The Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America (FOCA), one of the oldest Orthodox lay organizations in the United States, has concluded its 99th Annual Convention in Cleveland, bringing together delegates, clergy, youth, and lay faithful from across the country as the organization prepares to celebrate its centennial in 2027.

FOCA is a nationwide Orthodox lay ministry dedicated to parish service, charitable outreach, youth programs, and educational initiatives. Since 1995, the organization has been officially recognized by the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) as a church-wide ministry under its spiritual guidance. The fellowship's patron saint is the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called.

This year's convention was held in Cleveland in recognition of the city's historic ties to the organization. The late Protopresbyter Vladimir Prislopsky, founder of the fellowship, served there for nearly four decades. Established in 1927 as the **Federated Russian Orthodox Clubs**, the organization originally united Orthodox youth of Russian heritage before evolving into a nationwide fellowship open to all Orthodox Christians in America. It adopted its current name, Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America, in 1999.

Convention activities began at St. Michael the Archangel Church, where participants gathered for fellowship and discussions on the future of the organization. The event was attended by Archbishop Daniel of Chicago and the Midwest, Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth, and His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America.

A traditional youth mini-camp was held alongside the convention, offering children and teenagers creative workshops, sports activities, and educational programs. Meanwhile, adult delegates considered organizational development, revisions to governing documents, and plans for the fellowship's centennial celebrations.

The spiritual highlight of the convention was a hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrated by Metropolitan Tikhon, concelebrated by Archbishop Daniel, Bishop Gerasim, and numerous clergy.

Following the service, members of Protopresbyter Prislopsky's family presented his gold pectoral cross to St. Michael the Archangel Church. The cross, originally given to the priest by his parishioners after his elevation to the rank of protopresbyter, will now be preserved by the parish as a memorial to the organization's founder.

During the convention banquet, participants also held a fundraising campaign to support the construction of a church dedicated to St. Olga of Kwethluk in Alaska, raising approximately **$6,800** for the project.

Today, FOCA includes dozens of adult and youth chapters across the United States. The organization sponsors Orthodox camps, youth conferences, educational programs, sports tournaments, charitable initiatives, and missionary projects. Among its most significant recent achievements was a **$300,000** contribution toward housing for married students at St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary, reflecting its continued commitment to strengthening Orthodox life in North America.