Episcopal Assemby

HT: Orthodox News

Metropolitan Jonah

Orthodox Church in America April 21, 2010

SYOSSET, NY [OCA] — In anticipation of the first North American Episcopal Assembly, slated to convene in New York City, May 25-27, 2010, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah has asked that special petitions be included in the Litany of Fervent Supplication.

Under the chairmanship of His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the Assembly will bring together all canonical Orthodox hierarchs across the continent.

Comprehensive and informative background information on events and deliberations leading to the convocation of the Assembly may be found on the web site of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas at www.scoba.us/resources/chambesy_documents.html.
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It’s really the second. The first was Ligonier.

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The 65 Orthodox Bishops in the Americas received their invitations to attend the first Episcopal Assembly to be held under the new Chambesy agreement last week. Writing to all as the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Archbishop Demetrios stated:

“Therefore, in order to comment the process to which we have all been called within the designated region “North and Central America”, I invite you to participate at the first Episcopal Assembly of the region that will be convened in New York City on May 26 and 27, 2010. Preparations are under way in order to facilitate your participation. Ground transportation, lodging, all meals, and meeting facilities are currently being readied. It is requested that you arrive on Tuesday, May 25th in order to be present for the First Session of the Assembly the morning of Wednesday, May 26th. In order that we may two full days for the Assembly, please make your travel arrangements in order to leave on Friday, May 28th. All three nights in New York City will be provided to you…”

The new Assembly will replace SCOBA. One of the major differences between the new Episcopal Assembly and SCOBA is that all the bishops will be invited to attend, not just representatives; and that voting will be by local churches – not jurisdictions. Thus all the jurisdictions under one local Church (e.g. the Albanians, Ukrainians, Greeks and Carpatho-Russians, all under Constantinople) will cast one united ballot. For the purposes of the Assembly the OCA will be one of eight local Churches, rather than just another one of 23 jurisdictions.