For the management of ecclesiastical property and the control of real estate pertaining to churches of the Orthodox communities and monasteries, the Holy Synod has established the Clergy-Laity Church Council in the headquarters of the Orthodox Church of Albania, consisting of all members of the Synod, twelve clerics and laity.
The Clergy-Laity Church Council participates in church activities provided for in Articles 17, 27, 70 of this Statute.
Four clergy and four lay members of the Clergy-Laity Church Council are elected every four years by members of the Archdiocese and the Metropolises councils. Four others are elected by the Holy Synod.
A five-member Executive Committee that is elected by the Clergy-Laity Church Council, implements its decisions. Both structures are chaired by the Archbishop.
Besides the Church-Laity Church Council, there is also a Control Commission, which controls the financial management of the Metropolis and the Archdiocese and reports about it in the Holy Synod.
The Clergy-Laity Church Council reviews the budget of the last year expenses and estimates the future budget that gets ultimately approved by the Holy Synod.
It also designs the General Regulation for the Administration of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, which is eventually approved by the Holy Synod.
The Clergy-Laity Church Council meets regularly twice a year whereas the Executive Committee meets every three months. Also both organizations gather in exceptional cases at the invitation of the Archbishop.
The duty of the Secretary of the Clergy-Laity Church Council is performed by the Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod.
(From the Statute of our Church)
