(translation from original article)

(Moscow, Russia) On January 28, as part of the XVIII Annual International Educational Conference held here, over 50 iconographers from Russia and Eastern Europe, art critics and iconography teachers gathered to discuss the role of Church Art. The five-hour session was led by Alexander Kopirovskiy, PhD, M. Div, Professor of St Philaret Orthodox Christian Institute, Moscow and Irina Jazikova , PhD, Professor of Christian Art in St. Andrew Institute, Moscow.

One of the most interesting presentations was, amongst others, a talk by Prof. Alexander Kopirovskiy, “Iconostasis and Murals by Vladimir Grygorenko in St. Seraphim Cathedral, Dallas, TX”

Immediately after its beginning, the talk went far beyond the borders of an “academic report” and focused instead on the through discussion of icons of the Cathedral and the problems concerning the development of contemporary Church Art in general. The meeting noted the high skill shown by Vladimir Grygorenko, who successfully managed to adopt a traditional system of church decoration into a complex and unusual architectural interior of the Dallas Cathedral.

Several compositions written by Mr. Grygorenko for St Seraphim Cathedral were discussed for their uniqueness including the location of the composition "The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles” above the Altar, which makes that image a central theme in the whole system of the Cathedral’s iconographic presentation, the icon of “The Bosom of Abraham” which includes portraits of Holy Missioners, and icon of “Conversation of St. Seraphim with Motovilov.”

The discussion of the murals in St Seraphim Cathedral (which took twice as long the  conference schedule provided) concluded that a significant result in church decoration  was accomplished in following an approach that did not impose deadlines that could compromise the overall project and, most importantly utilized an active and open collaboration with the iconographer the parish and the bishop.

As the meeting continued, renowned iconographer Alexander Chashkin opined that many priests and even bishops in Russian Orthodox Church still consider ancient iconography as "appalling" or “horrifying” while preferring naturalistic looking imagery.

Artist and Theology teacher Lilia Ratner spoke of the spiritual and aesthetic vision of beauty of the prominent twentieth-century Orthodox theologian Olivier Clément, Reflecting on the well-known expression of one of the heroes of Dostoevsky's "Beauty will save the world”, Clément came to the conclusion that the only inspired beauty with salutary benefits are those directly inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Chairman of the Section and the leading specialist in contemporary iconography, Irina Jazikova , Professor of Christian Art, presented an album dedicated to the work of one of the most noted Russian icon painters Alexander Sokolov

Participants in the conference, including, iconographers, carvers, and artisans,  emphasized a consensus to move away from church art as mere imitation of a particular era in iconography (no matter how classic or not)  but rather move toward a genuine expression of church art taking true and timeless beauty as inspired by the Holy Spirit in every era and presenting it today within the canon of church art and the creativity of the artist.  Participants admitted that such a task is not easy to achieve but worthy of the effort. That is why such gatherings are necessary and important.

(Atlanta, GA)    With the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) and with the blessing of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, the Kursk-Root Icon is on an extensive tour of the eastern USA. The icon has already visited DOS parishes in the Carolinas and Florida before visiting Atlanta this coming weekend.

In the 13th century, during the dreadful period of the Tartar invasion of Russia, the devastated province of Kursk was emptied of people and its principal city, Kursk, became a wilderness. Now, the residents of the city of Rylsk, which had been preserved from invasion, often journeyed to the site of Kursk to hunt wild beasts. One of the hunters, going along the bank of the river Skal, which-was not very far from ruined Kursk, noticed an icon lying face down on the ground next to the root of a tree. The hunter picked it up and found that it was an icon of the Sign, such as was enshrined and venerated in the city of Novgorod. At this time, the icon's first miracle was worked, for no sooner had the hunter picked up the sacred image than there immediately gushed forth with great force an abundant spring of pure water. This took place on September 8th in the year 1295

Miracles attributed to the veneration of the Kursk-Root Icon are many. has performed many miracles.

The schedule for the Atlanta weekend is as follows:

Friday, February 5, 2010
7:00 PM: Akathist to the Kursk Icon of the Mother of God at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral - Atlanta, GA.

Saturday, February 6, 2010
9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy in Joy of All Who Sorrow Church, followed by montage presentation - Cummings, GA.
6:00 PM: All-Night Vigil in St. John the Wonder-worker Church  - Atlanta, GA.

Sunday, February 7, 2010
9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy in St. Mary of Egypt Church (ROCOR) followed by montage presentation - Roswell, GA.
3:00 PM: Moleben and Akathist in St. Mary of Egypt Church (OCA) - Lilburn, GA.
4:30 PM: Moleben and Akathist in Sts. Peter and Paul Serbian Orthodox Church  - Atlanta, GA

(Dallas, TX) Hieromonk Zacharias of St. John the Baptist Monastery in Essex, England, spiritual son of Elder Sophrony and spiritual grandson of St. Silouan of Athos, will be in Dallas/Fort Worth the weekend of February 6-7.

The schedule is as follows:



Saturday, February 6 at St. Seraphim Cathedral
7:00AM Divine Liturgy
8:30AM Light Breakfast
9:30AM First Talk by Elder Zacharias followed by a Question and Answer session.
Lunch will follow and the retreat will conclude at 2:00PM

At St. Sava Church in Allen, TX
5:00PM Great Vespers
6:00PM Elder Zacharias talks with Youth

Sunday, February 7 at St Sava Church in Allen, TX
9:30AM Divine Liturgy
11:30 AM Brunch and Talk by Elder Zacharias

For more contact please contact Priest Seraphim Hipsh who is organizing the retreat.

This is his last trip to the USA, so don't miss this!

(Fort Worth, TX)  His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah arrived in Dallas this evening in preparation for his meeting with the DOS Diocesan Council and the DOS Deans on Monday prior to the start of the DOS 2010 Pastoral Conference here on Tuesday.

The meeting of the Diocesan Council will begin at 1:00PM at the Radisson Hotel Fort Worth South.  His Beatitude, who is the locum tenens of the DOS, will address the Council followed by reports from the DOS Chancellor, Treasurer, and Deans.  Reports on the preparations for the 2010 DOS Assembly in Atlanta will also be presented as well as a report from the Episcopal Search Committee. Monday Daily Vespers will be celebrated at 5:30PM at St. Barbara Church.    A report on the Diocesan Council meeting will be posted here early this week.

His Beatitude will depart Fort Worth on Thursday at the conclusion of the Pastoral Conference, returning to New York in advance of the Saturday afternoon annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary.

His Beatitude will return to the DOS in February to be on private spiritual retreat at St Michael the Archangel Monastery in Canones, NM.

The International Orthodox Christian Charities is mobilizing its resources to bring aid to those affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti.  According to the IOCC website, "IOCC has mobilized its disaster response team and is coordinating with our Orthodox and ecumenical partners to monitor and respond to the emerging needs in Haiti. "Our prayers are with the people of Haiti who have lost loved ones in this disaster that has brought even more suffering to one of the poorest nations in the hemisphere," said IOCC Executive Director & CEO Constantine M. Triantafilou. "IOCC will be working with our fellow ACT Alliance members who are already in place to provide humanitarian aid to those affected by the earthquake.

(Inverness, FL)  Dr Harry Boosalis, the the Chair of the Department of Theology at St. Tikhon's
Seminary will lead a pre-lenten workshop here. Saturday, January 30.  The theme of the workshop will be the "Ancient Spirituality of the Christian East."

Dr. Boosalis is the author of three books: The Knowledge of God, Orthodox Spiritual Life According to St. Silouan of Mt. Athos, and The Joy of the Holy.

For more information, please download the workshop flier.

(Greensboro, NC)  Priest Christopher Foley and the faithful of Holy Cross Mission here braved the cold weather to bless the "icy" waters in the High Point area.  To view the video, click here.

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah has released his 2010 message to the Church on the Sanctity of Life.  To read the message and download resources related to the Sanctity of Life Sunday, click here.

(Greenville, SC) The Orthodox faithful of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral and St. John
of the Ladder here participated in the annual Blessing of the Waters service
in Falls Park on Sunday.

Here is the link to the wonderful photos..... from GreenvilleOnline.com

Following the service of the day of Theophany Priest Marcus Burch and several parishioners from St John of the Ladder Orthodox Church in Greenville, SC struck out to celebrate the outdoor blessing of water at the ‘Rainbow Falls’ in Jones Gap State Park, a favorite hiking and outdoor recreation area in northern Greenville County.  With the recent Arctic blast the group was amazed to find the falls almost totally frozen.  What you see on the ground is not snow, but the frozen mist of the waterfall as it landed on the terrain around the falls.  One of the parishioners who made the journey offered the reflection below.
 
BLESSING THE FALLS


Yesterday a bunch of us from church went to bless a waterfall, led by our intrepid priest.

What a trek! 

One of the best parts was listening to the sounds of the ice breaking up--booming and resonant. Somebody somewhere must have created a musical recording comprised of ice sounds, but I couldn't find what I'm looking for by googling it. Where could it be?

 Anyway, someone later asked me if the waterfall was in any way changed or improved by our having blessed it, or if it was we who were changed and improved. 

I too wondered during the ceremony--is this water now going to be somehow different now in any quantifiable sense? If so, how?

 After having pondered the question for a while, it now seems to me to be limited by linearity, a kind of two-dimensional cause-effect reductionism wholly unworthy of the (demonstrable, as in quantum physics) strangeness of reality.



We are called to be priests of all creation. Yes, something is changed--"Behold, I make all things new!"--but in a sense, it was always changed, from before eternity (Christ as the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world). 

O.k., would this then necessitate a circular as opposed to a linear representation?

 Oh, how I would love a map, chart, or graph!

 But that doesn't seem quite right, either. 

It strikes me that to demand a breakdown of how this blessing, this priesthood, "works" is to take a step backward out of a multi-dimensional universe of participatory, transformative servanthood/contagious glory into a kind of mechanistic universe.



Anyway, I do love how the changes in the ice were so unpredictable--sometimes dramatic and crashing, even violent, sometimes gentle and melting/trickling. 

And likewise, when the ice breaks up in our hearts, I think that the process is just as unpredictable (to us, not to the Holy Spirit). So when I see someone behaving in an uncharacteristic way, maybe I will have the grace to attribute that behavior to the breaking-up of her or his internal ice, and thus honor the ongoing mystery of the person's life.

During the past five years of the Annual Winter Service Retreat for Youth and Young Adults sponsored by St. George Orthodox Church located at 704 W. Sam Houston in Pharr, a special Nativity season distribution has been shared with its over 150 family recipients at St. George Food Pantry. At the same time and for many years previous, the Parish has also taken food, treats, toiletries and grooming items over to the Casa Amparo Orphanage for girls located in Reynosa, Mexico.
 
This year, with the nation and region in financial crunch, St. George's has much less to share with either the low income families in Pharr or with the girl's orphanage in Mexico. Father Antonio Perdomo, Pastor of St. George's, is putting out an emergency plea, "If your family, friends or co-workers would like to help with our effort to serve those less fortunate this year, we would be most grateful for either a (tax deductible) financial donations or the donation of new or lightly used items we share."
 
For the special St. George Food Pantry distribution, the church has in the past given one blanket per each of the 150 families it serves, and one baby blanket per young child. This year, thanks to the wonderful efforts of the Zion Mission Quilters at Zion Lutheran Church, and also the work of Canadian Winter Texans, Trevor and Rhonda Hammons, the Food Pantry has about 90 quilts, comforters and blankets on hand. That still leaves them short by at least 60, with very few blankets available for the babies.
 
Also, in past years, the church had Christmas Stockings filled with goodies available for each child, given by a national organization. Due to budget cuts, these are not available this year. New and lightly used toys  are also normally shared with the children, but these are also still in very short supply.
 
In addition, new or lightly used children's and baby clothing, as well as jackets, coats, sweaters and other warm winter clothing, is needed for people of all ages.
 
"We have always received generous financial contributions in the past, to buy bulk food items to take to the Casa Amparo Orphanage in Reynosa. But so far this year, we've received none," said Elizabeth Perdomo, the Pastor's wife. "We also like to take toiletry and grooming items and other treats to share at the girls at the orphanage, and we have a few things to take, but not much."
 
The Winter Service Retreat begins on Monday, December 28th, with an opening talk given by this year's speaker, Father Chad Hatfield, Chancellor of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary in New York. The talk will take place at St. George's Church in Pharr at 7 PM and is open to the public.
 
The special St. George Food Pantry distribution will take place on Wednesday, December 30th and the retreat participants will be going to the Casa Amparo orphanage in Reynosa on December 31st.

Each year the parish of St John the Wonderworker opens its doors on Christmas day to feed the poor, hungry and homeless in downtown Atlanta.  The annual event brings together local businesses who contribute food and other goods, the parishioners and friends of St. John's who prepare the food, and the homeless who are fed.

This year’s Christmas Day dinner for the homeless fed over 100 people as parishioners cooked and served the food while providing a supportive fellowship atmosphere. Parishioners spent a week preparing a meal of turkey, ham, stuffing, fresh green beans and yams. An Atlanta area bread company provided fresh rolls. The men's plates were piled high as were their spirits on this joyous day.

In addition to the dinner for area homeless, St. John’s reaches out to the community with an annual Christmas toy program.  This year, 637 needy children received Christmas toys.

St. John's Food Pantry also provides daily lunches to area homeless throughout the year.

 

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah has released his 2010 Nativity Message. It can be read on the OCA website by clicking here.

News posted on the OCA website has been confirmed that His Eminence, Archbishop Job of Chicago fell asleep in the Lord today in near Toledo, Ohio.

The Archbishop was returning from Mentor, OH. where he participated in a deanery meeting yesterday. He was in poor health at the meeting and had been resting all week at his home in Black Lick, PA.  Clergy at the meeting urged him to seek medical attention but the Archbishop felt it better to drive back to Chicago and seek medical attention there.

He stopped in near Toledi and checked into a hotel for the night. He was
found by paramedics this morning in the parking lot of the hotel by his
car, apparently preparing to drive to Chicago. He was pronounced dead in the ER room at the hospital he was taken to.

Archpriest John Zdinak, Chancellor of the Diocese of the Midwest was interviewed today on Ancient Faith Radio and offered more details about the last day and morning of Archbishop Job life here on earth.

His Beatitude, Metropoltian Jonah will travel tomorrow to Chicago to prepare for the funeral.  Funeral arrangements have been announced and are as follows:

Monday, December 21

Place: Christ the Savior Church, 927 N LaSalle Blvd, Chicago, IL 60610

1- 4 PM Viewing. Body then transported to Holy Trinity Cathedral

Place: Holy Trinity Cathedral, 1121 N Leavitt St, Chicago, IL 60622

6-11 PM Viewing. Panikhida at 7 PM

Tuesday, December 22

Place: Holy Trinity Cathedral

11 AM to 11 PM. Funeral Vigil at 7 PM

Wednesday, December 23

Place: Holy Trinity Cathedral

Funeral Liturgy at 9 AM
After Liturgy body is transported to St. Theodosius Cathedral, Cleveland.
Place: St. Theodosius Cathedral, 733 Starkweather Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113

7:30 – 10 PM. Panikhida with viewing at 8 PM

Saturday, December 26

Place: St. John the Baptist Church, 785 Blaire Rd, Blairsville, PA 15717 (Black Lick, PA)

Funeral Liturgy with burial at 10 AM

May the Memory of His servant Archbishop Job be eternal!

(Dallas, TX)  His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, Locum Tenens of the Diocese of the South will be here this weekend to celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Thanksgiving Day, bless the new woman’s monastery in Kemp, TX on Saturday and ordain Gregory Conley to the Holy Diaconate at St. Seraphim Cathedral on Sunday.

Monday, the Feast of St Andrew the First Called will be celebrated with the Divine Liturgy followed by a bilateral meeting between members of the DOS and members of the Episcopal diocese of Fort Worth, which recently broke with the Episcopal Church USA over ecclesial and doctrinal issues. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah will head the DOS delegation while Bishop Jack Iker of the Diocese of Fort Worth will head the Anglican delegation.  This meeting is a continuation of recent discussions held in Wisconsin at Nashotah House.

His Beatitude was in Mt. Pleasant, SC at Holy Ascension Church last weekend meeting with clergy of the Carolinas Deanery and for the ordination of Jacob Hatch to the Holy Diaconate on the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the Temple.

The Retreat scheduled for December 4-6 at St Barbara Church in Forth Worth, with Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, has been postponed. Father Hopko is hoping to reschedule to retreat for later in 2010.

The 2010 DOS Pastoral Conference will take place January 26-28 hosted by St. Barbara Church in Fort Worth. Archimandrite Meletios (Webber) will be the Conference speaker.  Those flying to Dallas/Fort Worth should fly into DFW airport.  Diocesan Council members are asked to arrive by noon, Monday, January 25 and depart on Tuesday. Clergy who are not members of the Diocesan Council are asked to arrive in Dallas by 3pm on Tuesday.

The Pastoral Conference will begin with Vespers on Tuesday at 5pm followed by the opening presentation on Tuesday at 7:30pm.  The Conference will conclude on Thursday, January 28 at noon. Complete Conference information will be posted on the DOS website in the next week.

The DOS Diocesan Council will meet on Monday, January 25 to review matters needing Council attention. On Tuesday morning, January 26. His Beatitude will then meet with the DOS Deans prior to the start of the Pastoral Conference on Tuesday evening.

St Sava Church formerly in Plano, TX has moved onto the the property they purchased last year. Their new location is in Allen, TX, about 5 miles north of their old location. Remodeling and expansion of an existing structure on their new property were recently completed so that the move can take place this Friday and Saturday.  Their old leased location in Plano has been sub-leased to a Coptic Orthodox mission.

Speaking of things changing in the Dallas Metroplex, St Seraphim Cathedral is using some creative and low cost alternatives to expanding fellowship space for Sunday coffee hour.  With the continued growth of the Cathedral the fellowship space in the hall is becoming an issue.  More space is being used in the former “old cathedral” which is now the bookstore.  With the charge of His Beatitude to “build community” at the Cathedral, insuring adequate space for fellowship is a top priority while making sure the ministry of the bookstore is not diminished.

DOS Administrator and Treasurer, Milos Konjevich has been hitting the road in recent weeks to north Florida, Virginia and last weekend to North Carolina. On these trips Milos has been reviewing the new DOS Tithing Program, the elimination of the collection of the OCA Assessment and various DOS programs available to assist parishes with financial development.

The Austin/Georgetown Mission Station is moving into larger facilities to accommodate the growing number of faithful and inquirers it is attracting. The new location is near Southwestern University on the main access road into Georgetown.

(Kemp, TX)  Final preparations are underway for the blessing of the new Nativity of our Lord woman’s monastery here on Saturday, November 28 at 10:00 am. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah will celebrate an Akathist to the Mother of God followed by the blessing of the Monastery building and grounds.

Volunteers from Dallas area parishes have descended on the country farm house transforming it into a monastery.  The farmhouse kitchen is being expanded into a rectory while other rooms are being converted into a chapel. St Seraphim Cathedral in Dallas has donated its original iconostasis to the monastery.  For directions to the Monastery click here.

(Pharr, TX) Today, St. George Food Pantry, an Orthodox outreach ministry sponsored by St. George the Great Martyr Orthodox Church in Pharr, will be sharing (gift certificates) for 150 Turkeys. In addition, the Food Pantry prepares and distributes over 150 food boxes to feed over 150 families today and twice every month. The St. George's Church parking lot was already full before 7 AM, hours before its Pastor, Father Antonio Perdomo, even left to pick up food from the local Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley. Because of the slumping national economy combined with an already chronic situation of local poverty, the need is ever greater this year.

St George Food Pantry began during the summer of 2004, in response to the great need found in the St. George Church's local neighborhood. Although Food Pantry service has steadily grown through the years, the numbers and needs have sharply increased during this past year. People are becoming more and more desperate just to feed their families. St. George Orthodox Church is situated in Hidalgo County, located on the South Texas border with Mexico, which is the 2nd poorest county in the nation. St. George Food Pantry purchases most food from the local Food Bank, but things like the turkey distribution are "extra" expenses and cost us much more. If any individuals or parishes would like to make a one-time donation to help defray the cost of these turkey dinners, we'd be most appreciative. In addition, we also provide a special distribution during the Nativity Season - providing food, toys, blankets and warm clothing to our many recipients. If you or your local parish would consider sharing a regular monthly contribution, as some families and parishes across the country already do, we would be thrilled!
 
Donations can be sent to:

St. George Orthodox Church
St. George Food Pantry
PO Box 667
Pharr, TX  78577
 
Or, one can make a PayPal Donation Online at:
 
http://www.stgeorgepantry.org/foodpantry.html
http://www.stgeorgepantry.org/foodpantryfriends.html
 

(Dallas, TX) Priest Antonio Perdomo, rector of St George the Greatmartyr in Pharr, TX will be featured today on the Orthodox Christian Network (OCN).  To hear his presentation, click here.

(Dallas, TX) With the blessing of His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH, Locum Tenens of the Diocese of the South, His Grace Alejo, Bishop of Mexico City of the Orthodox Church in America will visit St. George Orthodox Church in Pharr, Texas November 7 and 8. Pharr is located on the border with Mexico.

The occasion for his visit is a wedding which will take place at St. George's on Saturday at 11 AM, uniting Raul Sergius and Maria Guadelupe, who live in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.

In addition to the wedding, Bishop Alejo will be joining us at St. George's for Great Vespers on Saturday evening, November 7th at 6 PM and will preside at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at St. George starting at 10AM. For more information please call 956-781-2388 or visit the St George website.

(Dallas, TX) St. Seraphim Cathedral held a festive Fellowship Hour after the Divine Liturgy to celebrate the 86th birthday of His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri. His Beatitude sent his best regards to His Eminence.  Can you believe it, yesterday was one year since His Beatitude was consecrated to the Episcopacy as Bishop of Fort Worth.  What a difference a year makes!

Speaking of bishops, the DOS Episcopal Search Committee is waiting for the results of the Lesser Synod meeting today to advise the Committee on any new vetted candidates for consideration to the episcopacy. A meeting of the Committee will be held sometime in November once it receives direction from the Synod.

News from Albuquerque (thanks to Diane Prokipchak!)

On Sunday, September 13th, All Saints of North America Orthodox Church in Albuquerque, NM, began its Sunday School year with a Molieben for the Beginning of Instruction.  For the first time, the children sang the responses (with a little help from the choir) and even the younger ones sang out “Lord have mercy” with confidence!   All Saints now has approximately twelve children in our Sunday School program, ages three to sixteen.  Since moving into our dual use hall/church five years ago, we’ve grown from an average of forty-five to an average of seventy attending the Divine Liturgy on Sunday.  We feel very blessed that a growing percentage of our parish is made up of families with young children.

On Sunday, October 18th, we joyfully celebrated the 77th birthdays of all three of our beloved clergy: Archpriest George Sondergaard and his twin brother, Deacon Gerry Sondergaard (Oct. 20th), and Protodeacon Nicholas Jannakos (Sept. 21st).   Father George, ordained to the priesthood 34 years ago, served the OCA in Texas and California before coming to New Mexico and starting the Albuquerque Orthodox Mission in 1994.  Protodeacon Nicholas been serving as a deacon in the OCA since 1995, being honored with the title of Protodeacon last year by Archbishop Dmitri.  Deacon Gerry, ordained to the diaconate thirteen years ago, joined the ranks of the OCA’s clergy and All Saints in July.  We feel very blessed to have the example of their many years of service to the Lord with us at All Saints.  God grant you many years Father George, Deacon Gerry and Protodeacon Nicholas!  

St Mary Magdalen in Rincon, GA and Holy Spirit Church in Venice, FL held parish festivals in October to increase exposure for their respective communities. Holy Spirit will also hold its Annual Christmas Bazaar.  But the "Mother" of all Christmas Bazaars in the DOS is held annually at St. Barbara's in Fort Worth. The Old Country Christmas Ethnic Festival will be held November 13-14.

St. Mary’s in Rincon has also instituted a new “traveling icon” to be house for a week at a time by parishioners. According to Hieromonk James (Bohlman) rector of St. Mary’s. “ The purpose of this is for the icon (Our Lady of Kazan) to come into their home and help them to become more aware of their relationship to God, and to remind them to pray.  It can also function as a sacrament of blessing for the household (and), as a source of consolation.

The DOS welcomes into her priestly ranks, Archpriest Benjamin Henderson and Priest Samuel Gantt.  Father Benjamin will be starting a new mission-station in El Paso, TX and Fr Samuel is the new priest-in-charge of St Cyril of Jerusalem Mission in The Woodlands, TX.

Father Justin Patterson reports that he has 22 catechumens at St. Athanasius Mission in Nicholasville, KY. Fr Justin is also looking to start a mission-station as an outreach of St. Athanasius'.

Saturday, November 21 will be an important day in the DOS. His Beatitude will be in Mt. Pleasant, SC for the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the Temple and the ordination of Jacob Hatch to the Holy Diaconate. Jacob is the youth director at St Justin Martyr Church in Jacksonville, FL.  Also on November 21, Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Miami, FL  will remember the 20th Anniversary of the falling asleep in the Lord of Archpriest George Gladky, the first chancellor of the DOS. The Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 10:00AM followed by the Memorial Service for Fr. George and a Memorial Dinner.  Fr. George’s grave will be blessed to end the Memorial Saturday. More information can be found here.

His Beatitude will be in Dallas for Thanksgiving weekend. He will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Seraphim Cathedral on Thanksgiving Day. On Sunday, November 29th he will ordain Gregory Conley to the Holy Diaconate.  On Monday, November 30th His Beatitude will participate in a meeting of the Fellowship of St Alban and Sergius in Dallas.  The dialogue will continue the discussions recently held at Nashotah House in Wisconsin.

While in Dallas, His Beatitude will also bless the new Nativity of our Lord Monastery on Saturday, November 28. The women’s monastery is located

Father William Mills, rector of the Nativity of the Theotokos Church in Charlotte, NC has edited a new book, Orthodox Pastoral Service, published by the Orthodox Research Center. The book is a translation of a work by +Archimandrite Kyprian Kern.

The DOS Website has a new Monastic Communities page. We encourage everyone to visit this page often and to take advantage of the spiritual opportunities these communities provide.

And finally, please keep in your prayers Fr. Edward Rommen of Holy Transfiguration in Raleigh, NC who is recovering from cancer surgery and Priest John Chudik of St Mark's in Bradenton, FL, in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer. 

(Dallas, TX)  DOS Treasurer and Administrator, Milos Konjevich released the FY 2009 Mid-Year Financial Reports today. An overview of the reports follows.

The mid year Income Statement, Sources & Uses of Funds Statement, and Statement of Assets & Liabilities, and a Tithe Report as of October 15, 2009 have been posted here.

Mid year Tithe income was $237,923, an increase of $6,590 (2.8%) from the June 30, 2008 total: only one deanery (Orlando) shows a decrease. Tithes at October 15 were $387,782, up by $34,340 (10%) from last year, with all deaneries, except Orlando, showing an increase. Our forecast model projects a full year total of $527,500, an increase of 6.8% over last year and $5K better than the all time high set in 2007. Both the actual and projected results would be far more favorable were it not for the payment arrearages of several parishes.

Membership assessment income at mid year was $84,167, a decrease of $17,876 (17.5%) from last year.. This reflects the impact of changing the parish membership assessment obligation from the per capita (head tax) basis to an amount equal to 3% of total parish income. The income disparity will continue to increase as more parishes adjust their monthly remittances downward in order to bring their total assessment payments for the year to the 3% level, but a greater financial impact awaits in 2010 when the Diocese assumes the full amount of the membership assessment obligation to the OCA, leaving the 10% Tithe on total income as the sole parish financial obligation to the Diocese.

The resulting benefit to the parishes and missions from lifting the membership assessment obligation will approximate $250,000 in 2010, which will, of itself, constitute the largest single financial assistance transaction in the history of this Diocese. A blanket financial assistance measure of this magnitude was needed in this time of widespread tight parish budgets, and the weight of this consideration justifies the inherent financial risk borne by the Diocese upon the adoption of this measure at the July Assembly. The impact of this measure is now being realized by each parish as 2010 budgets are being formulated.

The risk to the Diocese from assuming full responsibility for payment of the membership assessment is mitigated by our growing Tithe income. Through August of this year the membership assessment obligation paid to the OCA equals 53% of Tithe income: if the projected Tithe total of $527,500 is realized the ratio falls to 48%. The ratio has trended downward since the all time high of 70% was reached in calendar year 2003,when the per capita amount went from $64 to $85, an increase of 33%: the ratio was “only” 58% in 2006, when the per capita amount was raised to $105.

We were disappointed that the per capita amount was not reduced last year in Pittsburgh, but it is expected that a substantial reduction will be enacted at the 2011 All America Council. A significant reduction needs to be made before the OCA can move to a percentage-based system. The Diocese is prepared to work with the Central Administration in developing a transitional percentage-based implementation plan that would ultimately result in our total financial obligation to the OCA being fixed at 25% of Tithe income.

-Milos Konjevich

FY 2009 Mid-Year Reports

(Dallas, TX)  With the blessing of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, Locum tenens of the Diocese of the South, the revised DOS Uniform Parish By-Laws accepted at the 2009 DOS Assembly with their posting on the diocesan website are in effect and replace the Uniform Parish By-Laws passed in 1981.

You are requested to download the Revised Uniform Parish By-Laws and make sufficient copies for parish use.

A Revised Uniform Parish-By-Laws are also posted on the Parish Resource Documents page of this website.

Hard copies will be distributed at the 2010 Pastoral Conference and at the 2010 Diocesan Assembly or may be requested by contacting the DOS Chancery.

(Dallas, TX)  The Reverend Protodeacon Nicholas Fedak, 90, the protodeacon of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Miami, FL, fell asleep in the on Thursday, Ocotber 7, 2009.

Protodeacon Nicholas was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in 1968. Since that time he was attached to Sts. Peter and Paul. He recently received a Synodal Gramota for his dedicated service.

Protodeacon Nicholas has been in declining health in the past several months. He is survived by his wife, Mathuska Mildred.

Funeral arrangements are as follows -

Visitation and all services at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, 1411 SW 11th St., Miami, FL 33135.

FRIDAY, October 9,  6:00PM Visitation, 7:00PM Panihhida

SATURDAY, October 10, 10:00AM Funeral Service
Burial to follow at Woodlawn Cemetery, Miami.

May Protodeacon Nicholas’ memory be eternal!

 

(Ft. Smith, AR)  The parish of Sts. George and Alexandra has completed a major phase in their beautification project with the installation of new icon murals. Iconographer, John Lickwar, a parishioner of St Cyril of Jersusalem in The Woodlands, TX wrote the icons that now grace the walls of the church in Ft. Smith.

The altar area is the next phase beginning with the Platytara to complete the Ascension icon.

(Dallas, TX) With the blessing of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, the St. Michael Skete in Canones, NM has been designated a Monastery.  The Skete was founded in 1993 and is currently under the direction of Hieromonk John (Anderson).

The Monastery is currently expanding its facilities with the building of a 16 x 30 ft. dormitory for future monks and long term guests. Hieromonk John anticipates the new dormitory to be finished in a few weeks.

In addition to the new buildings, the Monastery is growing in its monastic ranks with a new novice, Brother Christian clothed on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

The Monastery can be contacted by email at stmichaelsskete@gmail.net

(Dallas, TX) Members of the St. Anthony Orthodox Church in San Antonio, Texas gathered on Friday and Saturday to celebrate the communities 30th anniversary of its founding. Archpriest Leo Poore, rector of St. Anthony’s welcomed Archpriest Joseph Fester, DOS Chancellor, Priest Seraphim Hipsh, Dean of the Dallas deanery, Archpriest Dmitri Cozby, former rector of St Anthony’s, Priest Dan Suciu of St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church and Deacon George Nashawati from St Ephraim Antiochian Mission San Antonio.

Great Vespers were served on Friday evening with Dr. Robert Vranes leading the choir. A reception was held after Vespers hosted by the parish. On Saturday morning the Divine Liturgy was celebrated with Fr. Hipsh giving the sermon. At the conclusion of hte Liturgy Fr. Fester blessed two newly added icon murals of the feasts of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord.

A celebratory banquet was held after Liturgy at which time the history of the parish was recounted from its early days under St. Anthony’s first pastor, the late Fr. John Schriber, the purchase of their current church property and the extensive renovation that has taken place over the years. During the banquet, Dr. Vranes recounted the many influential parishioners who did their part to establish St. Anthony’s. Fr. Cozby shared his remembrances of the parish while Fr. Leo encouraged the community to build on the foundation that has been laid so that the parish can move forward in preaching the Gospel.

Fr. Joseph extended the prayerful best wishes of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, Locum Tenens of the DOS and His Eminence Archbishop Dmitri who also sent his warm regards to the clergy and faithful of St. Anthony’s.

(Dallas, TX)  Priest Gleb McFatter, a DOS representative to the Metropolitan Council and a member of the OCA Pension Board reports that several changes to the OCA Pension Plan were ratified at the recently concluded Metropolitan Council meeting in New York. Fr. McFatter, a Certified Public Accountant, offered a short synopsis for the DOS website:
 

1. The current plan is based on 65% of average base pay ("final average" of 5 highest consecutive years)
2. The new plan is based on initial accrued benefits as of 12/31/09 (65% of average base pay as of 12/31/09 multiplied by participation service as of 12/31/09, divided by projected eligibility service at age 65 +2% of average housing allowance multiplied by participation service after 2005) plus 2% of pensionable compensation (salary + housing) for each year after 2009, + any periodic adjustments awarded by Pension Board (none expected for 4-5 years, until plan reaches fully funded status).
3. The retirement benefit is the greater of #2 above or the minimum benefit (65% of average base pay as of 12/31/09 multiplied by participation service as of 12/31/09 divided by projected eligibility service at age 65 + 2% of average housing allowance as of 12/31/09 multiplied by participation service (after 2005) as of 12/31/09. Periodic adjustments by the Pension Board are not guaranteed, but may be expected at about 3% per year, based on investment performance.
4. Without periodic adjustments, most participants will receive approximately 75% of current plan's retirement benefits.  With periodic adjustments most participants will receive 90 - 100% of current plan's benefits.
5. Current retirees/beneficiaries and those who are 65 or older and still active will not be affected.  Their benefits will not change.
6. Interest credited on contributions (currently at 6.17% APR) will be changed to the Federal mid-term rate published for Oct of prior year, compounded monthly (e.g., Oct 2008 rate= 3.12%)  This impacts only cash-outs to members who terminate participation in the plan before retirement.
   

Current Pension Plan participants will receive a personal worksheet, and a question/answer sheet showing what their benefits are under the old plan and what their benefits will be under the new plan. This is scheduled to be mailed out from the OCA Pension Office by October 2.

Contribution amounts of 6% by clergy and 6% by a parish will remain the same.

If any clergy have questions, you may direct them to Fr. McFatter (revgleb@comcast.net) or the OCA Pension office.

(Dallas, TX) The Nativity of our Lord Monastery closed on a 12 acre site  located one hour east of Dallas in Kemp, TX today. The new woman's monastery was blessed last year to be established by Archbishop Dmitri. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah traveled to Dallas last summer to be the main speaker at a benefit banquet for the monastery.

(Dallas, TX) Without boasting (too much) His Eminence has said to not a few people that the prosfora made at St Seraphim Cathedral here is “the best he has ever seen and tasted.” Allowing for his love for the Cathedral prosfora bakers but also taking into consideration that His Eminence has encountered countless incarnations of prosforas in his 39 years as a bishop - when he says “this recipe is the best” it might be worth trying. So here it is,


Item Needed:
A bowl for dough
Plastic wrap
Boiling water
10 cups of pre-sifted Organic unbleached flour (it makes a difference which flour is used.)
4 tsp of dry yeast
Salt

Yeast solution:
Put 4 tsp of yeast into 1/2 cup of warm water.
Stir.
Add a pinch of salt.

Dough:
In a big bowl add 4 cups of flour.
Pour 4 cups of boiling water over the flour and stir until it cools down and becomes warm.
Add yeast solution.
Stir.
Add 5-6 cups of flour, one or two at a time while kneading the dough.
Put the dough on the table and continue kneading for at least 20 minutes.
Put the dough in the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 1 hour.
Roll the dough and form the prosfora.

Baking:
Bake prosfora at 350F for 20-30 minutes. (It’s OK if they get brown on top)
When baked, remove from oven and cover with paper towel, then with regular towel.
Let prosfora cool.
Bag and freeze or use fresh.

Depending on the size of the prosfora, the recipe makes two - three dozen medium size prosfora.

If you have any questions about the recipe or instructions, please feel free to call Subdeacon Michael Gladtskov at 469-733-5007