OFFICE OF PASTORAL LIFE - ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA

Come and See:
Our Good Pastors & Clergy Families in Parish Life

OFFICE OF PASTORAL LIFE - ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA

Come and See:
Our Good Pastors & Clergy Families in Parish Life

Welcome to the Orthodox Church in America’s Office of Pastoral Life!

Our Office is dedicated to serving priests, deacons, clergy wives, and, through them, the faithful of our Church. We believe that healthy priests and healthy priest families are essential to nurturing healthy and vitalized parish communities. Our mission is to support and enrich the lives of our clergy and their families, ensuring they have the resources and support they need to lead our Church with strength and compassion. We are excited to launch (or that you have visited … perhaps) this new website as a hub for our initiatives, programs, and resources, and we look forward to serving you.

Father Nicholas Solak
Chair, Office of Pastoral Life

WHAT WE OFFER

Our Programs

Synaxis

Join our Synaxis program, a gathering of priests & deacons for fellowship, support, and learning. Through workshops, presentations, and facilitated discussions, Synaxis provides a space for clergy members to nurture their spiritual well-being and cultivate meaningful connections with peers.

Visit Synaxis

Thriving in Ministry

Discover practical tools and insights to thrive in your ministry with our Thriving in Ministry program. From stress management techniques to building relationships to break isolation, this program equips clergy members with the resources they need to flourish in their calling.

Visit Thriving in Ministry

Financial Health Initiative

Supporting Clergy Families in Building Financial Stability! Financial Health Initiative empowers clergy and their families with education, coaching, and direct support to overcome financial challenges, so they can continue their sacred mission of serving the Church with peace of mind.

Visit Financial Health Initiative

Emphasizing the Joy of Ministry

Our Mission

We always want to emphasize that we’re trying to connect people with the joy of ministry. We want to keep clergy  and clergy wives connected with the joy of ministry.

Whom We Serve

OCA active and retired clergy, clergy wives, and clergy widows.

Healthy Clergy, Happy Family

Our Vision

Clergy and clergy wives have wisdom to share, and when they share this wisdom, there is a double blessing: clergy families enjoy greater health, and parishes do as well. The research is strong: healthy clergy families blossom into vibrant parish ministries.

Sadly, Orthodox clergy and clergy wives so rarely have the chance to gather and develop communities of trust and common support. Geography is a factor, but so is the isolation brought on by stress, overworking, self-neglect, and pride. Clergy and clergy wives need to gather, on purpose, to do the good work of wisdom-sharing and to develop a trusted network of reliable support.

We care about clergy health. Here are some markers of healthy clergy:

  • Healthy clergy grow, rather than wither, in response to the daily challenges of ministry.
  • Healthy clergy build Christ-centered congregations that mirror the priest’s same joy, humility and creativity.
  • Healthy clergy and clergy wives naturally feed their parishes a steady stream of hope and joy in Christ.
  • Healthy clergy and clergy wives inspire their parishes to choose change and growth over resignation and nostalgia.

Empowering Spiritual Caregivers

Upcoming Events and Gatherings

Stay connected and engaged with our calendar of events. Explore workshops, retreats, and community gatherings tailored to support your spiritual journey and professional development provided by our programs and ministries.

Join Us on the Journey

Building Connections, Finding Support, and Cultivating Growth

We invite you to connect with us and explore how the Office of the Pastoral Life can support you in your journey. Whether through in-person meetings, virtual programs, or online resources, we’re dedicated to fostering a community of support and growth for pastoral excellence.

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If the core of our lives as Christians is the Holy Altar of the Church, then the core of our responsibility as members of the Church should be to care for the health of those who stand and serve before that altar and impart to us the Holy Mysteries. The clergy are set apart for the sacred task of bringing their faithful, and the whole world, into the glory of the Kingdom, to reconcile them to God. At the same time, they themselves remain human beings in need of healing and salvation so that they might help lead others to the same.

Metropolitan Tikhon

Of What Life Do We Speak?
Four Pillars for the Fulfillment of the Apostolic Work of the Church