SUMMER 2013 IN THIS ISSUE

Transcription

1 SUMMER 2013 IN THIS ISSUE Jesus is Lord! By Fr. John M. Reeves Sunday Services Matins.. 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. Church School will resume in September. Saturday Services Confession... 4:30 p.m. Great Vespers... 5:00 p.m. Weekly Services Matins ~ Wed. & Fri... 7:00 a.m. Bible Study ~ Wed..11:00 a.m. Church Contacts Fr. Aaron Warwick, Pastor stmarywichita@cox.net Diana Peterson, Admin. Asst. stmaryoffice@cox.net PHONE - (316) FAX - (316) Facebook Spring Graduates Congratulations and Many Years! Question of the Month The Best Advice for Grads Mediterranean Festival 2013 New Changes a Success! Cook's Corner Cool Summer Dishes Parish Life Conference June 5-8 Christ the Savior Academy Meet the New Headmaster Outreach Alaska Update from Mary Ann Khoury Plus... From the Ministry Teams, Celebrations, and Bits and Pieces The Scroll thescrollnews@yahoo.com St. Mary Orthodox Christian Church 344 S. Martinson Wichita, KS Rev. Fr. Aaron Warwick Website:

2 Jesus Is Lord! Christianity's Life-Changing Confession of Faith by Fr. John M. Reeves (Please note: this article includes important excerpts from Fr John s longer article, which may be found in its entirety at In January 1990, an old man in pajamas sitting on the edge of his bed was interviewed for a television broadcast in Romania. He was the noted philosopher, Petre Sutea. What did he think of the recent revolution, he was asked. What revolution? was his rhetorical reply. Thinking perhaps that his age or his hearing had prevented his understanding the question, the interviewer gently rehearsed the events of the previous month, in which the Ceaucescu regime had been toppled. Sutea replied, That was no revolution! There has been only one revolution in the history of mankind, the Incarnation of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ! What is it about the Incarnation that would enable a Christian to make such a boast? What does it mean, that God would take flesh and dwell among us? What does it say about both God and man? What does it say, to you and to me, right now? The earliest confession of faith of the Church has been the simple declaration that Jesus is Lord. Jesus is Lord! This conviction literally turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). It still provokes the strongest contention. To proclaim that Jesus is Lord demarcates the Christian from the rest of the world. It sums up the Christian faith in three words, and it is far different from merely noting that Jesus was born or that Jesus lived or died. By the beginning of the third millennium of the Christian era, the belief that Jesus is Lord has affected the entire globe in one way or another. Jesus is Lord. What does it mean to believe it? What does it mean to live it? What does it mean to celebrate this revolution on a personal level, that is, on the level of our souls and bodies? To call upon the name to believe in the name of Jesus as Lord is to accept the fact that He has come to save mankind from sin, so that we might become the sons of God, having a relationship with God and becoming partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Jesus did not come merely to grant sinful human beings a new status, a saved status. Rather, as St. Athanasius wrote, God became man, that man might become god. Thus, the forgiveness of sins opens a relationship with God in which we change: we become more like God. If adoption as the sons of God, that is, salvation, is to have any meaning, we have to take seriously the sinfulness which precludes our sonship. That is, no matter how good we try to be, our goodness is insufficient. Or as the Apostle Paul put it, For the good that I will to do, I do not do (Romans 7:19). We are creatures. We are limited. We have fallen short. Our mortality is real and we will die. The lordship of Jesus Christ requires that the Church be the Church: the historic Church, neither more the Church nor less the Church than in any other age. To proclaim Jesus as Lord is to uncover the wealth of apostolic teaching about the lordship of Christ and to continue faithfully therein. Our private opinions about the faith, the Scriptures, were added to the Church. To confess that Jesus is Lord means to persevere under the godly authority of the successors to the Apostles, both our bishops and priests, for they watch for our souls and must give account (Hebrews 13:17). To claim to be under Jesus Church, and her moral life mean nothing. To confess that Jesus is Lord means to repent and be baptized for the remission of our sins and to be reign but to reject the authorities which He has placed in the Church to rule over us is a contradiction. To confess that Jesus is Lord means that the Eucharist must form the basis for our life in the world, else we shall not have Life within us (John 6:53). Sincere repentance, with regular confession to a spiritual father, must precede reception of the Holy Mysteries, lest we eat and drink condemnation, not discerning the Lord s Body (1 Corinthians 11:27 29). Continued.

3 To confess that Jesus is Lord means to continue in the prayers. We must become more and more a people of prayer, formally and corporately, and also personally and in secret. We must make time both to talk to God in prayer, and to listen to God speak His will for us. To confess that Jesus is Lord means to yield up our souls and bodies as living sacrifices to Him (Romans 12:1). It means confessing that we are no longer our own, but His. For we have been bought with a price, the price of His own blood. To confess that Jesus is Lord means to witness to His Lordship in the church to all mankind, going into all the world, making disciples, teaching all things whatsoever He has taught, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18 20). To confess that Jesus is Lord, in short, means to proclaim in our lives and our lifestyles, with every breath that we breathe, this radical, revolutionary faith that God has taken flesh and lived among us, full of grace and truth. Then, that is a revolution worth celebrating, always now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Fr. John M. Reeves is rector of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in State College, Pennsylvania. Parish Life Conference 2013 June 5-8 Kansas City, MO Plckc2013.com

4 Mediterranean Festival 2013 The 2013 Mediterranean Festival was a huge success! Through the many hours of planning and preparation, we were able to make many changes to this year's festivities. We added outdoor seating, outdoor music, indoor and outdoor dancing, expanded the Marketplace, and added kafta to our menu. The biggest changes, however, were the ala carte ordering and payment processes. Customers ordered and received all of their food at once, instead of carrying a tray from one table to the next. We eliminated the $1.00 tickets that we ve used in the past and implemented an ipad payment system. There were many benefits to this. It allowed us to move people into different roles, since we no longer needed ticket takers. It also made it possible for us to increase our food prices, because we no longer needed to price the items in $1.00 increments. With the rising cost of food, it was necessary for us to increase our prices slightly. The feedback from our guests was overwhelmingly positive. They loved the ease of ordering and paying, and they loved the outdoor seating. They couldn t believe how high tech we ve become! Many parishioners commented that the atmosphere was more relaxed and less stressful than in previous years. All of these changes wouldn t have been possible without everyone s help. Once again, we worked together to pull off a successful Mediterranean Festival. Thank you to everyone who helped in the preparations and those who worked the day of the event. We re looking forward to another successful event in 2014! Marketplace 2013

5 SPRING GRADUATES Congratulations and Many Years! Theodora Stevens graduated from Wichita State University on May 17, She earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Previously, Theodora received a B.A. degree in Exercise Science from W.S.U. She will be employed at Advanced Physical Therapy in Wichita. Theodora is the daughter of Randa Haddad Stevens and Eugene Stevens. Nick Holwey graduated on May 17, 2013, with a Master's degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Wichita State University. He'd previously earned a B.S. degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. He is the son of Christopher Holwey and Charissa Holwey. His future plans include an Internship at Carle Emergency Department in Urbana, Illinois. As is true for most fields of study, we continue to be students long after we graduate. I'm just glad to have such amazing teachers along the way. Nathalie Stevens-Salloum graduated from Friends University in Wichita on May 11, 2013, with a B.A. degree in Business Management. She is the daughter of Eugene Stevens and Randa Haddad Stevens. Nathalie plans to start up her own business, Zajal Gourmet Dips, LLC. She and her husband, Stephen, live in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. I now live a 4-hour drive away from the Canadian Rocky Mountains! High School goes by slow and College goes by fast! Zac Zarich graduated from Andover Central High School in Andover, Kansas, on May 19, He is the son of Mark Zarich and Robyn Zarich. Zac participated in basketball and football at Andover Central. He has been an altar server at St. Mary Church. He enjoys sports, working out, and cars. Zac will attend Butler Community College in the Fall. Leah Christine Zarich graduated from Andover Central High School in Andover, Kansas, on May 19, She participated as a football student trainer, was a member of the Thespian Club, and played the lead role in the musical, Into the Woods at Andover Central. Leah also earned an academic letter, played soccer and earned a soccer letter at Andover Central. Leah will attend the University of Kansas in the Fall where she was awarded a Rock Chalk Scholarship. She is the daughter of Mike and Paula Zarich.

6 What's the best advice you can give to our graduating seniors? Deacon James Kallail ~ Education should never end. Earn your living doing something that you want to do every day. There are no mistakes that cannot be corrected. If you find yourself doing something that is not right for you, change it. Finally, things occur according to God's time not yours. When you submit to God, all things become good. Dennis Fairbanks ~ Now is the time to employ discipline in everything you do. It s the one thing all successful people have in common. Marie Patterson ~ You will be setting and working toward goals your entire life. Remain open to accepting challenges and learning new skills with a positive attitude. Vickie Jones ~ Become part of a Christian community. This applies whether you are going off to college or joining the labor force. Remember those who have helped you get this far in your life. Don t forget to call them regularly. Keep reading. Education (in my opinion) is not just about grades or getting a job but mostly about becoming a more 'aware and engaged observer of the universe' (John Green). Try not to worry too much about what you are going to do with your life. You are already doing it. Get to know people who are different from you and become more empathetic because of those experiences. Finally, pray. Helen Stitt ~ The advice I would give a graduating high school senior is to take your time in deciding what you want to do in your future. It's difficult for an eighteen-year-old to know what the best route to take is. I would advise that you take the required classes if you are headed to college, then begin to specialize the second or even better the third year. I know I changed my mind three times, and had to go an extra half a year to finish my degree. Above all else, do something that you enjoy. You will be working for a long time! Michelle Shaheen ~ Work hard. Study hard if you are continuing on with your education. Nurture the friendships you've built and enjoy the ones you've yet to meet. Lifelong friendships are a beautiful gift. Don't forget to have fun along the way. Subdeacon Ken Dannenberg ~ Don't do something just because 'we have always done it this way.'" Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school. ~Albert Einstein The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. ~Robert Maynard Hutchins It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. Education is the movement from darkness to light. ~Aristotle ~Allan Bloom

7 Cool Recipes for Summer Walnut Corn Dip 2 packages (8 ozs. each) cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup lime juice 2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt Dash pepper 1 can (8-3/4 ozs.) whole kernel corn, drained 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted 1/3 cup finely chopped green onion Tortilla chips In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, lime juice, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir in the corn, walnuts, and onion. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 3 cups. Fruity Chicken Salad 2 cups cubed cooked chicken 1 cup halved green grapes 1 can (8 ozs.) pineapple tidbits, drained 1 celery rib, chopped (optional) 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon celery seed (optional) 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced 6 slices cantaloupe Lettuce leaves In a bowl, combine the chicken, grapes, pineapple, and celery. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, salt, celery seed and pepper. Stir into chicken mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Just before serving stir in pecans. Serve with avocado and cantaloupe slices on lettuce-lined plates. Makes 2 servings.

8 THE SCROLL From the Ministry Teams Fall Issue Will Cover ~ September/October Deadline to Submit News ~ August 18 On Website ~ August 30 Available in Foyer ~ September 1 Send news to: thescrollnews@yahoo.com The Scroll Team will offer the Holy Bread and host the Coffee Hour on August 25, HUMANITARIAN TEAM The Humanitarian Ministry Team thanks everyone who kept the food pantry stocked the past four months. We will have another Humanitarian Sunday on June 9 th for the food pantry. Requested food items or monetary donations may be given at that time. The Lenten project for The Treehouse was another huge success. A box was filled with onesies, sleepers, and kitchen items for the moms. We collected $489 which was used for household items for the families. The annual school supply collection drive will begin on July 14 th and run through August 4 th. Please watch the bulletin for a list of needed items. Please join us for coffee hour after Liturgy on June 2 nd as we show our appreciation for your support of all of our special humanitarian projects. May God Bless you all. DILLONS DILLONS has made fundraising easier with the Neighborhood Reward Program. All you do is purchase a $10 gift card from our current coordinator, Dennis Fairbanks, and reload the card with additional value when you shop at DILLONS. When the St. Mary s account reaches $5,000 or more in reloads, we will receive a rebate check for 5% of the total amount. THE BELLES The Belles were very busy making baked goods for the Mediterranean Marketplace for our Annual Festival. We are now preparing to host our first Artisan & Craft Fair as a fundraiser on Saturday, October 19, 2013, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CHURCH SCHOOL Thank you to all the Sunday School teachers for your hard work and dedication this school year. We had a fantastic year and would like to thank Paula Zarich, Jessica Lessman, Randa Stevens, Claire Dannenberg, Tracy Namee and Gwen Warwick for enlightening the young people of St. Mary. Thank you also to all the parents who brought your children each Sunday for Orthodox fellowship and learning! We look forward to our new church school year which begins the Sunday of our feast day weekend in September.

9 From the Ministry Teams MATTHEW 5:4 FUNERAL MINISTRY TEAM Matthew 5:4 Funeral Ministry Team would like to thank Randa Haddad Stevens and Shirley Ellis for their generous contribution of centerpieces to be used for our Meal of Mercy tables. These are lovely and are stored at the church specifically for our use. They also donated new black tablecloths that are placed over the white plastic cloths we already had for our meals. This makes a lovely table for those we serve and their guests during the Meal of Mercy. We will be expanding these by adding some kind of base for the centerpieces to be placed on, and possibly a stand to elevate them on the table. They were first used for the Shippy Family Meal of Mercy for our beloved sister in Christ, Julia Yanney. May her memory be eternal! We will sponsor Holy Bread and Coffee Hour on June 23 for the Sunday of Pentecost. This will be an annual activity for us. The meeting schedule for the rest of this year is Sundays June 16 and September 22. Our meetings are during coffee hour. Grab coffee and snacks and join us in the Library for meetings. For all of our departed May their memories be eternal and may this ministry always be available to those in need of our help. Submitted by Mary Ann Khoury June 9, 2013 Following Liturgy Deacon James & Ro Kallail 502 Creekside Court Derby, KS Bring swimsuit & towel

10 JUNE 1 Jude Bennett 2 Nathalie Salloum 4 Mike Zarich 9 Kh. Gwen Warwick 10 Tara Patterson 14 Angela Abdayem 16 Alison Pike 23 Matt Oller 24 Rena Hemmert 25 Eleanor Jacobs 26 Abigail Morgan 29 Lewis Kosjer June 1, 2003 June 2, 2001 June 2, 2007 June 25, 1977 June 27, 1965 July 3, 2010 July 5, 1980 July 19, 1975 July 23, 1988 July 23, 1956 July 31, 1999 August 12, 1995 August 20, 1977 August 25, 2002 August 28, 2001 BIRTHDAYS JULY 4 Cheryl Jantz 5 Sonia Laham 6 Kirby Jantz 6 Gavin Bennett 7 Sarah Morgan 8 Kacy Minks 9 Hannah Zarich 11 Emily Laham 12 Mara Neuhof 15 Amanda Steinbrink 18 Steven Shippy 19 Micheal McKenzie 19 Virginia Rosenbaum 22 Darren Minks 23 Laura Oller 29 Brian Minks 29 Ian Bennett 31 Joe Laham ANNIVERSARIES JUNE Russell and Sara Bennett Fr. Aaron and Kh. Gwen Warwick Matt and Laura Oller Deacon James and Rosemary Kallail Don and Valerie DeBolt JULY Nick and Amanda Steinbrink Eric and Tracy Namee Subdeacon John and Jana Laham Mike and Paula Zarich Duane and Virginia Rosenbaum Joey and Tana Salome AUGUST Jeremy and Linda Morgan Chet and Judith Shippy Alex and Jessica Lessman Mulugeta Fissha and Semhal Abbay AUGUST 2 Lille Nightingale 3 Emma Pike 5 Kristen Morgan 8 Christina Sillas 9 E J Lessman 10 Liam Pike 10 Nadia Abdelmaseh 11 Carrie Langworthy 12 Mary Ann Khoury 12 Susan Lamone 15 Zared Salome 17 Deacon James Kallail 18 Jad Albert Wolf 19 Elizabeth Morgan 21 Justine Nightingale 22 Eli Ferris 23 Karl Beal 24 Jasmine Abdayem 24 Roy Clark 25 Seth Pike 28 Nathan Aaron Minks 31 Ethan Kosjer 31 Judith Shippy

11 End of Year at Christ the Savior Academy Means New Growth The hems of the Christ the Savior Academy children s uniforms are proof that the close of the school year is upon us. It is not just the children that have grown this year so has the school further proof of God s faithfulness in providing for and blessing this endeavor. Christ the Savior Academy is gaining new students next year and hiring staff to accommodate our growth. (First Grade is close to having a waiting list!) Ms. Lauren Licata will join CSA as the first grade teacher. She has five years of teaching experience as the kindergarten teacher at Three Hierarch s Eastern Orthodox School in Pennsylvania. Kh. Hannah Snowden will teach the 4-year-old Junior Kindergarten class. She has worked closely with the board and staff to develop CSA s curriculum and was the director of Reading Bridges, an early childhood literacy program in Tennessee prior to her move to Wichita. As we close out the year, we want to thank Justine Nightingale for her service as director of the school. She was with this school from the very beginning. Justine s classical background and marketing expertise helped bring this idea to reality. The Trustees of CSA wish her the best in her future endeavors. Mr. Edward Mansager is joining Christ the Savior Academy as the head of school. Steeped in Orthodox classical education, he has served the last seven years as Director of Curriculum, Dean of Students and the fourth/fifth grade teacher at St. John s Academy in San Francisco, an accredited Orthodox Classical school founded 18 years ago. He is the icon at the head of our school that we say, Emulate him, Fr. Irenei Steenberg, superintendent of St. John s Academy and former Dean of Theology at Oxford University, said. If I were starting a school from scratch, Edward is the person that I would hire. My only hesitation in saying that is that he would be a tremendous loss for our school. The following is an interview conducted with Mr. Mansager: Why are you excited to come to Christ the Savior Academy? From the time I first set foot into Christ the Savior Academy, it was apparent that a tremendous amount of care and love was given by the whole community to make it a reality. To share in this inspiration and motivation by providing a strong framework within which to tend to the unique needs of its children, is a very special blessing for me. What lessons did you learn at St. John s Academy that will serve you well at Christ the Savior Academy? Christ the Savior Academy and St. John's Academy have very similar goals. Both wish to raise faithful and balanced Orthodox Christians within a world that is becoming increasingly unbalanced and anti-christian. Both schools have high academic standards and wish to transmit a unique Christian worldview to their students by the tried-and-true methods of the classical model. At St. John s I ve had the joy to watch the classical methods of education at work, from the early years of kindergarten through the teenage years of high school, while at the same time being steeped in the deeply traditional spirit of the Russian Orthodox Church. I ve been able to watch students grow and blossom within this context and have inherited a vision of this educational model that I m excited to implement here at Christ the Savior Academy. Continued

12 What is your all-time favorite project you worked on with your students? Being a great fan of J.R.R. Tolkien, I was inspired when I learned that his vision for Middle Earth the moral and mythical Christian world within which his stories take place had begun its development in his imagination when he was still in grammar school. This led me to develop a fourth grade project to sow a similar seed among my students. Naturally extending lessons in simple geography, we developed our own worlds that would slowly, but surely, integrate as many other school subjects into it as possible, ultimately having the students express their understanding of each of the subjects through the creation of extensive histories, poetry, languages, maps, and government models that built on to the creative vision of their world. It s been an encouragement to hear fond memories of this project among older students, with a few instances of its creative work being carried through to further years in their education. What is your vision for Christ the Savior Academy? My vision is to grow the school to be a very strong and visible member of Wichita s Orthodox community. As Orthodox Christians, we have a worldview and a strong set of values that are precious to us, and that often times conflicts with the values of the world surrounding us. I see it as the job of Christ the Savior Academy to nurture an environment where Orthodox values can effectively be transmitted to our community s children, while at the same time shaping them to be effective members of the community they re a part of. Why is an Orthodox classical education important for students? The central emphasis of classical education is the conveying of knowledge as an integral whole. Orthodoxy roots this knowledge in relation to Christ. In a world so focused on specialization, and so often unaware of any relation between different fields of study, Orthodox classical education challenges its students to realize the fact that all knowledge stems from their experience of Christ. This means that knowledge is directly related to the development of their moral bearing and character which is an emphasis hard to find among other institutions. Mr. Edward Mansager,

13 BRAGG BABY Congratulations to Cliff and Dee Ann Bragg on the birth of their son, Finnian Valor. Finnian was born on April 22, He weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz., and was 21.5 inches long at birth. Many Years! NAMEE SWORN IN Congratulations to Matthew Namee for taking the Bar Exam in February and being sworn in on April 26, He graduated Mid-Term in December 2012, from The University of Kansas School of Law. He is working for the Hinkle Law Firm on Employee Benefits. He and his wife Catherine have three children: Jude, age 6, Marina, age 3 and Elijah, 11 months. Many Years! MCKENZIE BABY Mabelle Grayce McKenzie was baptized on May 18, She is the daughter of Michael and Heather McKenzie. Mabelle's godparents are Dn. James and Sh. Ro Kallail and her patron saint is St. Grace. Michael and Heather are also the parents of Thomas, age 6 and Ruby, 3 years old. Many Years! HOLY WEEK VISITOR We were pleased to have Mr. Christopher Gabriel of Phoenix, Arizona, at St. Mary Church during Holy week. He was in Wichita visiting his daughter and son-in-law, Rena and Bill Hemmert. Mr. Gabriel is a member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Phoenix. He attended Holy Week services at both St. Mary Orthodox Church and Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church while visiting. He was astonished at our cold weather during his stay but he looks forward (God willing) to his next trip here. He wanted to thank everyone at St. Mary Church for the warmth and love that they showed him. And he says in his loudest voice, CHRISTOS ANESTI! ST. MARY BOOKSTORE If you haven't dropped by the Bookstore recently, now is the time! You'll find beautiful icons, votive lamps, books for both children and adults, greeting cards, prayer ropes, mouse pads, crosses, and lots more! The Bookstore is open most Sundays after Liturgy.

14 Submitted by Mary Ann Khoury Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! I will be leaving for my 18 th trip to Alaska on Monday, May 13. Since first traveling there in 1999, many programs have come to fruition for Holy Orthodoxy in America s Holy Land and our country s Great Frontier. My paid work and the lack of an assigned bishop from the OCA for the Diocese of Alaska, had taken me away the past few years from doing the things I wanted to do for Outreach Alaska. Retirement from the DUI Victim Center of Kansas in December, after 25 years, now makes it possible for me to be more active in the Alaska Mission. More time can be focused on Outreach Alaska projects and furtherance of activities, making people more familiar with our needs. My travel this year will be specific to Kodiak for the seminary commencement on May 19. Meeting times have been scheduled with the seminarians on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday all day May 15 and 16. These are scheduled times for us to discuss the Adopt a Seminarian project how they are doing with their studies and adjusting to seminary life and the St. Julianna Food Pantry. This is helpful to me and to the students to determine what to expect from them for the upcoming year and where they may be placed once they are graduated. These meetings provide information used when I return to produce updated reports for the Adopt a Seminarian sponsors. I like telling them about their sponsored seminarians and how their support is helping them and their families with the studies for them to become educated for Orthodoxy in Alaska. Fr. John Dunlop, Seminary Dean, has done a wonderful job following Fr. Chad Hatfield in this position. He keeps the seminary full with new students every year. Seminary 2013/2014 will be very challenging for our Adopt a Seminarian project. It will be necessary for me to place 7 new sponsors for the new students. A total of 14 will be on this program for the new year the most at one time since beginning this program in For the first time, last year there was one student who I did not have sponsored. I have now placed him with St. Michael the Archangel in Wichita. They are so excited to sponsor a seminarian and I am so pleased to have them placed with this wonderful student. A Ladies Luncheon will be catered on Friday, May 17 for all the ladies of the seminary seminary wives, faculty, clergy wives, specific friends of the seminary and other women. This is always a very successful time since there is not much done there specifically for the women. It provides a wonderful support setting where the ladies talk about their challenges and accomplishments at the seminary. They look forward to this each year. Continued

15 On Saturday, I will attend the seminary Board of Trustees meeting and meet the new administrator for the OCA Diocese of Alaska. They will receive my Outreach Alaska report for our 2012/13 projects. The St. Julianna Food Pantry has been a blessing for the seminary. These students come with their children and often are out of food before the end of a month. The pantry provides them with incidentals for their children as well as supplementing the food provided by the seminary for their meals. Outreach Alaska raises funds to pay for these foods, diapers, over the counter medical needs, etc. The seminary shops at the local Safeway and then an invoice is sent to me for payment. This year the need increased and more funds will be needed to maintain the food pantry for the upcoming seminary year. An annual need of $7,000 is projected. This will be raised from church functions specifically donated to the project and some monthly contributions. The seminary is in great need of refurbishing the refractory. Last year this was an approved vote for the next year. Commencement 2012 Commencement activities will begin on Sunday morning, May 19 with Divine Liturgy followed by the Commencement and Banquet later Sunday afternoon. It will be an exciting time for all the students, faculty and guests. My participation will be to present sponsor gifts to this year s graduate Nathan Anderson. He is the only graduate from St. Herman Theological Seminary. His sponsor, St. John of Damascus in Poway, CA, says they are sponsoring the entire class of Next year we expect 7 graduates. Next year will be 15 years since I first traveled to Alaska and a significant Birthday for me. I am planning to take a group for Spiritual Travel to Alaska next summer final dates TBD - with the highlight to participate in the St. Herman Spruce Island Pilgrimage August This year will include some time to plan this travel and determine routing/costs. I will meet with touring professionals in Anchorage. If you would be interested in learning more about this Spiritual Travel, please me at maktoob@cox.net. I will keep you informed as the plans/costs come together. Some special plans are being made for this Spiritual Travel that would include visiting the St. Sophia Russian Orthodox Church in Bethell, AK and the grave of Mother Olga Fisher in Kwethluk, Ak both on the Kuskokwim River in bush Alaska. Over the coming years, I pray to increase the St. Innocent of Alaska Missionary Prayer Society and the Sister Parish projects. I also am hoping to learn how to develop a newsletter to keep our supporters informed of the work that is being completed through Outreach Alaska. When I return from this May visit, I will be home about one week before going to the Antiochian Parish Life Conference in Kansas City. It has been several years since I have been able to attend a conference. This is very important because it provides an opportunity for people to be reminded of the Outreach Alaska mission and helps get the word out about our programs and needs. In closing, I ask your prayers for safe and healthy travel. I also ask that our risen Lord will bless this work and lead me in the way I should go to further the growth and strength of His Holy Orthodox Church in this Great and Holy Land of Alaska.

16 About The Scroll The Scroll is the news magazine of St. Mary Orthodox Christian Church, 344 S. Martinson, Wichita, KS, It was first published in March of 1974 as a newsletter and has evolved to its present magazine-style format. The Scroll includes information about our Orthodox Christian faith as well as news of our parish community. Deadline dates for publication are listed in each issue of The Scroll and also in the weekly church bulletins. Inquiries and news items should be sent to: thescrollnews@yahoo.com or to the above church address C/O The Scroll. All news must be received by the announced deadline dates. Submitted material may be edited for content and space limitations. All items submitted should include the name of the person sending the material as well as identifying the original source of previously published pieces. LOOKING AHEAD June 9 Altar Boy Outing at Kallail s June 13 Ascension of Our Lord June 16 Father's Day June 23 Holy Pentecost Happy Father s Day To all of Our Fathers to those who are with us and to those who have fallen asleep in the Lord. June 29 Apostles Peter & Paul July 4 Independence Day August 1 Dormition Fast Begins August 6 Holy Transfiguration August 18 Scroll Deadline August 30 Scroll on Website June 16, 2013