Register Now! $50 registration fee waived if you sign up and pay prior to May 1st.

Registration for our 2011 Summer Programs has begun. Please join us in June for a major conference, “Women Disciples of the Lord,” and for continuing education workshops.

June 7–8:  Missiology and Evangelism Workshop

In an effort to reach two indigenous and rapidly growing North American populations with the message of Orthodox Christianity, our two-day workshop on missiology and evangelism will focus on outreach to people of African heritage and Spanish-speaking cultures in the U.S. and Canada. Workshop leaders will be Fr. Moses Berry of St. Louis, Missouri, and Fr. Antonio Perdomo of Pharr, Texas, two experienced "evangelists."

Registration, Fees, & Accommodations

June 9–11: Internet Pornography and Chastity Workshop

The enormous world of internet pornography continues to invade our culture, and the statistics* are staggering: 40 million Americans are regular visitors to porn sites; 70% of men ages 18–24 visit porn sites monthly; 1 in 3 porn viewers are women; there are 116,000 searches for “child pornography” daily; and 35% of all internet downloads are pornographic.

Dr. Albert Rossi, our adjunct professor of Pastoral Theology, has designed a workshop for pastors, youth ministers, and educators, to address this pressing problem. There will be a dual focus: 1) pastoral counseling for internet pornography problems of adults; and, 2) the issue of chastity for youth and young adults today. Lecture, video material, and discussion will comprise the sessions.

*Via Online MBA

Registration, Fees, & Accommodations • Schedule

June 17–19:  Women Disciples of the Lord

In recent decades, we have seen several important conferences about women in the Church. These have reflected on women’s gifts, and their joys and frustrations in trying to fulfill their Christian calling; some have produced recommendations for parishes and local churches. The goals of this particular conference are:

• to explore and articulate the Christ-centered context out of which lay, and especially women’s, ministries are to be expressed;
• to listen to women pursuing God-bearing vocations in Church, parish, home, and society; and, building on previous meetings,
• to help our parishes and Churches foster women’s and lay vocations.

The primary questions we will be addressing towards these goals are:

• How did our female forebears understand and live in Christ—as women? And how may we follow their examples today?
• Christ empowered the women among His disciples. How can women’s talents enrich the work of the Church today, energize parishes, and bring the Gospel into the world?
• How can the Church’s institutions better participate in the preparation of women and other laity for service? How can the Church validate women in their ministries: hiring them, blessing them, and sending them to attend to the Church’s missions? How can it establish positions worthy of its women seminary graduates? What infrastructure needs to be created?

This conference is not for women only, but also for laymen and clergy interested in building and broadening lay vocations and ministries in the Church. We seek to foster a creative, constructive, and inspiring encounter, through lectures, panel discussions, and workshops, with table fellowship and daily worship.

Our list of topics and speakers includes:

• "Opening Address" • Matushka Juliana Schmemann
• "Eve, Mary, and Us"  • Dr. Kyriaki Karidoyanes Fitzgerald
• "Light from the Past on Vocations Today: Learning From the Women Saints" • Dr. Mary Ford
• "A Writer’s Vocation in the Orthodox Church" • Frederica Mathewes-Green
• "Orthodox Women: A Recent History" • Ms. Eleana Silk

On Friday, June 17, 7:30 p.m., Archpriest John Behr, dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary, will present a free and public lecture, "Male and Female Created He Them,"  

Workshops and panels will feature a wide range of speakers from Gospel-bearing vocations within and outside parishes, representing areas such as chaplaincy, education, prison ministry, service to the poor, youth ministry, science and ethics, music ministry, parenting, writing, and others. A final session for SVOTS Alumnae is planned to work towards assisting the local churches with resources for women, their theological education, and their vocations.

All, especially our alumnae, may continue to shape the conference by emailing the co-coordinators, Tanya Penkrat, tpenkrat@svots.edu, and Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff, pcb@svots.edu.

Registration, Fees, & Accommodations • Schedule

June 19–23:  5th Annual Diaconal Liturgical Practicum

Practical liturgical training for deacons and lay diaconal candidates will be supported by celebration of the Divine Liturgy and other services. Intensive workshops will provide participants with the skills needed to serve effectively in the Orthodox Church, with attention given to the liturgical patterns of movement that inform the rite. Guidance on concelebrations and hierarchical celebrations will prepare participants for such occasions. Focused presentations by seminary faculty will augment the deacon's understanding of his place in the liturgical life of the Church and the deacon's broader vocation as a symbol to the faithful of the diakonia of Christ our Lord. Instruction in public speaking and vocal technique will also be offered. Workshop leaders will be Archdeacon Kirill Sokolov, Fr. Sergius Halvorsen, and Fr. John Behr, dean of St. Vladimir's.

Click on the highlighted links for more information & to register:

Full Description of the Program & Faculty • Schedule • Preparation & FAQs • On-Campus Accommodations • Off-campus Accommodations • Registration 

June 19–25: Iconography Workshop

Protodeacon Nazari Polataiko will instruct aspiring and experienced iconographers in the egg tempera Russo-Byzantine style of iconography, endeavoring to teach not only craft and technique but also the prayerful attitude required in executing this art. The offering this summer will also include presentations on ecclesiastical architecture. 

Registration, Fees, & Accommodations • Schedule

Download the attached flyer and share it with your friends, family, and parish family!