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IOCC Announces Major Grant in Support of Iraq Ministry

Constantine Triantafilou, Executive Director and CEO of International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) - a ministry supported by the Antiochian Archdiocese via the collective work of the bishops of SCOBA - sends word of the following blessed development:

"I am very pleased to announce that IOCC has secured a major grant that will provide food and emergency supplies to vulnerable families living in Sadr City, one of the poorest and most densely populated districts of Baghdad. The nearly $400,000 grant, awarded to IOCC by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), will assist about 2,400 vulnerable families in this predominantly Shiite area, which has been the site of continuous conflict. This program follows a very successful delivery by IOCC of food and hygiene kits to 3,000 families in Baghdad and Mosul. I commend our IOCC Iraqi staff who deliver these life-sustaining supplies while braving Iraq’s hardships."

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Metropolitan PHILIP on the Vicariate for Palestinian/Jordanian Communities in the USA

On August 7, His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP (Saliba), Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America released instructions for the clergy and faithful of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America regarding the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America's creation of a "Vicariate for Palestinian/Jordanian Communities in the USA." Our Archpastor's message begins:

"On August 5th, 2008, The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America issued a press release which established a vicariate with the name "Vicariate for Palestinian/Jordanian Communities in the USA". The membership of this vicariate will consist of those communities in the USA which were originally a part of the Patriarchate of Antioch, but most recently (since 1993) were uncanonically claimed by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. From an historical perspective, it has been clear since the disintegration of Orthodox unity which existed in North America until 1917, that the Arabic-speaking Orthodox people in North America have been exclusively under the pastoral care of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. Similarly, the Greek-speaking Orthodox people (e.g. Cypriot, Greek, Egyptian, Turkish, etc.) have always been under the pastoral care of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. What reaction would occur if the Antiochian Archdiocese were to establish a vicariate for Greek communities which separate themselves from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese?!"

Click here to read His Eminence's official letter in full.

A Cloud of Witnesses: Saints and Martyrs from the Holy Land

Metropolitan PHILIP, Primate of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, has this to say about A Cloud of Witnesses, the new book from Bishop Demetri (Matta) Khoury:

Bishop Demetri’s book, Saints and Martyrs from the Holy Land, is a great contribution to our Orthodox religious library and all those who are interested in the lives of the saints. Bishop Demetri was fortunate to be born not far from the gates of the holy city of Jerusalem. He walked where Jesus walked and breathed the same air which Jesus breathed. He spent his childhood in the shadow of Bethlehem, Nazareth, Mount Tabor, Calvary and the empty tomb. Palestine is a land of prophets, apostles, saints, martyrs and church fathers. We commend Bishop Demetri for writing this volume and we recommend it to all readers, Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike.

You can learn more about Bishop Demetri at his website, www.almoutran.com. And you can order A Cloud of Witnesses online here!

Bishop ALEXANDER Visits Camp Transfiguration

On August 5, 2008, the eve of the Feast of the Transfiguration, Bishop ALEXANDER visited Camp Transfiguration, in its new location about an hour and 20 minutes from Montreal. It is nestled in the Laurentian mountains on the banks of a lake, and His Grace has provided the pictures below to share the beauty of this uplifting visit. By the grace of God, the direction of Alex Younes and Khalil Samara and the spiritual guidance of Fr. Michael Shaheen the camp has 108 participants, a good number of counselors and volunteers. The kitchen is headed by Salome Tannis, whose family donated the food. The campers are having a good time praying, fishing, sailing, playing ball and doing arts and crafts. Endless thanks go to every one who made this camp happen.

Inshallah next year we can increase the numbers and build more fellowship among our young ones. Pictures follow below.

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Diocese of Toledo Highlights:

Featured Mission: St. Raphael Antiochian Orthodox Mission, Iowa City, IA

St. Raphael Antiochian Orthodox Mission

Iowa City, IA

Since our beginning in 2002, God has blessed our mission with “growth” in multiple senses of the word. From an initial handful, our group has grown to include a roster of about 100, with Sunday liturgy attendance averaging 50-60. A large percentage of us are children. Our members include “cradle” Orthodox and converts, representing many nationalities including Syrians, Russians, Ukrainians, Romanians, Greeks, Lebanese, Georgians and Americans, all worshipping together in English. We usually have a group of catechumens and several inquirers. We are blessed to be truly pan-Orthodox!

Whether you live in Iowa City or elsewhere, we invite you to share in our life of prayer and worship and the building of this church. If you live far away, you can participate through your prayers and donations, both to our mission and to missions across the archdiocese. We benefit every time you pray for us and commemorate us in the liturgy. And of course, we would welcome you with open arms if you ever happen to pass through our community!

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Diocese of Toledo Featured Parishes

His Grace Bishop MARK chooses new parishes on an ongoing basis to offer up as icons of the life of Our Lord experienced in His communities.

Featured Parish: Holy Resurrection + Hobart, Indiana

From the Holy Resurrection web site:

The faithful of Holy Resurrection Antiochian Orthodox Church now worship at the corner of 6th and Water in Hobart, Indiana, under the loving care of Fr. Gregory Owen. In this story, our former pastor, Fr. Gregory Rogers (St. Catherine Mission) recounts a time when we worshipped at 45th and Harrison in Gary, Indiana. We thank God for those early years and the love and dedication that Fr. Gregory displayed for his parish.

On the outside the building wasn't beautiful. It looked like an old brick warehouse, having gone through numerous incarnations and transformations. Originally built as an auto repair garage, it became a printing business, a hot dog stand and video arcade, a warehouse for storage, and finally, an empty and vacant monument to a more prosperous era. The brick didn't match, old with new, white with red, in spite of the tuck pointing and repair that had been done. The neighborhood itself was dreary, across the street to the north, a cemetery, to the east, a convenience store with its transient clientele, to the south, an eighty year old house long past its prime. Like most early spring days in Gary, IN, this one, March 21, 1987, was chilly and overcast, and a trifle gloomy.

Inside, though, was a different story. The building had been stripped to the walls and redone...new studs, new wiring, new drywall, painted, carpet on the floor, new furnishings, redone windows. The accoutrements of worship had been added - a wooden altar, a cross suspended on the wall behind it, huge icons of the Lord Jesus Christ and of the Mother of God. In the rear of the church an old Russian icon of the Resurrection of Christ hung, candles burning before it, calling down the grace of God upon the people gathered there.

Featured Parish: St. George Church + Cicero, Illinois

From the St. George Church web site:

Orthodox Christians from the Middle East began to arrive in Illinois in the early part of the 20th century. At first, they were served by itinerant priests from Michigan City, Indiana, and later from Spring Valley, Illinois. However, for decades, there were never enough families in Chicago to constitute their own parish. Many in the Chicago area worshipped in the local Greek Churches or belonged to the common Melkite/Maronite parish of St. John the Baptist.

In 1960, several families petitioned the late Metropolitan ANTONY (Bashir) to send them a priest to serve the Divine Liturgy. Services were held at the Syrian-Lebanese Club House on Washington Boulevard and Laramie Avenue on Chicago's West Side or in rented quarters. Among the first priests to serve on a weekend basis was the Rev. Fr. Philip Giffin, who commuted from Buffalo, New York. Later, priests from the Greek Diocese of Chicago served periodically at St. George. The Rev. Fr. John Newcombe served as the first resident priest for the parish from 1965 to 1966.

Featured Parish: St. Elias Orthodox Church, LaCrosse, Wisconsin

St. Elias Orthodox Church

LaCrosse, Wisconsin

***

Founded by St. Raphael of Brooklyn in the early 1900’s, St. Elias Orthodox Church in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, is a parish renewing, rebuilding, and seeking to grow as vital Orthodox community in the scenic “God’s country” of southwestern Wisconsin.

Originally a parish comprised of immigrants from the Middle East and Greece the community, which went without a resident Priest for decades, was reborn in the 1970’s through the care and devotion of Orthodox Christians who desired to see the Faith reestablished where three rivers meet and over 100,000 people work and live.

While we cherish our heritage and the distinct honor of being founded by a Saint of the Church we believe the best expression of that heritage is to be a living, thriving, and life giving Orthodox Church. To that end we are currently repairing and expanding our facilities and seeking, as well, to grow in our Faith in preparation for inviting our friends and neighbors to experience the joy and life of Orthodoxy.

Featured Mission: All Saints of North America, St. Louis, MO

All Saints of North America

Maryland Heights, MO

In early 2003, Fr. Peter Gillquist and the Department of Missions and Evangelism were contacted by some of the faithful in St. Louis about the possibility of beginning an all-English Orthodox mission the greater St. Louis area. The project was soon underway and in October of 2003, a core group of people met with Fr. Michael Keiser (mission priest) who then recommended to the Archdiocese that a mission be planted. On November 22 and 23, after several weeks of Readers services, the mission’s first Great Vespers and Divine Liturgy with a priest (Fr. George Geevarghese from Louisville, KY) were celebrated in the basement-turned-chapel at the home of one of the mission’s core members. The mission had been launched!

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Diocese of Toledo Featured Missions

His Grace Bishop MARK chooses new missions on an ongoing basis to offer up as examples and inspirations for all those laboring in the fields of evangelism for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Featured Mission: Holy Incarnation + Lincoln Park, Michigan

Holy Incarnation is a Western Rite mission serving metropolitan Detroit, Michigan under the leadership of Fr. John Fenton. Prior to the spring of 2008, Holy Incarnation had been leasing space from a local Episcopal church, but in February the mission concluded the purchase of a building to serve as its permanent home.

The new church building is an important step in the re-establishment of a Western Rite Orthodox parish in metropolitan Detroit. From 1975-2001, Incarnation Orthodox Church in Detroit served the liturgical needs of Western Rite Orthodox Christians in and around Detroit, and was the cornerstone of the Western Orthodoxy in the Midwest. Fr Fenton explained that Holy Incarnation Orthodox Church builds on the legacy of the former Incarnation parish. “We are the beneficiaries of years of sacrificial giving,” said Fr. Fenton, “because the funds held in trust after the closing of Incarnation have helped finance the new facility for Holy Incarnation.” Fr. Fenton stated the new building will further the permanent re-establishment of a Western Rite presence in Detroit.

Featured Mission: Holy Apostles Orthodox Mission, Bowling Green, KY

Holy Apostles Orthodox Mission

Bowling Green, KY

Holy Apostles Mission is a new mission of the North American Antiochian Archdiocese, in the Midwest Diocese under Bishop MARK of Toledo, and under the immediate direction of the Very Rev. Dr. Alexander Atty of St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church in Louisville, KY. The mission's congregation, which currently consists of Americans, Greeks, Serbians, Egyptians, and a growing compilation of other ethnicities, first began working toward a mission in the spring of 2008, with a small group of diverse and dedicated Orthodox Christians who long to see Holy Orthodoxy brought to southern Kentucky. Holy Apostles held its first Vespers service in April 2008, and celebrated its first Liturgy in June, the first Divine Liturgy ever to be held in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It received the name Holy Apostles from Bishop MARK in July.

Featured Mission: St. Raphael Antiochian Orthodox Mission, Iowa City, IA

St. Raphael Antiochian Orthodox Mission

Iowa City, IA

Since our beginning in 2002, God has blessed our mission with “growth” in multiple senses of the word. From an initial handful, our group has grown to include a roster of about 100, with Sunday liturgy attendance averaging 50-60. A large percentage of us are children. Our members include “cradle” Orthodox and converts, representing many nationalities including Syrians, Russians, Ukrainians, Romanians, Greeks, Lebanese, Georgians and Americans, all worshipping together in English. We usually have a group of catechumens and several inquirers. We are blessed to be truly pan-Orthodox!

Whether you live in Iowa City or elsewhere, we invite you to share in our life of prayer and worship and the building of this church. If you live far away, you can participate through your prayers and donations, both to our mission and to missions across the archdiocese. We benefit every time you pray for us and commemorate us in the liturgy. And of course, we would welcome you with open arms if you ever happen to pass through our community!

Read more

Featured Mission: All Saints of North America, St. Louis, MO

All Saints of North America

Maryland Heights, MO

In early 2003, Fr. Peter Gillquist and the Department of Missions and Evangelism were contacted by some of the faithful in St. Louis about the possibility of beginning an all-English Orthodox mission the greater St. Louis area. The project was soon underway and in October of 2003, a core group of people met with Fr. Michael Keiser (mission priest) who then recommended to the Archdiocese that a mission be planted. On November 22 and 23, after several weeks of Readers services, the mission’s first Great Vespers and Divine Liturgy with a priest (Fr. George Geevarghese from Louisville, KY) were celebrated in the basement-turned-chapel at the home of one of the mission’s core members. The mission had been launched!

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The Falling Asleep of Our Lady

"Let us crown the Church with songs on the falling asleep of the ark of God; for today doth heaven open its bosom to receive her who gave birth to the One whom all cannot contain. And earth doth adorn itself in blessing and splendour, restoring the fount of life." + Vesperal Litiya of the Feast, Fifth Tone

The Great Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos is August 15. In honor of the Holy Virgin Mary, we are making available online this powerful meditation by Bishop BASIL originally published in The Handmaiden, the magazine for Orthodox Christian women from Conciliar Press: Mary, Our Cause for Rejoicing.

Mary, Our Cause of Rejoicing

By His Grace Bishop BASIL (Essey)

Mary the Theotokos is very close to my heart, and, I am certain, close to the hearts of all who love her Son, Jesus. I can hardly think of her name without tears. When God, in the fullness of time, because of His great love for His creation, sent His Only-Begotten Son to save us sinners, He chose to do so in a way that is at once simple and tender, and profound, beyond our comprehension. He came to find a bride.

And God the Father, who is above all and in all and over all, chose to unite Himself, through the Person of the Most Holy Spirit, with one of us: the only daughter of Joachim and Anna, the young woman of Nazareth who had been prepared from all ages to become the bride of God. She is our boast. She is like us in her earthly beginning, and she is like us in her earthly end. She is at once our sister—a daughter of Adam, just like us—and also our mother.

To begin the betrothal of Mary with God, an archangel was sent, one of those who stand perpetually around the throne of God and sing His praises. An angel, beneath whom mankind was created, was sent to the house of Joseph, the betrothed of the Virgin, and began the relationship of betrothal and marriage, an unwedded marriage, between God the Father and the young virgin of Nazareth, with the word, “Rejoice.”

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