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Memory Eternal! + Georgia Marx

Memory Eternal! + Georgia Marx, mother of Fr. Meletios Marx of St. Joseph Orthodox Church in Houston, TX, reposed on Monday, July 24, 2017, and will be buried from St. Joseph on Thursday, August 3.

Born in Galveston, Texas on March 27, 1941, Georgia received a Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology from North Texas State University in 1962. She dedicated a large part of her life to working with children who had speech impediments. She had a strong love of God and was very active in church. She had ten green thumbs and was a member of a neighborhood garden club where she won numerous blue ribbons for floral design. Needlepoint was another passion of Georgia’s, and her stich mastery was often displayed at local shops. She loved good food, socializing with friends and family, and old movies, particularly, John Wayne’s The Quiet Man. Equal to her love of family was her love of cats and the fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

Memory Eternal! + Kh. Helen Kahle

Memory Eternal! + Khouria Helen S. Kahle, 87, of Emmaus, PA, passed away July 26, 2017 at Lehigh Center, Macungie. She was the wife of the late Very Rev. John (Robert) Kahle (+2008), the founding pastor of St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church in Emmaus, PA.

Born in Emmaus, Helen was the daughter of the late John and Kathryn (Slota) Sikorski. She was a graduate of Emmaus High School, Class of 1948, and Sacred Heart Hospital School of Nursing in 1951. Helen served several medical practices as a registered nurse for many years.

She is survived by her sons, Robert Kahle and his wife, Karen, James Kahle and his wife, Rebecca; and daughters Anne Boyle, Susan Crouthamel and her husband, David, Karen Buss and her husband, Mark, Patricia Domyan and her husband, Mark, Barbara Parker and her husband, Peter; fourteen grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and her sister, Julia Kooker. 

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

  • Sunday, July 30: Viewing 3-5 pm at Bachman Kulik Reinsmith Funeral Home in Emmaus, PA (225 Elm St.), with a Trisagion Memorial at 4:30pm
  • Monday, July 31: Viewing 10-11 am, Funeral 11 am at St. Paul Orthodox Church in Emmaus (156 E. Main St.)

Khouria Helen's obituary can be read on Legacy.com. Contributions in her memory can be made to St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church in Emmaus, PA.

May her memory be eternal!

Summer 2017 Issue of DIAKONIA Available Online

The Summer 2017 issue of DIAKONIA is now available online. This issue highlights the Diocese of Worcester and New England. The issue contains:

  • Greetings from His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph and His Grace Bishop John
  • A message from Spiritual Advisor Fr. Ed Hughes
  • A message from the Diocesan President Cindy Hayes
  • Profiles of Worcester officers
  • Chapter reports, photos and happenings

...and more! Download (PDF) here.

Bishop John and Nicholas Mamey to Launch Book on Marriage at Miami Convention

[SVOTS Communications / Yonkers, NY] Orthodox Christian couples are often seeking sage advice on how to strengthen their marital bond, and St. Vladimir's Seminary Press (SVS Press) has just released a book to help them do so: Building an Orthodox Marriage: A Practical Commentary on the Eastern Orthodox Marriage Rite. Written by a long-time married but now widowed bishop and a newly married layman, the book prepares couples to understand marriage as "a great mystery" akin to the relationship between Christ and His Bride, the Church (Eph 5.32), while coaching them in practical ways to strengthen their union.

His Grace the Right Reverend John Abdalah, bishop of the Diocese of Worcester and New England of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA), and Nicholas G. Mamey, a newly married seminary graduate, are coauthors of the volume. In their work, they first establish a grounding for marriage, using Scripture and texts from the Orthodox Christian wedding ceremony, and then go on to offer practical guidance to couples.

Celebration of 125 years of Orthodox Christianity in Greater Chicago

Proclaiming 2017 as the 125th year of Orthodox Christianity in Greater Chicago, the ruling bishops of Chicago have endorsed a historic celebration to take place Saturday, September 30, 2017. Sponsored by the Orthodox Christian Clergy Association [OCCA] of Greater Chicago, the commemoration will include the celebration of a Pan Orthodox Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Lane Tech Auditorium, 2501 W. Addison @ Western Sts, in Chicago, followed by a celebration banquet at the Chicago Marriott O'Hare, 8535 W. Higgins Rd, Chicago.

Chairing the event is Archpriest Nicholas Dahdal, rector of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cicero. Chicago area hierarchs along with all area clergy will gather to concelebrate the historic liturgy. His Grace, Bishop Irinej (Dobrijevic), Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America, former Director of Education at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, will deliver the homily. Responses will be sung by the Pan Orthodox Choir of Greater Chicago, under the direction of Gordana Trbuhovich.

For College Graduates: Parishes Seeking Full-time Youth Directors

The V. Rev. Dr. Joseph Purpura of the Department of Youth and Parish Ministry reports that several parishes in the United States and in Canada are seeking to hire full-time youth directors for our Antiochian Orthodox parishes. If you are an Orthodox Christian young man or young woman who has graduated college and is looking to work full-time in youth ministry, please send your resume and complete contact information to: frjoseph@orthodoxyouth.com.

Memory Eternal! + Kh. Stefanie Yazge

UPDATED June 30: Funeral Arrangements

With great sadness, and with the hope of the Resurrection, Khouriyee Dr. Stefanie Yova Yazge suddenly fell asleep in the Lord on the morning of June 29, 2017, the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul. Kh. Stefanie is the wife of Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Yazge, director of the Antiochian Village Camp. They have three children: Matthew, Mark and Alexis.

His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph, the Diocesan Bishops, the Board of Trustees, all the organizations, and all the clergy and the faithful of the Archdiocese offer their condolences to the Yazge and Yova families.

Atlas of American Orthodox Monasteries (Second Edition) is Now Available for Download

The electronic version (PDF) of the Atlas of American Orthodox Christian Monasteries is now available free of charge from the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA, and can be downloaded here. The hard copy of the Atlas can be purchased directly from the publisher, Holy Cross Orthodox Press. 

The Atlas includes:

Reflections for Father's Day

These two thoughtful reflections from a new father and a seasoned father and grandfather, offer insights into the importance of Orthodox Christian fathers, as we celebrate Father's Day on Sunday, June 18, 2017.

Who Else Will Raise the Second Generation of Orthodox Christians?

By Fr. George Shalhoub

On June 18th, we will celebrate and honor every father again on Father's Day.

In the Holy Orthodox Church, no man is defined without a woman, no woman is defined without a man, and no man or woman is defined without God. A mother is not more important than the father and neither is the father more important than the mother. The two cannot be separated. They are like railroad tracks; one cannot exist without the other. They become one flesh in marriage (Ephesians 5:31) and share the responsibility for their future.

I recall that even when my mother took me to church, my father was no less important. On many occasions, I tagged along with my father as he was one of the builders of St. George Cathedral in my hometown of Hama, Syria. It took ten years to build this church which was next to our old church, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.

Read the whole reflection.


Fatherhood, A Kind of Asceticism

By Deacon Thom Crowe

Register Now for October Iconology and Iconography Workshop at Antiochian Village

Vladislav Andrejev, IconographerVladislav Andrejev, IconographerThe Antiochian Village Conference and Retreat Center will be hosting an intensive 6-day icon workshop on October 1–7, 2017. Students will learn both the theory and practice of icon writing in the Prosopon School, using methods dating to 16th century Russia. The materials used in the workshop will all be natural and will include: egg tempera, pure gold leaf, earth and mineral pigments, and carved wooden boards prepared with gesso.

This workshop will be conducted by master iconographer and founder of the Prosopon School, Vladislav Andrejev and/or his son Nikita. Beginners will be given step-by-step instructions to complete their own icon of Archangel Michael. Students who have attended previous Prosopon workshops will be assigned an icon appropriate to their experience and skill level. All materials are included in the registration fee for beginners. Previous artistic experience is not necessary, as icon writing is as much a spiritual discipline as it is an artistic expression.

For further information, contact workshop coordinator Donna Smith: presbyteradonna@stsophias.org (preferred contact method) or (315) 723-5128.

An Open Letter from the Heritage Foundation Chairman, Economos Antony Gabriel

Dear fellow Antiochian,

Saint John Chrysostom once exclaimed: Glory to Thee, O God, For all things!

"Lest, we forget."

Yes, we give thanks to Almighty God for all of our beloved pioneers who knitted the fabric of our God Protected Archdiocese.

Throughout the years we have witnessed greatness in some of the most simple moments as well as clergy. It is almost unimaginable today how the early clergymen carved out their lives with some of the most difficult of circumstances, both financially as well as spiritually. From the earliest days in North America, our clergy, their wives and families played a pivotal role in the development and maturation of the Antiochian Church on New Shores. They have inspired us by their strenuous sacrifices and their sweet liturgical services which formed us and to this day, and their wisdom enlightened our paths towards the priesthood.

Bishop Thomas Offers Commencement Address, Receives Honorary Doctorate at St. Tikhon's Seminary

By Joseph Clark

During the weekend of May 26–29, 2017, the Monastery of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, America’s oldest Orthodox monastic community, held its 113th Annual Pilgrimage, and St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary celebrated its 75th Annual Commencement Exercises. Five saints of the Church: St. Tikhon of Moscow, St. Raphael of Brooklyn, St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre, St. Alexander Hotovitzky, and St. Nicholai of Zhicha, have walked the hallowed grounds of these communities, and all who visit this holy mountain are touched by the prayers of these saints.

The festivities began with the arrival of the “Hawaiian” Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. Many miracles are attributed to her intercessions, and the mere presence of the holy icon brought joy to the faithful. The miraculous myrrh was so plentiful that upon entering the altar, after processing with her, His Grace Bishop Thomas’ hands were thoroughly covered, and this occurred in spite of the wooden case and velvet cover in which she is kept.

The 2017 May PhD Residency - A Resounding Success!

By Dr. Christopher Veniamin, Assistant Director
The Antiochian Orthodox Institute (TAOI)

Something special is happening in the Antiochian Archdiocese.

The 2017 May Residency of the Antiochian House of Studies PhD program proved to be a resounding success. It was hard to see how it could be otherwise, given the world-class calibre of its faculty, including Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos and Renos K. Papadopoulos. But even so, the second Intensive (Residency) of the first-ever AHOS PhD cohort managed to surpass all expectations.

No stranger to the Antiochian Archdiocese, Metropolitan Hierotheos—speaker at the Archdiocese's 2016 Clergy Symposium—immediately recognized the importance of Metropolitan Joseph's invitation to contribute to the spiritual and intellectual life of the Church in North America.

St. Vladimir's Seminary President to be Keynote Speaker at Sacred Music Institute in July

Photo: svots.eduPhoto: svots.eduThe Department of Sacred Music is happy to announce that The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, President of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, will be the keynote speaker at this summer's Sacred Music Institute (SMI) and Youth Music Ministry (YMM), July 12–16, 2017 at the Antiochian Village. Father Chad will be addressing the theme for the week: "Music as Ministry: Looking Outward Through Orthodox Hymnography."

For more information, please contact Paul Jabara or visit the Department of Sacred Music homepage.

Watch a Preview: Western Orthodoxy, The Lost Daughter

The following video is the first two minutes of a new film being made about the Western Rite, also known as Western Orthodoxy. It features three of our own Antiochian priests who lead Western Rite parishes: Fr. Patrick Cardine, Fr. Alban Waggener, and Fr. James Hamrick. The full film will be made available this summer, 2017. (View the directory of Western Rite parishes in the Antiochian Archdiocese.)

Memory Eternal! + Youssif (Joseph) Hanna

Memory Eternal! Youssif (Joseph) Hanna + 1932–2017

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our wonderful husband, father, and grandfather at the age of 85. Beloved husband of Najwa (Sawaya) for 55 years. Loving father and father-in-law: to George and Sophie, Andrew, and Dannie, Gina, and Tasso. Most cherished Jiddo to his pride and joys: Nicholas, Philip, Joseph, William, and Gabriel. His nieces and nephews will remember their 'ammo' with fondness. He is pre-deceased by his parents, Ferris and Galia and his siblings Hasibee, Khaylek, Theo, George and Mary.

He will be most remembered for his generosity, kindness, devotion to his community and church, and his passion for his magnificent gardens.

Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday is May 21

The Assembly of Bishops has announced that Sunday, May 21, 2017, is Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday. "We who do not live in the darkness of a prison or jail cannot truly comprehend the incredible distress men and women prisoners live with each and every day," notes Fr. Stephen Powley, Antiochian priest and Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM). "OCPM needs all our help to bring the love and light of Christ to these precious souls. The Orthodox Church, through OCPM, offers both hope and healing to those living in such distress."

Read the announcement on the Assembly website.

Who Else Will Raise the Next Generation of Orthodox Christians? A Reflection for Mother’s Day

By Fr. George H. Shalhoub

This Sunday, people throughout the United States and many places around the world will gather to honor their mothers. Many mothers will receive flowers, breakfast in bed, dinners and other acts of affection. For those who may be away from their children, they will have to be content with a phone call or a card in the mail. But, no matter how admirable this day has become for us in today’s society, honoring one’s mother should not be reduced to a one day activity, because mothers provide the foundation upon which we build our lives.

God gives every created human being a mother here on earth because He loves us. And even after our earthy mother precede us to Heaven, we still have our eternal mother (the Virgin Mary) who always keeps us in the shelter of her wings. As the late Mikhail Naimy stated, “Love is the law of God. You live that you may learn to love. You love that you may learn to live. No other lesson is required of Man.”

St. Emmelia Homeschool Conference Encourages and Refreshes Families

St. Emmelia Homeschool Conference, 2017St. Emmelia Homeschool Conference, 2017

 

 

 

 

 


Christ is risen!

The St. Emmelia Homeschool Conference 2017 was a great success; glory to God for His generosity in blessing our humble efforts! The theme was "touching heaven" and we really did touch heaven in many various ways as we came together for encouragement, equipping, and refreshment in the God-ordained task of raising His children. Please visit at our website for coming updates and a report.

Memory Eternal! + Janna Esber Georges

Memory eternal! 

Janna Esber Georges, mother of Khouria Lynn Gabriel, reposed in the Lord on Tuesday, April 25th, 2017. She passed into eternity at home, surrounded by her family: Fr. Antony Gabriel, Kh. Lynn, David, Mark and Tamara, Ryan, Jeanne Habib, and Pam Rosenberg. She is also survived by two sisters, Laurice Neam and Audrey Herbergs; and many loving nephews and nieces. Touching many lives, she will be deeply missed. 

Janna was born in Damascus, Syria on January 2, 1920, as Janna Esber. Her church was Ss. Peter and Paul in Maryland, with Fr. George Rados.

At her request arrangements will be private. A woman of great faith, she left in the loving embrace of Christ!  

Blessed Name Day to Metropolitan JOSEPH!

We extend our prayers and love to His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH on the occasion of his name day on April 22, 2018 (St. Joseph of Arimathea, Second Sunday after Pascha). May God grant him many years!

Learn more about Joseph of Arimathea
Read about Metropolitan JOSEPH

Metropolitan Joseph Presides at Parish Anniversary of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Canton, Ohio

The community of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church of Canton, Ohio welcomed His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph to preside over the 95th Anniversary of the parish from April 21–23, 2017. On Friday, April 21, a benefactors' reception was held in honor of Sayedna Joseph at the residence of Dr. Kaleel and Rhonia Shaheen, who also faithfully and elegantly served as the 95th Anniversary Chairs. The reception recognized the fundraising efforts of the benefactors who sponsored the weekend festivities. After Sayedna gathered and thanked them all for their ministry to the church, everyone listened to beautiful paschal hymns chanted by the Metropolitan's newly ordained deacon, Dn. John Al-Massih. On Saturday morning, Sayedna was greeted by over fifty beautiful children and teenagers of the church to the sounds of church bells and the chanting of the Paschal Troparion. After delivering his message to the youth and answering their questions, all were invited to a special breakfast chaired by Nina Shaheen, Malakh Bechara, Laura Kibler, and Nahi Kaed. (View the photo gallery)

Assembly Releases National Study on Evangelization and Outreach in U.S. Orthodox Parishes

Map of participating parishes in 2017 Assembly of Bishops study on evangelization (click on image for larger view)Map of participating parishes in 2017 Assembly of Bishops study on evangelization (click on image for larger view)The first national study on evangelization and outreach in Orthodox parishes in the United States has been released by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA. The report can be downloaded in various formats, as an executive summary, or as a full report.

The report, "Go and Make Disciples: Evangelization and Outreach in U.S. Orthodox Parishes," explores the practices and strategies developed by some Orthodox parishes that can be viewed as "exemplary" in their missionary and outreach efforts. Examples of what the readers will find in the report include:

Memory Eternal! + Nabiha (Iqal) Rayan

Father Nicholas Dahdal writes:

Memory Eternal! Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church of Cicero, IL, offers her sincerest condolences to the Rayan Family on the loss of the handmaid of God Nabiha (Iqal) Rayan, who passed into eternal life on Bright Monday April 17, 2017. Condolences are extended to her children Yacoub (Baha), Rayan (Fayrouz), Saliba (Janan), Archdiocese Board Member Mansour (Wafa), Jad (Pam), Ida (†Jiries) Mufarreh, Ghada Rayan, and their families.

Likewise, we extend condolences to her siblings Issa, Boutros, Nasr, Kamel, Widad, Huda, Julia, Offa, and Suad.

Nabiha now joins in eternal life her beloved husband †Oudeh Rayan, and her siblings †Daoud and †Saeed. The Paschal Funeral Service and Burial was held on Bright Thursday, April 20.

Feast of the Holy Great-Martyr George

Blessed Feast Day to our many St. George parishes!

As the deliverer of captives and the protector of the poor, as the physician of the feeble and combatant of kings, holy champion and great martyr George, intercede with Christ our God to save our souls.
+ Troparion of St. George, Tone 4

Thou wast cultivated by God and didst become a most wonderful cultivator of piety, and didst harvest for thyself the sheaves of virtue, for having sown in tears thou didst reap in joy and having withstood to death thou art garnered for Christ. By thy intercessions, O Saint, thou dost obtain for us all remission of our sins.
+ Kontakion of St. George, Tone 4

Read the life of St. George

Access liturgical resources for the Feast of St. George

(If April 23 falls on or before Great and Holy Pascha, the Feast of St. George is translated to Bright Monday.)