At the 91st FOCA National Convention in Hershey, PA - the following charitable giving was awarded or collected.

Over the recent Labor Day weekend of September 1-4, 2017, the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America (FOCA) held its 91st national convention at the Sheraton Hotel between Hershey and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – it was sponsored by the New Jersey District.

Over the weekend of May 5-7, bowlers gathered in the Baltimore area for the 78th annual national bowling tournament which was sponsored by the Vladicon “O” Club of St. Andrew Orthodox Church of Baltimore, Maryland at which Father Theodore Boback is rector (as well as the Fellowship’s national spiritual advisor). Participants were from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia and Maryland. Team bowling was held at Country Club Lanes in Middle River, MD on Friday evening.  Doubles and singles bowling took place on Saturday.

Deacon Andrew Nelko – a third-year student at St. Tikhon’s Seminary, president of its Fellowship chapter and outgoing president of the Student Government – was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on Annunciation Day, March 25th, at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Weirton, West Virginia.

A “wild and wonderful” national basketball tournament was hosted by the Weirton “O” Club of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Weirton, West Virginia over the weekend of April 28-30. This was the chapter’s very first national event – the activities were a “slam dunk” thanks to event chair Dr. John Schultz, past national president, and his hardworking committee.

On March 5, 2017, Metropolitan Joseph, leader of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, hosted Metropolitan Tikhon and other clergy at the annual Pan-Orthodox Vespers for the Sunday of Orthodoxy at St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY.

On December 6, 2016, members of the National executive board of the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America visited St. Tikhon’s Seminary in South Canaan, PA. Father Theodore Boback, National Spiritual Advisor, Marge Kovach, National President, and Allison Steffaro, National Vice-President, shared the FOCA’s mission, current work and future plans with seminarians.

Father John Edward, pastor of St. Michael’s Orthodox Church, Mt. Carmel, PA, delivered an inspiring, fascinating talk on “My Journey to Orthodoxy” – how he, his wife and family came into the Orthodox Christian Faith.  This was the district’s annual St. Andrew’s Day observance.  He was accompanied by his wife, Matushka Suja.