On March 3rd, children in our seminary community will be participating in a "Kid's Lenten Retreat" complete with Divine Liturgy, brunch, and lessons about preparing for Christ's Passion and Resurrection. Second-year Seminarian Ashley Lear, director of the campus Church School Program, explained, “We will be discussing the role of prayer, fasting, and alms giving, as well as the crucial role of repentance in our journey toward the Cross.  

“There will be priest available to help prepare the younger children for their first confession as well as teachers who will help the older kids develop a more mature understanding of sin and repentance,” she noted. “I pray that God will bless these children, and all children, with an awareness of our brokenness and dependence on Him for all things.”

The lenten retreat is just one example of the newly adopted format for the Church School Program, designed and begun by Seminarian Lear this year. The program consists of much longer, less frequent learning experiences. Each month, there is a theme, usually related to the liturgical cycle (or season) or the lectionary. The kids spend 3 1/2 hours praying, singing, reading, listening, creating, and eating together.  

“It's actually lots of fun,” said Seminarian Lear, “and I've found that these longer sessions allow for a deeper engagement with the material. The themes found in Scripture and our rich liturgical hymnography can be approached from many angles, thus in a way, acknowledging and catering to the many learning styles of our children.”

Seminarian Lear described in particular her design for this year’s upcoming lenten retreat: First, children of all ages (3–14) will meet together for an opening prayer. At that time, they will also learn and review a liturgical hymn—in part, in preparation for the Lazarus Saturday Divine Liturgy, when the church school children typically form a choir in the chapel and sing antiphonally with the adult choir.  Next, the students will break off into their separate age group and classrooms. There, they will review scriptural passages related to the theme, and engage in a variety of activities to reinforce the Scriptures. After about an hour, they will come back together for a craft (during the Nativity season, they made ornaments, and for the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, they made prayer books). Then, all students will return to their classrooms for follow up lessons, designed to address the application of scriptural themes to their daily lives. Finally, they will come together again for lunch and a closing prayer.

“The kids still come together weekly, for ‘reinforcement’ of scriptural study related to each Sunday’s Gospel reading,” added Seminarian Lear, “and this happens at the much-anticipated ‘Kid’s Café.

“Kid’s Café follows Divine Liturgy, and the children get to ‘interview’ either the presiding priest or a visiting bishop,” she continued. “They, and their guest, enjoy this time immensely.”

Seminarian Ashley Lear, who is in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, was president of the teen SOYO at her home parish, where she also often served as assistant director for choir events. At Ball State University, she studied music education and served as president of the university’s chapter of Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF). She also participated in the PRISM project, a performing arts program for children with special needs. Additionally, she served as a camp counselor at the Antiochian Village for two years. During her first year at SVOTS, she began to assist Danielle Miller with the SVS Children's Choir, and to help fellow seminarian Logan Johnson with Kid's Café on Sundays, while serving as a teacher for Church School on Monday nights.

Parents! Please register you children for the March 3, 2012 lenten retreat by replying to Ashley Lear with their names and ages.

An anonymous benefactor has donated a complete English-language Menaion to the seminary for use in the seminary chapel. Up until this point, the seminary choirs and readers have shared copies of the Menaion from the library with other students who also need the Menaion for various class assignments. The twelve-volume set of variable texts used in the services was published by the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Brookline, Massachusetts, and costs around $1,200. The Menaion is a welcome addition to the collection of texts, music, and service books used in our Three Hierarchs' Chapel.

Priest Alexander Rentel, seminary ecclesiarch, points out that this gift serves to further the pan-Orthodox mission of the seminary. "While we've long had our own internal music files that we've worked on and developed over the years," he said, "the Menaion published by Holy Transfiguration Monastery has been prepared especially for Byzantine chant choirs. Our Byzantine Choir will make great use of these volumes."

The St. Vladimir's Seminary Byzantine Choir is made of seminarians, primarily from the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, but includes students from other jurisdictions who are interested in the tradition of Byzantine chant. Typically, the choir sings the responses to the services on a regular basis, alternating with the regular seminary choir. In the past, the Byzantine Choir was overseen by Priest Elias Bitar, longtime and much loved instructor of Byzantine chant, and directed in the chapel by different seminarians. This year it is under the capable oversight of seminarians Ashley Lear and Scott Miller, who do a great job setting the music, rehearsing the music, and directing the choir.

The entire seminary community wishes to thank the benefactor for such a wonderful and generous gift! The seminary also wishes to thank all those seminarians over the years who have led and participated in the Byzantine Choir, including the current members of the choir, for their valued service and pan-Orthodox ministry.

Are you contemplating ministry or a deeper study of the Orthodox faith? Are you a recent or soon-to-be college grad discerning what your next step is? Or, maybe you are going through a "Quarter-life Crisis" and need a push in the right direction? No matter what life-changing questions you may be dealing with, why not consider exploring seminary life during your Spring Break?

"Come and see what life is like here, and where St. Vlad's might fit into your future plans," encourages Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak, the seminary's Director of Alumni and Recruitment.

When you visit us during your Spring Break you will have an opportunity to attend classes, worship in the chapel, tour the campus and its resources, engage faculty members and get to know current students. Detailed information on the seminary's various degree programs, financial aid, and admissions process also will be provided to you.

There is no cost to visiting potential students, other than their transportation costs. Prospective students may explore their travel options on our Website. Participants needing help in navigating their way from the New York Metropolitan Airports or Railway/Bus Stations, however, may contact Pdn. Joseph at the seminary's Recruitment Office: 914-961-8313, EXT 342 or email: jmatusiak@svots.edu. Please also contact Pdn. Joseph to obtain more information, a schedule of activities, and a Prospective Student registration form.

St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, a graduate school of theology, offers Master of Divinity, Master of Arts (Theological Studies), and Master of Theology degrees. Find us on Google Maps. Please consider visiting us at St. Vlad's!

Download a flier of "Spring Break at St. Vladimir's" here!

Hear Fr. John Parker's entire presentation, podcast on Ancient Faith Radio!

Alumnus Priest John Parker recently visited our campus to present an encouraging talk, "Realities of Life in Orthodox Christian Mission Churches," to a roomful of seminarians—aka would-be-pastors. During his informal and informative presentation, Fr. John described how his parish, Holy Ascension Orthodox Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, went from being a "church-in-a-box" in a nursing care facility to one of the most beautiful edifices in the country, and from a handful of believers to a lively and growing body of Christ.

Mixing entrepreneurial spirit with pastoral advice, Fr. John shared gems and bits from his own experience:

• Your cassock and cross can be a missionary witness to the faith.
• Don't preach the "Church," preach "Christ."
• Beauty speaks to people; make sure your church is clean and creates a peaceful, pleasing atmosphere (even when in a storefront!).
• Invite strangers to Vespers instead of Divine Liturgy the first time around; some folks feel hurt by not being invited to the Eucharist.
• Always say the Prayers for the Catechumens during divine services.
• Seek out non-Christians and the unchurched.
• When you hold a Bible Study, explicate the text from an Orthodox Christian point of view, in contrast to other faiths.
• Hand out to seekers something to remember you and your church by, like a nicely printed book about your parish and the Orthodox faith.
• Go to your local newspaper and tell them you want to write a religion column from a "minority point of view"—the Orthodox Christian perspective!

"Most of all," said Fr. John, "offer hospitality to strangers. My favorite word, as related to missionary work, is philoxenia, translated as 'care of strangers.' And, one of my favorite quotes in that same regard is from the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?: 'Everybody's looking for answers'."

"That is," he concluded, "everyone's looking for a community that cares about them. The pastoral approach of our parish has been to offer basic friendship—a meal together—and something stable and unshakeable—our Orthodox Christian faith."

NOTE: Fr. John is the recently appointed Chair of the Department of Evangelization of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA).

When Jesus chose his cadre of disciples, he selected them from quite a professional and social mix: fishermen, tax collectors, political zealots. And, just as those early disciples left all to follow him and become Apostles, so it is with our seminarians; coming from diverse professional and educational backgrounds, they answer a call to preach the gospel, and in so doing forever divert the course of their lives.

This past week, 3rd-year seminarian Dn. James Bozeman went from being a musician-carpenter-graphic designer to being a priest in the Orthodox Church of America (OCA). He was ordained by His Grace The Rt. Rev. Mark, bishop of Baltimore, at Holy Ascension Orthodox Church, in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. His Grace The Rt. Rev. Nikon, bishop of Boston, New England, and the Albanian Diocese, and locum tenens of the Diocese of the South, also attended the ordination.

The ordination took place during a Divine Liturgy held in conjunction with the clergy retreat for the Diocese of the South (OCA). Speakers at the retreat included Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, dean emeritus of St. Vladimir's, and Dr. Albert C. Rossi, adjunct professor of Pastoral Theology at the seminary.

In reflecting upon his new path in life, Fr. James said, "It was awe-inspiring and humbling to stand in the sanctuary among so many people that played such prominent roles in my life and in my becoming Orthodox, some of whom I knew personally and some who will never know how much of an influence they had (and continue to have) on me. After I was ordained, I looked around at this group of men and had to marvel at the goodness of God, who had seen fit to draw this particular group together, at this particular time and place."

The entire seminary community wishes Fr. James and his family, wife Katie and children Alex and Gabriel, many blessed years!

St. Vladimir's Seminary contributed much to the Second Annual Symposium in Honor of Fr. Georges Florovsky, held this past weekend in Princeton, New Jersey. Titled "The Body of the Living Christ: The Patristic Doctrine of the Church," the symposium was hosted by the Fr. Georges Florovsky Orthodox Christian Theological Society at Princeton University and the School of Christian Vocation and Mission at Princeton Theological Seminary. From 1949–1955, Fr. Georges served as Dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary.

His Grace The Rt. Rev. Maxim (Vasilijevic), an episcopal member of our seminary's Board of Trustees, offered the keynote public lecture on the life and writings of St. Maximus the Confessor. Additionally, our Dean, Archpriest John Behr, delivered a major paper on St. Irenaeus, while Dr. David Wagschal, assistant professor of Church History and Canon Law, offered a major paper on Canon Law in the Orthodox Christian tradition. As well, Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff, associate professor of Systematic Theology, moderated a session, and Th.M. student Dn. Evan Freeman delivered a short paper titled "Salvation History and Symbolist Aestheticism: Florovsky's Critique of Florensky's Ecclesiology." Representing SVS Press and Bookstore were Priest Benedict Churchill, director of the press, and Dn. Gregory Hatrak, marketing manager of the bookstore. Many students and alumni were also present, including Archpriest Daniel Skvir, who served a vespers during the symposium.

Read more about the symposium here.

Besides getting together to watch the New Yors past Sunday. Students and their families, faculty, staff, and administration gathered in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium to watch the game on a big screen TV, while enjoying wings and pizza, but only after paying the price of admission: either one non-perishable food item or a cash donation.

Their super charity resulted in about four grocery bags full of food for a local food pantry, and $500, which will be donated to International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC).

I beseech thee, O Virgin, do thou dispel far from me all of the distress of despair and turbulence in my soul;

for thou, O Bride of God, hast given birth to the Lord Christ,

Who is Prince of Peace, O thou only all-blameless one

—Small Canon to the Mother of God (Paraclesis to the Theotokos)

This past Saturday, our community marked two "firsts" in Three Hierarchs Chapel on our campus. One was the singing of a fresh musical composition, and the other was the premiere of a newly formed musical ensemble. The new composition was a musical setting in Znamenny chant of the "Small Canon to the Mother of God," also known as the Paraclesis to the Theotokos; and the new ensemble was "St. Vladimir's Seminary Chorale," a group that will be performing in the future in concert venues to benefit the seminary, including a concert of sacred music in New York City, slated for May 7th and titled "ORIENT."

The new music for the Paraclesis was composed by  Robert Sirico, who is the founder of the Orthodox Christian Music Project (OCMP), and a private student of our Assistant Professor of Liturgical Music at the seminary, Dr. Nicholas Reeves.

The service was the culmination of a two-day Master Class on chamber group vocal technique, which was led by Matushka Robin Freeman, who holds a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. In addition to years of working with the choirs at St. Vladimir's Seminary, she has conducted church choirs, children's choirs, community choirs, university choirs, opera choruses, and chamber ensembles. Matushka Robin also holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and has studied with singers Marietta Simpson, Gale Fuller, and Susan Brooks. The Master Class she taught for the Paraclesis emphasized the interpretation of Znamenny chant in a variety of choral textures.

Mr. Sirico, after the service, commented, "I had the privilege of being at the Master Class and choir rehearsal led by Matushka Robin Freeman on the previous night before the Paraclesis was offered. I was moved to my core by the amazing talent of the St. Vladimir’s Seminary Chorale. Heavenly beauty projected through their angelic voices, and I couldn't even imagine how beautiful the actual service would be the next day. When I heard the music in its proper liturgical context, I felt like the psalmist who said, ‘Let my prayer arise in Thy sight as incense’. What an extraordinary experience it was to hear my music, for which I labored nearly a full year to complete, offered in the full glory of the Paraclesis service! I left deeply edified, and I pray that others were similarly moved. This music is my gift of love to the Theotokos and to her Son’s holy Church.”

The Paraclesis service has a long historical precedent for being sung in times of pestilence. Its use today is still widespread in the Orthodox Christian Church, and it provides many with solace in times of need, through the intercessions of the Mother of God.

"One of the primary goals of this Master Class," noted Dr. Reeves, "was to encourage the use the Paraclesis on a regular basis in the parish or in the home, on behalf of those who are ill.

"Moreover," he continued, "the score of this particular arrangement is malleable, and thus allows for an ensemble of any size to sing the service properly and convincingly. Upon request, the music can be made available for liturgical use."

For an arrangement of the music for this particular Paraclesis, please contact Robert Sirico.

 Learn about the ministry of the Orthodox Christian Music Project on their Website and Facebook Page,  and view the video of parts of the Paraclesis service held at St. Vladimir's,  now posted on the OCM's  YouTube Channel. 

On the Feast of the Three Hierarchs, leaders from Orthodox Christian seminaries across the United States met on our campus to continue informal discussions that began among them nearly five years ago. Besides representatives from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS), participants were from Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (HCHC) and St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS).

The substance of their discussions centered around coordinating inter-seminary activities and exploring other avenues of cooperation on every level—from board members to seminarians. Besides regularly reflecting upon matters of mutual interest, the group this past year jointly coordinated a graduation class retreat.

"Of course," noted St. Vladimir's Seminary's Chancellor, Archpriest Chad Hatfiled, "Our most pressing mutual challenge is funding, and I believe that this will remain at the top of the list of our common concerns."

Our Dean, Archpriest John Behr further noted, "These particular meetings are informal gatherings—purposefully so, in order that our meeting times and agendas remain flexible. We look forward to continuing to work closely together for the benefit of our students and to further the work of theological education in this country."

Our campus was replete with activities surrounding the Feast of the Three Great Hierarchs—Ss. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom—the patrons of our chapel. Besides hosting the customary annual Father Alexander Memorial Schmemann Lecture, the seminary community welcomed three visiting hierarchs who presided at Divine Liturgies on Sunday and Monday, during which two seminarians were ordained to the diaconate.

With us were His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah, president of the seminary and primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA); His Grace Rt. Rev. Benjamin, bishop of San Francisco and the West (OCA); and His Grace Rt. Rev. Tikhon, bishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania. After the Divine Liturgy of the feast day, His Beatitude presented the seminary with the gift of an icon of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco.

On Sunday, January 29, His Beatitude ordained 2nd-year student James Parnell to the Holy Diaconate, and the next day, on the feast proper, His Grace Rt. Rev. Benjamin ordained 2nd-year student Andre Paez to the Holy Diaconate. Additionally, 2nd-year student Adam Horstman was ordained as a sub-deacon.

Both of the newly ordained deacons have fascinating backgrounds. Deacon James, a Chaplain Candidate in the New York Army National Guard, holds a B.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from the American Military University, and an A.A. in Arabic from the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center. Deacon James joined the U.S. Army in 2002 and served as an Arabic linguist. He deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2005–2006 and again from 2007–2008 before being commissioned as a Chaplain Candidate in 2009. He is currently a First Lieutenant assigned to the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion in Yonkers, NY and hopes to continue serving his Church and his country as an Army Chaplain. He and his wife, Holly, also an Army veteran and former Arabic linguist, have two children: Samuel and Ariane. At St. Vladimir's, he serves as the President of the Student Council.

Deacon Andre holds B.S. in International Business from Pepperdine University, and an M.B.A. from the University of San Francisco; he was a banking and real estate finance executive for 13 years.  He is Colombian American and was raised as a Roman Catholic. He discovered the Orthodox Church while attending Pepperdine University and was chrismated in 1997 at Holy Trinity Cathedral is San Francisco, California. Upon entering the Church, he desired to go to St. Vladimir's Seminary, but his parish priest, the late Archpriest Victor Sokolov of blessed memory, advised him to "grow in the Church first." Deacon Andre heeded his wise counsel; it was after 13 years of serving and growing in the Church, while also getting married and having children, that he finally received the blessing to come to the seminary. Deacon Andre is a volunteer on the OCA's financial strategic planning commission and is interested in helping start a pan-Orthodox Credit Union with the intent of increasing the financial strength of the Church, paying off all parish debts, and helping create a program to fund the cost of all seminarians' educational expenses. Andre's wife, Samantha, is Lebanese American, and holds Masters level degree in social work; she currently writes grant proposals for various non-profit institutions. They have two children: Rafael and Isabel.

View a SVOTS photo gallery of Deacon James's ordination here, and another photo gallery by Tatiana Hoff here. View a video clip of Deacon James's ordination, also by Tatiana Hoff,  here.

View a SVOTS photo gallery of Deacon Andre's ordination here.