Antiochian System Admin's blog
The Great Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ
August 6 is Transfiguration, one of the 12 Great Feasts of the Christian year.
"He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light." + The Gospel of St. Matthew 17:2
The Feast of the Transfiguration, by Fr. Patrick Reardon
A Meditation on the Feast from Dynamis
The Complete Transfiguration Series from the Department of Sacred Music: PDF format Divine Liturgy music, including choral and chant arrangements for the Antiphons, Entrance Hymn, Troparion, Kontakion, Hymn to the Theotokos, and Communion Hymns.
Discovering Orthodox Christianity
Discover the timeless wisdom of our Holy Tradition, made accessible and interesting by some of the best Orthodox Christian writers of today. This series of articles on some of the basic doctrines of the Orthodox Christian Faith is brought to you by Antiochian.org and Conciliar Media, a department of the Antiochian Archdiocese. They are also available from Conciliar as a series of attractive and informative booklets and brochures.
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What Does "Orthodox" Mean? The Doctrine, Worship and Values of the Church by Frederica Mathewes-Green "The word 'orthodox' means 'right belief' or 'right praise.' The 'Orthodox Church' is also known as the 'Eastern Orthodox Church.'"
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by Fr. John Reeves Convention Spotlight
OCF Executive Director Fr. Kevin Scherer Presents at Greek Orthodox Christian Archdiocese Clergy Laity Congress
OCF released the following summary of the news. We encourage everyone in the Antiochian Archdiocese to support this great labor of our Church in America, under the leadership of all our canonical bishops via SCOBA. Learn more about OCF's college ministry on their recently redesigned website! Diocese of Toledo Documents and Forms for Missions
Linked below are resources for missions of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest.
Mission Council Policies and Procedures, Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese Monthly Mission Report, Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest Mission Endowment Fund Request for Financial Assistance, Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest The Fall Gathering of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest to be held October 16-19, Indianapolis, INThe Fall Gathering of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest will focus on ministering to our teens and college students. His Eminence Metropolitan ISAIAH, SCOBA Overseer of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship, and Fr. Kevin Scherer, Executive Director of OCF, will be present for the dedication of the new OCF offices in Indianapolis. For more information please see the attached flyer. Antiochian.org Server ChangeUpdate, August 12: For the most part our server switch has gone off well, thank God. We're still working on a couple of issues related to the Department of Sacred Music, and the creation of new content. Thank you for your patience. Original Post, August 5: This website will be moving to a new server and host beginning on August 6. Our team at the Department of Internet Ministry apologize in advance for any inconvenience. We expect the change to be invisible to site visitors. However, we ask that anyone who posts content to this website refrain from doing so on Wednesday, August 6 after 2pm Eastern time. All should be well by Thursday morning. We'll be bringing additional information about new features and projects over the weeks to come. Douglas Cramer Editor, Antiochian.org Theosis: Partaking of the Divine Nature
Jesus went up the mountain with Peter, James, and John and was transformed before their eyes. He appeared to them in His glorified humanity and was illumined with the light of divinity. ... Here we have the whole Bible summed up in this one event. The Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets, point to Christ, the eternal Son come in the flesh. Read more. This meditation on theosis is appropriate reading for the Great Feast of the Transfiguration, and a sample of the articles available at Discovering Orthodox Christianity, from Antiochian.org and Conciliar Press. July 30, 2008 + The Fast of the Dormition of the Holy Theotokos
From The Word, June 1977 first fourteen days of August during each year, the Holy Orthodox Church enters into a strict fast period in honor of the Mother of God, the Virgin Mary. The eminent Orthodox theologian, Father Sergei Bulgakov, beautifully expresses the high regard which the Orthodox Christians have for the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, for her special role in the salvation of mankind, when he affirms, “The warm veneration of the Theotokos is the soul of Orthodox Piety.” St. John of Damascus, one of the great Orthodox fathers, pointed out that when the Blessed Virgin Mary became the Mother of God and gave birth to Christ, the Redeemer of Mankind, she became the mother of mankind. We call the Virgin Mary “Theotokos”, from the Greek, which means “The Birth-Giver or the Bearer of God.” This is the highest title that can be bestowed upon any member of the human race. The Theotokos, the Virgin Mary, was “blessed amongst women,” and she was chosen “to bear the Savior of our souls.” We, therefore, as Orthodox Christians, consider her to be the Queen of all the saints and the angels. Knowing that she holds such a high place in the Kingdom of Heaven and that she is eternally present at the throne of God interceding for mankind, we, as good Orthodox Christians, must pray for her love, guidance, and protection. We must never forget to ask for her intercessions in times of sickness and danger, and we must constantly thank her for her care and her prayers in our behalf. July 23, 2008 + Teaching the Truth
From The Word, September 1998 One great challenge for us Orthodox in doing Christian education is coming to terms with our concept of truth. Christianity claims to offer truth to the world. In Christian education, we strive to instruct all disciples in the truth. The real question (which, ironically, Pontius Pilate asked) is “What is truth?” (John 18:38) He neither waited for Christ’s answer, nor, by allowing the crucifixion, showed himself much concerned with the truth anyway. So, what is the truth? We often equate truth with facts, and consequently in Christian education we aim to teach facts about Christ, the bible, the liturgy or church history, etc., to our people. While facts are part of the truth, they do not contain the fullness of the truth. I believe it was Justin the Martyr who said, “What ever is true is Christian.” Every fact that is true (whether religious, political, scientific, historic, or even “secular”) in some way is part of God’s truth and reveals God to us. Thus, any truth is significant to Christianity. This is based upon the belief that there is such a thing as truth and that truth comes from God and reveals God to us. So, part of education is teaching facts and part of Christian education is using all the facts we know in creation to come to some understanding of truth and therefore of God. There is in our thinking no such thing as godless truth or secular truth. If something is true, it is revelation about creation and for us also about the Creator. The 49th Antiochian Archdiocese Convention, July 19-26, 2009
Lynette's Hope: Facing Cancer with Faith
Also, click here for Fr. Luke's article about Lynette in AGAIN, and here to order a copy. Frederica Mathewes-Green Discusses Men and Orthodoxy
Update for All Antiochian.org Email UsersUpdate, July 21 2008: This post is being brought to the top of the news section again for the benefit of any antiochian.org email users still experiencing problems. Support for all people with antiochian.org email addresses transitioned on May 9 from the Department of Communications and Information Technology to NST, an excellent technology services provider selected to manage hosting of antiochian.org email accounts and the antiochian.org website. Everyone who wants to continue using an antiochian.org email address who did not respond to NST's Friday, May 9 email that day will now need to contact NST's support phone line at 877-678-8080 ext. 3, in order to reset their account. This is necessary if you have an antiochian.org email address set up in your email client, or if your antiochian.org emails are forwarded to another email address. If you need any additional assistance, you can also contact Fr. George Kevorkian at the Archdiocese offices at 201-871-1355. Bishop THOMAS visits Holy Trinity Mission in Lynchburg, VAHis Grace, Bishop THOMAS made his visitation to Holy Trinity Mission on our Patronal Feast of the Sunday of the Most Holy Trinity, June 22, 2008. At Vespers on Saturday and at the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, His Grace charged our mission to reach out more effectively to our community, especially by developing a ministry of inquiry and hospitality to the downtown area. In response, we have secured a prime location to meet at 715 Main Street downtown, and will soon begin holding services and informational events there for the community, and hopefully soon developing an outreach to Liberty University with the help of Fr. Peter Gillquist. Our children presented His Grace with a "Dangerous Book for Bishops" (patterned on the popular "Dangerous Book for Boys") with their photos and icons of their patron Saints, and drawings of the many ministries of the Bishop as Shepherd, Administrator, etc. We thank God for His Grace's vision and love and for giving us a much-needed exhortation to service. July 16, 2008 + St. Elias: Open To God's Voice
From The Word, June 1983 On July 20th, in the calendar of the Church, we celebrate the Feast of St. Elias the Tishbite, the Great Prophet. For us of the Orthodox Faith and particularly those of us who are from the Arab countries, St. Elias has particular renown. You will notice, especially with those coming from the old country in the last ten, fifteen or twenty years, the two most popular names amongst Orthodox Christians are George and Elias. All of the young men that are named Elie, for example, are named after this particular Prophet and Saint. When we read in the first book of Kings of the life of this great Prophet we find that not too much is written. He is involved in perhaps seven or eight pages of the Old Testament but the events of those pages are profound. I think that at least one of the lessons to be learned from the Life of St. Elias is that need for us to be open at all times to God’s message and His inspiration. Our Elias was a man of Tishbe, a small village in Gilead. There was nothing so exceptional about him except that he was open to God’s will and when God called upon Him to express His intentions to the King and the people of Israel, because Elias was open to Him, He heard that message and was able to transmit it clearly and freely. Now there are many prophets that come forth. Some are true and some are false prophets. We are called upon to recognize them for what they are by virtue of our faith and the spiritual intuition that is within us. Those who speak with the voice of God differ from those who speak with the voices of someone else. Diocese of Wichita News ArchiveMany Years to our Father Bishop BASIL!
Basil Esper: Memory Eternal!Bishop BASIL writes: Dear to Christ, Fathers and Brothers: Blessings.
May his memory be eternal, and may you be granted long life. In Christ Who is our Resurrection and our Life, + B A S I L Dec. 15 + St. Eleftherios, Patron Saint of Diocese of Wichita
The Holy Hieromartyr Eleftherios From a good tree comes good fruit. This wonderful saint had noble and greatly eminent parents. Eleutherius was born in Rome, where his father was an imperial proconsul. His mother Anthia heard the Gospel from the great Apostle Paul and was baptized by him. Having been left a widow early, she entrusted her only son for study and service to Anicetus the Bishop of Rome. Seeing how Eleutherius was gifted by God and illumined by the grace of God, the bishop ordained him a deacon at the age of fifteen, a priest at the age of eighteen, and a bishop at the age of twenty. Eleutherius's God-given wisdom made up for what he lacked in years, and this chosen one of God was appointed Bishop of Illyria with his seat in Valona (Avlona), Albania. St. Saba the Sanctified + December 5
Sanctified from youth, O righteous Saba, thou wast a summit of righteousness equal to the Angels. Thou didst lead a heavenly life, and guide thy flock to godliness by word and deed. And they cry to thee with faith: Glory to Him who hath strengthened thee; glory to Him who hath crowned thee; glory to Him who through thee worketh healings for all. Read about the life of St. Saba Many years to Metropolitan SABA of our Sister Diocese of Bosra Hauran in southern Syria, who keeps this as his Name's Day! DOWAMA's 2009 College Mission Trip: Bosra-HauranAs part of the sister diocese relationship between the Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran and the Diocese of Wichita and Mid America, Father Richard Petranek of St. Paul Church and Father Matthew MacKay of St. Joseph Church of Houston, Texas, have been blessed by Metropolitan PHILIP of New York, Metropolitan SABA of Bosra, and Bishop BASIL of Wichita to lead a group of eighteen college age students from the Diocese of Mid- America on a Mission Trip to the ancient Archdiocese of Bosra in southwest Syria. The purpose of the two week Mission Trip (May 24th-June 7th, 2009) is to join with Metropolitan SABA and his clergy and laity who are valiantly laboring to rebuild the church temples, shrines and ministries of the Archdiocese. Our group will assist in refurbishing some of the church temples and properties of this ancient See. In addition, the group will go on pilgrimage to several of the most famous monasteries, shrines and historical sites of the Patriarchate of the Great City-of-God Antioch and all the East. In addition to work projects, the young people will also make pilgrimage to many of the most revered holy sites within our Patriarchate, including the house chapel of St. Ananias where the Holy Apostle Paul was baptized and the Patriarchal Cathedral and residence in Damascus, the women's monasteries of Our Lady in Saydnaya and St. Thekla in Ma'aloula, the men's monastery of St. George Al-Humayrah in the "Valley of the Christians," the reliquary shrine of the Martyr and Unmercenary Healer St. Julian (Mar Ilyan) in Homs. The group will return to the U.S. in time to attend our Parish Life Conference in Wichita where they, along with Metropolitan SABA, will share their experiences with us. Cost is $2,000.00 per person (including round-trip airfare from Houston, lodging and meals). It is our hope that we will have young people from every DOWAMA Deanery on this trip! Bishop BASIL's Christmas Letter 2008The Nativity 2008 To the Right Reverend Archimandrites, the Very Reverend and Reverend Priests and I embrace and greet you with a holy kiss in the Name of the Incarnate Christ. I
In Christ Jesus the Incarnate Word,
+ B A S I L 2009 DOWAMA Clergy Brotherhood Retreat
The 37th Annual DOWAMA Clergy Brotherhood Retreat February 3-6, 2009 The Spiritual Life Center – 7100 East 45th Street, North – Wichita, Kansas – (316) 744-0167
"All Scripture is Given by Inspiration of God"
Winter Camp St. Raphael
Click here to download the Winter Camp St. Raphael application and flyer (Adobe PDF format). Photos from Bishop BASIL's Visit to Rocky Mountain DeaneryA selection of photographs from His Grace Bishop BASIL's visit to the Rocky Mountain Deanery in late September and early October, 2008: September 27, 2008 - 1st Rocky Mountain Deanery All-Parish Picnic and Vespers in Denver, CO.
Fr. John Salem to be Elevated to Archpriest
Bishop BASIL writes: AXIOS! Father John Salem of St. George Church in Houston, Texas will be elevated to the rank and dignity of Archpriest this coming Sunday, November 2nd, during festivities marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of St. George Church. Diocesan Pilgrimage Commemorates Fr. Nicola YanneyBishop BASIL writes:
The Pilgrimage (held in lieu of our Fall Gathering) began on Friday afternoon with the Akathist to St. Raphael at St. George Church. The rousing congregational singing was led by Subdeacon John Wolf, Protopsaltis of St. George/Kearney. OCF Regional Retreat + Oklahoma City, Nov. 21-23An unforgettable weekend... An unforgettable mission... An unforgettable opportunity... Don't miss it! The University of Oklahoma chapter of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship will be hosting a regional retreat from November 21st-23rd, 2008. The event will be hosted by St. Elijah Church in Oklahoma City. For more information, please visit OCF Heartland's Facebook page or contact Kouri Simon at kouri-simon@ouhsc.edu. The deadline for registration is November 7th, 2008. Diocesan Pilgrimage ScheduleWednesday, October 22nd is the deadline to register for the Diocesan Pilgrimage! If you have not yet registered, contact FATHER CHRISTOPHER MORRIS of St. George/Kearney, NE today by email (fr.christophermorris@yahoo.com) or by telephone (308-234-9252 or 308-234-6969). The Pilgrimage Schedule is as follows: Friday, October 24th
Saturday, October 25th
(Conclusion of the Pilgrimage. For those staying over:) Sunday, October 26th
Clergy are reminded to bring with them GOLD vestments for concelebrating divine services. Register for the 2nd Annual DOWAMA SOYO Basketball TournamentAn important note from our Diocesan Youth Director, Camille Baba:
Download Parental Authorization and Medical Consent Form (PDF Format) Metropolitan SABA to Speak at 2009 DOWAMA PLC
For more information on Metropolitan SABA and the Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran, please visit The Hauran Connection, the web page for the Sister Diocese Program between Wichita and Bosra-Hauran. 2nd Annual DOWAMA SOYO Basketball TournamentThe 2nd Annual DOWAMA SOYO Basketball Tournament will be hosted November 14th - 16th at St Elijah Church, Oklahoma City, OK. Registration fee is $50.00 per team. For further information go to www.dowamasoyo.org or contact the DOWAMA Youth Director Camille Baba of St George Cathedral/Wichita, KS at camillesbaba [at] yahoo [dot] com or the DOWAMA SOYO Spiritual Advisor Fr. Antony Bahou of Ss Constantine & Helen/Dallas, TX at antonyel [at] hotmail [dot] com. The Hauran Connection Sister Diocese Program Online
In the words of His Grace, Bishop BASIL:
2008 Diocesan Pilgrimage and Fall Gathering, October 24th-25thOn October 24th and 25th, 2008, faithful from throughout the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America will gather at St. George Church in Kearney, Nebraska for a diocesan pilgrimage to honor Fr. Nicola Yanney, the first priest of our diocese, on the 90th anniversary of his repose. Please join us for this historic event! For directions, logistical information and registration, please click here. The Reverend Nicola Yanney, a native of Fi’eh, Lebanon, emigrated to the United States, arriving in Nebraska on December 1st, 1892. During his lifetime, Fr. Nicola was a man of several notable firsts. On April 3rd, 1904, Fr. Nicola became the first priest to be ordained by Bishop Raphael of Brooklyn after the saint’s consecration to the holy episcopacy. Taking up the cross of his priesthood and returning to his parish of St. George in Kearney, Nebraska, Fr. Nicola became the first resident Orthodox priest in what is now the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America. Ordinations and ElevationsAXIOS! Stephen DeYoung, a DOWAMA vocation from St Nicholas/Shreveport, LA and a senior at St Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, PA, will be ordained to the holy diaconate by Bishop THOMAS of Charleston at St. Mary's Church in Wilkes-Barre, PA on Sunday, October 12th. MOUSTAHIQ! Fr. John Salem of St. George Church in Houston, TX will be elevated to the rank and dignity of Archpriest on Sunday, November 2nd, during festivities marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of St. George Church. HE IS WORTHY! John Ballard, a DOWAMA vocation from Ss. Constantine & Helen Church in Dallas, TX and a middler at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, NY, will be ordained to the holy diaconate by Metropolitan PHILIP at St. Nicholas Church in Bridgeport, CT on Sunday, December 7th. Bishop THOMAS Visits St. George Church in Houston, TXBishop THOMAS visited St. George's Church in Houston, Texas on September 7, 2008:
Ike Updates from Texas and LouisianaHere are some updates from Bishop BASIL on the parishes in the path of Hurricane Ike. From the reports that have come in so far, all clergy and their families are safe, and their homes are mostly unharmed, with only minor damage (at least, as can be determined now). Several priests have not been able to travel to their churches or contact their parishioners, so please continue your prayers for our Orthodox brethren as they clean and rebuild. Donations for the hurricane relief effort can be made through the I.O.C.C. (International Orthodox Christian Charities) here, or through many other charitable groups. New Mosaic Icons at Cathedral Attract Attention
St. George Cathedral in Wichita, KS has recently been featured on local news broadcasts covering the installation four new mosaic icons on its exterior facades. The icons are beautiful reproductions of well known, ancient icons, including images of Christ, the Theotokos, and St. John the Forerunner from the 12th century mosaic from Hagia Sophia, which can be seen here and the 13th century icon of the Great-Martyr George in the Church of St. George Struga on the shore of Lake Ochrid in Macedonia, which can be seen here. The mosaic icons are done by Bruno Salvatori, a master mosaicist from Florence, Italy. Mr. Salvatori is the same artist who has done the five mosaic icons that adorn the exterior of the Cathedral's eastern apse. A video on the new mosaics, produced by the local NBC affiliate, can be seen here: www.ksn.com/news/local/28224734.html?video=YHI&t=a (cut and paste link into your browser). Hurricane Ike Threatens Texas ParishesFrom Fr. John Mefrige of St. Ephraim Church in San Antonio, TX:
From Deacon Elias of St. John the Divine Church in Lake Charles, LA: Chaplain Congratulated by President for Help in Hurricane Relief
Orthodox chaplain Fr. Mark Sahady (pictured left) was congratulated by President Bush for helping minister to evacuees from the Hurricane Gustav in San Antonio, TX. Fr. Mark organized the Chaplain Corp at Lackland Air Force Base (near San Antonio) to greet the evacuees when they arrived and to give them pastoral care while they were waiting to be sheltered. Fr. Mark says, "I also was involved three years ago with Hurricane Katrina doing the same thing and also caring for them [the evacuees] in the shelters. This time the organization was much better and everything went much smoother. It was very impressive how quickly and smoothly the evacuees were cared for this time." Bishop BASIL to Visit St. Mary's, Wichita
His Grace, our Bishop BASIL will visit the congregation of St. Mary in Wichita this weekend for the celebration of their maternal feast - the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. In addition to their maternal feast on Monday, September 8, Bp. BASIL will celebrate Divine Liturgy on Sunday as well. The schedule of services for the weekend is: SATURDAY - SEPTEMBER 6th 5:00pm Great Vespers SUNDAY - SEPTEMBER 7th 9:15am Orthros 10:30am Hierarchical Divine Liturgy 5:00pm Great Vespers MONDAY - SEPTEMBER 8th 7:00am Orthros 8:00am Divine Liturgy DOWAMA Clergy, People, Churches Safe from Hurricane GustavHis Grace, Bp. BASIL reports that the clergy, people and churches in western Louisiana and eastern Texas have escaped unscathed from the damage and flooding of Hurricane Gustav. Praise God! Prayers for Deliverance from HurricanesO LORD JESUS CHRIST HAVE MERCY ON US SINNERS! MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS SAVE US! ALL HOLY PROPHET ELIAS! A Letter from CampBeloved Sayyidna Basil and my Brothers of DOWAMA:
Thank God, by your holy prayers we had a wonderful first session and are ready to welcome the second group of campers this afternoon. The weather has been perfect and the campers and staff have had an amazing time so far. From Christian Ed. to Sports to Divine Services, it's very easy to see the Holy Spirit's presence in everything happening here.
Thank you all for the sustaining prayers you have offered and continue to offer, and for the campers and counselors your parishes have sent to us. They are our greatest joy. Please continue to keep us in your holy prayers.
Only By Prayer and FastingA sermon from Fr. Thomas Williams Gospel Matthew 17:14-23 (10th Sunday after Pentecost) This kind is cast out only by prayer and fasting. Prayer and fasting. When I was ten or eleven growing up in New York City I was one of the lucky kids whose family had a television. New York had seven channels in the 50s. Every Sunday, for some reason, when I came home from the nine o'clock mass, I would sit in front of the twelve-inch screen, eat breakfast and watch Channel 11, waiting for the Yankees game that would come on promptly at 12:30. But as I was waiting I would always watch the Oral Roberts program on Channel 11, with lots of preaching and shouting. What fascinated me the most were the healings. "Heal!!! Be thou healed in the name of Jesus," he would shout, and almost always the person who was healed would fall back as he pushed them back on their head. Just as they were about to hit the floor, his assistants would catch them, pulling them up, and off the person would go, somewhat wobbly, but waving their hands and shouting praises to God ... and everyone in TV land. I was fascinated by this. Now I am not sure if it was the shouting (Catholic priests didn't shout during the mass or even in their sermons); or if I was waiting to see if anyone would ever hit the floor. I didn't believe in my heart that anyone was really being healed. It all seemed too loud, and besides who would ever go on television to be healed? This kind is cast out by prayer and fasting. Prayer and fasting. Prayer for Peace in the Caucasus
"O Master Who lovest mankind, King of the ages and Bestower of good things, Who hast destroyed enmity and givest peace to the human race: Grant peace even now unto all Thy servants who dwell in the lands of the Caucasus. Establish among our nations love one for another; quell every uprising; and allay all dissent and temptations. Grant unto them, O Lord, health and oneness of mind, protect them from all tribulations, afflictions and sudden death; bring an end to all enmity and malice which ariseth through the activity of the devil. Plant peace, O Lord, through the intercessions of the holy Theotokos, of the holy Apostle Andrew the First-called, of the first hierarchs of Moscow, of the holy Nino, Equal-to-the-Apostles, and of the Great Martyr George the Victorious. For Thou art our Peace, and we send up glory unto Thee—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit—now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen." (Released by the Press Service of the Moscow Patriarchate) 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.” Fr. Nicola Yanney 90th Anniversary Pilgrimage
One important part of the pilgrimage will be a commemorative journal that will be a souvenir of the event. We are asking for your assistance in the creation of this journal. The Journal will consist of informative pictures and articles about Father Nicola, his family, and his parishes. In addition, it will also contain one-page entries describing each parish in the diocese. We ask for your participation in forming the entries from each parish. We are asking that each parish contribute a one page written history of their community. Along with the history, we are also asking for photos of the current parish church building and the current parish clergy. Please send the text and photos: all of the pages will be formatted by the journal staff into a consistent format. Please download and complete the Parish Information Form here: http://www.stjfc.org/Pages/Dowama/dowama.php and send it in by August 15th, accompanied by your parish history, photo and order fee. Thank you! Memory Eternal! Fr. David Lynch
His Grace Bishop BASIL passed on these thoughts from Fr. David's daughter Margaret: "The long battle for my dear father has come to an end. At 5:30pm this evening, Fr. David (Charles) Lynch, fell asleep in the Lord. He ran the good race and crossed the finish line. He was surrounded by his family and Fr. Pat Reardon who offered prayers for him the whole day and at the moment of his departure. We gave dad our love and told him to tell everyone already departed hello and that we see him again when it's our time. He is now in the Loving Hands of the Lord Whom he has served his whole life. He made us so proud with how hard he fought to come back; we were proud to stand by him as he worked so hard day after day to recover. One thing I know for sure is this didn't happen for lack of prayers, faith, hope or love. Your outpouring of love and concern has been a cushion for us; we couldn't fall completely down during this because we kept hitting this cushion around us. And it was an encouragement to him. Every card, email and message was passed onto him and we heard from a lot of people; that was so good to hear for him to hear from so many people." The following information regarding funeral arrangements has been released: Funeral Arrangements for Fr. David (Charles C.) Lynch (1936-2008) Wake Wednesday July 2, 4:30pm-8:30pm Funeral 2008 Diocese of Wichita Parish Life Conference, June 18-21, Dallas, TexasThe schedule for this year's Parish Life Conference is now available. Bishop BASIL Ordains Fr. Daniel Bethancourt
The Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America General AssemblyThe Dowama General Assembly will be held during the upcoming Parish Life Conference in Dallas from 1:30-4:30PM on Friday, June 20th. At this most important meeting nominations and elections of officers for the Diocesan Fellowship will take place. The following important notice was issued by the Fellowship's Nominating Committee: "Christ is risen! We are preparing for the Fellowship of St. John the Divine election of diocesan officers. We will need to have nominations (or candidates) in place before the general assembly in Dallas. Due to the requirement that each nominee be in good standing with the Church (to be confirmed by his/her parish priest) we will not be taking nominations from the floor. If you would like to nominate someone from your congregation for an office, please send contact information to Father Jeremy Davis, Spiritual Advisor to the DOWAMA Fellowship, by email at frjeremy@stelijahokc.com before this coming Monday, May 26th. Thank You. Yours in Christ, The Nomination Committee: Father Jeremy Davis and Helen Norton." Paschal Troparion in Four Languages (with music)Download the Paschal Troparion in Four Languages (with music). The Very Reverend Father Constantine Nasr Visits St. Tikhon's Seminary
See photos at http://www.stots.edu/news_080404_1.html. From the Frontlines: A Letter from Chaplain Fr. Stephan Close
Our brother, Fr. Stephan Close, the U.S. Air Force chaplain stationed at the airbase in Ramstein, Germany, shares with us the following observations of his very special and grace-filled ministry: "Your Grace, one of the joys of my ministry here at 'the Ramstein of my repentance' is to serve the wounded. Rarely do I have the blessed obligation to honor the dead, which I offer with as much dignity as my humanity can muster. It is such a blessing to be at worship with the wounded faithful who look to the icons with eyes which cannot see and offer a candle though they remain in physical darkness, their hand guided by fellow warrior. They faithfully follow a Divine Liturgy (and wait patiently through a sermon) in a language they do not understand but whose form helps them recall worship and remind them of truth which warms their hearts though far away from home. They walk towards the chalice though one shoe has no foot in it. They bow down although they cannot rise without the support of their brother. They make the sign of the cross with a hand scarred and tortured by flame. Such are the saints you have sent me to serve. 29 Chrismated at St. Elijah Church in Oklahoma City
On January 13, St. Elijah Orthodox Christian Church of Oklahoma City, OK, had the great joy of receiving by chrismation 29 new members including Fr. Mark Wallace in to the Holy Orthodox Faith. Fr. Mark was ordained to the diaconate on January 20, and to the priesthood on January 21. St. Elijah’s is led by Fr. Constantine Nasr. The following images are of the happy event. At the request of Fr. Constantine, Fr. Mark delivered a moving homily in tribute to his group's journey. This homily is available for viewing online here, courtesy of Fr. Mark. Diocese of Toledo News ArchivePlease Pray for the Aramouni Family
Donations of any size would be greatly appreciated. Update from fr. Andrew Harmon (Dec. 6th, 2008): Andrew continues to improve, thanks to everyone’s prayers. He is now home and is 100% physically recovered. He will have to be readmitted to the hospital in January for a follow-up surgery to insert a steel plate in his head. He is continuing to go back to the hospital very frequently for speech therapy. The doctors have said full speech recovery may be as long as 6 months to two years, but we hope it will be quicker as there is good progress. He is now beginning to use some simple sentences and it seems to be continually improving. The doctors have recently told Andrew’s parents, Roger and Lisa, that no one thought Andrew would survive and that it is nothing short of a miracle. Thanks be to God for his miraculous healing power. Please keep praying for a full and quick recovery of his speech. And it looks like Andrew won’t be able to play in the Diocese basketball tournament in Canton this winter, but he plans being back on the St. Matthew team in 2010---he’s eager for another trophy! ----Father Andrew Harmon Featured Parish: Holy Resurrection + Hobart, Indiana
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. Many Years to our Brother and Concelebrant His Beatitude JONAH
As an honored guest of the OCA Hierarchs I was blessed to be with my brother Hierarchs of the OCA and witness the Lord moving in their midst! Thank God our brother and sisters in Christ have remained unified through their struggles and emerged, strong, steadfast and full of hope. May our Lord grant unto His Beatitude JONAH, Many, Many, Many Years. May He also grant unto each of their beloved Hierarchs many years! Expansion Opportunity for St. Raphael Mission + Iowa City, IA
Dearly beloved by the Lord, Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever! The community of St. Raphael of Brooklyn Orthodox Mission in Iowa City, IA has a very urgent opportunity that we would like to share with you. As you will see in the accompanying pamphlet, we have a wonderful chance to purchase a building that would allow us to continue to grow and serve God in our Midwestern college town. I cannot speak highly enough regarding the generosity and sacrificial giving that has characterized our own members, but I rejoice that we are not in this alone. We are, perhaps, a little toe on the Body of Christ. You are part of that Body as well. We are all connected to the Head through our common baptism and the reception of the same Eucharist. Simply put, we have 75 days to raise $275,000. This will allow us to complete the purchase and renovate the interior so that it is a fitting place for Orthodox worship. Featured Mission: Holy Incarnation + Lincoln Park, Michigan
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 Parish: St. George Church + Cicero, Illinois
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. Why Does the Church Exist?On Saturday, Nov. 15, Fr. Alexander Atty will conduct a workshop at St. George Church, Indianapolis, IN. All are encouraged to attend and learn about the work that Christ gave His Church to do and about the role of clergy and laity in this work. Note that attendance in at least one parish council workshop is a prerequisite for nomination for parish council. However, attendance is encouraged regardless of whether participants intend to seek to serve on the council. As we learn more about the work Christ calls us to do and role each is to play, we have the potential to work together in peace and harmony for the building up of the Body of Christ. The workshop will start at 10 a.m. and will finish by 3 p.m. Job Opportunity at the Antiochian Village
Antiochian Village Senior Accountant Company: Antiochian Village, Ligonier, PA Status: Full Time Employee Education Level: College graduate Responsible to the Antiochian Village Conference Center Executive Director and the Antiochian Village Camp Director Job Description About the Village: The Antiochian Village Camp and Conference Center was founded in 1978 initially as a camp for young people. The Conference Center was added in 1985 as a full service Conference and Retreat Center that includes 100 hotel-style lodging rooms, a full array of meeting rooms, a chapel, a Library specializing in Orthodox Theology and Middle Eastern Studies, a full-service Dining Hall and so much more. In 2004, the Heritage Museum was added to the Antiochian Village as well. Bishop MARK's Russian Photo Albums Updated
Featured Mission: Holy Apostles Orthodox Mission, Bowling Green, KY
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. Visit to St. Catherine the Great Martyr OCA Representation Church in MoscowDuring his August 2008 pilgrimage to Russia, Bishop MARK and a group of pilgrims visited St. Catherine the Great Martyr Church, the Moscow Representation of the Orthodox Church in America.
Clergy and Laity Fall Meeting, October 16-19, 2008Antiochian Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest Orthodox Christian Fellowship Clergy and Laity Fall Meeting Indianapolis, Indiana + October 16-19, 2008
Special guests include:
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Antiochian Archdiocese pastor and Orthodox Christian Fellowship Executive Director Fr. Kevin Scherer presented workshops on youth ministry at July's Greek Archdiocese national gathering, and the good work of OCF was specifically noted by Archbishop DEMETRIOS in his keynote address.
By Fr. Gabriel Barrow
By Fr. Ted Bobosh
Come Receive the Light, OCN's national Orthodox Christian radio program, interviews Fr. Luke Veronis, author of the new book from Conciliar Press, Lynette's Hope. Fr. Luke shares the story and journal entries of Lynette Hoppe, an Orthodox Christian who served as a missionary in Albania, even as she faced terminal cancer with courage and faith. 
Why is Orthodoxy the noted exception when it comes to the declining interest in religion by men? Noted author and speaker Frederica Mathewes-Green tells us in a 
By Fr. James C. Meena
On Sunday, June 29, our brother Fr. David Lynch, 72, retired from St. Augustine Church of Denver, CO, fell asleep in Christ. Condolences may be sent to Kh. Martha Lynch the Lynch family at 
His Grace Bishop BASIL traveled to Santa Fe, New Mexico's Holy Trinity Orthodox Church on the weekend of June 7-8 to ordain to the diaconate and then to the holy priesthood Fr. Daniel Bethancourt, son of Holy Trinity's Fr. John Bethancourt. Fr. Daniel and his wife Maria are expecting their first child in July. May God grant them many years! Following are a selection of pictures from the ordination. More are available 
Holy Incarnation
