Agencies and Endorsed Organizations 2014 Report

Committee Membership: 

Bishop Gregory (ACROD), Chairman and Episcopal Liaison to OCF
Bishop Daniel (UOC), Episcopal Liaison to EOCS
Archbishop Nicolae (Romanian Archdiocese), Episcopal Liaison to IOCC
Metropolitan Savas (GOA), Episcopal Liaison to OCMC
Bishop Peter (ROCOR), Episcopal Liaison to OCN
Bishop Mark (OCA) , Episcopal Liaison to OCPM

Secretariat Liaison:
Mr. Alexei Krindatch

Consultants:
Mrs. Anne Glynn-Mackoul
Mr. Eric Namee

Purpose of the Committee
Ground work began being laid in June of 2014 to initiate the Committee's work. The Committee for Agencies and Endorsed Organizations has as its goal to be the Assembly’s oversight body with respect to its Agencies and Endorsed Organizations. It will also be responsible for reviewing the criteria for Agency and Endorsed Organization status and proposing any changes to the Assembly.

Activities and Accomplishments of the Committee
A phone conference was convened between the Chairman of the newly established Committee and the Committee's liaison (Mr. Alexei Krindatch) and Committee's consultants (Mr. Eric Namee and Mrs. Anne Glynn-Mackoul) in order to determine first steps and timeline in setting up Committee's regular work;

Representatives of all Agencies have been invited to attend Assembly V to make presentations on their Agencies' current activities and future plans. An informal meeting is planned between Episcopal liaisons and representatives of Agencies;

Chairman of the Committee participated in the meeting of the board of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF). OCF undergoes currently through the process of restructuring and the Chairman of the Committee oversees this process;

The study "Orthodox Christian Fellowship in the United States" was conducted by the Assembly's research coordinator, Mr. Alexei Krindatch. This study's results have been used by the Committee for the assessment of OCF's current activities and programs as well as for drawing recommendations for OCF's future work;

Jointly with the Committee for Financial Affairs, the Committee for Agencies and Endorsed Organizations designed the study on "Exploring Orthodox Generosity: Why Our Parishioners Give (Relatively) Little and What Can Be Done About It." The goal of this study is to examine religious giving among the members of US Orthodox Churches from a variety of viewpoints, offering recommendations on what might be done in order to increase their willingness to donate to the needs of the Church.