A Message from the FOCA President - Fall 2025
/Glory to Jesus Christ!
First of all, we had a productive convention with an overwhelming show of support for the FOCA from the AAC Youth Directors, Fr. Jason & Matushka Ashley Foster. The Grand Banquet of the FOCA and OCA was so overwhelming for the over 900 people present. The youth program presented the founding of the Church in Alaska with a magnificent cardboard ship with emissaries traveling from Russia. The ship’s sail had the message “sponsored by the FOCA” in letters that nobody could miss. Then, as the children were singing liturgical hymns, cardboard crosses that were decorated by the youth participants were distributed to tables by some of those same youths. What happened next was surreal.
As the children were singing more hymns, the tables of hierarchs began waving their crosses in the air, soon to be joined by all of the clergy, delegates, and guests at the banquet. There were many brought to tears by this improvisational act that was a true reflection of our Faith. And there was the FOCA; responsible for every cardboard cutout used and quietly supporting the endeavors of the AAC Youth Coordinators. Our financial support was overwhelmingly appreciated.
Both Metropolitan Tikhon and Bishop Gearasim were very complimentary of our work and encouraged us to move forward. His Beatitude greeted more than 200 people for our screening of “Sacred Alaska” and reminded all in attendance that the FOCA is not a fraternal organization. He commended the work that we do in it being for the lifting up of the Faith.
Our presentation of the proceeds from the Gifts of Love campaign to Archbishop Daniel at the Grand Banquet very apparently caught him off guard as he expected a small check for $1,000.00. He was stunned to find our total offering was $10,000.00. This was not a small task. You made this happen.
As already stated, we had a productive convention. There was discussion, disagreement, and more discussion. However, with the early thought of only 15 attending Phoenix, we ended up with nearly triple that projection and had a healthy meeting of the organization. That being said, we have some serious discussion to ensue with recent developments.
As many of you have hopefully read from the FOCA Website, I posted my address at the AAC/FOCA Grand Banquet to remind us in the FOCA and educate the OCA clergy and delegates at the AAC not familiar with us of who we are. Since that time, we have had developments in the FOCA that have brought the Executive Board into very thoughtful and heartfelt discussion of our path forward as an organization. With a measured degree of consternation, we have met with a renewed sense of hope and promise for our future.
There are many over the past several years that have written off the FOCA from within the Fellowship. In their respective Districts and Chapters, there is reason to believe that the organization is finished. Some of the strongest and most staunch leaders have worked tirelessly to uphold their locals to no avail. Members have walked away for a variety of reasons. We have heard, time and again, that the FOCA has reached the end.
The reflections that we have gathered from the fruitful discussions of the 98th Convention and subsequent District Conventions have led us to an opinion that the FOCA cannot continue in its current form. However, we firmly believe that the opportunity to rethink the organization through radical bylaws changes can reboot the organization with a very positive path to forge ahead.
The 99th FOCA Convention in Cleveland, Ohio on July 24-27, 2026 will give all the opportunity to be a part of reinvigorating the Fellowship with very viable options in a new structure of ByLaws. The groundwork for these projected ByLaws are targeted for rough draft in early 2026. The way that the FROC and FOCA have functioned for nearly 100 years is a magnificent blessing. Now, we need to realign the organization to embrace all of the changes that we cannot address in our current form. Rest assured, the Executive Board is unified in moving forward with ideas to discuss, debate, and choose the best path forward. Districts may have closed, chapters may continue to fold, but the FOCA ceasing to exist is not an option.
There are several realities that we know will not change. Our District structure has crumbled. Our strongest entities have chapters folding with no new membership. The discussion of membership with dues to those outside of the FOCA is not appealing at all. The FOCA does great works that will not be taken up by any other arm of the Church. We have people in the OCA who want to do good work who presently have no network available to them as outsiders of the FOCA.
All of this is at the very forefront of the agenda for the FOCA Executive Board. We are meeting to plan strategies to present to the membership over the next few months. Vice President Nick Ressetar has assumed the Chair of the ByLaws Committee and is working with the EBoard to craft a new set of ByLaws that will present a revolutionary approach to the FOCA moving forward. Our goal is not simply to make it to 100; our goal is to resurrect the energy of the organization to move far into the future as the great philanthropic and social organization that it has always been.
I have attached my Grand Banquet Address and FOCA Convention reflection for your reading. Please read them both and reflect on how the FOCA continues to do great work even in diminished numbers. Know that your support is still very much needed. You are the FOCA. Together, we can restructure this blessing and prepare for a second century of praying, studying, toiling, and being temperate for the Glory of God!
In closing, some will say that it is too late. Respectfully, there are many who believe that reimagining the organization will change that belief. Some will say that the best days are way behind us. Those days are irreplaceable. We must look to the future. I only ask that you be patient, pray for our work, and continue to do the good works for your Church whether or not it is on behalf of the FOCA.
In Christian Fellowship,
Basil Kochan
