The Bookkeeper reports to the Associate Chancellor for Finance. Duties for the 20-hour-per-week position include
daily receipting and application of student payments.
preparation of student invoicing each semester.
reconciliation of student receivable ledger with general ledger.
preparation of monthly student statements and collection of receivables.
daily receipting of SVS Press/Bookstore payments.
monthly processing of employee credit card receipts with SVS credit card invoices.
monthly input of Endowment Investment transactions.
generation of monthly departmental actual vs. budget reports.
other duties as assigned.
An undergraduate degree in Accounting is preferred, while prior bookkeeping or junior staff accountant experience is necessary.
Interested candidates may e-mail or post resumes to Ms. Melanie Ringa, Associate Chancellor for Finance, Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, 575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707; mringa@svots.edu.
In a statement released the last weekend of June 2015, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, on behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, addressed the June 26 decision of the Supreme Court of the US legalizing same-sex marriages.
The text of the message, together with links to numerous similar statements from recent years, appears below.
Statement Concerning the June 26, 2015 Supreme Court Decision
June 28, 2015
To the Venerable Hierarchs, Reverend Clergy, Monastics, and Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America:
Dearly Beloved…
In anticipation of the 18th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America, the Department of Pastoral Life has released a synopsis of its first colloquium held at the OCA Chancery here April 28-29, 2015. Participating in the gathering, held to discuss issues facing clergy and their families, were representatives from every OCA diocese, Chancery clergy, members of the Department of Pastoral Life, and an advisory panel. [See related stories here and here.]
“We welcome AAC delegates and observers, as well as those unable to attend the AAC, to read through the synopsis,” said Priest Nathan Preston, Administrator of the recently revived Department of Pastoral Life and Ministry.
“After a dormant period of several years’ inactivity, the Department of Pastoral Life was reorganized at the start of 2015 and has endeavored since then to begin the work that is its charge: to aid and support clergy and their families so that they may continue to serve and lead the faithful from a place of health,” said Father Nathan. “To this end, the colloquium met in April for an inaugural conversation exploring those issues now facing priests and their families.”
“The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America strongly disagrees with the United States Supreme Court decision of June 26, Obergefell v. Hodges, in which the Court invents a constitutional right for two members of the same sex to marry, and imposes upon all States the responsibility to license and recognize such ‘marriages.’
“The Supreme Court, in the narrowest majority possible, has overstepped its purview by essentially re-defining marriage itself. It has attempted to settle a polarizing social and moral question through legislative fiat. It is immoral and unjust for our government to establish in law a “right” for two members of the same sex to wed. Such legislation harms society and especially threatens children who, where possible, deserve the loving care of both a father and a mother.
“As Orthodox Christian bishops, charged by our Savior Jesus Christ to shepherd His flock, we will continue to uphold and proclaim the teaching of our Lord that marriage, from its inception, is the lifelong sacramental union of a man and a woman. We call upon all Orthodox Christians in our nation to remain firm in their Orthodox faith, and to renew their deep reverence for and commitment to marriage as taught by the Church. We also call upon our nation’s civic leaders to respect the law of Almighty God and uphold the deeply-rooted beliefs of millions of Americans.”
Ancient Faith Ministries [AFM] announces the re-design of www.ancientfaith.com, which now features the full integration of all of its divisions—Ancient Faith Radio, Ancient Faith Publishing, Ancient Faith Blogs, and Ancient Faith Films. The new site officially launched on Monday, June 15, 2015.
The new site uses a magazine format to feature four different types of content. It will also allow users to search podcasts by “groups,” “themes,” “authors,” “freshness,” and “recent episodes.” The content on the site is almost fully tagged and categorized, which makes the search function much more accurate and robust. There is also a complete authors’ list with bios of all contributors of podcasts, books, and blogs.
“Ancientfaith.com is no longer just the home of Ancient Faith Radio; rather, it is the home of each division of Ancient Faith Ministries, combining all of our content—print, audio, video, and retail—into one seamless, integrated, and complementary package,” says AFM CEO John Maddex.
“The new site has a clean, attractive design, yes, but what we’re most excited about is the new organizational interface that makes it easier to navigate around the site and locate content,” says Ancient Faith Radio Operations Manager Bobby Maddex.
The totally new web site will be enhanced over the next several months, adding the ability for visitors to customize their experience by creating playlists which can be shared.
A revision of the Finance Resolution, slated to be presented at the 18th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America in Atlanta, GA July 20-24, 2015, has been approved by the Holy Synod of Bishops and the Metropolitan Council. The text, which replaces that of the resolution already posted, is now available on the OCA and AAC web sites.
In light of issues that arose with regard to the Finance Resolution presented in the Delegate’s Handbook, revisions had been made to the resolution. Voting on the proposed resolution will take place at the AAC’s Third Plenary Session, scheduled for Tuesday, June 21.
By way of background, at the February 2015 meeting of the Metropolitan Council, a Finance Resolution, to be presented at the AAC, was passed. Archpriest John Jillions, OCA Chancellor, and Melanie Ringa, OCA Treasurer, immediately began to travel to various Diocesan Council meetings to discuss, explain and garner support for the resolution.
“It became apparent within the first month that the resolution as proposed by the Metropolitan Council would not pass at the AAC, as there was tremendous objection to the ‘floor’ in the proposal,” said Ms. Ringa. “At the Holy Synod meeting in March 2015, the Finance Resolution was revised, with a compromise being reached by removing the floor but increasing the proportional rates and increasing the contributions from the ethic dioceses. This is the resolution that appears in the AAC Delegate Handbook, and is attached as Exhibit A.”
Further movement on the resolution occurred when the members of the Holy Synod met for their annual retreat June 8-11, 2015.
“The Holy Synod again amended the resolution, and it is attached as Exhibit B,” Ms. Ringa added. “The revision in this version was to remove the section regarding increasing the contributions of the ethnic dioceses.”
As a result, according to Ms. Ringa, the financial impact of the resolution before the Holy Synod’s revision was a reduction in the Central Administration budget of $400,000.00 over three years, whereas after the revision this reduction increased to $495,000.00 over the same period.
“Meetings with the Dioceses of the South, West and Midwest and the Archdiocese of Washington, DC immediately before and after the Holy Synod retreat indicated that while there is support for the overall resolution, the cuts to the Central Administration budget over the next three years were of deep concern,” Ms. Ringa continued. “Therefore, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, asked the Finance Committee to propose a revision to the latest Holy Synod resolution, and that this proposal then be communicated to the Metropolitan Council. If the latter agreed to it, it will be presented to the Holy Synod for their blessing.”
During the last week of June 2015, the Finance Committee worked to develop a new proposed resolution, attached here as Exhibit C.
“The resolution had attempted to take all the dioceses down to a proportional rate of 34% by 2018,” Ms. Ringa explained. “While this rate is still our goal, we realized that it is unrealistic to take those dioceses that are in the 50-60% ranges down to 34% in so short a period of time. Exhibit C takes these dioceses down to a maximum rate of 46% by 2018, and the overall proportional rate falls from 46% to 41%.”
During the last week of June, Metropolitan Council members weighed in in favor of the new resolution proposed by the Finance Committee. The resolution was subsequently presented to the Holy Synod, which gave its blessing to post it in lieu of the previously posted resolution.
According to Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary, the posting does not need to fall within the 60 day/30 day time frame indicated in the current Statute of the Orthodox Church in America, as resolutions may be received at any time with the Holy Synod’s blessing.
His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West, presided at the annual pilgrimage of clergy and faithful from the Diocese of the West to Fort Ross State Historic Park on Saturday, July 4, 2015.
Situated north of San Francisco on California’s coastal Highway One, Fort Ross flourished during the first four decades of the 19th century as an outpost of the Russian-American Company. Faithful have been gathering at the site every year since July 4, 1925 for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and fellowship at the first Orthodox Christian chapel in the lower forty-eight. Following the Liturgy, the faithful went in procession to the cemetery of the 19th century Russian settlement, where they celebrated a memorial service.
Originally built in the mid-1820s, the Fort’s Most Holy Trinity Chapel was the first Orthodox Christian house of worship in North America outside of Alaska. Although the colony had no resident priest, Father John Veniaminov — glorified in 1977 as Saint Innocent of Alaska — visited the settlement, where he celebrated the sacraments and the Divine Liturgy. Father John later became the first resident Bishop in North America, where he was engaged in extensive missionary work throughout Alaska until his appointment as Metropolitan of Moscow in 1868. [Read the life of Saint Innocent.]
“The chapel is constructed from wooden boards,” Saint Innocent wrote in his 1836 Journal. “It has a small belfry and is rather plain; its entire interior decoration consists of two icons in silver rizas. The chapel at Fort Ross receives almost no income from its members or from those Russians who are occasional visitors.”
The original chapel was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake; only the roof and two towers remained intact. Between 1916 and 1918, the chapel was rebuilt with timbers from the Fort’s Officials’ Quarters and the Warehouse. On October 5, 1970, the restored chapel was entirely destroyed in an accidental fire. Again it was rebuilt in 1973. The chapel bell also melted in the fire, but was recast in Belgium using a rubbing and metal from the original Russian bell. The bell’s Church Slavonic inscription reads, “O Heavenly King, receive all who glorify Him,” while a second inscription along the lower edge reads, “Cast at the foundry of Michael Makar Stukolkin, master founder and merchant at the city of Saint Petersburg.”
“Bay Area Orthodox Christian faithful worked with the State of California and other benefactors in the 20th century to preserve the Fort and the Chapel,” according to Archdeacon Kirill Sokolov of San Francisco, CA. “The annual Fourth of July pilgrimage to Fort Ross offers a beautiful opportunity for the faithful of the Diocese of the West to gather and to offer thanksgiving to God for those who brought the faith to this land and for the United States, where we are free to worship the Most Holy Trinity in the Orthodox manner.”
Similar gatherings are held at Fort Ross on Memorial Day and other occasions.
A gallery of pilgrimage photos, courtesy Matushka Sophia Sokolov, may be viewed here.
Metropolitan Tikhon presents Catholicos Paulose II with print of Sitka, AK’s Archangel Michael Cathedral.
His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, met with His Holiness, Mar Thomas Paulose II, Catholicos of the Malankara Orthodox Church (also known as the Indian Orthodox Church) on Monday, July 6, 2015.
The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Malankara Church’s North American Diocese, located a few miles from the Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America. His Grace, Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Nicholovos of the North America Diocese, hosted the meeting in conjunction with the Catholicos’ week-long visit to the United States.
Fr. Chad Hatfield, Chancellor of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, presents Bible to the Catholicos.
Accompanying Metropolitan Tikhon were Archpriests John Jillions, OCA Chancellor, and Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary. Also present was Archpriest Dr. Chad Hatfield, Chancellor of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY, where Metropolitan Zachariah serves as a member of the Board of Trustees. A number of Malankarese students currently are pursuing studies at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary and Saint Tikhon’s Seminary, South Canaan, PA.
The ancient Malankara Church traces its origin to the Apostle Thomas. Headquartered in the southern Indian province of Kerala, it maintains about 1000 parishes in India, and another 200 parishes in North America.
In April 2015, Metropolitan Tikhon and Catholicos Thomas met in Armenia, where they participated in the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. [See related story.] An invitation was extended to Metropolitan Tikhon to attend the 200th Anniversary of the Malankara Church’s seminary in Kottayam, India in November 2015.
“The recruitment of the General Counsel is being conducted on a national basis,” said Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary. “The recruitment process is highly confidential, and references will not be contacted until mutual interest has been established. All applications and candidates initially will be screened and evaluated by the OCA’s Selection Committee, with whom initial interviews will be scheduled. Final candidate interviews will be conducted with the Holy Synod of Bishops.”
The General Counsel of the Orthodox Church in America [GC/OCA] shall be an attorney licensed to practice law in one or more states of the United States or holding an analogous license in Canada or the United Mexican States. If not licensed to practice law in the State of New York, the GC/OCA shall seek and secure registration as in-house counsel pursuant to the provisions of the Rules for the Registration of In-House Counsel [Part 522, Rules §522.1 through §522.8 inclusive of the Rules of the Court of Appeals of the State of New York, 22 NYCRR Part 522, as now existing or as may hereafter be amended]. In addition, the GC/OCA shall have a knowledge of and be conversant in the theological, moral, dogmatic and ecclesiological principles and tenets of the Orthodox Christian faith generally and the Orthodox Church in America specifically. In addition, the GC/OCA shall be a person of integrity with a manner of life consistent with the moral principles of the Orthodox Church in America.
The GC/OCA shall serve as the principal and primary source of legal advice and counsel to the Orthodox Church in America, a religious corporation created under and by virtue of the Laws of the State of New York, Chapter 519 of the Laws of New York of 1972, effective May 24, 1972. In that capacity, the GC/OCA shall be reasonably available for such legal advice and counsel to the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, and the Officers of the Church, including its Chancellor, its Secretary and its Treasurer as may be necessary from time to time. The GC/OCA shall also support the work of diocesan and parish attorneys and other national, regional and local entities of the Orthodox Church in America by providing uniform assistance on constitutional, tax, litigation and other matters as assigned by the Primate, the Holy Synod and the Officers of the OCA.
Interested and qualified individuals are invited to submit electronically a letter of interest, resume and writing sample to the Chairman of the Selection Committee, the Hon. E. R. Lanier, at erlanier@aol.com. All materials should be received by August 10, 2015. The position will remain open until filled.
December 2014: Frs. John Behr and Chad Hatfield welcome Patriarch John and Antiochian Metropolitan Joseph to St. Vladimir’s Seminary.
His Beatitude, Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East, will be visiting St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary on Monday, July 27, 2015, to receive an honorary doctoral degree conferred by the seminary Board of Trustees and Faculty Council. The degree will be awarded at a public academic convocation at 6:00 p.m. in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium of the John G. Rangos Family Building, during which His Beatitude will also give a presentation about the current circumstances of Christians in the Middle East. A public reception will follow.
“As Executive Chair of the Board of Trustees of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary,” said Alex Machaskee, “I am extremely pleased that we are conferring an honorary doctorate on His Beatitude John X, patriarch of Antioch and All the East.”
Seminary Dean, Archpriest Dr. John Behr, added that “it is our joy to welcome Patriarch John to our campus, and it is our honor that he is willing to accept a Doctor of Divinity honoris causa from our school.” Father John also mentioned that His Beatitude is known to him through a personal connection: he is a fellow monk at the Monastery of St. Paul on Mount Athos (Agiou Pavlou), the same monastic community at which Father John’s brother, Father Evdokimos, resides.
The Orthodox Church in America’s Commission on Canons and Statutes has issued a detailed final report on the proposed Statute revision in anticipation of its consideration for adoption at the 18th All-American Council in Atlanta, GA July 20-24, 2015.
The text of the report in PDF format, released on Wednesday, July 8, may be downloaded here. AAC delegates are asked to print copies and bring them to the AAC, as hard copies of the report will not be available at the Council.
“A major principle is that the Statute is always a work in progress and requires constant attention and appropriate adjustments,” the report notes. “The many intermittent amendments to the 1971 Statute have left us with a document which is not well organized or integrated in its various parts; the clarity and style problems of the existing Statute are self-evident and these need to be fixed; the parochial focus of the existing statute reflects its origin as a governance document of what was functionally an archdiocese and not an autocephalous Church; and the use of secular, non-religious language in some areas of the Statute is necessary in order to make ourselves understood by civil governments, including the courts. The Statute will always be partly a work in progress and should be updated at regular and frequent intervals. This proposed Statute revision is an improvement over the old one, and not necessarily because it is perfect in its own terms. By the Grace of God, the next version will be even better.”
Discussion on the proposed revised Statute is slated to take place during Plenary Session 2 on Tuesday morning, July 21.
The Delegate Handbook includes detailed instructions on the procedures for consideration of and voting on the proposed revised Statute.
The study was undertaken by Mr. Alexei D. Krindatch, the Assembly’s Research Coordinator and author of several other studies exploring various aspects of Orthodox Christianity in North America today.
For the study, student leaders representing 130 OCF chapters across the US were surveyed.
The survey focused on the challenges facing OCF chapters, the needs student leaders face, and the elements necessary in establishing and maintaining successful and vibrant OCF chapters. The report answers these and other questions from the viewpoints of active student OCF leaders.
OCF plays a critical role in the lives of young Orthodox adults who study at US colleges and universities. Strong OCF chapters can provide a vital connection for youth to the Orthodox Church and stem the tide of students who leave the Orthodox Faith while in college.
In related news, Mr. Krindatch will address participants at the Orthodox Church in America’s 18th All-American Council in Atlanta, GA on Thursday, July 23, 2015.
Registration for delegates, observers and youth planning to participate in the 18th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America in Atlanta, GA July 20-24, 2015, will close on Friday evening, July 10.
“Those who have not registered for the AAC, but who still may wish to do so, must contact the OCA Chancery directly at at http://18aac.oca.org,” noted Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary. “All requests for late registration must have the blessing of the participant’s respective diocesan bishop.”
In related matters…
All clergy are asked to include the following petition in the Litany of Fervent Supplication at all services between Saturday, July 11 and the AAC opening on July 20.
“Furthermore we pray that the Lord, our Almighty and Eternal God, Source of all wisdom and understanding, will be with us as we prepare to gather in Council, that in striving to serve and glorify Him, we may be enlightened with right judgment and good purpose, for the building up of His Holy Church to His eternal glory: we pray Thee, O Lord, hearken and have mercy.”
Delegates are reminded to bring their own copies of the AAC Delegate Handbook and reports to the Council. Copies may be downloaded as posted here.
Registration will be held on the hotel’s second floor.
Directions to and from the MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) Peachtree Station and the Atlanta Hilton are now available on-line. Hartsfield-Jackson Airport runs MARTA’s “Gold Line” to Peachtree Station, which is within walking distance to the Hilton. The short walk can be completed indoors for those who so desire.
A gallery of photos illustrating the faith and fun experienced at the Orthodox Church in America’s summer camps will be posted in the coming weeks on the OCA web site.
Camp directors and participants are invited to send as many as five [5] photos of their activities to info@oca.org for inclusion in the gallery. Please indicate the name, location and dates of the camp. Captions are not necessary.
Deadline for submitting photos is August 20, 2015.
Written by Albert S. Rossi, PhD, clinical psychologist and professor of Pastoral Theology at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY, the article may be accessed here.
The article offers an opportunity to learn the overwhelming and serious consequences of addictions to stress, internet pornography and overeating.
In related news, Dr. Rossi will present one-hour sessions on “Beyond Alcoholism: Other Addictions” at the 18th All-American Council in Atlanta, GA in workshops hosted by the OCA Department of Christian Service and Humanitarian Aid on Wednesday, July 22 and Thursday, July 23, 2015. The discussion is open to clergy, laity and families.
Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary here is offering the public an opportunity for input into future course offerings, including degree programs and continuing education classes with on-line components.
Through a brief survey, the seminary hopes to collect data about public preferences regarding course offerings in the liturgical arts, missions, ethics, and general theology. The courses will be geared toward pastors as well as lay people seeking certificates and degrees on the graduate and post-graduate levels.
“We at Saint Vladimir’s are considering a number of new programs in order to better serve the Church and to fulfill the goals set forth in our Mission Statement,” said Archpriest Dr. J. Sergius Halvorsen. “The information people provide in this brief one to five minute survey will help us in our process of planning and development. We thank in advance those who will support Saint Vladimir’s Seminary by taking the survey, in our effort to hear the needs of the wider Church.”
Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary here recently announced the appointment of Seraphim Danckaert as Director of Mission Advancement. His appointment brings to a close a search initiated in the spring of 2015. [See related story.]
In his new position, Mr. Danckaert will be responsible for annual giving initiatives, major and planned giving programs, capital campaign efforts, administration, and the reporting of department efforts to the seminary’s Dean, Rector and Board of Trustees.
Mr. Danckaert was received into the Orthodox Church at the age of 13, along with his parents and sister, at Saint Nicholas Church (OCA), Fort Wayne, IN. He and his wife Anne have three children, Benjamin, Evelina, and Brigitte, all under the age of five.
After receiving his M.Div. with highest honors from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA in 2007, he spent the next eight years in management and fundraising roles at the Orthodox Christian Network, a national ministry under the auspices of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, and at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he served in the Office of the President and oversaw various initiatives in social media, on-line education, and continuing education for alumni, pastors, and lay leaders.
In addition to his professional activities, Mr. Danckaert studied under Father Andrew Louth for four years as a Ph.D. candidate in theology at Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He is an active member of the Father Georges Florovsky Orthodox Theological Society of Princeton University, serving as co-chair of four major international conferences for Orthodox theologians, clergy, and lay people interested in the theological vision of the Church Fathers. His publications have appeared in theological journals in the US, England, Greece, and Serbia.
Mr. Danckaert and his family say that they look forward to joining the Saint Tikhon’s community and working closely with its leadership, alumni, and supporters for the advancement of Saint Tikhon’s sacred mission and for the glory of God. He is available by phone at 570-561-1818 and seraphim.danckaert@stots.edu.
Priest Adrian Budica has been appointed to the faculty of Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary here as Supervisor of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and Director of Field Education. The appointment of Father Adrian, a seminary alumnus (M.Th., ’10) was effective July 1, 2015.
“We welcome Father Adrian, with his extensive pastoral experience and extraordinary educational credentials,” said Archpriest Dr. John Behr, seminary Dean. “His chaplaincy roles at four major urban hospitals, his priestly service at a large cathedral, and his missionary mind, charitable heart, and sharp intellect will be gifts to our seminarians as they train in pastoral care.”
Father Adrian has been certified as an Associate Supervisor by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). He presently is pursuing two other certifications: as a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) and as a CPE Supervisor (“Full”) with ACPE. He anticipates certification by both bodies in the fall of 2015. Since completing his initial ACPE supervisory training in record time, successfully meeting with two regional committees and two national committees for certification, Father Adrian has been serving on the Administrative Board of the ACPE Eastern Region. For his work with ACPE, he was recognized as an “Emerging Leader 2015” at the recent ACPE National Meeting in Atlanta, GA.
In a soon-to-be-aired PBS documentary produced by Journey Films, Father Adrian will be featured in the two–hour production “Chaplains,” which records his experience as a training supervisor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, along with other men and woman who serve as chaplains in various settings.
Currently, Father Adrian is employed as the CPE Supervisor and Coordinator of Clinical Pastoral Education at Bridgeport Hospital in Connecticut, a position he will retain while serving as a member of the seminary’s faculty. In addition, since 2011, he has served as priest at Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Brooklyn, NY, where Archpriest Thomas Zain is Rector.
Upon his appointment as a new faculty member, Father Adrian said, “I am truly blessed with the opportunity to give back to my seminary and to the Orthodox Church through teaching at Saint Vladimir’s, using an educational model that has been transformational for me personally and pastorally.
“I am indebted to my seminary professors—especially Dr. Albert Rossi—and to my CPE supervisors for their guidance,” he continued, “and I am looking forward to being both part of the faculty and of the students’ spiritual journeys in personal and pastoral formation, competence, and reflection.”
Added Father Behr, “Father Adrian’s new position represents the fruit of our ‘Good Pastor’ program begun as part of our seminary’s ‘Strategic Plan 2010,’ and it also signifies the next stage in the program’s evolution, which will ensure that our seminarians fulfill hundreds of pastoral care hours in a supervised setting under a certified—and Orthodox Christian—instructor.”
Currently, all Master of Divinity students at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary are required to fulfill one unit of CPE, which represents 400 hours of hospital visitation and related self-reflection under the watchful eye of a certified CPE supervisor on-site at local hospitals. With the addition of Father Adrian to the faculty, the seminary is taking the first steps in offering students CPE with supervision on the seminary campus in a wider variety of institutional settings.
Archpriest Dr. Chad Hatfield, seminary Chancellor/CEO, noting the importance of expanding the CPE program at Saint Vladimir’s, said, “Some critics of CPE say that it is dominated by Mainline Protestants. As a minority, we Orthodox Christians must witness to and also navigate this world of pastoral care, to make us better prepared for ministry.”
Bishop Daniel with Practicum participants after Divine Liturgy on July 15.
Twenty-three deacons and students in the Diaconal Vocations Program of the Orthodox Church in America gathered on the campus of Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary here for worship, theological reflection, and focused liturgical training. For the ninth year in a row, this gathering has provided an important opportunity for deacons and candidates to connect with faculty and each other as they seek to expand their ministries at the altar.
The Diaconal Liturgical Practicum began on Sunday evening, July 12, 2015 with supper, introductions, and an icebreaker that helped participants appreciate some of the challenges of learning to serve the divine services correctly. Archpriest Dr. John Behr, Dean of the seminary, formally opened the program with the singing of a Molieben in the seminary’s Three Hierarchs’ Chapel. The Practicum’s beginning coincided with a week of instruction for students enrolled in the seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program and both cohorts were enriched by being able to pray together and to receive a blessing with holy water at the beginning of the week. Father John then led the Practicum in an engrossing study on early martyrdom, Scripture and Eucharist in our lives in Christ and the Paschal passion. As one participant noted, “I would have made the trip to the seminary for this talk alone!”
The next day opened with an early morning celebration of the Divine Liturgy celebrated by Father John and participants of the Practicum. Archdeacon Kirill Sokolov, Director of Diaconal and Late Vocations of the Orthodox Church in America, gathered with participants at 7:00 a.m. to prepare for the Divine Liturgy. “It is not always possible in our parish life for the deacons and servers to be the first to arrive at the church,” explained Archdeacon Kirill. “In these intensive days of training, however, we are able to practice and model the full order of services and all of the preparation required for a peaceful and orderly serving of the divine services. From filling oil lamps to chanting the prayers of the Church, the participants learn best by actively doing and with repetition.”
Following the first liturgy, students practiced proclaiming the Word of God by reading in church and learned about the proper use of their voices in a first of multiple sessions with Archpriest Sergius Halvorsen, Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Rhetoric at the seminary. Sessions on voice featured chanting a section from the Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul and receiving feedback from Father Sergius and peers on clarity and sound.
Workshops led by Archdeacon Kirill aimed at providing participants with the frameworks, patterns, and skills needed to serve effectively in the Orthodox Church as an attentive server or deacon. Sessions focused on the typical celebration of the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. Instruction and practice in hierarchical services met in smaller groups to better approach these complicated services with the additional guidance of Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak, Secretary to His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon.
Archpriest John Jillions, OCA Chancellor, served Vespers and met with the participants to discuss issues facing ordained clergy and the Church and the Church’s work in this world. As Chancellor, Father John is a member of the Board of Theological Education, which supervises the work of the Diaconal Vocations Program. As on Sunday, a long day of work and study ended at 10:00 p.m. with planning for the following morning’s Divine Liturgy.
On the second day of the Practicum, Tuesday, July 14, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by seminarian Priest Aleksey Paranyuk, Archdeacon Kirill, and Practicum participants. In addition to liturgical workshops led by the archdeacons, Archpriest Alexander Rentel, Assistant Professor of Canon Law and Byzantine Studies and the John and Paraskeva Skvir Lecturer in Practical Theology, taught liturgical theology fundamental to the ministry of the deacon and to the understanding of every Christian.
The Practicum was honored by the presence of His Grace, Bishop Daniel of Santa Rosa, Auxiliary Bishop in the Diocese of the West, who came to the seminary for the Practicum at the invitation of Metropolitan Tikhon to preside at the divine services, to be with the participants in conversation, and to meet with them as a group to discuss expectations that the Church has for all men who are called to serve her in ordained diaconal ministry.
Tuesday also marked the eve of the feast of the Holy Great Prince Vladimir, Equal of the Apostles, patron of the seminary. The community joyously celebrated Great Vespers with Practicum participants and those attending the D.Min. program. The celebration was heightened by the prayerful presence of Metropolitan Tikhon, who serves as President of the Church’s seminaries and chairs the Board of Theological Education. He spoke convincingly of the darkness in the world that Saint Vladimir worked to convert to Christ and the encouragement we receive from the saint’s example to us in our own time and place. The celebration continued with a cookout in honor of the feast hosted by the Alumni of the Seminary. Following the festive evening, the Practicum participants continued their work late into the night on reading and voice with Father Sergius.
On Wednesay, July 15, the Practicum experience was crowned by the celebration of the Divine Liturgy for the feast of Saint Vladimir. Bishop Daniel served the full hierarchical order with the assistance of ten priests, six deacons, and Practicum participants who served as subdeacons or sang in the choir.
Participants attended the Practicum from nearly every diocese of the Orthodox Church in America and from other Churches. The “goodbyes” at departure movingly showed that participants not only learned more about the liturgy and their vocations in Church service, but also benefited spiritually from their new connections to teachers and brothers. As one participant explained, “it is a true joy to have received the opportunity to meet you all and to call you friends.”
The Holy Synod of Bishops requires participation in at least two practicums for candidates to complete the Diaconal Vocations Program of the Orthodox Church in America. Ordained deacons benefit from attendance as part of the Continuing Education discipline of the Church.
Further information on the Diaconal Vocations Program is available at http://oca.org/dvp. More information on Saint Vladimir’s Seminary and its programs of theological study can be found at www.svots.edu.
