On Tuesday, October 27, the clergy of the Eastern American Diocese gathered at the Diocesan Center in Howell, NJ for the triennial General Diocesan Assembly, during which their Ruling Bishop, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, called the Assembly to order and delivered his State of the Diocese address.
Your Grace, Reverend Fathers, Brother and Sisters,
The founder of our Diocese, Archbishop Vitaly (Maximenko), was a man of steadfast prayer who believed that the faithful of the Russian Church Abroad living in America had a great responsibility to preserve the Holy Church from all defilement and disorder. I appeal to you through the words that he spoke at the Sixth Diocesan Assembly in 1948, words that apply to us today, perhaps more than ever: "In a difficult time, when all are called to account for their faith, the Lord in His Providence has placed each of us on duty, to keep guard over the Church. All the more so are faithfulness and vigilance required of us. In the heart of every one of us, these cautionary words must sound the warning bell: ‘Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation’" (Matthew 26:41). Every three years, we gather together as a Diocese not only to elect diocesan officers and approve a budget, nor merely to offer one another emotional and moral support. These things are vital, but what takes place here is more: today we analyze and give an account for what we have been able to accomplish together as a community in the past three years, the challenges we have faced and will face, and what we hope to achieve in the coming three years, with God’s help. It is my responsibility as your ruling bishop to set the tone and provide a vision for our stewardship of Christ’s Church, which He has entrusted to us and for which we must answer at the Dread Judgment.
First, let us examine where we began and how we got where we are today. The rebirth of an independently administered Eastern American Diocese in 2009 made it possible to once again establish an effective diocesan administration, separate from the Synodal offices in New York City. Over the course of the succeeding five years, our staff members have worked diligently from their homes to create an administrative structure that would assist the ruling and vicar bishops in ministering to the needs of the parishes, clergy, and faithful. But as the Diocese, thankfully, continued to grow, the administrative workload increased, and it became obvious that the lack of a physical center with proper offices was impeding the administration’s efficiency. In 2013, I instructed the Diocesan Council to work with the administration to find a suitable location with a church large enough to host joint services and a center equipped with conference rooms, a banquet hall, and office space. Several potential locations were discussed, but because of its central location and expansive facilities, St. Alexander’s was the logical choice for a Diocesan Center.
A transition team was created that worked for several months to prepare the groundwork for the official opening of the Diocesan Center, which was held on September 12, 2014. With God’s help and your support, we have been able to accomplish many wonderful things since the transition to our Diocesan Center. Staff members no longer need to work from home, and instead maintain regular office hours in the same building. This has increased productivity and made it easier for the administration to manage the day-to-day affairs of our ever-growing Diocese.
I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank Fr. Serge Lukianov and all of our administrative staff for their continued tireless and dedicated service to the Diocese. I am also very grateful to the pastor emeritus of this cathedral, Fr. Valery Lukianov, and to all the clergy and parishioners who have opened up their hearts and made us feel welcome in our new center. Together we have been able to overcome many of the challenges that were associated with the transition process.
With the retirement of Bishop Jerome and the transfer of Bishop George to the Diocese of Australia & New Zealand, a new vicar bishop was consecrated for the Eastern American Diocese on June 28, 2014. Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan has been a tremendous help to our Diocese and to me personally. Despite his duties as deputy secretary of the Synod of Bishops and caretaker of the Kursk Root Icon, Vladyka Nikolai enthusiastically participates in every facet of diocesan life, making frequent archpastoral visits to parishes and by overseeing operations at the Diocesan Center, which he visits often. Those who have had the opportunity to host His Grace in your parishes know of the love with which he tends to his archpastoral duties. Thank you, Vladyka, for your love and care of our flock.
The past three years have been very productive for the Diocesan Council you elected. Members of the Council have worked tirelessly for the betterment of our administration by sharing not only their expertise and advice, but also by relaying issues of concern to the flock, and from the flock back to the administration. While there have been points of contention and disagreement, we were able to overcome them in a spirit of brotherly love and mutual concern for the Diocese. Over the past three years, the Council has been able to move past dealing with purely administrative issues to more serious concerns facing the Church. We saw this type of collaborative work in the publication of a statement in response to the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States. Council members spent several days diligently preparing a proper response to the seismic shift in the political and moral landscape of our country, emphasizing again that, while the teachings of the Holy Orthodox Church are timeless and immutable, we must never forget they are grounded in love for mankind and hope for his salvation. I would like to thank the Council for its sincerity and labors, which have greatly assisted me in my archpastoral work.
With the Diocese growing, it became necessary to rethink our deaneries system, which was not meeting the administrative, spiritual, and missionary needs of the parishes. The Deanery of the South in particular was too large geographically, which made it difficult for the clergy and faithful to gather and exchange ideas. The Deanery of the South was reorganized into the Capital Regions Deanery (encompassing Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia, and West Virginia), the Carolinas & Tennessee Deanery, and the Deanery of Georgia, Alabama & Mississippi. With the ill health and retirement of Fr. George Larin, the New England Deanery was made given a dean separate from the parishes in New York State. By creating these smaller deaneries, the parishes now have better access to their deans, and can focus on dealing with various challenges that are common to a particular deanery’s geographical and cultural region. We wish all of the new deans, as well as those who have served in their capacities for many years, God’s speedy aid in their ongoing labors to grow the Church entrusted to us.
No administration, of course, can function without financial support. The administration of a Diocese of this size requires a full-time staff of several people, a requirement increased by the needs of day-to-day operation of a diocesan center. They cannot do their work – and the bishops, in turn, cannot do ours – if they are constantly chasing after money. Indeed, it is not their responsibility to entice or coerce the parishes, but rather, it is each parish’s responsibility to be diligent in paying the 10% required by our Synod of Bishops. Some parishes, especially the missions in Haiti and elsewhere, have a dire need, and literally survive on donations from the rest of the Church. But within the United States, every parish must do its part to support the Church. If 10% is too much for a mission church to afford, smaller amounts can be paid, every effort must be made to support the Diocese and our Synod. Every parish is likewise required to submit a financial form with a budget, and do so in a straightforward and timely matter. It should go without saying that this is the Church, and we never have anything to hide. If a parish truly cannot make a contribution, a forbearance must be acquired from the Diocesan Council. Forbearances are granted, because keeping the parishes open and healthy must be our first priority, but we cannot forget that everything must be done with a blessing.
Our treasury is in capable hands. As of August 2014, Reader Gregory Levitsky has been fulfilling the duties of treasurer entrusted to him, and has made progress in the Diocese’s finances. He will address some of the major changes, as well as our overall financial policy, in his report this afternoon.
Of course, finances are not an end unto themselves; in this fallen world, even the most basic funding is indispensable for us as we pursue our work in Christ’s Vineyard. But what underpins that work, what makes it worthy in God’s eyes, is love. And it is about that work – and that love – that I will speak to you now.
We have assembled here because we love the Holy Church. We love our diocese and care about its future. Let us consider deeply what would happen if we all, together and from this very moment, made a commitment to increase the love that we have for those around us – our family, friends, parishioners, and most especially our enemies. If we strive to multiply the love that we already have for the Church and our flock, then the Lord, seeing our modest efforts, will mercifully bestow upon us His grace, which "fulfills that which is lacking."
Without true love in our hearts, we cannot become missionaries of our Christian Faith. What does it mean to be missionary? Does it mean that we are to stand on the street corner and shout the "good news" to those around? No. True missionary work begins when each one of us strives to become a better Orthodox Christian. It is that simple. If we can leave this Assembly with a renewed commitment to acquire the Spirit of peace and love within ourselves, then we will become better missionaries. If we try to co-suffer and love a little more each day, then our parishes – an, by extension, our diocese – will become more spiritually fortified and will naturally grow. But without love, we will not be able to accomplish anything, regardless of how hard we try.
St. John of San Francisco tells us that "God saves His fallen creature by His own love for him, but man’s love for his Creator is also necessary; without it he cannot be saved. Striving toward God and cleaving unto the Lord by its humble love, the human soul obtains power to cleanse itself from sin and to strengthen itself for the struggle to complete victory over sin." As members of the Holy Orthodox Church, we must constantly be engaged in spiritual warfare, so that we may indeed triumph over evil. The world around us is descending ever deeper into immorality, and our parishes, these beautiful islands of salvation, are the primary targets of the enemy of man.
One of the greatest characteristics of the Russian Church Abroad is the sense of family that is felt in our parishes. While it is necessary for us to address various administrative questions and touch on the various benefits provided by – and challenges facing – the new Diocesan Center, this Assembly must primarily address the need for developing and growing our parish communities. This Center, the Diocesan Council, and administration are not the Diocese – you are the Diocese. Every parish, large and small, is a diocesan center unto itself, because we are all members of One Body, and because you represent Christ’s Church to the world around your parish. Even with the most efficiently run administration and the most beautiful center open daily to serve the needs of the clergy, faithful, and pilgrims, it will matter little, if our parish communities are not growing spiritually.
In order for the Diocese to grow, we must cultivate that sense of family within each parish community for which the Russian Church Abroad is known, and that sets her apart. As Orthodox Christians, we understand that no family can survive without the Church, at the head of which stands Christ Himself. Archbishop Nikon (Rklitsky) very beautifully describes the role of the Church in the life of every Orthodox Christian when he says, "The Holy Church is the true Teacher of life – She teaches Her children how rightly to live and how rightly to die. In this grace-filled School of life, the Teacher is Christ Himself, Who invisibly abides in His Church… Our souls, captivated by sins, constantly whirling about in this world that lies in sin, are in need of means of healing, and these means are given to us here in the Holy Mysteries, in prayers, in the recollections and descriptions of the sacred events of our salvation, in communion with the spirit of God’s holy saints, in the keeping of God’s commandments, which defend our soul and body from the world’s evil."
The call to be more available for the faithful is a challenge in any parish, but it is easy to understand why those in very small and far-flung parishes can fall into despair and lose hope. Yet the smaller and humbler a parish is, the more it can relate to – and draw inspiration from – the Early Church, when Christians, under threat of persecution, would gather in one another’s homes and would give wholly of themselves for one another. It was not for bread that the first generations of Christians came to the Church, but because they felt this selfless love, this calling to become something greater and to live for more. Before the persecutions, they felt the emptiness of the material world with its brutal entertainment and pagan idols, and yearned for the Heavenly, for the glory of the uncreated, for the promise of eternal life. We are no different, and our position is more like that of the early Christians than it has been in many centuries. There is nothing new under the sun, and there is no need for us to invent new methods of achieving salvation than those offered to us by the example of the Early Church, which became the very life of its members.
I have heard many stories of priests, deacons, matushkas, and simple parishioners giving all that they have – often at the expense of their physical wellbeing ¬– just to help their parishes survive. But if we are to grow, we must move past mere survival. And we can only do this through love and mutual support – not only within our parishes, but within the deaneries and the Diocese, between brother clerics, between matushkas, between minor clerics, between wardens and treasurers. Next year, in addition to clergy and choir conferences, I want us to organize retreats or conferences for altar servers, sisterhoods, deans, and more. As ever before, our strength is in our unity.
I would like to share a few examples of missionary work that is already being done in some of our parishes. Every effort begins small. Christ the Savior Church in Wayne, West Virginia has been operating a food pantry for since the beginning of this year. Open one day a week, the parish is able to feed an average of 150 people. At St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Mayfield, Pennsylvania, Fr. John Sorochka has been leading his parishioners in baking bread and pierogy for over 40 years, both as a fundraiser and a means of missionary outreach. St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon Church in Coconut Creek, Florida is open every day to minister to the needs the Paideia Orthodox Academy, which provides a classical education for children in an Orthodox setting. Fr. Gregoire and Matushka Rose Legouté have been successfully operating a school for handicapped children in Haiti, despite all of the economic hardships that they face. Other parishes reach out to the local community through festivals, open houses, and barbeques. Today, you can walk the streets of Brooklyn and visit our four churches, all of which are open for the faithful every single day.
While every parish has its own unique set of challenges, there are many lessons that we can learn from each other, and blessings and God-given talents that we can offer to one another. This is why we must try to gather more frequently on a local level, so that we may continue to learn and grow, and to attract people to the Church.
If we love our Holy Church and wish to see it prosper and grow, then we must reaffirm our commitment to our youth. We are very fortunate and blessed to have so many wonderful various youth organizations in our Diocese – the Synodal Youth Department and St. Vladimir Youth Association, the Diocesan Youth Choir, St. Herman Youth Conference, scout organizations like St. George’s Pathfinders and the Association of Russian Explorers, St. Seraphim’s Camp, and the Orthodox Summer Camp at Glorious Ascension Monastery.
Despite all of these wonderful undertakings, there is much more that we can and should be doing with the youth on a parish level. It is essential that our parishes become a second home for the youth. This means that the parish must offer them something outside of the services so that they have a reason to gather and socialize under the auspices of the church. If possible, try to designate a room or a small corner in the parish hall that is strictly for the youth. Organizing pilgrimages, summer camps, social outings, field trips, and youth conferences are just a few ways that we can better engage our younger generations on a parish level.
By sharing our experiences in a spirit of brotherly love and support, and constantly trying to better ourselves, we can teach our children how to be better missionaries and ensure a brighter future for the Diocese. It does not take much to have an impact on a child’s life: once a child feels warmth and love from the parish community, they will undoubtedly try to share that love and will gravitate to the warmth that they feel. Sometimes, all it takes is a small gesture to make our youth feel loved and appreciated.
Finally, a word about our holy monasteries: glory to God, our monastic communities are flourishing. They continue to attract Christians to the monastic calling, to lives of prayer for the salvation of the whole world. Holy Trinity and Holy Cross Monasteries especially are constantly undertaking new projects and obediences, and inspire us by their piety, optimism, and labors for the glory of God.
Dear fathers, brothers, and sisters, it is a wonderful blessing to be with you on this journey. I would like to thank you all for the sacrifices you have made and will make for our beloved diocese. Prayer must be at the center of all things, but especially in our work here as a diocese and moving forward. Please remember this diocese and each other in your prayers. And I would humbly ask that you would pray for me that I may continue to serve you and our Lord faithfully for years to come.
