Complete article here.(OCN - The Sounding) - Breaking through the clouds to see the snow-capped mountains of Juneau, Alaska started this Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) mission trip. There was a team of 9 Orthodox Christian volunteers to help the communities of Juneau and Hoonah, Alaska (both churches are St. Nicholas), along with repairing the Hoonah church building. We ranged in age from 19 to 84, and traveled from Florida, Alabama, Indiana and Illinois.
One team member was on her 11th OCMC mission trip in 12 years. Another member was on her third OCMC trip in three years. For the rest of us, it was our first OCMC trip.
We began our four-day orientation at St. Nicholas in Juneau and then would travel to Hoonah. The orientation was for individual and team preparation, along with culture training about Orthodoxy in Alaska and the indigenous people. The parish priest for both St. Nicholas churches is Fr. Simeon.
As part of the orientation and the team building, we had to prepare a three-minute presentation about ourselves and our orthodoxy. I was unexpectedly nervous and emotional thinking about what I would say. The other team members expressed similar concerns. The Holy Spirit was moving us all to continue to inwardly evaluate ourselves and our mission.
As we presented our stories, there were tears and laughs. Despite the common thread of Orthodoxy, the lifetime of patterns weaved by each of us look so different. Some were filled with straight lines, others in circles and others were zig zags. Nevertheless, here we all sat together with one common goal.
We were blessed to meet Richard and Nora Dauenhauer. They have jointly written eight books, four of which are about the Tlinget, one of the five major groupings of Alaska’s indigenous people, also called Alaska Natives...
Monday, January 30, 2012
Notes from the Alaskan OCMC mission trip
Diocese of the Midwest opening first maternity center
CHICAGO, IL (OCA-DMW) - Plans are moving forward toward the establishment of an Orthodox-sponsored maternity home -- the first in the Midwest -- in the Chicago area.
"Orthodox Christians for Life-Chicago, a pan-Orthodox organization established in 2001, has long dreamed of putting its faith into action by establishing an Orthodox-sponsored outreach to women in crisis pregnancies in the Midwest," according to Helen O'Sullivan, an OCLife-Chicago spokesperson. "Establishing this outreach has increasingly become the focus of the organization and, as a result, a committee was formed to explore the possibilities and to see this project come to life.
"At present, there are only a handful of such homes across the country, and while in the Chicago metropolitan area there are a variety of crisis pregnancy centers, there is only one maternity home, under the auspices of an order of Roman Catholic nuns," Helen said. "Members of Chicago's pro-life community have indicated that there is a dire need for a second maternity home -- one where a cross-section of women would be comfortable to seek support. OCLife-Chicago’s goal is to establish that second maternity home to provide women in crisis pregnancies with housing and other practical, emotional, and spiritual support, with a focus on Christ-centered healing."
OCLife-Chicago has been "doing its homework" in researching their efforts.
"One of our members visited Chicago's only maternity home, as well as the only Orthodox Christian maternity home in the US -- California's Martha and Mary House," Helen added. "The latter will serve as a model for our efforts." [Visit the Martha and Mary House web site at www.marthaandmaryhouse.org for additional information.]
His Grace, Bishop Matthias of Chicago and the Midwest, has offered his enthusiastic support for the effort, while OCLife-Chicago has been working closely with His Grace, Bishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago.
"OCLIfe-Chicago will undertake the process of establishing the home, writing its bylaws and regulations, acquiring 501c3 non-profit status, and overseeing day-to-day operations and ongoing fundraising," Helen concluded. "We anticipate a positive response from parishes across the Chicagoland area -- and beyond -- to our initial fundraising effort, which will begin on March 11, 2012."
For additional information and ongoing updates, visit OCLife-Chicago's web site at www.oclife-chicago.org.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Kazakh official painted in cathedral fresco
H/T: A Reader's Guide
Moscow, January 27 (Interfax) - An Orthodox bishop has argued that no Church laws were broken by depicting a Kazakhstan senator in one of the frescoes in a new cathedral, while the lawmaker himself has described the painting as a "sacrilege" and has said he asked for it to be erased.
Sergey Kulagin, a former governor of Kazakhstan's Kustanay Region who was recently appointed senator, has his face painted in a fresco showing a crowd welcoming Jesus Christ into Jerusalem in the new cathedral of Rudny, a city in the Kustanay Region, as a commission from two companies whose business underlies the city's economy.
He is shown as one of the people in the crowd.
"The fresco involves no departure from canon law. Furthermore, a painter paints an icon with Episcopal blessing and making use of his skills, experience and surrounding examples," Anatoly, bishop of Kustanay and Rudny, said in a statement sent to Interfax-Religion.
There have been depictions of Jesus and apostles as "Chinese, Japanese, Russians and others, but the compliance of such an icon with canon law has never been questioned," he said.
"The Savior lived among the righteous and sinful, the healthy and sick, the rich and poor, the possessed and wise, and all that has been reflected in frescoes - an icon of Christ the Savior then becomes part of a fresco. Today we can see icons showing Red Army soldiers shooting innocent people, and even demons trying to tempt the Savior, but it is martyrs and not torturers whom we venerate," the bishop said.
Moreover, "any depiction in light and color, in space and time, in a simple or complicated composition needs the consecration and blessing of a bishop," he said.
Kulagin himself claimed that he had not been consulted about the painting.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Assembly of Bishops Secretariat meets
(AOB) - The Secretariat of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America held its annual "face-to-face" meeting, January 24th and 25th, 2012. The hosts for this year's "face-to-face" meeting were Father Josiah Trenham and the congregation of St Andrew Church in Riverside, CA. An overview of the work accomplished at the Riverside meeting will be included in a soon-to-be issued media release which will report to the Church-at-large on the work of the Assembly during the past year.
The Secretariat, which also meets monthly via teleconference, consists of Bishop Basil (Secretary of the Assembly of Bishops), Archbishop Antony, Bishop Andonios, Bishop Maxim, Father Mark Arey, Father Nicholas Ceko, Father Josiah Trenham, Hierodeacon Benedict (Armitage), Protodeacon Peter Danilchick, and Messrs. Alexei Krindatch, Alex Machaskee, Eric Namee and Constantin Ursache.
Pan-Orthodox Symposium to discuss a Local Church
 |
(OCA) - The Huffington Ecumenical Institute, in collaboration with the Henry Luce Foundation, will host its annual symposium, “Pan-Orthodoxy in North America: Towards a Local Church,” at Loyola Marymount University here March 16-17, 2012.
A variety of presentations by Orthodox Christian and Catholic experts will explore the “complex mosaic of historical circumstances, struggles for self-identity, and intriguing people” that make up Orthodox Christianity in North America.
The symposium will be held at University Hall 1000, Ahmanson Auditorium, Loyola Marymount University. Friday’s program begins at 9:00 a.m., while Saturday’s program opens at 9:30 a.m. Each days’ presentations will conclude at 5:00 p.m. Lunch and refreshments will be provided each day.
While there is no charge to attend the symposium, advanced registration is strictly required. To register and/or to obtain additional informaton, visit http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/ecumenical/pan-orthodoxy.
Questions may be directed to Katherine Lash at hei@lmu.edu; 310-338-1917.
A solid article on Orthodox at the March for Life
WASHINGTON, D.C., January 25, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) – At a religious event often dominated by massive presence of Roman Catholics, members of the Eastern Orthodox Church played a more visible role in this year’s March for Life than ever before. For the first time, the opening prayer in front of the Supreme Court was offered by His Eminence Jonah (Paffhausen), Metropolitan of All America and Canada for the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), as well as Roman Catholic prelates Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan.
“We are of one heart and one purpose,” he said as he chanted a litany of life before hundreds of thousands of marchers.
The Metropolitan was joined by several of his brother bishops, including Bp. Melchizedek of Pittsburgh, Bp. Matthias of Chicago, and Bp. Michael of New York. At least 15 priests were in his company alone. Several individual representatives of the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, and Antiochian Orthodox Churches also participated.
Fr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor of St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary in Syosset, New York, estimated more than 100 Orthodox Christians came with his group. St. Tikhon’s Seminary in Pennsylvania also brought students to participate in the church’s public ministry.
“The nation should respect life from conception until the moment the person naturally takes his last breath,” Met. Jonah told LifeSiteNews.com. The Orthodox Christian Church, the world’s second largest Christian denomination, dogmatically teaches that life begins at conception and that abortion is a grave sin.
He said throughout the year the faithful should remind women who have had an abortion “that forgiveness and healing are available to them. They should support ministries that care for pregnant women by, for instance, founding crisis pregnancy centers. That is the kind of ministry that will bring an end to abortion in this nation,” he said.
He instructed parishes of the OCA to insert prayers for the end of abortion into one of the church’s litanies on January 22, which the OCA proclaimed “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.”
Fr. Chad Hatfield told LifeSiteNews.com said he had only one disappointment. “I hope next year we have a greater participation from other Orthodox jurisdictions,” he said, particularly other bishops.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Eastern Orthodox Scouting manuals now free online
Wonderful news. These books used to be somewhat hard to order and pay for. A good reminder for me to get started on these with my son.
(EOCS) - The EOCS has been hard at work updating the award booklets & course requirements for the Chi-Ro, St. George, and Alpha-Omega Awards.
They are now available online FREE to download here.
It''ll Get Worse
(Salvo Magazine) - Many brainwashed Christian kids aren’t getting a clear picture of what their lives will be like as openly conservative religious adults. They don’t fully realize that their objections and concerns will be shouted down and that they’ll be ridiculed and bullied in the public square—called hater and bigot and anti-science no matter what they say or do. So let’s show them what their parents’ lives are like now, so they know what the future has in store for them if they remain Christians.
::: THE PLEDGE :::
No one deserves to be respected for having a Christian point of view or any other perspective that doesn’t fully embrace the gay ideology and abortion rights. To this end, I pledge to squash any religious ideas in children by giving them a taste of the public shaming and vitriol they will receive as God-fearing adults. I’ll shout down anyone who tries to stand up for traditional morals at school and at work—and I’ll encourage my friends, family, and neighbors to do the same. I’ll provide hopelessness to religiously minded youth by letting them know at a young age that “It’ll Get Worse.”
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Chicago area churches hold Prayer Vigil for Life
(UOC-USA) - Monday, January 23, 2012 marks the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that removed many state and federal restrictions on abortion.
Every year, thousands gather in the District of Columbia, the nation’s capitol in Washington, DC for the annual March for Life. It’s been deemed the largest and longest-running peaceful human rights demonstration for the unborn, with more than 100,000 in attendance.
As marchers gathered in Washington, D.C., for the March for Life, pro-life marches and commemorations around the country have already taken place in solidarity with the main event. Many were held on Saturday and a few Sunday, while others took place the week before.
The Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of Greater Chicago sponsored and hosted the 4th Annual Prayer Vigil for Life on Sunday, January 22, 2012 at Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church in Westchester, IL with His Grace Bishop Demetrios, a chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago delivering a key-note address, titled “Executing Death”.
Clergy and parishioners of almost very Orthodox parish in Chicago Metropolitan area attended the Prayer Vigil. Representing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA were His Grace Bishop Daniel, the Ruling Hierarch of the Western Eparchy of the UOC of the USA, accompanied by Archimadrite Pankratiy of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, IL; Rev. Fr. Vasyl Sendeha and Deacon John Charest of Sts Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Palos Park, IL, and Subdeacon Vasyl Pasakas of St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary.
The prayers were unspeakably beautiful, in large part due to the parish Chorus, who lead the chanting of a number of Psalms and singing responses in all of the languages of the various Orthodox jurisdiction of Chicago metropolitan area. His Grace Bishop Daniel delivered a prayer during the Vigil, stating: “...Seeking to fulfill Your teaching o Lord, we as Your followers, turn to You in fervent prayer on this “Sanctity of Life Sunday”. O God, Who knows each of us from our mother’s womb, protect the fragile lives of our unborn little brothers and sisters, granting blessed repose to those whose tiny lives were terminated, as well as repentance and forgiveness to those who have participated in their termination… O Life-Giving Christ, the Prince of peace, through the intercession of our Holy Mother, the Birth-Giver of God and all he Saints, grant us and all people the will to treat life as sacred. By protecting the Sanctity of Life, may we ever more glorify You, its Source – together with your eternal Father and Your all-Holy Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.”
2012 Missions and Evangelism Conference podcast available
It had to be that the year I move away from Texas for studies is the year they hold this conference in my hometown. Thankfully, AFR has supplied us with a comprehensive podcast of the event.
Podcasts available here.(AFR) - This year, the Missions and Evangelism Department of the Antiochian Archdiocese teamed with North Texas Orthodox Missions for a joint conference held in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. The speakers were Fr. Joseph Huneycutt, Fr. Evan Armatas, and Fr. Peter Gillquist. The dates were January 20-21, 2012. The conference was dedicated to the memory of His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
"the babe leaped in her womb" - St. Tikhon's at March for Life
 |
| St. Tikhon's Monastery went to the March for Life. |
Monday, January 23, 2012
Intl. Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations
 |
(ROC) - On 21 January 2012, in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia officiated at the ceremony of awarding the prize ‘For the Outstanding Activity in Strengthening Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations and for Consolidation and Promotion of Christian Values in the Life of Society” named after His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II.
The prizes of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations (IFUOCN) are awarded annually to the heads of states, governments and parliaments, Primates of the Orthodox Churches, and major public figures for their contribution to the strengthening of economic and political ties among the states formed in the context of Eastern Christian tradition and for the consolidation of noble standards of Christian morals in the life of Orthodox community.
The IFUOCN-2011 prize-winners are His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa; Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority; and Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic.
Attending the ceremony were Metropolitan Varsonofiy of Saransk and Mordovia, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR); Metropolitan Athanasios of Kyrenaika, representative of the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Archbishop Nifon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Archbishop Arseniy of Istra; Bishop Sergiy of Solnechnogorsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administrative Secretariat; Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Finance and Economics Management; archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church-State Relations; archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR deputy chairman; archpriest Mikhail Ryazantsev, sacristan of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour; members of the delegation of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria; Mikhail Bogdanov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Mufti Albir Krganov, first deputy chairman of the Central Spiritual Boards of Muslims of Russia; ambassador of the Arab and Balkan states accredited in Russia; members of the delegation of the Palestinian National Administration; and many guests.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
