Volume 51 No. 7 September 2007

Transcription

1 Volume 51 No. 7 September 2007

2 contents VOLUME 51 NO. 7 SEPTEMBER 2007 COVER COMMUNITY OF ST. JOHN CATHEDRAL IN EAGLE RIVER, ALASKA marks the 20th Anniversary of their Coming Home to Canonical Orthodoxy 3 EDITORIAL by Very Rev. John Abdalah 4 METROPOLITAN PHILIP S ADDRESS TO THE 48TH ARCHDIOCESAN CONVENTION GENERAL ASSEMBLY, JULY 2007 The Most Reverend Metropolitan PHILIP, D.H.L., D.D. Primate The Right Reverend Bishop ANTOUN The Right Reverend Bishop JOSEPH The Right Reverend Bishop BASIL The Right Reverend Bishop THOMAS The Right Reverend Bishop MARK The Right Reverend Bishop ALEXANDER Founded in Arabic as Al Kalimat in 1905 by Saint Raphael (Hawaweeny) Founded in English as The WORD in 1957 by Metropolitan ANTONY (Bashir) Editor in Chief The Very Rev. John P. Abdalah, D.Min. Assistant Editor Joanne M. Abdalah, MSW Editorial Board The Very Rev. Joseph J. Allen, Th.D. Anthony Bashir, Ph.D. The Very Rev. Antony Gabriel, Th.M. The Very Rev. Peter Gillquist Ronald Nicola Najib E. Saliba, Ph.D. The Very Rev. Paul Schneirla, M.Div. Design Director Donna Griffin Albert Member The Associated Church Press Conciliar Press Ecumenical News International Orthodox Press Service Editorial Office: The WORD 635 Miranda Drive Pittsburgh, PA WORDMAG@AOL.COM FAX: Subscription Office: 358 Mountain Road PO Box 5238 Englewood, NJ Letters to the editor are welcome and should include the author s full name and parish. Submissions for Communities in Action must be approved by the local pastor. Both may be edited for purposes of clarity and space. All submissions, in hard copy, on disk or ed, should be double-spaced for editing purposes. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: U.S.A. and Canada, $20.00 Foreign Countries, $26.00 Single Copies, $ RETROSPECTIVE ON THE EOC RECEPTION INTO THE ANTIOCHIAN CHRISTIAN ARCHDIOCESE by Very Rev. Peter Gillquist 15 A CALL TO COMMIT OURSELVES by Very Rev. Thomas Zain 16 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT 17 DEPARTMENT OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 21 TRIBUTES TO THE MINISTRIES OF THE LATE CHURCHMEN VERY REV. GEORGE SHAHEEN AND RT. REV. MICHAEL TRIGG 27 ARCHDIOCESAN OFFICE 30 ORATORICAL FESTIVAL JUDGES CHOICE 33 METROPOLITAN PHILIP S ADDRESS TO THE 2007 GRADUATING CLASS AT ST. TIKHON S THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, SOUTH CANAAN, PA THE WORD (USPS ), published monthly except July and August, by the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America at 358 Mountain Road, PO Box 5238, periodicals postage paid at Englewood, New Jersey and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to: THE WORD, 358 Mountain Road, PO Box 5238, Englewood, NJ ISSN Canada Post Publications Agreement No Return Canada address to: AIM, 7289 Torbram Road, Mississauga, ON L4T 1G8, Canada. 2 The Word

3 editor s letter UNITY UNITY UNITY by Father John Abdalah The theme of the 2007 Conferences and Convention was unity, taken from Ephesians 4:12-13, Building up the body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of the faith We heard orations and sermons, read essays, viewed art and photography and were challenged by our dynamic church leaders, clergy and laity alike, on this topic. We learned that unity is mandated by God and is rooted in the life of the Trinity. We heard about canons and Church councils, scriptures and writings of Church fathers, and even lives of saints all calling us to unity. Unity must be the rule of our families, parishes, Archdiocese and the Orthodox Churches in North America. For me, the most convicting message of all was in a tale of one of the oratorical contestants. As a tourist in Turkey, he visited holy places with his schoolmates. When he affirmed the unity of the Orthodox Churches, he was challenged by the tour guide, who said that the Orthodox are divided into ethnic groups. What we can say? Surely, a Church divided into ethnic groups is a divided Church! All of our talk of unity of faith, communion of our bishops and oneness in the Eucharist does not erase the reality that a Church divided into ethnic groups is divided. This year, we celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the former Evangelical Orthodox Church entering into canonical Orthodoxy. This entrance into canonical Orthodoxy is indeed an expression of God s love. In the Gospel of John, God has clearly called us to be one in Him. This unity is accomplished through love. God s love was truly expressed through Metropolitan PHILIP and the leaders of the former EOC when Metropolitan PHILIP welcomed our once-divided brothers home. Through this action he demonstrated a way to unite the Churches in North America. He also showed a way to unite families who are divided. He offered an action plan to heal parishes which are in conflict. Metropolitan PHILIP and the leadership of the former EOC showed true Christian love. This love put aside pride and ego. This love took risks and left everyone vulnerable. This love was sacrificial and generous. This love came from God and returned to God. This love allowed all to surrender to God and His will. This kind of love is what is necessary for confusion and misunderstandings within a diocese to heal and the Churches in North America to be one. We need to submit ourselves to our Savior and allow Him to bring us the love of the Father by the Holy Spirit. We need to try to do less by ourselves, and to rely instead on God. In this very special edition of The WORD, you will find Metropolitan PHILIP s address to the General Assembly, which reveals both his vision and his heart. You will also read Fr. Peter Gillquist s reflections on the initiation of the former EOC into the Antiochian Archdiocese. You will find Metropolitan PHILIP s address to the 2007 graduating class of St. Tikhon s Seminary, and even a call to better church attendance and participation from the dean of our mother cathedral, Fr. Thomas Zain. It is my hope that some of these inspiring words will help us, the readers of The WORD, love with God s own love; in that love the world around us will be called to the unity that God is and that He desires. The Word 3

4 Metropolitan PHILIP s Address to the 48th Archdiocesan Convention General Assembly July 27, 2007 Beloved Hierarchs, Your Eminences, Reverend Clergy, Esteemed Members of the Board of Trustees, Members of the Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Members of the Antiochian Women of North America, Members of St. John the Divine and Members of SOYO, Parish Councils and Delegates to this 48th Archdiocese Convention: The theme of our convention this year is chosen from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians, Building up the Body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of faith (Ephesians 4:12-13). Before I address the theme of this convention, which is Unity of the faith, I would like to joyfully reflect on a very significant event which took place in this Archdiocese, not one thousand years ago, but twenty years ago when we welcomed home more than two thousand former Evangelicals into canonical Orthodoxy. That was indeed another Pentecost and another chapter to be added to the Book of Acts. It is meet and right to celebrate this recent event because we Orthodox are always celebrating the remote past. Twenty-five years ago, I said in one of my sermons, on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the triumphalism of the past cannot save us from the sterility of the present and the uncertainty of the future. The Holy Spirit will work with us if we courageously respond to the Divine challenge. The reception of the former Evangelicals to Holy Orthodoxy was a positive response to the Holy Spirit and an affirmation of our Lord s commission: to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19). Lest we forget, let us recall some of the events which led to that blessed day in These good people discovered Holy Orthodoxy from books on their own, but what happened when they began knocking on Orthodox doors seeking canonical Orthodoxy? One Orthodox jurisdiction sent them overseas to meet a Patriarch in a foreign capital. The Patriarch, however, was told not to receive them, by those who sent them. Thus, they returned home empty-handed and disappointed. Then, they were told to try another jurisdiction; they did. They kept knocking on the door, but 4 The Word

5 unfortunately no one answered. Someone told them, Why don t you try Antioch? In 1985, the Antiochian Archdiocese was blessed by the visit of our Father-in-Christ, His Beatitude Ignatius IV, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East. The Parish Life Conference of the Western Region was held in Los Angeles. I remember receiving a phone call from Father Peter Gillquist, asking if he and two other priests could meet with the Patriarch of Antioch. I said, Of course, you can. A meeting was arranged for Father Peter, Father Jon Braun and Father Richard Ballew, and they were well received by His Beatitude. After the meeting, the Patriarch said to me: Please do everything you can to help these people. I asked the three visitors to send me samples of their religious literature. They did. With a small committee of theologians from the Archdiocese, I reviewed their writings and found them to be very Orthodox. Our dialogue continued from 1985 to In September of 1987, our dialogue culminated in a meeting at the Archdiocese headquarters in New Jersey. Most of the leaders of the former EOC were received by me and a small committee of Antiochian theologians. Many views were exchanged and many questions were asked. The meeting was long and exhausting. Finally, the Very Reverend Gordon Walker broke down in tears and said to me: Your Eminence, if you do not accept us, where do we go from here? At that moment I, myself, was also in tears, and said: I want you brothers to go spend the evening together, reflect on our discussion and give me your final decision tomorrow. The next day, Father Peter Gillquist called and said: We would like to come and see you. I said, Come. I did not know what to expect. They all came. Father Peter Gillquist asked for the floor and said: Your Eminence, we have unanimously agreed to join the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America. I, joyfully, said: Welcome home, Brothers! These were precious moments in my life which I will never forget. We all exited the big dining room to the patio and smoked cigars. The story, however, did not end with the cigars. The most exciting and most rewarding part of this spiritual adventure took place when, assisted by my brother, Bishop Antoun, we traveled to Franklin, Tennessee; Jackson, Mississippi; Gary, Indiana; St. Michael of Van Nuys, St. Nicholas Cathedral of Los Angeles, Saints Peter and Paul of Ben Lomond, California, and Eagle River, Alaska. Ladies and Gentlemen: Words are inadequate to describe the joy which permeated my heart when I was chrismat- Archdeacon Antony Bashir, Archbishop G. Messarra and Archimandrite Victor Abouassaly The Word 5

6 All we knew was, we wanted to be the Church, and you were the only one who did let this become a reality. And this reality continues to grow in me day by day. Your vision to bring America to the Orthodox faith is still very much alive in us and to this end, we labor night and day. Signed, Very Reverend Richard Ballew. ing and ordaining these wonderful people. Before this, I used to chrismate little Middle Eastern children with dark hair, brown eyes and olive skin, and suddenly I found myself chrismating little blond, blue-eyed and fair-skinned children. These people have added more depth to our spiritual life; and while they continue to discover the treasures of Orthodoxy, we continue to learn from them, also. One of the things that they are teaching us is the practice of tithing. If you check your financial report for the last fiscal year, you will find that the biggest contributing parish to the Archdiocese was St. John Parish of Memphis, Tennessee. This year, twenty years later, I have already received some very moving letters from former Evangelicals, thanking me for receiving them into Holy Orthodoxy. I will read to you an excerpt from one letter dated February 15, I am, especially, grateful to the Lord and to you because this was the fulfillment of a twenty-year quest of the Church. For my colleagues and me, this pursuit began in At first, we did not know where the Church was. All we knew was, we wanted to be the Church, and you were the only one who did let this become a reality. And this reality continues to grow in me day by day. Your vision to bring America to the Orthodox faith is still very much alive in us and to this end, we labor night and day. Signed, Very Reverend Richard Ballew. As you know, after the reception of these beautiful people into canonical Orthodoxy, I was criticized severely by some frozen-minded Orthodox. I didn t care. And if I have the opportunity to do it again, I would shout a million times, Welcome home, Brothers! Ladies and Gentlemen: The theme of our convention this year is Orthodox unity of faith. In 1995, we celebrated the centennial of our God-protected Archdiocese. Our journey to the kingdom began in 1895, when Archimandrite Raphael Hawaweeny arrived to these blessed shores of North America. On March 12, 1904, Raphael was consecrated Bishop of Brooklyn, New York and was the first Orthodox Bishop to be ordained in North America. Unfortunately, Bishop Raphael fell asleep in the Lord in 1915, having served only eleven rich years. In 1917, Aftimios Ofiesh was consecrated Archbishop and served until Emmanuel Abou-Hatab was consecrated Bishop of Montreal and Auxiliary to Aftimios, September 11, 1928, and died May 30, Sophronis Bechara, who was the Bishop of the West Coast and Auxiliary to Aftimios, died in Archbishop Victor Abouassaly, who was consecrated as Archbishop of New York and all North America, with a praxis from the Holy Synod of Antioch, died April 19, Metropolitan Germanos Shehadi returned to Lebanon in 1933 and died in Shortly after the departure of Hawaweeny, Metropolitan Germanos came to America to collect funds for the Archdiocese of Zahleh, Ba albek and Dependencies. But instead of raising funds and returning to Lebanon, he stayed in North America and led a faction of our people who were loyal to Antioch. Thus, our people in North America became divided between those who were loyal to Antioch and those who were loyal to the Russian Synod. This was a dark period in our history and the struggle which ensued was dubbed Russy-Antaky. Consequently, congregations in the same city were divided. Parishes of the same faith were not in communion with each other. Neighbors were not talking to neighbors and relatives were against relatives. People who belonged to the same Church sued each other and ended up in civil courts. In other words, the Antiochian situation in North America was dismal and disgusting. Neither the Russian Synod nor the Antiochian Synod was able to put an end to this tragedy. By the end of 1934, however, all the bishop who were in the Antiochian arena in North America were dead; but as you will see, death did not solve the problem. In 1935, Patriarch Alexander Tahan III delegated the late Theodosius Aboujaily, Archbishop of Tyre and Sidon and later Patriarch Theodosius VI, to come to North America, visit our parishes and find out who our people wanted as the Metropolitan Archbishop. According to his findings, Archimandrite Antony Bashir was the most popular and qualified. The Holy Synod of Antioch, based on the recommendation of Metropolitan Theodosius, elected Antony Bashir as Metropolitan of New York and all North America to succeed Archbishop Victor Abouassaly. Some of our people were against this recommendation and the election of Metropolitan Antony. Thus, on April 16, 1936, while Antony Bashir was being conse- 6 The Word

7 crated Archbishop, on the same day and at the same time, Archbishop Samuel David was being consecrated in Toledo, Ohio, as Archbishop of Toledo and Dependencies. Unfortunately, the long dark night which began after the falling asleep in Christ of Raphael Hawaweeny, continued and the conflict, then, was between New York and Toledo. The same animosity among our people persisted. If you check the Minutes of the Holy Synod of Antioch between 1936 and 1970, you will be horrified with the contradictory decisions which were made during this period, vis-á-vis New York and Toledo. After my consecration as your Metropolitan in 1966, I was determined to put an end to this shameful tragedy, before this conflict put an end to my hopes and dreams of a united Antiochian Archdiocese and, consequently, a united Orthodox Church in North America. To make the long story short, in 1973 I was in Toledo, Ohio, presiding over the Midwest SOYO Parish Life Conference. After the liturgy, I was in my suite talking to Father George Rados. Suddenly, I said to Father George, Please call Archbishop Michael and tell him I want to stop and pay my respects to him. Needless to say, Father George was surprised and said: Are you serious? I said: Very serious, proceed. Ten minutes later, I found myself embracing the late Archbishop Michael. I said: You and I must put an end to this absurd division and we must reunite our Antiochian people. If you want to be the Metropolitan, I will be very happy to serve as your auxiliary. Archbishop Michael said: No, you have many more parishes than I do. And he continued: If we do not bury the past, the past will bury us. I was overjoyed with Archbishop Michael s positive response. We agreed to appoint a joint committee to work out the details. Finally, on June 25, 1975, Archbishop Michael and I met in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and signed the Articles of Reunification, putting an end to a sad division which disturbed the peace of our Antiochian people in North America for more than sixty years. Subsequently, I said in one of my messages to the convention, Even if the angels come and tell you division is good for you, do not believe them. Christ is the source of unity and the Prince of peace. Only Satan is the master of deceit and dissension, and we must never surrender to him. One of the great poets and philosophers, George Santayana, said: Those who forget history, are doomed to repeat it. In his Epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul said: I appeal to you brethren by the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that all of you agree that there be no disunity among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment (I Cor. 1:10). I want these words of St. Paul to be engraved on your hearts and minds. Sometimes, during my hours of solitude, like most of you, I think about the future of this beloved Archdiocese. I know and you know that all of us are mortal beings. The question is: What about the future? I appeal to you, my beloved children and friends, not to let any group of people, or any group of bishops or any Synod, local or foreign, divide you and destroy what we have built for the past forty-one years. This Archdiocese must remain a beacon of light and a good example to be emulated by all Orthodox in North America. We have enough Orthodox fragmentations and we do not need any more. Ladies and Gentlemen: This brings me to the last segment of my message to this convention, which is Orthodox Unity in North America. On May 31, during our Archdiocesan Synod Meeting, I told my brother bishops the following: Since 1966, I have lived with two obsessions: (1) The Unity of our Archdiocese and (2) Orthodox Unity in North America. Where are we now in regard to this unity? Unfortunately, the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America is still divided into more than fifteen jurisdictions based on ethnicity, contrary to the decisions of the First and Fourth Ecumenical Councils. Our canons clearly state that we cannot have more than one bishop over the same territory, and one Metropolitan over the same Metropolis. I regret to tell you that we Orthodox are violating this important ecclesiological principle in North America, South America, Europe and Australia. In New York, for example, we have more than 10 Orthodox bishops over the same city and the same territory. I can say the same thing about other cities and territories in North America. When ethnic ecclesiology began to flourish and prosper in the nineteenth century, the Orthodox Church, immediately, summoned the pan-orthodox Synod of Constantinople in 1872 and condemned ecclesiological ethno-phyletism as The Word 7

8 a heresy. One more example of phyletism is Paris, France. There are six co-existing Orthodox bishops with overlapping ecclesiological jurisdictions. In my opinion and in the opinion of Orthodox canonists, this is phyletism. This is heretical. How can we condemn phyletism as a heresy in 1872 and still practice the same kind of phyletism in the twenty-first century here in North America? When I lived in Damascus, Syria, and Beirut, Lebanon, in the early 1950 s, there were large Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox communities there, but they were not under the Archbishop of Athens or the Patriarchate of Moscow, but under the Omophorions of the Antiochian local bishops. Due to wars and social upheaval, we now have a large Lebanese community in Athens, Greece and they are under the Omophorion of the Archbishop of Athens. They do not have a separate jurisdiction because they are Lebanese Orthodox. Ladies and Gentlemen: Archimandrite Gregorios Papathomas, a Professor of Canon Law and Dean of St. Sergius Theological Institute in Paris, France, wrote: The defining criterion of an ecclesiastical body has been its location. It has never been nationality, race, culture, ritual or confession. In First Corinthians (1:2) St. Paul writes: To the Church of God which is at Corinth, and in II Corinthians he writes: To the Church of God which is at Corinth, and in Galatians (1:2) he writes: To the Church of Galacia. We learn from the Apostolic Age and the Patristic Age that the Church is one church, one and the same church, the body of Christ, found in Antioch, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Constantinople, Greece, Rome, Russia, etc. Based on all this, it is wrong to call the Church Russian and Greek or American, because the Church, in essence, transcends nationalism, race and culture. Here in North America, we have a distorted Orthodox ecclesiology because of our ethnic jurisdictions. In 1961, SCOBA was established; some of its founders were the late Archbishop Iakovos and the late Metropolitan Antony Bashir. May their souls rest in peace. The original constitution of SCOBA, adopted January 21, 1961, paragraph I, Section C, under Objectives states: The purpose of the conference is the consideration and resolution of common ecclesiastical problems, the coordination of efforts in matters of common concern to Orthodoxy, and the strengthening of Orthodox unity. Last year, between October 3 and 6, SCOBA invited many Orthodox bishops who met in Chicago, Illinois, to discuss common Orthodox problems. The communiqué issued on October 5, 2006, did not mention a word about Orthodox Unity in America. Again in November, 2006, a meeting of Inter-Orthodox priests met in Brookline, Massachusetts. A draft statement dated January 22, 2007, was circulated and not a word about Orthodox unity in North America was mentioned. I am convinced that serious attempts are being made, by some hierarchs in North America and abroad, to sweep the whole quest of Orthodox unity in this hemisphere, under the rug. After the Brookline, Massachusetts, encounter, one of my Antiochian clergy wrote to me the following: Two of the Greek priests gave very strong talks on unity. We did decide, however, that given the landscape, we would use the word cooperation and not unity in our printed records. This statement, my friends, speaks for itself. With all the obstacles which we are facing, have we then reached a dead end? No, with the All-Holy Spirit working in the Church, there are no dead ends. I am sure that thousands of Orthodox clergy and hundreds of thousands of Orthodox laity in North America are deeply committed to Orthodox unity and we shall overcome. We Orthodox must put our house in order, if we want to have a serious Orthodox mission in North America. This unity, Ladies and Gentlemen, will begin with our clergy and laity on the local level. My generation is slowly, but surely, fading away. It is up to you and our younger generation to carry the torch and let the light shine. Before I conclude this message, I would be remiss if I do not thank my brother bishops, namely: Bishop Antoun, Bishop Joseph, Bishop Basil, Bishop Thomas, Bishop Mark and Bishop Alexander. I would like to thank the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr. George Farha; the Treasurer of the Archdiocese, Mr. Robert Laham; our two Chancellors, Mr. Robert Koory and Mr. Charles Ajalat; our secretary, Dr. John Dalack; our Assistant Treasurer, Mr. George Nassor and all dedicated and generous members of the Board of Trustees; all chairpersons of our departments and commissions, all presidents of our organizations, 8 The Word

9 and all members of our parish councils. Last, but not least, I want to thank my coworkers in this vineyard, our faithful clergy, who continue to serve whether in large parishes, small parishes or missions, dedicating their lives to Christ and His gospel. Finally, I would like to thank the members of my staff, namely: our hierarchical assistant, Father George Kevorkian; Archdeacon Hans, who has been traveling with me for the past thirty years; Subdeacon Charles Baz; the comptroller, Mr. Peter Dacales; the new Administrator of the Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Mrs. Joanne Hakim; the Registrar, Mrs. Amy Robinson, and last, but not least, my dedicated secretary, Kathy Meyer, who has already devoted thirty-eight years of her life to the service of this Archdiocese. In conclusion, I would like to leave you with these words from St. Paul: May the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 15:5-6). CLERGY WIVES RETREAT All clergy wives are invited to the 20th anniversary pan-orthodox retreat of the clergy wives of the Midwest on October 12-14, The retreat will be held at the Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, Michigan. If you would like more information, please contact us: Elfriede Daly at St. Nicholas Church, Grand Rapids, MI , elfitolle@yahoo.com Leslee Abud at St. George Church, Flint, MI , Laabud@aol.com Jeannette Gallaway at St. Andrew Church, Lexington, KY , JDGallaway@aol.com More information will be available soon. The Word 9

10 Retrospective on the EOC Reception into the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese We arrived at the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey, and the moment the door opened I knew my life would change forever. Welcome home, burst from Sayedna s lips after we, the delegation representing the Evangelical Orthodox Church, accepted his gracious offer to receive our parishes about 2,000 Evangelical Protestants across North America en masse into the Orthodox Church. Metropolitan PHILIP s two beautiful words still reverberate in my mind and heart 20 years later, and surely will for the rest of my life. 10 The Word

11 His Eminence put a lot on the line in receiving the Evangelical Orthodox Church (EOC). But he took that risk believing it was the right thing to do, and expecting that God would use this move to bless the members of the former EOC as well as all the Orthodox Christians of North America, and through them eventually all the people of our continent. God has been gracious, abundantly pouring out His blessings since Sayedna received the EOC into the Antiochian Archdiocese in I would like to review four prominent areas in which God has worked: the Orthodox Study Bible, the Orthodox Conference on Missions and Evangelism, the planting of over 100 new missions, and the revival of Orthodox campus ministry. The Orthodox Study Bible Orthodox Christians are Bible people. The Orthodox Church gave the world the Bible, Her Fathers preached and taught from it, Her liturgies proclaim it daily, and to this day Her clergy weave their homilies around it. The trouble was, at the time the EOC entered, modern Orthodox were not known for personal Bible reading. Parish Bible studies were not widespread. The EOC had approached the Orthodox Church because of Her true Faith and worship, and we wanted to learn from those who had carried the Tradition intact for 2,000 years. Nevertheless, being former Evangelical Protestants, we were all about the Bible, and immediately saw an important area in which we could give back to the Orthodox Church. Shortly after our chrismations, the St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology took up the daunting task of producing the first English-language study Bible from an Orthodox Christian perspective, beginning with the New Testament and Psalms. Metropolitan PHILIP blessed the undertaking, though this was not to be an exclusive Antiochian Archdiocese project. This study Bible would be for all the Orthodox; hence, we gathered scholars from multiple jurisdictions to write and edit the notes. Likewise, donors from all sectors of Orthodoxy came forward to fund the project. Thomas Nelson Publishing President and CEO Sam Moore, a godly man of Lebanese descent, did not expect his company would make any money on this project. All he asked was that we sell enough Bibles to break even, that number being the Much of what we read in the Orthodox Study Bible confirmed the things we had discovered along our seven-year journey, things that would be considered heresy by conventional Evangelical wisdom. The more we read, the more convinced we became that we needed to make contact with these Orthodox people about whom we had been reading and yet remained shrouded in mystery In the course of my Christian life no single edition has ever had the impact on my life that the Orthodox Study Bible has had in bringing me home to the Holy Orthodox Church. The Word 11

12 We have to bring this Church from Byzantium to America. We have to bring it from tsarist Russia to America. Psychologically we re still not here, some of us. Now you re here..so do something about it! initial press run of 25,000 copies. We took it by faith God would help us reach the goal. Lo and behold, to everyone s amazement and joy, the first run sold out even before it went to press! The Orthodox Study Bible New Testament and Psalms wasn t even ready for distribution, and Thomas Nelson had to scramble to print more. Over the years the St. Athanasius Academy has received wonderful feedback concerning the Orthodox Study Bible. We ve seen hundreds of letters and heard thousands of comments, from life-long Orthodox Christians who credit the Orthodox Study Bible with revitalizing their faith, to recent converts who claim their journey to Orthodoxy may not have been possible without it. The Orthodox Study Bible even has played a decisive role in drawing Protestant clergy and entire congregations to the Orthodox Christian Faith. Fr. Joseph Corrigan wrote of the study Bible s importance in his and his congregation s journey to Orthodoxy in the mid-1990s: Much of what we read in the Orthodox Study Bible confirmed the things we had discovered along our seven-year journey, things that would be considered heresy by conventional Evangelical wisdom. The more we read, the more convinced we became that we needed to make contact with these Orthodox people about whom we had been reading and yet remained shrouded in mystery.in the course of my Christian life no single edition has ever had the impact on my life that the Orthodox Study Bible has had in bringing me home to the Holy Orthodox Church. Not long after the Orthodox Study Bible New Testament and Psalms came out, Orthodox Christians of every background began clamoring for an Old Testament companion. The St. Athanasius Academy began work on the Orthodox Study Bible Old Testament in 1998, but this time the task was even more monumental. Not only would we need to write notes for about three times as much material, but we also had to produce a text of the Septuagint, the predominant Old Testament text used by the Orthodox Church, in modern English. Thanks be to God, after 10 long years the complete Orthodox Study Bible, Old and New Testaments, is scheduled for release in February 2008! The Orthodox Conference on Missions and Evangelism In bringing 2,000 former Evangelical Protestants into the Orthodox Church, first and foremost Metropolitan PHILIP commissioned us to bring in more. At our mass chrismation he told us: We have to bring this Church from Byzantium to America. We have to bring it from tsarist Russia to America. Psychologically we re still not here, some of us. Now you re here.so do something about it! To help fulfill Sayedna s commission to bring America to Orthodoxy, the Archdiocese established a full-time Department of Missions and Evangelism. We had to begin by inspiring and training the faithful to evangelize from an Orthodox perspective and hit on the idea of a national conference. We would invite Orthodox clergy and laity to a weekend of lectures and workshops, teaching the Orthodox how central evangelism is to the life of the Church, and instructing them how to do it. On Labor Day Weekend of 1988, the annual Orthodox Conference on Missions and Evangelism was born. The Conference proved a success the very first year, attracting more than 100 participants from multiple Orthodox backgrounds. Over the years many have testified to how the experience moved them personally to a deeper understanding of and greater enthusiasm for their Faith. Many more have reported the long-term fruits of their participation in the Conference: more serious involvement in Church services and activities, a commitment to parish growth, deeper personal faith, and in some cases even the very survival and eventual resurrection of their parish. One priest who attended an early Orthodox Conference on Missions and Evangelism wrote, You literally saved my parish! There wouldn t be a parish there if it weren t for this conference. It soon became clear that the Orthodox Conference on Missions and Evangelism was becoming not only a cross-jurisdictional event, but an outreach event in itself. In some years Conference attendance has run as much as one- 12 The Word

13 Orthodox Campus Ministry third non-orthodox! The Conference has developed a reputation as the place for Protestant seekers to check out the evangelical side of the Orthodox Church. In a number of cases, their experience at the Conference has given these Protestants the boost they needed to finally choose Orthodoxy. Mission Planting Orthodox Christians returned home from the Orthodox Conference on Missions and Evangelism and put to use what they learned sharing their Faith, helping their parishes grow, and helping to build new missions. At the same time, I and as many local Orthodox priests as I could recruit were kept busy visiting with and training a steady stream of Protestant clergy inquiring about Orthodoxy. Some of these were hoping to bring part or all of their flock with them into the Church. Just before the Evangelical Orthodox Church entered in 1987, the Antiochian Archdiocese consisted of 117 parishes in the United States and Canada. Today, with the addition of the 17 EOC parishes, several former Anglican and other liturgical Protestant congregations of the Western Rite Vicariate, and over 100 new missions (most of which have grown to full parishes), the AOCA has more than doubled its parishes in just 20 years. The multiplication of new Orthodox Christian missions is the third significant area in which we have seen God s blessings at work, and where He has allowed the former Evangelical Orthodox to contribute to His Church. Orthodox Campus Ministry The fourth major area in which God has worked through the entry of the EOC into Orthodoxy has been on campus. Most of the leadership of the EOC had cut their evangelistic teeth through college ministry, working as campus ministers and national leaders in Campus Crusade for Christ. What s more, much of the EOC membership had either become Christian or re-committed their lives to Christ as college students in the 1960s and 70s. In several instances these students formed the founding core of what The Word 13

14 In addition to the fellowship and morale boost, our students returned to their campuses more deeply committed to God, better understanding their Faith, and more confident and able to defend it before faculty and other students. eventually became an EOC parish. It was only natural that our movement would carry on its campus work under the omophorion of the Orthodox Church. Sayedna PHILIP assigned Fr. Jon Braun, one of the central EOC bishops and one of the most noted campus evangelists in the country, to revitalize our college ministry efforts. Following the Orthodox Conference on Missions and Evangelism example, the Department of Campus Ministry hosted the first nation-wide Orthodox College Conference in many years in the summer of 1989 and again, it was offered for all the Orthodox, not just Antiochians. Orthodox Christian students, accustomed to feeling hopelessly outnumbered and pressured on their campuses by secular forces on one side and Evangelical Protestants on the other, finally were offered a place where for at least a few days they could find strength in numbers and the brotherhood of other Orthodox believers. Eventually moving from summer to winter break, the Orthodox College Conference has grown in depth and attendance over the years. It has become a key offering of the reborn Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) under the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA). The infectious enthusiasm for campus ministry which the Evangelical Orthodox Church brought to Orthodoxy has spread across North America. In addition to the annual Orthodox College Conference, Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) chapters have sprung up at 240 college campuses as a result of grassroots efforts by inspired students, local clergy, and neighboring parishioners. After graduation, a large number of these students have gone on to make important contributions in their parishes. We thank God for rekindling the Orthodox Christian Faith at our nation s colleges and universities, and for reviving OCF itself as an effective force on campus. Those of us who entered into Orthodoxy with the Evangelical Orthodox Church in 1987, as well as the thousands of Evangelical Protestants who came in before or since through any jurisdiction, surely can agree that the Orthodox Church has transformed us, affecting us far more than we it. Being unworthy, we humbly thank the Lord God for leading us to this most blessed Church, and we always will be grateful to His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP for courageously opening the loving arms of the Church to us. Having received so much, it is our honor and joy to have been able to offer some of our gifts and talents back to our Holy Mother Church. We do feel welcome, and we know that we indeed are home. Very Rev. Peter Gillquist is the Chairman of the Antiochian Archdiocese Department of Missions and Evangelism. 14 The Word

15 A Call to COMMIT OURSELVES Beloved in Christ: September 1 begins the new ecclesiastical or Church year. In ancient times, this day also marked the beginning of the civil New Year. While the date of the civil New Year was changed to January 1st long ago, September 1st nevertheless remains a time to start a new cycle in our homes and in the Church. Summer is drawing to a close, children are headed back to school, vacations and trips to the beach wind down, our gardens are producing their final fruits, church and other organizations begin meeting again, the leaves will begin to change color and, most importantly, we start a new Church year. What does starting a new Church year mean for us as Orthodox Christians and members of this Cathedral community? In a general sense it means that we are to rededicate ourselves to the life of the Church. Many of us tend to drift away in the time after Pascha and especially the summer months. September is a call for us to return to the life and cycle of the Church if we have fallen away. The beginning of the Church year also reminds us that time itself is sanctified by God and has been given to us from Him. The Trinity Father, Son and Holy Spirit exists outside of time (try to comprehend that if you can!), yet we exist in time and must use the time for the glory of God. Therefore, how do we take something as mundane as time and sanctify it, that is, make it holy? We can start by arranging our personal and social calendars around the life of the Church, her feasts and fasts, and trying to keep them as much as we can. For those with children, that means planning their extra-curricular activities accordingly. Sunday mornings are for worship with the community, for receiving the Holy Eucharist, not for sports. How can we expect our children to grow in the Faith if they grow up learning that sports (which I love very much) are more important than attending Divine Liturgy? For adults, that means not planning social events that interfere with the fasts and celebrations of the Church. In order to change, we must sit down and look ahead of time at the calendar of the Church to see what days we should set apart (sanctify) and keep clear. Let me give a practical example of how to do this. If we look at the Church year, there are 12 great feasts and Pascha. Every year, Pascha, Palm Sunday and Pentecost fall on Sundays. We are left with 10 feasts. We all celebrate our Lord s Nativity on December 25 (although some do not celebrate it in the Church!!). That leaves us with nine. In any given year, of the remaining nine maybe two or three fall on a Sunday. That leaves six or seven weekday evenings (excluding Lenten services) that we should mark on our calendar each year, to make sure that we attend services for these great feasts. Imagine if, for example, the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord on February 2 was as well-attended as a Sunday Liturgy! This is not something that is beyond our reach. It just takes a small adjustment in our thinking and, more importantly, our planning. Finally, and most importantly, we must commend (commit) ourselves and each other and all our life unto Christ our God. This often-repeated line in the petitions of the Church should be our motto and our resolution as we begin a new Church year. If we aim and strive to do this, then all I have written will happen much more easily. We commit our lives to Christ through the life of the Church, through fasting and celebrating her feasts, through receiving the sacraments of the Church by properly preparing for them (e.g., fasting from all food and drink from midnight before receiving Holy Communion and participating in the sacrament of Confession). We also do this by giving back to God a portion of what He has blessed us with to further the work of the Church (through tithing or our pledges), and by helping others in need. It is when we do these things that we are indeed the people of God and thus, the Church. In conclusion, unlike the New Year s resolutions we often make in January to lose weight, be nicer to people or spend more time with our loved ones, these resolutions are much more important because our salvation depends on them. Wishing you all a blessed beginning of the ecclesiastical year, I remain, In Christ, Fr. Thomas Fr. Thomas Zain is pastor of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Brooklyn, NY. This message was prepared for his parish s newsletter. The Word 15

16 department of planning and future development THE VISION TO GIVE LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY FOR ORTHODOXY Two generations of Kattoufs honor the past and envision the future by giving forward. Dr. Richard S. Kattouf II, Dr. Valerie Kattouf Sousne, newly appointed Archdiocesan Trustee Dr. Richard S. Kattouf and Jacqueline Kattouf share a deep love of Orthodoxy, philanthropy and vocation. If there s one thing Dr. Richard Kattouf truly appreciates, it s vision. You could say that s what he s devoted his whole life to giving others the ability to see everything that surrounds them. And he s paid that idea forward through his business interests, which help other optometrists and eye care professionals manage their own businesses. He and his wife Jackie met at church, married and began their journey together as students at The Ohio State University. From there, it was on to the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Visual Science and his Doctor of Optometry with numerous honors. Then he and Jackie, along with two young children, Valerie and Rick, moved to Warren, Ohio, and started Advanced Eye Care in Within 15 years, the practice was recognized by its peers as one of the largest in the country. Such success led to opportunities for Dr. Kattouf to show others how to achieve similar results. Thus began Kattouf Consulting Services, which covers the scope of practice management and business services in the specialized area of eye care. Yet this focus on eye care has also sharpened Dr. Kattouf s vision for the Church and the Holy Orthodox Faith. His first powerful memory is as an altar boy at the age of four, serving under the watchful eye of his great uncle, the Very Reverend Father George Kattouf, at St. George in Akron, Ohio. He continued on through choir and S.O.Y.O. as he grew up in the church. When the Kattoufs moved their consulting business to Bonita Springs, Florida, they joined St. Paul Antiochian Church in Naples. They saw opportunities to get involved in the life of this young church. Richard helped spearhead the fundraising for a new church facility. He and Jackie are both members of the Order of St. Ignatius. Philanthropy occupies much of their time now. Recently, they made a pledge of $50,000 to be divided evenly in support of three key Archdiocesan endowment funds: for Christian Education, Missions and Evangelism, and Youth Ministries. It s more than just paying back, says Richard, I look at it as giving forward, which gives you the ability to see outcomes. And it s not just financial, he continues. Serving on boards and committees is a gift of time and expertise. It s also a gift they are giving to the next generation as well. When both of your children follow you into your chosen profession, it is not an accident. Our wonderful children saw a true love in their father s work ethic that they chose to mimic. Both Valerie and Rick have optometry degrees and are professionally involved in eye care. Vision has served the Kattoufs well. It s given them the ability to see what can happen in the Holy Orthodox Faith in North America. As Dr. Kattouf says, It is truly an honor to PAY FORWARD to the Church and faith that I love. To envision how you can help grow the Antiochian Orthodox Church in North America through an outright gift or a deferred gift, please contact: Ruth Ann Skaff Director of Planning and Future Development development@antiochian.org Toll free: Phone: Fax: The Word

17 PRESENTED BY THE ANTIOCHIAN AND OCA CHURCHES AND THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COMMISSION SHARING THE FAITH NEWS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION From the Director s Desk Beloved Brothers and Sisters, Having just returned from our Archdiocese Convention, I am once again inspired by the many, many dedicated priests, beloved hierarchs, and laypersons committed to Christ and to His Church, led by His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP. We are truly blessed. Please rejoice with me that To Tithe is to Share, To Tithe is to Care, is ready to use with the beginning of the school year. You can find the program, which contains posters, labels, and five leveled booklets on the website as Tithing To assist the priests with educating their congregations in regard to tithing, I have placed a series of bulletin inserts, articles, posters and bookmarks on the Priests Resource Page of our site. As you can see there are many, many trainings scheduled. Please contact the office, or your Diocesan Christian Education Coordinator if you wish to schedule one. Finally, the Gospel pages were revamped in January, and this Fall we hope to make available a podcast each week, in two versions: a telling, and a reading; both will be done by a professional story teller. Nothing we can do at the Department can take the place of your committed and inspired efforts as you interact with the students. May the Holy Spirit renew you for His work! Carole A. Buleza Cognitive and Spiritual Development in Children Presented in Portland The topic for the Christian Education workshop on June 29, 2007 at the Parish Life Conference for Los Angeles and the West was Cognitive and Spiritual Development in Children. In her presentation, Kh. Linda Funk of Saskatoon, SK drew from the wisdom of St. Paul, St. Silouan and Sr. Magdalen. She concluded by having participants work in small groups, using the developmental charts of Dr. Constance Tarasar as found in the book Our Church and Our Children (SVS Press) by Sophie Koulomzin. Mini Orthodox Institutes Scheduled in Three Cities A mini-institute offers Teacher Training I and II, one to three additional courses, and a keynote speaker. At this time the following are scheduled: Friday-Saturday, October 19-20, 2007 St. Elijah Church, Oklahoma City In conjuction with the Fall Delegates Meeting Additional coursework: Creative Festivals Friday-Saturday, September 21-22, 2007 Additional coursework: Divine Liturgy Friday, Saturday, November 16-17, 2007 St. George Church, Vicksburg, MS Additional coursework: Evangelism Please refer to Training Schedule on the following page for further details Orthodox Institute Northern California For Christian Education Friday evening, September 22 and Saturday, September 23 St. Nicholas Antiochian Church His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN, San Francisco, California Presiding Offering a three-course seminar on the Divine Liturgy, as well as coursework for new and experienced church school teachers The Orthodox Institute Northern California was established to provide a pan-orthodox educational experience that encompasses teacher training as well as education on a topic of Orthodox theology. Participants will receive the blessing of His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN, Friday evening, and the opportunity to take three courses Saturday. Join us for learning, fellowship, and worship at this unique event. Basic and Advanced certificates will be available, and a To receive a registration brochure, and Special Certificate in Divine Liturgy. for futher information, contact Phone: Fax: xyz@microsoft.com Learning, Fellowship, Worship The Department of Christian Education newsletter is published in the months of September, December, February, and April. The office is staffed from 9:00-3:00 Monday through Wednesday. Phone (717) FAX (717) DCE@antiochian.org. Web page: The Department gratefully acknowledges the on-going support of The Order of St. Ignatius which funds, in part, the programs and services we offer. The Word 17

18 Teacher Training Schedule This listing has been compiled by Myra Kovalak, Director of the Department of Teacher Training for the Orthodox Christian Education Commission (OCEC), with whom we collaborate to make these events possible. Please consider these dates tentative until you check with the contact person to see if they are confirmed. Although the list is organized by Antiochian dioceses, not all host parishes are Antiochian. The training events are open to all Orthodox. If you wish to host a training, or a mini Orthodox Institute, please contact your Diocesan Christian Education Coordinator, or the Antiochian Department of Christian Education, aodce@aol.com. DIOCESE OF WICHITA AND MID-AMERICA Friday, Saturday, September 21-22, 2007 St. George Church, Houston Teacher Training II, Creative Festivals Contact: Susie Sopchak, Friday-Saturday, October 19-20, 2007 St. Elijah Church, Oklahoma City Mini Orthodox Institute In conjuction with the Fall Delegates Meeting Bishop Basil, Presiding Contact: Parish Friday-Saturday, September 21-22, 2007 St. Nicholas Church, San Francisco Mini Orthodox Institute Teacher Training I, II, Divine Liturgy Bishop Benjamin (OCA), Keynote Speaker Contact: Christine stnicksf@msn.com DIOCESE OF MIAMI AND THE SOUTHEAST Friday, Saturday, November 16-17, 2007 St. George Church, Vicksburg, MS Mini Orthodox Institute Teacher Training I, II, Evangelism Contact: Lori Tzotzolas loriht@cablelynx.com DIOCESE OF TOLEDO AND THE MIDWEST Saturday, August/September, 2008 St. Michael Church, Broadview Heights, OH Teacher Training II Contact: Kathy Kovalak, Saturday, October 13, 2007 Christ the Savior/ Holy Spirit Church, Cincinnati Teacher Training I Contact Anne Taylor, rtaylor 431@cinci.rr.com /cell, Friday-Saturday, September 21-22, 2007 St. George Church, Cicero, IL Teacher Training I Contact: Fouad Saba fsaba@stgeorgecicero.org DIOCESE OF CHARLESTON, OAKLAND AND THE MID ATLANTIC Saturday, October 20, 2007 St. Tikhon Seminary South Canaan, PA Teacher Training I Contact: Seminary Office info@stots.edu DIOCESE OF EAGLE RIVER AND THE NORTHWEST Friday, Saturday, September 28-29, 2007 St. Anthony s Ukrainian Orthodox Church Edmonton, AB Canada Special Topic Workshop: Reinvigorating Your Church School Presenter: Kh. Linda Funk Contact: Dr. Sandra Sawchuk DIOCESE OF WORCESTER AND NEW ENGLAND Saturday, September/October, 2007 St. George Church Norwood, MA Teacher Training I Contact: Anna Hughes DIOCESE OF OTTAWA, EASTERN CANADA AND UPSTATE NEW YORK Friday-Saturday, September 14-15, 2007 St. Elias Cathedral Ottawa, ONT Canada Teacher Training I Contact: Michele Fayad a_dude_named_chris@hotmail.com 18 The Word

19 Resource Reviews The following items are reviewed on our website. Don t miss them! istianeducation/resourc ereviews Also reviewed... Ancient Faith Radio s Readings from Under the Grapevine OrthodoxCircle, an Orthodox My Space Praxis Magazine for Religious Educators The Children s Bulletin Series and more! Department of Christian Education Diocesan Coordinators Please contact the Diocesan Coordinators for updates on trainings and other events in your region. Charleston, Oakland, PA & the East; New York and Washington DC: V. Rev. George Alberts (203) frgeocar@sbcglobal.net Toledo and the Midwest: Robert Snyder (330) ; bobsny1107@aol.com Los Angeles and the West: Joseph Tershay (831) ; josephtershay@yahoo.com Eagle River and the Northwest: Linda Funk (306) lfunk@shaw.ca Ottawa and Upstate New York: Jacquelyn Fadel (716) imretired604@yahoo.com Wichita and Mid-America: Vasiliki Oldziey (512) vas@austin.rr.com Worcester and New England: Anna Hughes (978) matannah@aol.com Miami and the Southeast: Betty Randolph (864) , bettyrandolph@bellsouth.net The Word 19

20 To Tithe is to Share, to Tithe is to Care... about your faith ARE WE DEDICATED TO HIM? MANY, NO DOUBT, WOULD ANSWER, YES, BUT WHEN ASKED, DO YOU TITHE? WOULD RESPOND, NO. In late summer and early autumn we see the land resting after having yielded the grain and fruit of the season, if we live close enough to farmland. In our developed societies we are not as tied to the land as those in agrarian societies. We do not suffer for lack of food at the grocery store, and perhaps are not as apt to pray in thanksgiving to God for the bounty just harvested. Our ancestors in the Bible knew that all they had came from God. What they had they held not as owners, but as stewards. Just as Adam was made steward, or caretaker, of creation, so they were merely stewards of their holdings. They also knew that God had decreed that a tithe, or 1/10, of all they harvested was to be returned to Him in thanksgiving, and as appropriate worship. All tithes of the land, whether in grain from the fields or in the fruit from the trees, belong to the Lord, as sacred to him The tithes of the herd and the flock shall be determined by ceding to the Lord as sacred every tenth animal (Leviticus 27:30, 32). What were God s people thankful for? Primarily, they were thankful that God had rescued them from slavery in Egypt and was leading them to the Promised Land they owed God their life. Here we are a few thousand years later. Has anything changed? We are now God s people. Jesus, our Lord, has rescued us from slavery to sin, and eternal death. He has opened to us the Gates of Heaven. We owe Him our life. But, do we tithe? Sadly, most of us would answer, No. Why did Jesus tell us not to? The gospels contain one passage in which Jesus uses the word, tithe. At the time, He was calling the Pharisees to task. They had focused on keeping the law to the smallest detail, but did not see the whole picture. They had satisfied the letter of the law, but had not cultivated a spirit dedicated to God which is why the law exists in the first place. Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone (Matthew 23:23). The passage tells us Jesus presumed that those listening to Him tithed. In this passage He told the Scribes and Pharisees to open eyes to justice, mercy, and faith, while continuing to tithe. Thankfulness. What about today? What would Jesus say to us? I believe He would be interested in the bottom line, but not the one on the financial report. Rather, where each of us stands in relation to Him. Are we thankful to Him? Are we dedicated to Him? Many, no doubt, would answer yes, but when asked, Do you tithe? would respond. No. Why? Here are three likely responses: 1) Jesus is not interested in money, 2) Our parish doesn t have a mortgage, or 3) There never seems to be money left at the end of the month. Let s look at each. Dedication to God. The first reason, Jesus is not interested in money, may be true. However, He is interested in our continuing the work of salvation through the Church He established, and that requires money. We are His hands in the world. Getting back to the bottom line, how does God know whether we are dedicated to Him, if not by sacrifices--and today what people seem to value most is their money. Undoubtedly, Jesus was seeing ahead 2000 years when he uttered the phrase, Where your treasure is, there also is your heart. Stewardship. Most parishioners want to pay off the mortgage. When a parish has a mortgage, the welcome mat is put out and parishioners are friendly--this is how each parish should be, all the time. Jesus came to offer salvation to every person; our churches should also. It is our mission; we say it in the Creed every Sunday we believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Apostolic has a double meaning. Indeed, we are the Church founded by the Apostles; however, the word itself means, one who has a mission. Our mission is to continue the work of the apostles; to continue to offer salvation to all. It has been said that a church without a sense of mission is dead. If the mortgage is paid off, the parish needs to pray about how to steward their income, for a new mission they should be financially assisting, or commit to sending money to the Orthodox organizations that help here and around the world. Trust. Finally, There never seems to be money left at the end of the month. True. With as much as we have, we always buy more. In the Old Testament, God directed His people to give from the first fruits of the land. Today that is called, payroll deduction. To tithe from the first fruits is to trust that God will still care for you at the end of the month. Whenever we trust God, we grow in faith. It is time for each of us to grow in faith. It is time to tithe, whether immediately, or in planned stages. Tithing will foster stronger parishes which can then focus more on spiritual growth. Tithing will allow for the cross of Christ to be raised by mission parishes to meet the mandate of Christ, to go forth and teach all nations. Tithing will help us increase our support of the poor, the hungry, and the youth. Tithing will help Jesus judge whether or not we are dedicated to Him. 20 The Word

21 FR. GEORGE SHAHEEN: An angel among us On February 10, 2007 Saturday of Souls like an angel singing praises to our Lord, the Very Reverend George F. Shaheen was called back home. Father George was a holy man. He was a wonderful Christian and a true priest. Those fortunate enough to have known him knew his holiness. Those who spent time with him felt his peace, and those who listened to him speak heard his words of love. He was a gentle man, softhearted, and he had a great sense of humor. He was understanding, forgiving and very humble. Father George was also a loving father and husband. As one of his daughters, I am proud to say I knew him well. My father was a true servant of our Lord, who exemplified all that the Church teaches. He was a priest for 47 years. He served in twelve parishes, ending his ministry as Pastor Emeritus of St. George Cathedral in Toledo, OH. With a clear mission, he set out to demonstrate how to live our lives according to what God teaches peace, love and joy. He accomplished this by praying in communion with others, singing hymns of praise, and preaching the Word of God. He accomplished this with an unassuming approach, a motivating tone, and a great deal of love and acceptance of everyone he met. Fr. George lived his life in the Church and made the Church his life. He never worried about what tomorrow would bring, or what parish he was called to next. Instead, wherever he was called to be, that is where he would go. For as long as I can remember, my father would say, God has a plan. It is up to us to listen to that plan, have faith, and when we do, everything will be okay. And it always was. These qualities not only made my father a great priest, but also a wonderful The Word 21

22 Growing up with Fr. George was like having an extra guardian angel beside us at all times. He set so many positive examples within our home, as he did in the church. father. As Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24). Fr. George lived by those words. He so diligently allowed them to shape his roles as priest, husband, and father. Having a priest for a father is already unique; having Fr. George as a dad was incomparable. It was clear that he loved being a father to his parish as much as he loved being a dad to his children. My dad made time for his family like he made time for his parishioners. After a long day of making hospital calls, spending time at the office, not to mention the evening meetings at church, he always had energy when he came home to be with the family and tend to our needs. It would not be uncommon for him to enter the house dancing to the latest tunes one of us kids was listening to, or to take Mom by the hand and dance with her. I have to smile when I remember those Friday night car rides as a small child; my dad insisted on taking the family out for a nighttime treat at the local fast food restaurant on a weekly basis. Dressed in my pajamas, and eager to go, I was unaware this was the beginning of many great times the family would spend together. I remember those Saturday morning walks we took around the block, the three-week family vacations, and later on, the Father-Daughter Dance at school for which I have to be thankful. My dad made every effort to bring laughter into our lives, and to make us feel loved. And he always did. Growing up with Fr. George was like having an extra guardian angel beside us at all times. He set so many positive examples within our home, as he did in the church. He lived the way of the Gospel, not the way of the world, and he showed others how to do the same. He would often say, My little church begins at home. One of the most beautiful memories of my father was seeing him sitting reading the Scriptures. If I approached him to talk, he would enthusiastically share with me what he was reading, and lovingly show me how it most definitely related to my life. Whenever there was a problem that needed to be addressed, he saw it not as a problem, but instead, an opportunity to refer to the Scriptures to seek out the answer. And he always did. Whenever we were faced with a situation that would challenge our faith, he would respond by doing what the Word of God teaches. For example, if a stranger approached us for money, or when a young teenage girl came to the Church to seek shelter from a volatile home, my father responded in the way the Gospel teaches: I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in (Matthew 25:35). He reminded us, in this and in many other examples, that as Orthodox Christians we must live by the Word of God. We must learn to understand the Scriptures in order to act according to what they teach. Furthermore, we must be responsible for our actions, because we will be judged by what we do with the knowledge we have. Fr. George reached many people through his unmistakable voice. When delivering a sermon, he was enthusiastic; his voice was strong with conviction. He expressed himself in a way everyone understood and loved. His message was clear: it is not enough for us to simply stand at the entrance of the Church. We must come in, participate, and become one with the Church. When singing hymns of praise, my father s voice was angelic. When guiding us in prayer, or engaging in simple conversation, his voice was tender and compassionate. He never spoke to you, but instead, with you, providing much comfort with what he said. Furthermore, his humble approach made him almost unaware of how influential he was to others. And he was very influential. Fr. George was a remarkable human being. He knew how to teach people about Christianity without ever making them feel they could not or did not understand. He let us know the potential we all have as Orthodox Christians to achieve salvation. His message was clear. We must live our lives by being Christ-like. We must demonstrate patience, and above all, have forgiveness in our hearts, not only when it is convenient to do so, but always. My father taught us that there is always a time for love, always a time for peace, always a time for Christ. Finally, Fr. George taught us to live our lives with few worries. He would always say, in that angelic way of his, We simply need to put our faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and when we do, everything will be okay. And it always was. Lorraine A. (Shaheen) Daher is a member of St. Nicholas Church in St. Petersburg, FL. 22 The Word

23 EULOGY FOR THE RT. REV. MICHAEL TRIGG It is the duty of sons to honor their fathers, of younger brothers to admire older brothers, and of all to give thanks to their benefactors and those who have done them well. For this reason I am emboldened to pen a few words, inadequate as they may be, in appreciation of the person and sacred ministry of the newly-departed Archimandrite Michael (Trigg). Fr. Michael was born Elwood Bellew Trigg on March 23, 1940 to Earle Bellew Trigg, MD, and Emily Daley Trigg, RN, of Inglewood, CA. Fr. Michael had one sibling, his older brother Earle, who died in middle age. From his youth, Fr. Michael was both a pious Christian and a scholar. He graduated from UCLA with a BA in 1961, from USC with an MA in 1964, and then traveled to Britain for seminary training at the College of the Resurrection (Mirfield, Yorkshire, England) and to complete a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology from Oxford University in Fr. Michael remained throughout his life the world s leading expert on Gypsy religion and customs. Fr. Michael was ordained in the Episcopal Church as Deacon (1970) and Priest (1971) to serve the Diocese of Los Angeles. He ministered as Assistant both at St. Alban Church (Westwood) and then at St. Mary of the Angels (Hollywood). In 1977, distressed at the growing infidelity to Christian tradition in the Episcopal Church, Fr. Michael joined the Anglican Catholic Church in Downey, CA. Within two years, he was able to bring his parish into Holy Orthodoxy, and in 1981 Fr. Michael was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Archbishop MICHAEL (Shaheen) at St. Luke Church, Garden Grove, and he established St. Michael Orthodox Christian Church of Whittier, CA. Fr. Michael would spend the next 26 years In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. pastoring St. Michael Church, and building up his flock in the holy faith. On August 15, 1993 he was elevated to Archimandrite by His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP. During most of the years of his pastorate, Fr. Michael not only supported the parish through his priestly ministrations, but, as St. Paul before him, labored night and day with his own hands, never drawing a regular priest s salary from the parish. He served for eight years at California State University, Los Angeles, eventually becoming Associate Dean of Student Affairs, and for nine years at Biola University as Dean of Student Affairs until his retirement in Fr. Michael s ministry has proved exceedingly fruitful. St. Michael Church not only has consistently expanded and increased spiritually and physically, building a beautiful church temple (consecrated September 9, 1990) and fellowship hall, but has recently acquired a neighboring former Mormon center. Under Fr. Michael s ministry, St. Michael Church has given birth to innumerable children in the Orthodox Faith, and has fed the membership roles of many local Orthodox churches. Besides the high number of conversions to Holy Orthodoxy, St. Michael has produced a goodly number of ecclesiastical vocations that are now serving both the altar of St. Michael s itself and many other parishes. Forgive me, please, as I make a few personal remarks about the gift that Fr. Michael was to myself and my family. My family owes a great debt to Fr. Michael for his assistance to us in becoming Orthodox Christians. Fifteen years ago, in 1992, I was blessed to make Fr. Michael s acquaintance. At that time I was pastoring an Episcopal Mission Church, and was a seeker into Holy Orthodoxy. Fr. Michael, on more than one occasion, hosted me (Continued on page 26) The Word 23

24 Record-breaking Number Graduate from St. Vladimir s His Grace ANTOUN, Bishop of Miami and the Southeast, attended St. Vladimir s Seminary s commencement ceremony of the Class of 2007, the largest class in St. Vladimir s history, on Saturday, May 19, Seminary Forty students graduated in five academic programs. Seminarians received twenty-nine Master of Divinity degrees (one also received an MA in Liturgical Music), eight Master of Arts degrees in General Theology, one MA in Religious Education, and two Master of Theology degrees. Eight of the graduates were from the Antiochian Archdiocese. The Antiochian students who graduated with Master of Divinity degrees were Daniel Benjamin Bethancourt, Fr. John David Bleam, Roland Ray Fulmer III, Fr. Mousa Nabil Haddad, David John Jacobs, Fr. Philip Christopher Rogers and Fouad Rawhi Saba. Robert Clark Leake graduated with a Master of Theology degree. His Grace ANTOUN joined His Beatitude Metropolitan HERMAN, of the Orthodox Church in America and president of the seminary, and His Eminence Mor Tithus YELDHO, Archbishop of the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in North America. The graduates represented many Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches besides Antiochian, including OCA, Greek, Serbian, Russian and the Ecumenical Patriarchate as well as Armenian, Indian, and Syrian. In addition to the United States, the graduates also represented many countries such as Russia, Serbia, Romania, Australia, Japan, France and Canada. The day began with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, with Metropolitan Herman presiding and ordaining Paul Coats to the Holy Diaconate. During the Liturgy, Fr. John Erickson, Dean, was 24 The Word

25 elevated to archpriest and Priest John Behr, Deanelect, was awarded the dignity of the gold cross. Fr. Chad Hatfield, Chancellor-elect, gave an inspiring homily. At the conclusion of the service, Fr. Paul Lazor was awarded a synodal citation (gramota) in recognition of his retirement after many years of service to the Church. Later that afternoon, the community gathered again in the Three Hierarchs Chapel for a thanksgiving prayer service. Students, graduates, faculty, and trustees left the chapel in a procession to the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium for the commencement ceremony, dodging rain drops as they went between buildings. The room was filled beyond capacity with proud parents, grandparents, wives, children, other family members and friends. Fr. Hermogen Holste, the valedictorian, compared Christ s 40-day fast in the desert before He began His ministry with the graduating students precious seminary days. Seminary is a time of preparation where we are set apart and formed to serve the Lord fully and faithfully. A foundation is useless without a building; it is our duty to give ourselves for the sake of others, he said to embolden his fellow classmates. Co-salutatorians, second-year students Rico Monge and the newly-ordained Dn. Paul Coats, both expressed their appreciation and gratitude for the advice, friendship and faithful example of leadership given by the Class of Dean Emeritus Fr. Thomas Hopko gave the keynote address. One of the graduates, Daniel Bethancourt, described Fr. Tom s talk as a synthesis of my entire seminary experience. It was like listening to a symphony. The complete text of his address can be read at Fr. John Erickson announced that this year s senior class recipient of the Saint Basil the Great Award was Fr. Hermogen Holste. The award is Bishop ANTOUN with Antiochian graduates of St. Vladimir s Seminary. The Word 25

26 given annually to students in the Master of Divinity program who rank the highest in academic achievement, one from each class year. Recipients from the junior (first-year) and middler (second-year) classes will be announced at the start of the fall 2007 semester. Dn. Paul Coats was awarded the newly-established St. Vladimir Scholarship, which is given for strong academic performance, the promise of significant service to the Church, and commendable participation in seminary extra-curricular activities. The newly-established Distinguished Service Scholarship was also awarded to Dn. Paul Rivers, Brock Johns, and Nicholas Hubbard, all students who have demonstrated outstanding participation in seminary extra-curricular activities. A very touching moment occurred when Gregory Ealy and Christopher Rocknage, on behalf of the graduating class, presented Fr. Paul Lazor with a hand-painted icon of St. John of Kronstadt. The Board of Trustees added to this acknowledgement of Fr. Paul s retirement with a resolution that was read by the Board s Executive Chair, Anne Glynn Mackoul, expressing appreciation for his many years of service to the seminary. The whole room stood in applause acknowledging Fr. Paul s significant contributions. His Beatitude Metropolitan HERMAN was the last to speak and said, I hope that you will all be blessed to hear Well done, good and faithful servant when you stand before our Lord Jesus Christ, for the work you will do building up His Church. Concurrent with the end of the semester, the Board of Trustees held their annual spring meeting and enjoyed a dinner with the graduating class on Thursday evening, May 17, May God grant the graduates along with their families many years! (Continued from page 23) and like-minded friends in his home (where he cared for his esteemed and aged father), at St. Michael Church, and visited our own homes to teach us and answer our questions. I remember with the greatest fondness one such visit he made to Montecito, CA to meet with my mission parish. As we gathered around him in one of the homes of our elderly parishioners, Fr. Michael with great enthusiasm and competence leaned toward us all and asked, If you could today be a part of that Church which was founded on the Day of Pentecost would you like to be? This question was the turning point in the conversion of some 20 people who can look back to that evening as definitive. Fr. Michael continued to shepherd us into the Church, and served as one of my sponsors to the holy priesthood. As Parkinson s disease ravaged Fr. Michael s body in his later years, he continued his dignified ministry, and endured that purifying cross of suffering that is so often the lot of the servants of the Lord in their last days. I was privileged to be able to visit Fr. Michael very near the end. He could not much speak or move, and as we gathered around Father to weep our tears upon him and to thank him for his loving care, we asked for his priestly blessing for the last time. Summoning his strength and raising his voice, he blessed us all and prayed the grace of God down upon us. There are perhaps no better words to conclude this eulogy than those of His Grace Bishop JOSEPH, who so eloquently spoke of Fr. Michael at his funeral and concluded with these words: Father Michael remained a Christian gentleman until the end. For those of us who have known and loved Fr. Michael, we know that he would deem this a great compliment. Fr. Michael fell asleep in the Lord on May 12, 2007, eleven days after being named Pastor Emeritus. Fr. Michael was buried by His Grace Bishop JOSEPH, Rev. Stephen Herney (Fr. Michael s successor as pastor of St. Michael Church, Whittier), area clergy, and many faithful at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, CA, adjacent to his parents. MEMORY ETERNAL! Very Rev. Josiah Trenham, pastor of St. Andrew Church, Riverside, CA 26 The Word

27 archdiocesan office ORDAINED CORBIN, Deacon Michael to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop THOMAS on May 20, 2007 at St. George Church, New Kensington, PA. He is assigned to St. George Church in Akron, OH. WARWICK, Deacon Aaron to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop BASIL on May 6, 2006 at St. Mary Church, Omaha, NE. He is a student at St. Vladimir s Seminary. GUIRGUIS, Subdeacon James to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop ANTOUN on May 6, 2007 at St. Basil Church, Metairie, LA and to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop ANTOUN on June 24, 2007 at the Diocese of Miami Parish Life Conference in Orlando, FL. KFOUF, Subdeacon Ayman to the Holy Diaconate by Metropolitan SABA of Houran, Syria on June 10, 2007 at St. George Church, Troy, MI and to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan GEORGE of Homs, Syria on June 24, 2007 at St. George Church, Troy, MI. He is attached to the parish. LEWIS, Subdeacon David to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop BASIL on June 17, 2007 at Ss. Peter and Paul Church, Topeka, KS and to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop BASIL on June 24, 2007 at St. George Cathedral, Wichita, KS. He is a student at St. Vladimir s Seminary. ROLAND, Subdeacon John to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop ANTOUN on May 6, 2007 at St. Basil Church, Metairie, LA and to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop ANTOUN on June 24, 2007 at the Diocese of Miami Parish Life Conference in Orlando, FL. He is assigned as the pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Mission, Hot Springs, AR, effective June 25, CARDINE, Subdeacon Patrick to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop THOMAS on May 7, 2007 at the Church of the Holy Cross, Linthicum, MD. He is assigned to the Mission of St. Patrick in Warrenton, VA. ELEVATED JAROSLAW, Priest Paul to the dignity of Archpriest by Bishop JOSEPH on May 10, 2007 at All Saints of America Church, Homer, Alaska. KIMMETT, Priest Joseph to the dignity of Archpriest by Bishop ANTOUN on July 1, 2007 at the Diocese of Worcester Parish Life Conference. JENSON Deacon Philip to the dignity of Protodeacon by Bishop JOSEPH on Sunday, May 20, 2007 at St. Paul Church, Brier, WA. DEPARTED TRIGG, Archimandrite Michael of St. Michael Church, Whittier, CA, fell asleep in the Lord on May 12, RUFFIN, Archpriest Thomas fell asleep in the Lord on June 23, 2007 in Detroit, MI. Donations to The WORD Richard J. and Gladys B. Lutton $30.00 V. Rev. William Evansky Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Fahoome Mr. and Mrs. Samuel E. Newey Mr. Robert Michael Mr. Sam Salloum Dn. Nicholas Belcher is ordained by Metropolitan PHILIP on April 22, The Word 27

28 ARCHDIOCESAN OFFICE MEETINGS 28 The Word

29 Our hierarchs in attendance at the Spring 2007 meeting of the Archdiocesan Synod May 31, 2007 (l. to r.) Bishop MARK, Bishop BASIL, Bishop ANTOUN, Metropolitan PHILIP, Bishop JOSEPH, Bishop THOMAS, and Bishop ALEXANDER Paul Finley, Director of the Antiochian Village Heritage and Learning Center, delivers his report to the Board Laila Ferris, President of the Antiochian Women, delivers her report to the Board The hierarchs of the Archdiocesan Synod in working session Members of the Board in working session (l. to r.) Elias Hebeka, William Morrison, Dan Braun, Philip Haddad Working session of the Archdiocese Board of Trustees meeting June 1-2, (l. to r.) Bishop ANTOUN, Metropolitan PHILIP, George Farha, Bishop JOSEPH, Bishop BASIL The Word 29

30 St. John the Divine Archdiocesan OratoricalFestival Judges Choice Lily Wakim St. George Cathedral, Wichita, KS people who do not believe in Christ especially when there is overwhelming historical evidence which proves contrary. Perhaps they refuse to see it; perhaps they are too intelligent and therefore compromise faith, for logic and proof. I can t even imagine what an empty life I would live without the Church. The corruption of the world today has people, living in the fast lane drugs, sex, alcohol it s all glorified. The media hinges upon the saying, Carpe Diem Seize the Day. What they neglect to mention is the feeling of emptiness that accompanies such a lifestyle. Once one enters the downward spiral, it s difficult to escape unharmed. Together as one, think how much bolder our In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn t. What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over? asks Linus. These five fingers, says Lucy. Individually they re nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold. Which channel do you want? asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, Why can t you guys get organized like that? Just as this story illustrates, unless we, the Orthodox Christian Church of North America, are unified with all ethnicities, we will hardly impact this nation as the Church of the Apostles. Take any example: a choir, a lacrosse team, a factory with an assembly line; if it doesn t work in unison, it doesn t live up to its potential. We have such a beautiful faith of 2000 years we have kept the first Church alive. We are that history that great legacy of Saints and of feasts. Christ told his followers in Matthew 5:14-16: You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Christ said, Let your light shine. Do we make an attempt to illumine those who insist upon the divisions of ethnicity and Orthodoxy for the sake of our holy faith? I can t stress how beautiful it is to be an Orthodox Christian. If only others could see. I can t wrap my mind around the fact that there are cause would be to seek higher morals in schools and public places. Think how much stronger we d be to protest that which is ungodly. Think how many more resources we would have to care for the poor and oppressed. And think how much louder our voice would be to plead for the unborn. We as Orthodox Christians, especially the youth, must have priorities. In such a day and age, we must know our duties and fulfill them. You see, the gift of the Church and her teachings are not just something that we hold as some charm or possession. They must fill our lives and guide our actions. The elements of the Church are called to challenge us! When we see the icons, do we just look with our eyes, or are we encouraged to be holy? When we smell the incense, does it stop there, or do we strive to pray more? When we hear the liturgical music, does it inspire us to live the angelic life? Not too long ago I walked into my house after 30 The Word

31 an average afternoon, nothing too special. As I greeted my teta, the TV show which she was watching caught my eye. There was a beautiful child, a boy no more than eleven years old. He was wearing a hat, a sweater, and a look of sorrow. The camera moved back to show him sitting on a stairway in what used to be a home. It had been blown up into nothing but rubble. A woman s voice began to sing hymns of mourning, and what appeared next were tanks shooting left, right, everywhere at any unfortunate person, place, or thing, which crossed their paths. All alone, the child appeared again. It made me want to cry. Next, the child appeared in a church, and he walked to the very front and knelt. Suddenly, the icon of Christ appeared, and priests holding crosses above their heads led the congregation in celebration. Countless balloons soared about; a white dove graced the screen with the depiction of the resurrection of Jesus, along with people lighting candles, praying all of it appeared on the television screen. It was bliss. And then, he woke up it was a dream. He arose, looked up to the cross which held the crucified Jesus, and walked to the door of the church. The doors opened, and he just stood. That is all. He had nowhere to go, but to that church, a non-existent home, and the reserves of his mind. Nothing to live for, but his God. I came to see that my not too special afternoon was indeed something remarkable. I was able to walk, to see, to hear, to learn, to be free, to come home with a roof over my head and a family to say hi to. But most importantly, I live in a land where I along with others, am able to go to church without the threat of being thrown in jail, beaten, or murdered. We have the power, here in a free country, to have so much more than a dream. We have the power to pursue what others can only imagine. Why waste it? Sure, it may sound difficult to overcome our ethnic pride, but we must look to the One we are worshipping. He sent down His onlybegotten Son to die for us on the cross. He suffered, after teaching and preaching for 33 years to all sorts of people those who would listen, and those who wouldn t, the young, the old, the faithful, and the faithless. He was betrayed and ultimately crucified all to grant our souls life after death. Christ showed us how much he loved us. And this, His cross and resurrection, are the foundation of His Church; and His Church is to take that very message into the world. How are we to reach the unbelievers? How are we to strengthen those who already do believe? Christ bequeathed to St. Peter the keys of the kingdom saying, I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). Christ himself foretold of the strength and glory of His holy Church, but never mentioned that the Church was merely to exist. When resurrected He said, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. He intends for the church to struggle, overcome, and flourish in our hands. While many people are flocking to the Church today, just think of how many more could be witnessed to and healed by Christ s love if our Orthodox Church was unified in North America. Just days ago I read a frightful article in the newspaper regarding Christians in Iraq: a reigning The Word 31

32 group of fanatics has given an ultimatum to all in the land either marry off your daughters to the Islamic fighters, pay a high monthly tax, convert to Islam, or get out of the country. We are no Iraqis; we don t live in religious oppression. We re free, but yet are hindered. Sadly enough, we are halted not by our government, not by our military, but by ourselves those who wish to preserve ethnicity rather than Orthodoxy. For us to have strength, to bind together, like five fingers into a fist, will surely take work; indeed, Rome wasn t built in a day. No great thing comes without great toil. There can and should only be one Orthodox Church in North America. St. Ignatius of Antioch wrote to the church of Ephesus saying, in your unanimity and harmonious love Jesus Christ is sung it is therefore, advantageous for you to be in perfect unity, in order that you may always have a share in God. Imagine going to see a symphony and each musician is following a different conductor; think of the wasted harmony which would result. You see, St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians encouraging them to build up the body of Christ until we all come to the unity of the faith While St. Paul s words still apply, we are not the Ephesians who were starting from scratch! No, we are Orthodox Christians who are called to preserve that faith that has already been built. When we don t function as a symphony, as Saint Ignatius suggests, not only are we not building up the body of Christ, but we are in essence removing bricks which have been established long ago! We are blessed throughout our Archdiocese with bishops who see the vision and work to fulfill it. May we, as their little sheep, pray for our shepherds that their labor, guided by the Holy Spirit, may produce the fruit of unity. It s amazing that such a profound statement could come from a cartoon character. Why can t you guys get organized like that? The comic strip Peanuts ended. The blessing for us as a Church is that there are still panels to be written in the strip of our history. How will ours conclude? Weak, separate, and divided fingers or one unified Orthodox Christian Church in America? Lily Wakim, 17, is a member of St. George Cathedral in Wichita, KS. 1. HEBREWS 9:1-7; LUKE 10:38-42, 11: PHILIPPIANS 1:8-14; LUKE 6: PHILIPPIANS 1:12-20; LUKE 6:46-7:1 (fast) 4. PHILIPPIANS 1:20-27; LUKE 7: PHILIPPIANS 1:27-2:4; LUKE 7:31-35 (fast) 6. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:58-16:3; LUKE 5: CORINTHIANS 11:31-12:9; LUKE 7: PHILIPPIANS 2:12-16; LUKE 7: PHILIPPIANS 2:17-23; LUKE 8: PHILIPPIANS 2:24-30; LUKE 8:22-25 (fast) 11. PHILIPPIANS 3:1-8; LUKE 9:7-11 daily devotions O CTOBER, PHILIPPIANS 3:8-19; LUKE 9:12-18 (fast) CORINTHIANS 1:8-11; LUKE 6: TIMOTHY 3:8-16; LUKE 8: PHILIPPIANS 4:10-23; LUKE 9: COLOSSIANS 1:1-2, 7-11; LUKE 9: COLOSSIANS 1:18-23; LUKE 9:44-50 (fast) 18. COLOSSIANS 4:5-9, 14, 18; LUKE 10: COLOSSIANS 2:1-7; LUKE 10:1-15 (fast) CORINTHIANS 3:12-18; LUKE 7: GALATIANS 2:18-20; LUKE 10: COLOSSIANS 2:13-20; LUKE 10: COLOSSIANS 2:20-3:3; LUKE 11: COLOSSIANS 3:17-4:1; LUKE 11:9-13 (fast) 25. COLOSSIANS 4:2-9; LUKE 11: TIMOTHY 2:1-10; JOHN 15:17-16:2 (fast) CORINTHIANS 5:1-10; LUKE 8: GALATIANS 6:11-18; LUKE 8: THESSALONIANS 1:1-5; LUKE 11: THESSALONIANS 1:6-10; LUKE 11: THESSALONIANS 2:1-8; LUKE 11:42-46 (fast) Very Rev. George Alberts 32 The Word

33 Metropolitan PHILIP s Address at St. Tikhon s Seminary Commencement Your Beatitude Metropolitan HERMAN, Your Grace Bishop Tikhon, Very Reverend Father Michael Dahulich, Dean of St. Tikhon s Seminary, Members of the Faculty and Beloved Seminarians, I am honored indeed to be standing on the same ground which was hallowed by the presence of one of the great Orthodox confessors of the twentieth century, St. Tikhon, later Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia. It is very interesting to note that St. Tikhon was a contemporary of St. Raphael of Brooklyn, who was canonized a few years ago by the Church at this very same Monastery. Throughout the years, St. Tikhon s Monastery has played a tremendous role in Orthodox theological education in North America, which culminated in the establishment of St. Tikhon s Pastoral School in South Canaan in We are indebted to you for the education of our Antiochian seminarians and all seminarians, especially with emphasis on pastoral theology. I was humbled to be asked to deliver the commencement address today. The commencement day usually belongs to graduates. My remarks today, however, are directed to all seminarians. Commencement day is an occasion of great joy and great expectation. Joy, because after years of theological study and spiritual preparation, you have realized your academic goal. And expectation, because sooner or later, you will be ordained to shepherd the flock of Jesus Christ in our broken world. In his first letter, St. Peter said: Attend the flock of God, that is your charge, not by constraint, but willingly, not for shameful gain, but eagerly, not as domineering of those in your charge, but being an example to the flock (I. Peter 5:2-3). I would like to remind you, my dear graduates in particular, and all seminarians in general, that the communities which you will be serving in the future are not St. Tikhon s Seminary. This holy place where you are receiving your theological and spiritual formation is a spiritual oasis, not a pagan ocean. However, in your future communities, you will encounter the believer and the unbeliever, the sacred and the profane, the literate and the illiterate, the sick and the healthy, the rich and the poor, the good sheep and the black sheep you must minister to all of them and love them. I am sure that during the beautiful years which you have spent in this holy place, you have listened to wonderful theological lectures and read many great theological books, but there are other books which you have not yet read and have not yet seen. These books are the faces of people in the communities which you will serve. If you are able to read these faces, understand them and minister to them, after the manner of the Good Shepherd, and if, after ten years in your parish, your parishioners will write to your bishop and say: Saidna, Vladika, Thank you very much for sending us this wonderful priest, this, and this only, will be your real graduation. I would like to remind you, my dear seminarians, that on the day of your ordination to the Holy Priesthood, when you are kneeling before the altar, the bishop places his omophorion on your head and utters the following words: O God, great in might and inscrutable in wisdom Do thou, the same Lord, fill with the gift of thy Holy Spirit this man whom it has pleased you to advance to the degree of priest; that he may be worthy to stand in innocence before Thine altar; to proclaim the gospel of Thy kingdom; to minister the word of Thy truth; to offer unto You spiritual gifts and sacrifices; to renew Thy people through the laver of regeneration. That when we shall go out to meet Thee at the second coming of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Thine only-begotten Son, he may receive the reward of a good steward. The Word 33

34 Every time I read these words at the ordination of a priest, I tremble and my eyes well with tears. I want to point out to you, lest you forget, another emotional and moving experience which takes place during your ordination to the Holy Priesthood. After the consecration of the Host, the bishop places the host on a tray and gives it to the newly-ordained priest with the admonition: Take this gift and preserve it, pure and undefiled, until the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, because He is going to ask you to give an account of it. If these words do not penetrate our souls, then we should seriously question our commitment to this holy vocation. My dear seminarians, Sooner or later, you will be assigned to serve communities as pastors or assistant pastors and you must communicate the Good News which you learned at this sacred institution to your parishioners. One of the most important ingredients for a successful ministry is communication. In order to communicate your theology to your future flock, you must take into consideration three factors: (a) Where you are preaching (b) When you are preaching (c) To whom you are preaching When you preach to your future flock, remember that you are not lecturing to the senior class at St. Tikhon s Seminary. Allow me to share with you the benefit of my personal experience. Two months after my ordination to the Holy Priesthood, in the early sixties, I embarked on a series of sermons, entitled: Christ and Wealth. After my third sermon, I heard murmuring in the parish that this new priest is a communist. Remember, the early sixties were the height of the Cold War. Thus, on the following Sunday, I decided to do something else. Instead of a sermon, I made announcements, i.e. Monday, evening, the teens will meet; Tuesday evening, the Fellowship of St. John the Divine will meet; Wednesday evening, the Ladies Society will meet; Thursday evening, the Parish Council will meet; Friday evening, the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of St. George will meet; Saturday evening, Vespers at 6:00 PM. After Church many people came to me and said, Father Philip, today you delivered a great sermon. I am not asking you to water down your message and sacrifice your idealism and theological principles. God forbid! I am asking you to discern your situation and understand your flock. In other words, you will not be preaching to theologians and seminarians, but to average people. Try your best to avoid abstract theology, because we are not living in a theoretical world, but in a broken and sick world which is crying for healing. Therefore, in order to reach most of the people, use simple and sincere words and, above all, get to know your flock. Reach down to them in order to uplift them. Do not preach from your ivory towers. You must relate your theology to their concrete problems. People are more than theories and concepts; thus, any theology which does not touch people in their life and death, in their illness and health, in their poverty and wealth, in their joy and sorrow and in their hope and despair, is an abstract and meaningless theology. Consequently, if you cannot communicate the theology which you have learned in this place, to a future flock, the years which you have spent in this fine institution will have been in vain. I want you, also, never to forget that people will be calling you Father. Father is a very serious word. Remember always that those who are calling you father are your children and they need your attention and patience. Do not be impatient and short-tempered with them. Otherwise, you will lose their confidence and love and they will write to your bishop, asking to have you transferred. Some priests fall into this trap; thus, they keep moving from one parish to another. My predecessor of Thrice-Blessed Memory, Metropolitan ANTONY, told me the following story: A restless and impatient priest came to him one day and said: Your Eminence, Why don t you assign me to a peaceful parish? The bishop said to him: Son, I have assigned you to so many parishes, but it seems that you cannot last in any parish. I am going to give you a new parish. Take this address, go to Third Avenue, grab a cab and give the driver this address; he will take you to a wonderful and peaceful parish. The priest did exactly that, but the cab driver drove him to Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn. The priest was shocked. He returned to the bishop and said, Vladika, you sent me to the cemetery. The bishop said: Yes, you wanted a peaceful parish; only dead people are peaceful, so that is the kind of parish you need. 34 The Word

35 Metropolitan PHILIP Receives an honory Doctorate at St. Tikhon s Seminary Graduation On Saturday afternoon, May 26, 2007, St. Tikhon s Orthodox Theological Seminary held its 65th Annual Commencement at the seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania. During the commencement, eleven graduates received the Master of Divinity Degree, two graduates received the Bachelor of Arts in Theology Degree, and one received the Certificate in Priestly Formation. The commencement Speaker was Metropolitan PHILIP. When it was time for Metropolitan PHILIP to deliver the Commencement Address, the Seminary Board of Trustees conferred the Degree Doctor of Divinity, Honoris Causa, on the Metropolitan. Prior to the giving of the degree, the Seminary Dean, the Very Rev. Michael Dahulich, spoke of the many contributions the Metropolitan has made during his 41 years as Archbishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. Among those mentioned were the Metropolitan s leadership in the growth of the Archdiocese, his work in bringing all the Antiochian Orthodox into one Archdiocese, his leadership in achieving the status of self-rule for the Archdiocese from the Holy Synod of Antioch, and the establishment of the structure of diocesan bishops governing local churches. In addition, Metropolitan PHILIP s work for championing Orthodox unity in America, his promotion of Theological Education with the establishment of the Antiochian House of Studies, its Doctor of Ministry Program, the St. Stephen s Course in Orthodox Theology, and the St. Athanasius Academy, and his many humanitarian and philanthropic works throughout the world, as well as his work for peace in the Middle East and a balanced American foreign policy in the Middle East, were also highlighted. When Metropolitan PHILIP delivered his address, he spoke to the graduates and to all the students of the Seminary, in a special way reminding them that the fulfillment of their education is not in reading books of theology, but in taking their studies and learning to read the faces of the people whom they will serve in their parishes. Metropolitan PHILIP spoke of the many challenges that face the students and, at the end of his talk, he spoke of the challenge to bring about unity among all the Orthodox. As he looked out over the students, the Metropolitan was talking to students who were a good example of Orthodox cooperation From left to right, first row: Very Rev. Michael Dahulich, Dean of St. Tikhon s Seminary; Isaac Farah; His Grace Bishop TIKHON, Rector of St. Tikhon s Seminary; His Beatitude Metropolitan HERMAN, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America; Father David Moretti; Metropolitan PHILIP; Very Rev. Anthony Sabbagh; Very Rev. David Hester; Adam Nixon; Very Rev. Elias Bitar; second row: Kevin Meyers, Michael Rucks, Simeon Kees, Father Andrew Damick, Iyad Khair, Father George Shawareb, Brandon Traynor, and Michael Habib. and the possibility of unity, since the students studying at St. Tikhon s Seminary are there preparing for ministry in the Orthodox Church in America (the Archdiocese that founded St. Tikhon s Monastery and Seminary), the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the Patriarchal Russian Diocese, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Ukranian Orthodox Church, the Church of Alexandria, the Church of Jerusalem, and the Malankar Church of India. During the graduation, two Antiochian Orthodox students received the Master of Divinity Degree: the Reverend Priest George Shawareb, and the Reverend Priest Andrew Damick, who received his degree with Distinction in Church History after writing a Master s Thesis on Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh of Brooklyn. Both of these graduates have received parochial assignments in the Archdiocese, with Father George being assigned as the pastor of St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church in Arvada, Colorado, and Father Andrew being assigned as the assistant pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Charleston, West Virginia. Traveling with the Metropolitan to the graduation were the Very Rev. Elias Bitar, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese, who also teaches Byzantine Music at St. Tikhon s, Archdeacon Hans El-Hayek, and the Metropolitan s brother, Dr. Najib Saliba. The Antiochian Archdiocese was also represented by the Very Rev. David Hester, pastor of St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, Wilkes-Barre, who teaches Patrology, Church History and Antiochian Liturgical practices at the Seminary and has six Antiochian Orthodox students assigned to his parish, and the Very Rev. Anthony Sabbagh, pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Allentown, who also has two Antiochian Orthodox students assigned to his parish. The Word 35

36 THE WORD 358 Mountain Road PO Box 5238 Englewood, NJ Periodical postage paid at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Welcome Home. Then, welcome others. As we celebrate the anniversary of the acceptance of the evangelicals into Orthodoxy, we are reminded that the church forever welcomes us home. Now it is our turn to welcome others by joining The Order of St. Ignatius. The Order supports the growth of our Archdiocese, insures that future generations will have access to worship with the opportunity to let Holy Spirit thrive within us. Join The Order and resolve to help your archdiocese, your parish, your community and the world. Learn more about The Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch. Call , or return this slip to: The Order 358 Mountain Road Englewood, NJ Yes, I want more information about The Order Name: Address: Phone: 9/07