The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

DIOCESE OF CHICAGO AND DETROIT: November 6, 2006
Resolution of the Diocesan Assembly of Chicago and Detroit held in Oklahoma City from October 30-November 1

In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

The clergy of the Chicago and Detroit Diocese having come together for the annual diocesan assembly in Oklahoma City under the protection of the Miracle-Working Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God at the St.Benedict of Nursia church, under the direction of His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, have raised up their prayers of gratitude to the Lord of Hosts for the great and abundant mercies that were shed over the past year upon our Diocese, and the Russian Church Abroad at large.

We rejoice in the Lord over the reconciliation which has occurred within the Russian Church. The IV All-Diaspora Council and the ensuing Council of Bishops have clearly stated that “unity in truth and love are the will of God,” and that this decision “is a clear manifestation of the grace of the Holy Spirit which has brought us together.”

We unanimously support this conciliar decision. We thank our First Hierarch, Metropolitan Laurus, and our hierarchy for their labors to heal ecclesiastical divisions. An expedient solution of this issue was imperative, in view of the fall of the godless regime and the ensuing expiration of the mandate given to the Church Abroad by St Patriarch Tikhon in the Ukase No. 362. Had we not pursued this course of reconciliation, we would have been following man instead of God and we would have eventually found ourselves outside the Orthodox Church.

We regret that our hierarch, the Most Reverend Archbishop Alypy, is not with us at this assembly because of his health. We thank him for his epistle to our assembly, and fully embrace his thoughts and share his views that the time for reconciliation in the Russian Church is here. We pray for his health, salvation and well being.

We rejoice that the concelebration of our First Hierarchs is at hand. We ask our hierarchy to inform us as soon as possible of the time and place of this glorious event, so that we may prayerfully prepare ourselves, and share in this great spiritual joy.

Unanimously accepted by those in attendance and the following clergy of the Diocese:

+Archbishop Alypy

+Bishop Peter

Archpriest Peter Burlakov

Archpriest Paul Karas

Igumen Ioann (Magramm)

Archpriest John Shaw

Archpriest Eugene Gruchetski

Igumen John (Berzins)

Archpriest Martin Swanson

Archpriest Paul Bassett

Archpriest John Sykaluk

Archpriest Andre Papkov

Archpriest Anthony Nelson

Priest Jeremiah Loch

Priest Christopher Stade

Priest Andrey Korolenko

Priest James Rohrer

Priest Thomas Kulp

Priest George Brooks

Priest Victor Trotskyy

Priest George Dahdouh

Priest Michael Carney

Priest Ilia Marzev

Priest John Whiteford

Priest Lubomir Kupec

Priest Seraphim Holland

Priest Cassian Sibley

Priest Valery Vovkovsky

Priest Daniel Marshall

Deacon Vadim Gan

Deacon Matthew Williams

Deacon Julian Miloradovich

Deacon Alexander Kichakov

Attested to as true and accurate,

Priest Gregory Joyce
Secretary