The 70th Annual UOL Convention came to a formal conclusion on Sunday, July 30, 2017, as the delegates gathered at Archangel Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Woonsocket, RI for Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom concelebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Antony and Archbishop Daniel.
As the procession of clergy and hierarchs to the church took place, the president of the Parish Board of Administration of Holy Archangel Michael UOC as well as Senior UOL President John Holovko and Junior UOL President Orest Mahlay presented the hierarchs with the traditional Ukrainian Bread and Salt. The pastor of the parish family Rev. Fr. Boris Kroner sincerely offered words of prayerful welcome to the Metropolitan and the Archbishop, asking them to pray for the success of the numerous ministries of the Church's central organization.
Joining His Eminence Metropolitan Antony and Vladyka Daniel at the altar were spiritual fathers of the local and visiting parish communities: Very Rev. Boris Kroner, pastor of Holy Archangel Michael Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Woonsocket, RI; Very Rev. Fr. Roman Tarnawsky, pastor of St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Boston, MA; Very Rev. Fr. James Norton; Very Rev. Fr. Myron Oryhon; Very Rev. Fr. Taras Naumenko, pastor of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Philadelphia, PA; V. Rev. Fr. Vasyl Sendeha, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Palos Park, IL; Rev. Fr. Vasyl Paskas, pastor of the Nativity of the Birth-Giver of God Ukrainian Orthodox parish in South Plainfield, NJ; Rev. Fr. Philip Harendza, pastor of Holy Archangel Michael Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Scranton, PA; Protodeacon Ihor Mahlay of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Parma, OH; Archdeacon Vasyl of Holy Archangel Michael Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Woonsocket, RI; Deacon John Charest of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, IL and Deacon Ivan Tchopko of the Three Holy Hierarchs Chapel of St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Bound Brook, NJ.
As the Liturgy progressed, over two hundred people approached the Chalice and received the Holy Eucharist at the Divine Liturgy. Parishioners from the local Ukrainian Orthodox communities as well as from other Orthodox jurisdictions participated in the services of the day.
Following the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy and various presentations, the faithful venerated the icons of the newly restored parish church of Holy Archangel Michael and joined each other in a parish's parish social hall for a farewell brunch prepared by the local UOL chapter and the entire parish congregation.