On Monday, September 28, 2015, St. Vladimir's hosted Mr. Samer Laham, director of the Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development (GERD) for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East. Mr. Laham was the featured speaker at the Tuesday, September 29 presentation,"Syria in Crisis," at the Museum of the City of New York.
After sharing a video introduction to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, Mr. Laham outlined the magnitude of the situation. Nine million people have been internally displaced, while three million Syrian refugees have fled to other countries. Most water, electricity, medical, education services have been damaged or put out of service, and half of all school-aged children have dropped out. The Church has lost thousands of its people, and a large number of Christian villages and churches have been destroyed.
There are glimmers of hope, however. The Patriarchate of Antioch's philanthropic arm has launched emergency plans in response, and has been able to aid over three million people, thanks to a partnership with the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC). The distribution of food, household items, emergency housing, cash donations, is ongoing, and Mr. Laham emphasized that the Patriarchate will continue to stay in their homeland and minister to all those in need, regardless of their religion.
On the afternoon of Friday, October 23rd, ten students from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary drove amidst brilliant autumn colors to Pennsylvania for a weekend of fellowship and reflection as part of the Orthodox Inter-Seminary Movement (OSIM). St. Tikhon's Seminary in South Canaan, PA, welcomed 30 students from St. Vladimir's Seminary, Holy Cross/Hellenic College in Brookline, MA, Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY, Christ the Savior Seminary in Johnstown, PA, and St. Herman's Seminary in Kodiak, AK.
Taking as its theme "Expanding the Mission of the Orthodox Church," the OISM weekend with a molieben on Friday evening, celebrated by Archpriest Steven Voytovich (SVOTS '99), dean of St. Tikhon's Seminary, in front of icons from many of the participating schools. Later that evening, Archimandrite Sergius, the Abbot of St. Tikhon's Monastery, spoke to the students on the need to foster one's spiritual life through sacraments and prayer. "You can't give what you don't have" was a reminder to everyone present that "seeking Christ" is the only root from which Church communities can grow.
Saturday's events began with Divine Liturgy for St. Demetrius and a short Panikhida. After breakfast, students toured the seminary grounds, museum, bookstore, and monastery church, learning about the history of St. Tikhon's Seminary and its student life. Shortly before noon, the students participated in a discussion session with Dr. David Ford from St. Tikhon’s Seminary, in which they shared ideas for parish growth, mission, and evangelism. Archpriest John Reeves from State College, PA, led the second session, wherein students reflected on principles of church growth that can be applied in a multitude of contexts. The day ended with Vigil, a business meeting, and more time for fellowship and discussion around an evening bonfire. Many seminarians remained through Sunday for celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the monastery church.
Coming after a week of mid-terms, the OSIM event was a welcome opportunity for students to refocus on their relationship with Christ and develop relationships in Christ with all those gathered. Our seminarians extend their enthusiastic thanks to the OSIM Student Board for organizing, and St. Tikhon's Seminary for hosting, a blessed and inspirational event.
O marvelous depth of wonders!
Those who were hard-hearted in understanding and wandering in vain, rejoice now in the holy Church, for this is the day of Vladimir. Christ our God reigns, and has found another Paul, setting him as faithful prince in his land, for by holy baptism he has enlightened his people!
—Aposticha for the Feast of St. Vladimir
On the weekend of October 31–November 1, 2015, the community of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) gathered to honor its heavenly patron, the Great and Holy Prince Vladimir, by commemorating the translation of his holy relics to Three Hierarchs Chapel.
In November 2013, a delegation from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate, led by His Eminence the Most Reverend Metropolitan Philip, archbishop of Poltava and Myrhorod, presented the community with the relics of St. Vladimir and a rare Book of Gospels. The precious gifts were presented on behalf of His Beatitude Vladimir (Volodymyr), metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate, who reposed in 2014.
“When St. Vladimir’s Seminary was founded in 1938, the decision was made to give our seminary a missionary saint as its patron,” said seminary Chancellor/CEO the Very Reverend Dr. Chad Hatfield. “The presence of St. Vladimir’s relics are a constant reminder that we too are called to carry out the Great Commission.”
Vladimir Sviatoslavich the Great was the prince of Novgorod, the grand prince of Kiev and ruler of Kievan Rus’ from 980 to July 15, 1015. St. Vladimir introduced Orthodox Christianity to the Kievan Rus’ in the year 988. Orthodox Christians around the world have organized events in 2015 to commemorate the 1,000th year anniversary of the blessed saint’s repose.
“It is a great blessing to have relics of our patron saint, and the ‘transfer’ of the relics has given us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate this feast annually and combine it with an early Thanksgiving community meal, remarked seminary Dean the Very Reverend Dr. John Behr. “The presence of St. Vladimir amongst us constantly reminds us of the missionary purpose and character of all that we do together, on behalf of the Church and for the Church.”
The weekend’s events began with a beautiful vigil on Saturday evening, sung antiphonally by the St. Damascene and St. Cassia chapel choirs. His Beatitude the Most Blessed Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) and president of the seminary, presided at the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning. Concelebrating were His Grace Bishop Alexander, bishop of Toledo and the Bulgarian Diocese of the OCA, and His Grace Bishop John, bishop of Naro-Fominsk and administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA (Moscow Patriarchate).
“St. Vladimir’s Seminary was always intended to have a missionary focus, and this is why St. Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, was chosen as its heavenly patron,” commented His Beatitude in his Sunday morning homily. “As the seminary has evolved and changed, it has always kept this missionary focus. It has always remained an apostolic seminary.”
The community continued its joyous celebration that evening with a cherished—and delicious—St. Vladimir’s tradition: a pre-Nativity Fast Thanksgiving dinner. Seminarians, faculty, and staff, and their families, enjoyed a delightful feast prepared by Chef Nat Fasciani.
The St. Ambrose Society, a St. Vladimir's pro-life student organization, held a public seminar on November 13, 2015. The event featured Maryl Turchi, the Executive Director of Life Options Center, a Yonkers crisis pregnancy center, and Keri Landeche, the Northeast Regional Coordinator of Students for Life of America.
Maryl Turchi provided wonderful insights into the daily realities of directing a crisis pregnancy center. Her years of service to young expectant mothers and fathers searching for advice and care were evident as she shared poignant stories, articulate advice, and a convicting message. The question and answer session with Mrs. Turchi was especially helpful. She described what it's like to be the one answering the call of upset and anxious clients: how she guides them to see the ramifications of their decisions, and encourages them with solutions they hadn't previously considered.
Maryl's practical counsel was particularly edifying for those preparing for the priesthood. Questions ranged from how poverty and instability impact families, to how new priests can connect and partner with crisis pregnancy centers when they enter new parishes.
Keri Landeche gave a presentation on the work of Students for Life of America, a group active on many college campuses. She shared the nuts and bolts of how the organization gets up and running, promotes itself, and how it equips young college students to engage with their peers. It was heartening to hear Miss Landeche's expression of hope, that the millennial generation will be able to turn the tide in America towards pro-life convictions.
The seminar ended with a joint panel featuring Mrs. Turchi and Miss Landeche. The combination of Mrs. Turchi's years of experience and Miss Landeche's work on the forefront of millennial pro-life activism made for a rich discussion. As these issues continue to be at the forefront of civic discussion in our country, it was very beneficial to have two pro-life veterans representing two different age groups commenting on the current struggles.
Under the leadership of Vice President Allison Steffaro, the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America (FOCA) has been fulfilling the St. Nicholas Wish Lists of married seminary students since 2000. In the spirit of St. Nicholas, the FOCA has been matching chapters/parishes from all over the country with seminary families from both St. Vladimir's St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary to make their wishes come true during the Nativity season. Items from the families' wish lists ranged from gift cards to local grocery, gas stations and other stores, needed clothing or household goods, school supplies for the seminarians, and of course, gifts for the children.
This project is just one of the ways in which the FOCA supports the seminaries of the Orthodox Church in America. In addition to the St. Nicholas Wish List Program, their Adopt-a-Seminarian Program has provided financial assistance to struggling married students on a monthly basis, since 2002. In addition to educational scholarship available to seminary students, these projects are designed to relieve some of the financial burden placed on students while in seminary. In this way, the FOCA sets out to recognize the sacrifice of those who are answering a call to become the future spiritual leaders of our Orthodox Church.
On Sunday, December 6, the Three Hierarchs Chapel community enjoyed a favorite St. Vladimir's tradition when they sang a collection of carols and then welcomed "St. Nicholas" to campus after celebration of the Divine Liturgy. The carol "All who love Nicholas the saintly" ushered in the good saint, whose real identity was hidden under his flowing white "beard."
Grown ups and kids alike also enjoyed a potluck meal, and St. Nicholas presented each child with a gift. Longtime Chapel member and one of our campus photographers, Glen Mules, captured the event for posterity.
What is evangelism in the Orthodox Church? What are we trying to accomplish with our evangelistic efforts, and is this even a valid endeavor? On April 8, 2016, the St. Innocent Mission Society at St. Vladimir's Seminary sponsored a presentation by alumnus Archpriest Eric Tosi (SVOTS '96), secretary of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). Father Eric, who recently completed his D.Min. thesis, "Koinonic Evangelism," tackled these questions and more. At the heart of his thesis is a case study of three carefully selected OCA parishes of varying ages, regions, and sizes, all considered healthy and growing churches. Father Ericis convinced that all Orthodox evangelism belongs in the context of the Church, within local worshipping communities.
In the course of his D.Min. studies, Fr. Eric conducted surveys and interviews with priests, lay leaders, and parishioners. His queries included: "Is evangelism ever discussed at any level in your parish?" "How did you come to be a member of this particular parish?" "What drew you to the Orthodox Church?" "Why do you think Orthodox people leave the Church?"
Fr. Eric TosiFather Eric elaborated on the study's conclusions:
-In thriving parishes, evangelism is considered a way of life—something that crops up in casual conversations among parishioners, for instance—rather than a "program" directed by the priest. At the same time, most people surveyed said that they don't feel they know how to "do evangelism."
-In thriving parishes, people like to be together. Fellowship Hour isn't just a time for coffee and a few snacks before people get on with the day, but a time for a full meal together, with extended time among friends.
-Parishioners love their parishes! Even when people haven't been members for a long time, they know the parish's history. -On reflecting upon their conversion, most converts mentioned finding the "true church" or discovering a certain fullness of Christian faith and practice in Orthodoxy. They were drawn by the witness of a friend, the beauty of the liturgy, and quality written material.
Father Eric articulated five main reasons why parishioners chose to stay with their particular local community:
-Quality of clergy leadership -Fiscal openness and awareness (people don't argue about money, and they set aside at least 10% of their budget to give to ministries) -Quality of worship -Ministry is done in community, and -Parishioners value their relationships with one another.
Following the presentation, other points were raised in discussion:
-The Orthodox Church has experienced some success when witnessing to middle class, college-educated people, but has much work to do in witnessing to Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. Many parishes are currently situated in neighborhoods with significant Hispanic populations, and in such cases, it is only natural to introduce Spanish into the services.
-The parishes surveyed have much exposure to, and interaction with, monastic communities.
-We need to consider how to minister to all generations. Priests in thriving parishes are involved in the lives of the children of their parishes when they go off to school.
For seminarians anticipating future ministry, Fr. Eric's presentation offered a fascinating glimpse at the work of evangelism from the perspective of both parish priests and lay leaders. A valuable aspect of Fr. Eric's research and presentation was that he offered empirical data, not just theories about what makes for thriving parishes. There was much to learn from his study's data and conclusions; I look forward to more such encounters with experienced, knowledgeable priests.
Christopher Moore heads up the St. Innocent Missions Society on campus. A first-year Master of Divinity student from St. John the Forerunner Orthodox Church in Indianapolis, IN, Chris and his wife Jennifer have been missionaries with OCMC since 2012. They have been blessed with two young boys, Andrew, who is 2 years old, and Gideon, born in December 2015. After graduation the Moores plan to return to full-time missionary service. Read his story!
How do you handle conflict in your family, and in your parish family?
That’s the question Michelle Moujaes, founder of FaithTree, addressed at the mid-November gathering of St. Juliana’s Society—our campus women’s fellowship.
Djakonitsa Adrienne Soper, wife of first-year Seminarian Dn. Larry Soper, remarked on Ms. Moujaes’s presentation about conflict resolution, saying, "I was moved by her ability to relay her experience and her wisdom as we ladies enter the world of being married—God-Willing—to future clergymen.
“Michelle's candid, yet, respectful way of lending advice, mixed with reality and humor, was refreshing to me,” continued Djakonitsa Adrienne. “Sometimes, it is easy to get caught up in the fear of the future and of the unknown, and speakers like Michelle offer great opportunities to draw hope and strength as we wives prepare for our journey to serve Christ, the church and our husbands."
FaithTree is a ministry of St. Michael Antiochian Orthodox Church in Van Nuys, California. Its educational programs and resources aim to equip Orthodox Christian families to be able to live out their beliefs within their cultural context, by answering questions like: How do I forgive someone? How do I make good choices? How do I care for my body and eat properly? What do the Gospels say about finances and money?
While speaking about conflict resolution to our women’s fellowship, Mrs. Moujaes zeroed in on a crucial area that could either ensure or destroy harmony within a family unit or within a faith community.
“We were thrilled to have Michelle discuss this issue with us,” said Matushka Thekla Hatfield, coordinator of St. Juliana Society. “Her knowledge and training as a Social Worker, coupled with her dedicated struggle to live as a Christian, truly gave us all gems of wisdom that we can use as tools when encountering personal conflict.”
"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." [Is 11.1]
The Jesse TreeThe St. Juliana Society undertook a special endeavor this Nativity Season to encourage the idea of “the Church in the home.” Upon the suggestion of Archpriest Chad Hatfield, president of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, they set up a “Jesse Tree” in the foyer of the John G. Rangos Family Building.
The “Jesse Tree” is a schematic representation of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, with Jesse of Bethlehem, the father of King David, as the central figure. On this tree hang depictions of the ancestors of Christ in images and words, marking the days of Advent leading up to the Feast of the Nativity of Christ.
On each day of the Nativity Fast a family in the seminary community gathered at the tree to recite the assigned daily reading from Scripture and to hang a related handmade decoration on the tree. Some of the readings pointed directly to the genealogy of Christ but others presented God’s economy of salvation through the patriarchs and prophets, and were related not simply to Christ’s birth in the flesh but ultimately to the Cross, Resurrection, and glorious Second Coming of the Lord. [Readings were taken from the website of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America].
“The Jesse Tree experience held blessings for everyone who participated,” noted Seminarian Sister Margarete (Roeber), who helped organize the project.
“The children delighted in examining the ornaments, even after seeing some of them many times,” she said, “and the wonder on their faces, while circling the tree and pointing to their favorites, was a foretaste of the wonder of the Nativity of our Lord.
“For us adults,” she continued, “hearing the Old Testament stories again, and explaining them to the children, caused us to reflect on the meaning and power of these narratives in which Christ reveals himself. And, of course, everyone enjoyed singing together the Advent carols: some of the children now know these songs by heart!”
Many visitors frequent our campus each Academic Year: bishops, priests, musicians, academics, monastics, potential students, and so forth. All of them enrich our lives as seminarians as we converse with them, share meals with them, and worship together.
On February 4, 2017, Archimandrite Chrysostomos Onyekakeyah from Nigeria came to St. Vladimir's to talk to us students about Orthodox mission work in Africa. With the permission of the Seminary’s President, Fr. Chad Hatfield, I had issued the invitation to Fr. Chrysostom, whom I’d met during my parish assignment at St. Nicholas Antiochian Cathedral in Brooklyn. I had already learned a bit about his fascinating life, and I wanted him to share his story further with me and with my fellow seminarians.
We found out that Fr. Chrysostomos serves large communities of converts, by riding from village to village each Sunday on his bicycle, and organizing benevolent projects for the elderly and for orphans. We also discovered that he runs St. Christopher's, an orphanage and elementary school in rural Nigeria, under the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria.
Fr. Chrysostomos with children of his flock in NigeriaAdditionally, Fr. Chrysostomos serves five different parish communities in the area! The Orthodox Church in Nigeria, he told us, is growing, but the resources are scarce, and finding young men to become priests, training them, and then providing livable salaries for them are all serious challenges. (He himself has been a priest for twelve years, having studied at the archdiocesan seminary in Lagos, the largest city in Nigeria.)
Very interesting to me was Fr. Chrysostomos’ statement that the Orthodox Church in this particular mission field makes a number of concessions to local custom, a phenomenon he calls “enculturation.” By blessing and accommodating not only the local language, but also some local customs, the Church succeeds in making Orthodox Christianity truly organic and local, while unequivocally remaining inside of the universal canonical church tradition.
Even more interesting to us all were Fr. Chrysostomos’ descriptions of the church services: his sermons are often more than an hour long, and are given in a manner that invites congregational response and interaction; baptisms involve performing the sacrament with twenty or thirty children during the same service—such is the growth rate of the Orthodox communities he serves; and so many children are being communed on a Sunday that distributing Holy Communion can take from 45 minutes to an hour!
Finally, Fr. Chrysostomos encouraged us to consider the responsibility we have within the global Orthodox community to remember our brothers and sisters who have fewer resources, and to consider supporting his mission and orphanage. (Vestments are especially difficult to come by in Nigeria, and local churches in the New York area have kindly donated some. Others have donated prayer ropes and icons.)
I, and my fellow seminarians, learn a lot when we follow our Lord’s admonition to welcome strangers (Matt 25.35). I’m told by Fr. Chad that Fr. Chrysostom’s visit has providentially led to the possibility of his coming in the near future to St. Vladimir’s for study, along with other Nigerian students. I’m so blessed to have had that initial conversation with Fr. Chrysostom at my parish assignment—it’s opened doors and pathways, both spiritually and materially, for both of us.
