The OCA and our Diocese at Syndesmos International Youth Festival

by Janine Alpaugh

The theme for the 2015 Syndesmos Conference held from August 24-30 in Suprasl, Poland was: Attaining Conciliarity, utilizing the Scriptural text: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Syndesmos is an international organization that brings together Orthodox youth adults from around the world. The participants from France, Russia, Belarus, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Slovakia, Kazan, Serbia, and the United States came together for one week, as Jean Rehbinder said, “to communicate traditions and to share the life of the Church.”

The Orthodox Church in America, though it has previously been active, has not had representatives at a Syndesmos event in over five years. Will Kopcha, Victor Lutes, Joseph Green, John Shimchick, and Janine Alpaugh were selected to represent the OCA (John and Janine are from our Diocese). They made presentations on the OCA’s history and about some American Orthodox organizations (such as the Seminaries, IOCC, OCF, and FOCA). The ambassadors also participated in the choir, providing liturgical hymns in English and incorporating them into the daily prayer services, Vigil and Divine Liturgy.

Throughout the Conference several priests including Fr. Chad Hatfield, the Chancellor of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, and Fr. Vladimir Misijuk of Białystok, Poland engaged the participants (Fr. Vladimir is an alumnus of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary and is Former Syndesmos General Secretary). Fr. Chad spoke about, “The Conciliar Model of the OCA: The Dream of Saint Tikhon,” and Fr. Vladimir addressed the topic of: “Attaining Conciliarity: The Task of our Daily Life.”

The group reviewed a letter written by a Syndesmos gathering in 1988. In discussing the twenty-eight questions that were proposed, they realized that each of the questions is still unanswered twenty-seven years later. Many of the points dealt with language. The members of my group discussed how they do not understand the divine services because they do not understand Old Church Slavonic. Growing up in a church that has a primary language of English has spoiled me. When I go to another jurisdiction, for example ROCOR, I expect to hear Slavonic and only understand a small amount. I am blessed to go back to the OCA and understand each word that is said. It gives me a better understanding of my faith.

Seeing so many Orthodox Christians from all over the world that do share the same concerns allows the “wall” that has been built up to come down. Several members of our group will attend the 2016 Syndesmos Conference this July in Presov, Slovakia.