A discounted block of rooms is available at the Staybridge Suites Canton.(330-966-6620 ask for Small Parish Forum Group Rate.) The discounted rate is available only until June 15.

Registration fee, including most meals and Forum materials is $100 per attendee.

Parishes from the Archdiocese of Western PA and the Diocese of the Midwest are eligible for scholarships covering Forum registration and lodging. Contact Joseph Kormos with questions.

To register for the Small Parish Forum and to make discounted hotel reservations click here.

More on the 2016 Small Parish Forum...

For clergy and lay leaders

from small Orthodox churches, the Small Parish Forum is an intimate, regional conference designed to share helpful, hopeful ideas and tools for stabilizing and strengthening parish life.

The Forum is co-sponsored by the OCA's Archdiocese of Western Pennsylvania and the Diocese of the Midwest.

Theme for the 2016 Small parish Forum: "The Small Parish: Possibilities and Opportunities - Worshiping, Caring, Teaching, Sharing the Faith.

Motivation, Hope, Practical Ideas

Most Orthodox Churches in North America are small. Some have always been small. Some were once large and for various reasons are now smaller. They need motivation, and help establishing a sense that small parishes can live a Life in Christ without necessarily becoming "big".

Small Parishes Are Different


	Small Parishes think act and feel different. But they can learn to capitalize on their intimacy and close relationships to live a Life in Christ.

Just as a clinic is not a large metropolitan hospital with fewer beds, small churches are not immature versions of large parishes. They think, act and feel different - perfectly capable of living an effective Life in Christ. Small parishes can worship well, care for one another, serve others, teach and share Christ's love with others.

Doing so requires capitalizing on opportunities made possible by the intimacy and close relationships inherent in their modest size and tuning their efforts to their unique identity. And, most critically, small churches can't use their small size as an excuse for inactivity and mediocrity.

Some of the attendees for 2015 Small Parish Forum. Weirton WV

The Forum will explore these opportunities and possibilities.

DOWNLOAD 2016 Forum Flyer

Key Topics

The Forum will offer lecture, case studies, discussion, structured workshops and small group conversations -- all structured around helping small parishes to be authentic icons of Christian community. Topics will include:

Keynote: Expanding the Mission:

The Critical Role of the Small Parish

"Inside Out - Outside In: Seven Keys to Understanding Your Parish Neighborhood"

The Eight Person Sunday School and Four Person Youth Group: Making Things Work When You're Small"

The Evangelizing Small Parish: Workshop

Singing in Small Ensembles and Building Beautiful Church Music in a Small Parish"

The Tentmaker: Exploring the Role of the Bi-vocational Pastor in Small Parishes.

And more..

Accessible Location

The 2016 Forum will be held at Holy Assumption Church, 2027 18th St NW, Canton OH, 44705

The Forum site is 13 minutes from Akron Canton Airport and 65 minutes from Cleveland Hopkins Airport, a two hour drive from Pittsburgh; three and a half hours from Detroit; less than four hours from Buffalo and a bit over six hours from Philadelphia. Over half of the OCA's parishes are within a manageable drive of the site.