On Tuesday, April 23rd, the Episcopal Search Committee had the first preliminary meeting held at the Agia Sophia Coffee House in Harrisburg Pa. The Chairperson of the Committee is the Very Rev. John Kowalczyk (Chancellor) of the Diocese of Eastern Pa.

The following members participated;
Fr. James Weremedic, Dean of the Philadelphia Deanery and Ellen Gundersen. Fr. Jason Franchak was the appointed secretary. Fr. Nicholas Solak, Dean of the Wilkes-Barre Deanery and Arthur Karakos. The Very Rev. Michael Hatrak, Dean of the Frackville Deanery, the Rev. Stephen Vernak, host pastor, and Mark Lenenhann. Fr. Daniel Kovalak, pastor of Elevation of the Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Williamsport. The Rev. Martin Browne, the Treasurer of the Diocese.

The purpose of the Episcopal Search Committee is to develop criteria for selecting a potential candidate to fill the vacant see of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania and to report its findings to His Grace, Bishop Melchisedek, locum tenens of the Diocese.