenth All American Council. Of particular mention at this council was the young adult program which for the first included a social service element in which youth worked at an Orthodox run soup kitchen for two days.