In a message to Diocesan leaders, Primate Bishop Daniel announced that the upcoming 120th Diocesan Assembly will convene as a virtual gathering, with all business conducted online.
In his directive dated January 28, the Primate wrote on behalf of the Diocesan Council that practical issues involving securing a venue, as well as uncertainty about health, regulatory, and financial developments in the ongoing pandemic, dictated a change from a planned in-person event to an online meeting. Prior to the decision, the 120th Diocesan Assembly was scheduled to have been hosted by the St. Mark Church of Springfield, MA.
Over the past two years, the Eastern Diocese has garnered a great deal of experience hosting large and small virtual gatherings. Both the 118th and 119th Diocesan Assemblies met using the virtual format, over the Zoom conference platform.
According to the announcement, the 2022 assembly will convene online on Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Further details will be released shortly. As in the earlier online events, Diocesan Primate Bishop Daniel Findikyan will preside over the 120th Diocesan Assembly gathering, and deliver a formal address to clergy and delegates.
An important function of the upcoming Diocesan Assembly will involve voting for elected officers, proposals, and matters such as the approval of the Diocesan budget. The gathering will also be the occasion for an election for the office of Primate, which is held every four years in accordance with the Diocesan Bylaws. The election feature has been successfully undertaken during the past two virtual assemblies using a secure, user-friendly online voting platform.
Click here to view the announcement, or read the full text below.
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January 28, 2022
To the Reverend Clergy, Diocesan Delegates and Parish Council Chairs,
This letter serves to inform our Diocesan Clergy, Diocesan Delegates and Parish Council Chairs of the status of the 120th Diocesan Assembly.
The Primate and the Diocesan Council would like to thank St Mark’s Armenian Church in Springfield Massachusetts for all of their efforts and time in attempting to host the 2022 Diocesan Assembly. Unfortunately, the Marriot Hotel in Springfield, the venue for the assembly, canceled the contract due to construction not being completed by May of 2022. Although alternate locations were considered, it was found that those options would not be conducive to our needs. The Diocesan Council made the decision to hold the 2022 Diocesan Assembly elsewhere.
Significant efforts were made to secure an alternative venue and a hotel was identified which would have enabled an in-person assembly. Soon thereafter, the Omicron Variant entered the United States and the climate in the hotel and travel industry dramatically changed. We encountered restrictions being placed in hotel contracts and the inability to safeguard from negative financial ramifications should there be a significant new Covid outbreak. Our research also revealed air travel through the summer of 2022 would likely be subject to erratic schedules and high pricing. Ever changing local vaccine requirements, masking for large gatherings, restricted venue guidelines and the multitude of ongoing challenges mentioned above has led us to determine an in-person assembly cannot be achieved.
The Diocesan Council has decided the 2022 Diocesan Assembly will be held virtually on Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm each day. Further details will be forthcoming.
We thank you for your ongoing patience and understanding during these challenging times.
With my prayers,
Bishop DANIEL
Primate