Annual Census Reports

In early January of every year, the Department of Statistics and Credentials will send an Annual Census Report to every parish and mission of the Archdiocese.  Every community is required to complete this report and return it to the Archdiocese Headquarters.  The report is for the period which ended on December 31st of the previous year.  The report includes the numbers of baptisms, chrismations, marriages, and funerals for the previous year.  It also records the number of people joining, and leaving the parish.  This results in the new number of baptized souls, which is considered the official size of the community.

Assessments and Special Trays

A significant portion of the funding that is required by the Archdiocese comes from the assessments and Special Trays which are paid by each parish to the Archdiocese on an annual basis. 

Beginning in 2006, the Archdiocese implemented a new Proportional Giving System for parish contributions.  With this new system, a parish contributes a percentage of the total parish income that it realized in the previous year (i.e. the contribution for 2006 will be based on the actual income for 2005).  Certain allowable deductions (such as mortgage payments and charitable contributions) are subtracted from the total income before the percentage calculation is made.  For 2006 this percentage is 8%, and it will increase to 9% in 2007, and 10% in 2008.  Under the new system, parishes with fewer than 50 baptized souls are expected to contribute, but missions remain exempt. 

 There are currently three Special Trays that are collected throughout the year, as follows:

1. Orthodoxy Sunday - to directly support the scholarships that are granted to men who are attending seminary in preparation for the priesthood.
2. Palm Sunday - to support His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius IV and our Mother Church of Antioch.
3. October - to support financial contributions to the three Orthodox Seminaries who help to prepare our future priests.

Each community in our Archdiocese is assigned a category (A through E) based on the number of baptized souls that have been reported for the end of the previous year in their Annual Census Report.  Missions are designated as category "M".  The following table shows these categories, and the corresponding sizes.  It also indicates whether an assessment is required, and the minimum amount required to be contributed for each Special Tray:

Category       # Baptized            Assessment         Special Tray

                         Souls                 Required               Minimum

    A             800 and greater            Yes                     $600.00

    B                400 - 799                  Yes                     $500.00

    C                200 - 399                  Yes                     $400.00

    D                  50 - 199                  Yes                     $250.00

    E               fewer than 50               No                     As Collected

    M                 Mission                     No                     As Collected

Some parishes are designated as "tithing" parishes by virtue of the fact that their parishioners tithe (contribute 10% of their income) to the parish.  These parishes contribute 10% of their income to the Archdiocese.  These parishes are not required to make any additional payments over and above their tithe.

Voting Eligibility

Every other year, the Archdiocese will gather at its North American Convention, and will convene a General Assembly of clergy and laity. In addition, a Special Convention may be called as needed, and a General Assembly would be convened at that Special Convention. The following are eligible to vote on all matters that are brought before the General Assembly:

1. Every pastor of a parish or mission (1 vote each)
2. Every president of a Regional organization (1 vote Each)
3. Every president of an organization at the North American Level (1 vote each)
4. Every active member of the Archdiocese Board of Trustees (1 vote each - note that Honorary members do not vote)
5. Every retired priest, and every priest or deacon who is employed by the Archdiocese as the head of a department (1 vote each)
6. Every parish or mission according to their size (1 vote for every 100 baptized souls or fraction which exceeds 50)

In order for the delegates of a parish or mission to be seated as a voting delegation, all of the following conditions must be met:

1. Assessments and Special Trays must have been paid in full for the previous year
2. Assessment and Special Trays must be up-to-date for the current year
3. A valid Annual Census Reports must have been submitted for the previous year

Please note that exceptions to these conditions must have been approved by the Metropolitan in advance of the General Assembly.