From Monday the 26th through Wednesday the 28th of October, the Eastern American Diocese held its triennial Diocesan Assembly at St. Alexander Nevsky Diocesan Cathedral in Howell, NJ, under the aegis of the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora, the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God. The meeting was led by the Diocese’s Ruling Bishop, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, with the assistance of His Grace, diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan.

On Monday night, clergy and delegates from around the Diocese began to arrive. On Monday evening, they came out to greet the hierarch and the Kursk Root Icon, and the clergy served a moleben and akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos in St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. A dinner was then offered in the parish hall for those in attendance.

The following morning, after the remaining clergy and delegates arrived, a moleben was sung in the cathedral, and the Assembly began. Metropolitan Hilarion called the Assembly to order, and delivered his State of the Diocese address. After completing his address, the Metropolitan delivered a short statement regarding a recent series of e-mails that had been circulating among the clergy and laity and had become the cause of temptation among the faithful.

Diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov delivered a statistics report on diocesan life over the last three years, including total number of parishes and monasteries, ordained and reposed clerics, and parishes opened and closed.

Archpriest George Zelenin, head of the diocesan Spiritual Court, delivered a brief report on the work of the Spiritual Court. Despite the usual policy of the Spiritual Court not to discuss matters that come before them, Fr. George touched on two cases, particularly one that has already become public knowledge, thanks to e-mails and letters being disseminated by individuals hoping to bring attention to the case. Fr. George underscored that such activity – which is viewed as attempting to put pressure on the Spiritual Court and drag cases into the court of public opinion – is absolutely impermissible, as the Spiritual Court does everything within its competency to judge any cases purely on its merits and on Canon Law, rather than on appeals to passion and emotion.

Applauding the Spiritual Court’s work, Metropolitan Hilarion presented a diocesan Gramota to the Spiritual Court: Fr. George, Archpriest David Straut, Archpriest Ilya Gorsky, and Priest Serge Ledkovsky. A Gramota was also presented to outgoing Diocesan Council member George N. Nikolsky, who had been appointed to the Council by Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky; +1985), and this year chose not to seek reelection.

Joseph Kollar, chairman of the diocesan Auditing Committee, then read the Committee’s report on their reviews of diocesan finances. Mr. Kollar expressed his deep satisfaction with the state of financial recordkeeping, and commended the diocesan treasurer for his work and cooperation. Archpriest John Moses and Priest Christophe Lepoutre spoke briefly about the new commission on mental health and pastoral care, which focuses on offering confidential counseling to those among the clergy and faithful in need. Frs. John and Christophe answered questions from the delegates.

The Assembly then took a break for lunch, after which Archpriest Andrei Sommer, Vice President of ROCOR’s Synodal Youth Department, delivered a presentation on Missionary Youth Work, in which he touched on several of the projects that the Youth Department has undertaken over the last several years, including trips to Russia, the Holy Land, San Francisco, and more; publishing a book on youth work (From West to East); and planning further projects for the future. Fr. Andrei answered questions from the delegates, after which Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov spoke briefly about his experiences working with youth, and offered his advice to pastors in dealing with the younger generation.

Diocesan treasurer Reader Gregory Levitsky then presented a report on the state of diocesan finances for the 2015 year (a more comprehensive report on the 2013-2014 years was made available to delegates in hardcopy form). He thanked members of the diocesan Auditing Committee for their help in guiding him in his new obedience, and then answered questions from the delegates regarding diocesan finances, the proposed 2016 budget, and the particulars of the financial relationship between the Diocese and the parish in the new Diocesan Center.

Elections were then held for Diocesan Council and Auditing Committee. All of the nominees ratified by the Metropolitan for placement on the ballot were elected:

Diocesan Council: Archpriests Victor Potapov, Serge Lukianov, David Straut, Mark Mancuso, and Alexandre Antchoutine, Priest George Temidis, Deacon Michael Wengrin, Subdeacon Adrian Fedorowski, and Reader Nicholas Pokrovsky.

Auditing Committee: Joseph Kollar, Liev ("Dexter") Peavy, and Marina Zacharin.

Appointed to the Spiritual Court were Archpriests George Zelenin, Ilya Gorsky, and Petro Kunitsky, and Priest Serge Ledkovsky. Appointed treasurer was Reader Gregory Levitsky.

While the ballots were being tallied, a group photo was taken in front of the cathedral, followed by free time and dinner. Vespers and Matins were served in the cathedral, during which clergy prepared themselves for Holy Communion the following day.

On Wednesday morning, Metropolitan Hilarion celebrated the Divine Liturgy, co-served by Bishop Nicholas and the clergy delegates. Prior to the start of Liturgy, His Eminence tonsured altar serve Alexander Vlachos a reader, to be assigned to the diocesan cathedral. During the Little Entrance, Priest Vladimir Kaydanov (rector of St. Nicholas Church in Palm Coast, FL) was awarded the right to wear the nabedrennik. Upon completion of the Liturgy, the Metropolitan congratulated all of the concelebrating clergy, as well as all of the delegates on the successful completion of the Diocesan Assembly. He called on them to pray that the Lord bless the Diocese in the coming years with successful and irenic labors. His Eminence congratulated one of the Diocese’s junior-most clergymen, Priest Vladimir Kaydanov, on receiving his award, and Alexander Vlachos on his reader’s tonsure, and wished them both God’s speedy aid.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Archpriest Alexis Duncan’s ordination to the diaconate, he and his Matushka Anna were presented a diocesan Gramota; Archpriest Constantine Semyanko received a Gramota on behalf of his father, Archpriest Andrei Semyanko, who was unable to attend, but who this year is celebrating 60 years of ordination.

The Assembly then concluded with a banquet in the parish hall, during which clergy were able to interact with one another one final time before departing home for their parishes.