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

2012 Annual Clergy Conference!

The clergy: bishops, priests and deacons of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA were blessed, once again, with the opportunity to come together in faith and fellowship prior to the beginning of the Extraordinary Sobor (Clergy-Laity Congress) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA  for a day of prayer and reflection on October 5, 2012 at the Cultural Center of the Metropolia.  In his opening remarks after the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy served by His Grace Bishop Daniel and the Deans of the Church, His Eminence Archbishop Antony, the Locum Tenens of the Church spoke of the importance of such gatherings for the spiritual and psychological wellbeing of our clergy, and of his joy at being able to share in another such gathering.  

In conclusion of the service, the clergy of the Church offered their sincere prayers for the repose of all of the clergy and laity of the Church, especially Metropolitan Constantine of blessed memory.

Following the brunch, during the meetings session, both hierarchs of the Church Archbishop Antony and Bishop Daniel offered their brief remarks about the state of the Church, calling upon the Deans of 10 Deaneries of the Metropolia to offer reports about their annual activities. A lengthy discussion took place about the prospects for various new projects that can be adopted in all Deaneries across the country.

At the conclusion of the meeting, His Grace Bishop Daniel presented a report about the preparations for the Extraordinary Sobor of the Church at which the delegates will elect a new Primate – Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. The Sobor was scheduled to begin with the celebration of Divine Liturgy on October 6, 2012 at 8:30am. The lengthy discussion took place at the meeting about the process of nominations and election of the new Metropolitan, and the President of the Consistory of the Church, if the office of the President of the Consistory becomes vacant.

The common element throughout the entire Conference, present during the Divine Services, the discussions, the shared meals, and the crucial time for simple fellowship with others who have walked in your shoes and whose experiences mirror your own, was the knowledge, beyond any simple feeling, of the brotherhood in which we are all a part, called by God in a way that cannot be explained to others, to serve our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, here, in the Vineyard which He has planted with His own Right hand - the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United States of America.