UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE USA
CONSISTORY OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
PRESS RELEASE

Western Deanery Holds Its Lenten Meeting!

San Francisco, CA: On Cheesefare Saturday, March 5, 2011, the clergy of the Western Deanery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA gathered at Holy Archangel Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church in San Francisco, CA for their pre-Lenten Deanery meeting. Due to a great geographical distance that exists between the parishes this was a very first meeting of the Deanery this year. His Grace Bishop Daniel, the ruling hierarch of the Western Eparchy of the Church joined the clergy of the deanery for their working sessions and opened the day with the Divine Liturgy at the parish temple with pastors of the Deanery’s parishes concelebrating.

Following a luncheon with the parishioners, the clergy entered into their first plenary session of the day. Vladyka Daniel opened a meeting with a short prayer and a reflection on the present status of the parish life, calling upon the pastors of parishes of the Deanery to commit their communities to a practical aspect of our Christian life, proclaiming the Word of God through daily acts of kindness. Very Rev. Fr. Vasyl Savciur, the Dean of the Western Deanery presented a reflection on a status of the daily life of the Deanery, calling upon the pastors of the parish families to share with each other the pastoral progress of their parish families. Very Rev. Ivan Petrouchtchak, a pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Portland, OR, Protopresbyter Alexis Limonchenko, a pastor of Holy Archangel Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church in San Francisco, CA, Very Rev. Vasyl Shtelen, a pastor of St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Los Angeles, CA, Rev. Fr. Ihor Bobak, a pastor of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Seattle, WA presented their reflection on the daily life of the parish communities stressing the fact of the need of a more intensified pastoral ministry in the parish families as well as of a greater involvement of the faithful in the liturgical pastoral ministry of the individual communities.

Varieties of the items were on the Agenda. All parish priests submitted reports of the statistical data in their respective parishes, from the various areas of the church life.

Some of the common goals for the Deanery will be a development of a retreat for the Altar Servers of the Deanery parishes as well as Lenten retreats during the liturgical seasons of the Church year. Once again, due to a geographical distance some of the projects will be developed among the parishes that are physically close to each other.

Bishop Daniel informed the Clergy of the Deanery on the present status of the Church life of the UOC of the USA, making references to the encampment at the All Saint Camp in Emlenton, PA; Historical and Education Complex in South bound Brook, NJ; ministry of the Consistory Offices of Youth and Young Adult Ministry and Christian Charity, a possibility of establishment of a monastic community of the Church as well missionary efforts of the Church in the USA and Ukraine.

The day concluded with the unanimous election of a dean of the Deanery in the person of Very Rev. Vasyl Saucir of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Los Angeles, CA and a treasurer - Protopresbyter Alexis Limonchenko of Holy Archangel Michael Ukrainian Orthodox parish in San Francisco, CA. Before the conclusion of the meeting, His Grace Bishop Daniel asked forgiveness of the clergy of the Deanery, and the priests, in their turn, asked forgiveness from their bishop and one another, as the Church entered into Lenten season.

On behalf of the clergy of the Western Deanery, the Dean Very Rev. Vasyl Sauciur expressed a sincere gratitude to Protopresbyter Alexis Limonchanko and parishioners of Holy Archangel Michael Ukrainian Orthodox parish in San Francisco, CA for their hospitality and willingness to host the meeting.