Bishop Mark, Administrator of the Diocese of the South

Dallas, TX (OCA-DOS) - Today, it was announced by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, that His Grace, Bishop Mark (Maymom) was officially received into the Orthodox Church in America. His title will be Bishop of Baltimore, Auxiliary to the Metropolitan and Administrator of the Diocese of the South. Bishop Mark is the former Bishop of Toledo of the Antiochian Archdiocese. In a letter from Metropolitan Philip to His Beatitude, His Eminence, Metropolitan Philip wrote that "Bishop Mark is a very good bishop and I am sure he will contribute his talents for the edification of the faithful of the Orthodox Church in America."

His Grace will reside in Dallas and take up temporary residence at the Dallas home of Metropolitan Jonah. His Beatitude purchased the home here when he was Chancellor of the Diocese of the South and then for 10 days Bishop of Fort Worth, Auxiliary Bishop to Archbishop Dmitri. Since then, the Dallas residence has been used only when His Beatitude traveled to Dallas. Which is happening next week.

Yesterday it was announced that Archpriest Joseph Fester, Chancellor of the Diocese of the South and Dean of St Seraphim Cathedral will be transferred to the Diocese of Washington and be assigned as Dean of St. Nicholas Cathedral. Of local interest, he is a staple at the Dallas cathedral. At the time the announcement was made in Dallas, His Beatitude announced in Washington, DC, that upon the request of Archpriest Constantine White, Dean of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Fr. White will be transferred to St. Matthew Church in Columbia, MD. The transfers will take effect in February 2011. Father Fester will work with Bishop Mark during this transition period to acclimate him to DOS and Cathedral life. Bishop Mark will meet with the DOS Diocesan Council in February.

In other news, His Beatitude will be in the DOS starting this weekend when he visits St Cyril of Jerusalem Mission in The Woodlands, TX. The Woodlands is a fast-growing northern suburb of greater Houston. Metropolitan Jonah will serve Great Vespers on Saturday and the Divine Liturgy on Sunday. He will then fly to Dallas on Sunday evening and spend Christmas Week visiting parishes and mission in North Texas. His Beatitude will also bless the ground for the new monastery chapel of The Nativity of our Lord Monastery in Kemp, TX on Thursday, December 23. I hope to be there. I'll try and take pictures.

The Metropolitan will lead the Nativity of our Lord services at St Seraphim Cathedral on Friday, December 24 and Saturday, December 25 with a midnight Liturgy for the Feast.

The DOS Pastoral Conference will be held this year in Clinton, MS hosted by Holy Resurrection Church. Bishop Mark will be a participant at the annual event. For more information and to reserve a hotel room, click here.

St Jonah the Wonderworker Mission in Alpine, TX purchased their new church building and held their first service in it last week. They will be doing some needed renovations, including a new red metal roof (all the rage in Texas these days) plus expanding fellowship space. The interior of the church has beautiful exposed wood beams and with a temporary iconostases in place, already looks like an Orthodox Church!

Speaking of new iconostases, St. Tikhon Mission in Chattanooga, TN has erected a beautiful new iconostases, reports Priest Daniel Talley. More beautification projects are in store for the mission as they transform their current location into a more beautiful temple to worship God.

Priest Thomas Soroka, rector of St Nicholas Church in McKees Rocks, PA lead a two-day retreat at Holy Spirit Church in Venice, FL this past weekend. Over 60 retreat guests participated. A complete story on the retreat with pictures will be posted on the DOS website.

Congratulations to Priest Robert Royer and the faithful of Holy Resurrection Mission in Augusta, GA who were awarded a 2011 OCA Church Planting Grant. Another DOS Mission, Holy Cross Mission in Greensboro/High Point, NC completed their three-year grant this year. Congratulations to Priest Christopher Foley and his flock in North Carolina who during their three-year grant saw significant growth, moved to a new facility to accommodate their growth expanded their community life.

More News and Notes will be posted soon. Stay tuned.