Orthodox League holds convention in Bound Brook (08/09/98)

Orthodox League holds convention in Bound Brook

SOUTH BOUND BROOK, N.J. - The 51st annual convention of the Ukrainian Orthodox League was held here at the diocesan center on July 15-19 with delegates and guests housed at the Marriott Hotel in Somerset. Business sessions and social events were held at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's Cultural Center.

The convention was hosted by the National Executive Board; the Clifton and Maplewood chapters of New Jersey; the Northampton and Philadelphia chapters of Pennsylvania; and the Johnson City chapter from New York. Emil Skocypec, UOL auditor and Consistory treasurer, served as convention chairman.

The 51st convention was graced by the presence of three hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A.: Metropolitan Constantine, Archbishop Antony and Archbishop Vsevolod.

The Rev. Anthony Ugolnick, Kresge Professor of Humanities and Ethics at Franklin and Marshall College, was the convention keynote speaker, and his topic was "Orthodox in North America: What is Our Role?"

Daily religious services included molebens, liturgy and vespers, with a hierarchical liturgy in St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle Memorial Church concelebrated on Sunday by Metropolitan Constantine, Archbishops Antony and Vsevolod, and seven members of the clergy, together with deacons, sub-deacons and altar servers.

Social events included Hospitality Night, Jersey Shore, Bake-Off Cultural Contest, a Dinner Mystery Theater, a Grand Banquet and ball, and a farewell brunch on Sunday. Tours were also scheduled for the Fisher House, museum, cemetery and book store, all located on the Consistory grounds.

A highlight of the convention was Education Day, featuring workshops on pysanky, religious instruction, youth ministry, bead-making, a town hall meeting, and a session devoted to the St. Sophia Seminary.

Many scholarships were announced at the banquet, and a check in the amount of $33,100 for the Youth Ministry Program was presented to Metropolitan Constantine by Dr. Stephen Sivulich, fund drive chair. The Rev. John Harvey, rector of St. Sophia Seminary, received a check in the amount of $5,000 for the seminary scholarship program from Dr. Paul Szwez, chairman of the Metropolitan John Scholarship Committee.

Elected to office for 1999 in the Senior UOL were: president - Helen Greenleaf, Novelty, Ohio; first vice-president - Dr. Sivulich, Carnegie, Pa.; second vice-president - Dr. Victoria Malick, Washington; recording secretary - Ann Moroz, Lindenwold, N.J.; corresponding secretary - Linda Winters, Northampton Pa.; financial secretary - Matka Maria Norton, Newington, Conn.; treasurer - Catherine Bailly, New Britain, Conn.; Auditor - Nickolay Shapoval, Lincoln, Neb.

Archimandrite Father Andriy Partykevich, of Boston was appointed spiritual advisor to the senior league, and the Rev. Myron Oryhon of Johnson City, N.Y., was appointed the junior league's spiritual advisor.

Elected to office in the Junior UOL were: president - Laryssa Sadoway, Boston; vice-president - Diane Platosz, New Britain, Conn.; recording/corresponding secretary - Jessica Burgan, Clifton, N.J.; financial secretary - Larissa Burlij, Parma, Ohio; treasurer - A.J. Nary, Boston.

The 1999 Convention of the Ukrainian Orthodox League will be held in Hartford, Conn., and hosted by the St. Mary Chapter of New Britain with Stefan Norton and Michelle Bailly as co-chairs.