summer 2000 orthodox vision newsletter, diocese of the west

8/8/2019 Summer 2000 Orthodox Vision Newsletter, Diocese of the West

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Summer 2000

New Diocesan Retreat Center in

Boulder City, Nevada


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The Official Publication of the

Diocese of the West of the

Orthodox Church in America

Diocese of the West

650 Micheltorena Street

Los Angeles, CA 90026

Phone: 1-800-323-6921

PublisherHis Grace Bishop TIKHON

Bishop of San Francisco and

the Diocese of the West

Address all stories and

editorial comments to:

Editor-in-Chief

Priest Eric G. Tosi

14 Shadow Place

Billings, MT 59102Phone and Fax: (406)254-1194

Email: [email protected]

Address all circulation

and advertising to:

Office of the Chancellor

5400 Annie Oakley Drive

Las Vegas, NV 89120

Phone: (702)898-4800

Fax: (702)898-0303

The Orthodox Vision is published three times

a year by the Diocese of the West. It is free to

all parish members and outreach within the

Diocese. Subscriptions outside the Diocese

is available for $10 per year in the United

States and $15 per year in Canada.

The articles contained herein do not neces-

sarily reflect the views or policies of the Dio-

cese or the editors. The advertisements con-

tained herein are not necessarily endorsed

by the Diocese or Editorial Staff.

In This IssueVolume 5, Number 2

The new Diocese of the West webpage is now online.

WWW.OCADOW.ORG

For the latest information on the Diocese of the West

Information on all parishes, institutions and departments

Archived issues ofThe Orthodox Vision

Complete letters of instruction from His Grace

And much, much more

Diocese Purchases Retreat Center:

A History and a Promise.................................................2

Sonora: Growth of a Mission..........................................4

Constantine Chekene: Memory Eternal!........................5

Diocese Host Four Seminarian Interns...........................6

Clergy Wives Hold Retreat in Portland...........................7

Diocese Creates New Russian Deanery............................8

Hieromonk Isidore Ordained...........................................8

Womenhood and the Priesthood......................................9

Albany Celebrates 10 Years............................................10

News From Around the Diocese.....................................11

Fort Ross Celebration....................................................12

Prespective on Youth......................................................13

From the Fathers: St. Raphael of Brooklyn........Backpage


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From His Grace Bishop TIKHON

The Orthodox Vision

Going Forward

I recently forced myself through a flurry of straight-

ening up things. This describes an activity meant tobring order out of chaos, but actually resulting in the

creation of a new sort of disorder out of the old: its

also called paper-shuffling. I re-sorted all my cop-

ies of The Orthodox Church (since the first issue),

all my copies of The Russian-American Orthodox

Messenger that preceded The Orthodox Church,

all my copies of One Church (organ of the Mos-

cow Exarchate/Parishes in America), all my copies

of the Messenger (Viestnik) of the Russian Student

Christian Movement since the 20s, all my copies of

the Messenger of the Moscow Patriarchate in West-

ern Europe, all my copies of Orthodox Life,

Pravoslaynaya Rus, Pravoslavnaya Zhizn, and the

Orthodox Word. Finally, I came to our diocesan pe-

riodical (s). I do not have the earliest such: these were

Xeroxed one-sheet flyers that Fr. Leonid Kishkovsky,

then the Rector of the St. Innocent Mission at Holy

Trinity Cathedral, used to send by bulk via air freight

to each Dean, who then was obligated to distributethem in his Deanery. But I do have the next realiza-

tion of a Diocesan periodical, the newspaper Light

of Life, and I arranged all my copies of them, then

all my copies of its successor, The Orthodox West,

then all my copies of what we have today: the fine

magazine: Orthodox Vision.

Ive always contributed articles to the issues of The

Orthodox West and to the Orthodox Vision since

you, brothers and sisters, and the Holy Synod of theOrthodox Church in America elected me and His Be-

atitude, together with Archbishop Dmitri, Bishop

Boris, and Bishop Job, consecrated me Bishop.

This issue, however, I am going only to present a very

short repeat of a couple paragraphs that I gave in my

Chancellors Report in the Fall, 1984, issue of

Light of Life, during the time when His Grace,

Bishop Boris, was ad-

ministering our Dio-cese, since it says just

what I want to say to

you today:

The Apostolic and Eucharistic life of

our diocese and its parishes goes on.

This aloneshould be a cause for joy

on all our partsjoy which might be

difficult to express, but which never-

theless truly exists. I believe that we

must as diocese go forward and grow

based on our immense potential and

Gods love for us, and that the impor-

tant keys to that growth and progress

are a kind of joyous asceticism and a

serious rededication to the unchang-

ing values and goals of Holy Tradi-

tion. The late Serbian theologian, Fr.

Justin Popovich, wrote that the truemissionary endeavor is asceticism.

Indeed, the deepest goals and aims

of both asceticism and missionary

work are based in the love of others.

I see one of these deep goals and aims

as charity (or charities) and a clear-

cut program developed for and by it.

I hope that our diocesan council will

create this department and that the

clear mandate for it will come fromthe floor of the assembly.

+Bishop TIKHON


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The Orthodox Vision

In July of 2000, the Diocese of the West made an offer to purchasethe Wellspring Retreat Center in Boulder, NV. Wellspring is owned

and operated by the Episcopal Sisters of Charity. The property is

located on a two-acre site just 25 minutes southeast of Saint Pauls

parish in Las Vegas.

Wellspring has quite a rich history. The facility was originally con-

structed in August of 1931, as the hospital for the builders of the

Hoover Dam. Known as the Six Companies Hospital (six firms

collaborated on the construction of the dam) with its staff of 16 and

furnished with 23 beds, the hospital opened its doors for service on

December 1, 1931.

In 1933 a new wing was added to the facility to handle the increased

demand as the community around the dam project grew. Then in

1937, with the dam project nearing its completion, the hospitals

workload diminished, as did its work force.

It was turned into a museum in 1938 through the orders of the Na-

tional Park Service. By 1954, Boulder City had grown-up and, as a

city, was again in need of a hospital. The city acquired the now

vacant building for $15,000 and re-opened its doors. Later in 1964,

the last wing addition was made to the hospital at a cost of $96,000.

In 1967, after determining several costly modifications would need

Diocese Purchases New Retreat Center: A History and a PromiseBy Peter Schwalbenberg

to be made, the decision was made to build a new hospital and shu

the old facility down for the last timeso people thought.

The hospital lay vacant and unattended for twelve years. In 1979

the Sisters of Charity moved out from the East Coast, gained owner

ship and began the slow process of breathing life back into thi

collection of old buildings. For the past 21 years, the facility ha

been in full swing as a retreat center. Several prestigious award

have been given to the center for its years of service to its commu

nity, culminating with placement on the National Register of His

toric Places.

Over the past 5 years our Diocese has used this facility severa

times per year, for events such as the Las Vegas Mission Deaneryannual meeting and Matushka retreats. Attendees of the retreat

remember warmly the sisters hospitality, and look forward to com

ing back. Archimandrite Nikolai (Soraich) has been acquainted

with the sisters and the facility since his coming to Las Vegas, and

their relation has been one of mutual respect and support.

During our last use of the center in February of this year for the

annual Mission Deanery retreat, it was disclosed that the facility

was going to be listed for sale. The Sisters were seeking a physica

plant easier to maintain in order for them to continue their charitable

works. The Sisters made it known that they would be happy to hav

the center continue its mission as an institution of the OCA.


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The Orthodox Vision

At the request of the Diocesan Council, John Della Monica, the

tireless architect of the Diocese, spent March 28 and 29 of this year

assessing the center. His goal was to evaluate the condition of the

property and the city regulatory climate, to determine the value of

the property as a basis for an offer price.

John spent the first day primarily on the site of the retreat center.

After a tour with the listing agent, John stayed on and inventoried

and photographed the entire facility (interior and exterior), andgrounds. The center consists of two buildings. The largest has a

kitchen, two dining rooms, two chapels, a lobby and library, a meet-

ing room for up to 30 people, storage and business office, and 20

guest rooms with about 45 beds between them. The other building

has a meeting room for about 50 people, 12 beds and a kitchenette.

There are 43 parking stalls plus considerable open space on the

property which could be used for additional building.

In general, John found the facility to be in good order operationally

which indicates that the campus has been well maintained despite

its age. Over the last several years, the Sisters have accomplished

what major projects one would expect to find in a facility this age.

Recent mechanical, electrical and plumbing work throughout the

facility has kept exhaustive modernization to a minimum. Addition-

ally, the roof was replaced in its entirety in 1992 and should last +/-

25 more years longer due to the type of roofing tiles used. However

John discovered that several projects remain to be done, and esti-

mated their cost.

The next day John met with the City of Boulder with Code Enforce-

ment Officer, Mr. Jim Dicus, to discover any issues which might

affect an offer to a purchase. Mr. Dicus stated that he had a long

history of dealing with this property and nothing stood out as a

major concern. He advised us to go forward with an offer, and

offered to be of help.

Although the facility presents no physical problems, it is not cur

rently zoned as a retreat center and would require a conditional use

permit for any new owner to continue operations.

Next John made an estimate of the potential income and the value o

the property. The sisters had cut back the number of retreats to fa

below capacity. The potential income was derived from a conserva

tive model, which used the current prices charged by the sisters, bu

with a higher occupancy rate that reflects the capacity of Well-

spring. John then triangulated the value of the property by two

methods: replacement cost, and the cost of comparable properties

John presented his findings in a report to the Diocesan Counci

meeting of June 2. In the conclusion to his report, he stated th

following:

In preparing of this report, I have sought council from

several people, some from within the Church and other from a variety of professions related to banking, real es

tate and facilities development. I state this to establish

that my facts and recommendations are based upon more

than my opinion alone.

It is apparent to me now, based upon my research, tha

this property has value in its operations and demonstrates

great potential for our diocese. This value and potentia

is consistent across all methods of evaluation with, rev-

enue vs. expense, standing out the most in my opinion

We see that with conservative projections of usage

coupled with realistic operational costs and debt repay-ment, it yields a healthy return on investment, effort and

risk.

With my evaluation complete, I propose that an offer to

purchase this property be made by our diocese. I sugges

the initial offer be made. I further suggest that an equity

position of no less than 45% be planned for.

Cont. on p. 14


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The Orthodox Vision

Sonora: Growth of a New MissionBy Carma Berglund

Five years ago two Orthodox priests, one from the Orthodox Churchin America and one from the Greek Diocese, and a handful of found-

ing members undertook building an Orthodox Church in Tuolumne

County, a rural area in Californias gold country. It was a daunting

task. There are few models for such a collaborative effort, and the

founders, who had no meeting space and limited resources, had not

undertaken mission work before. Yet the Orthodox Christian Mis-

sion of Sonora has itself become a model of a successful collabora-

tion between Orthodox jurisdictions. The mission now owns its

own building, celebrates liturgy, instructs catechumens, teaches

inquiry classes and serves a congregation drawn from three coun-

ties, with members of varied ethnic Orthodox backgrounds as well

as converts from Protestant churches. The missions history is sig-

nificant because of the remarkable individual stories of which it ismade and the extent of the collaboration found at the heart of its

practical achievements.

Dr. William Craig, a graduate of an Episcopal theological seminary

and an expert on the life and writings of the Christian apologist C.S.

Lewis, served as an Episcopal minister for 54 years. He was dean of

the New Orleans Episcopal cathedral, an honorary cannon of the

Episcopal cathedral in Salina, Kansas and served six years on the

national Executive Council before moving to Tuolumne County

where he served as an interim pastor for years before converting to

Orthodox Christianity. Dr. Craig explains his and his now late wife,

Mary-Eliots, conversion to Orthodoxy as a return to something

very close to the teachings of the Episcopal Church before that

denomination declined from its old standards of faith and morals.

The Annunciation (Greek Orthodox) Church in Modesto was the

nearest Orthodox church. It exemplified what attracted the couple to

Orthodoxy, as Mary-Eliot explained in a memo, [with] its liturgy, full

attendance of adults, large numbers of children, and what is felt as

an attentive and devout atmosphere...the Church feels to me to be

the answer to a desire for a life of religious meaning.

Dr. Craig voiced their concern about Annunciation Church in his

journal of the time, the nearest Orthodox church is far from where

we live; nobody can expect us to worship there every Sunday. The

concern contrasted sharply with the couples desire to attend each

week and it coincided with his musing about how he could bes

serve his new Church. He had determined that he ought not seek

Orthodox priestly ordination, But as a layman? he wondered if he

could be instrumental in helping establish an Orthodox Church inTuolumne County. In late 1995, Dr. Craig queried Annunciations

new long-range planning committee about an assistant-priest who

would be able to devote some time to help develop a church in

Tuolumne County. Father Jon Magouliass response was positive

as he envisioned a mission that would be like a daughter to the

Annunciation, supported and trained by her mother (the Parish)

growing up using her own language, which would be English. By

early 1996, the Parish Council had incorporated the idea into its

long-range plans.

Alex and Natalie Teshin moved to Sonora in 1995. Their only misgiv

ing about the move was how far they would be required to travel to

worship in an Orthodox Church. Upon moving, they became affiliated with St. Mary Magdalene in Merced, an OCA mission. Though

the Merced mission answered their immediate need for Orthodox

worship in the region and they enjoyed their affiliation with it as

they had known Fr. Jonah Paffhausen for many years, they found

the drive a serious obstacle especially during the winter. In early

1996, Fr. Jonah learned of Dr. Craig and his interest in a church fo

Tuolumne County from Fr. Jon at Annunciation. At Fr. Jonahs urg

ing, Natalie called Dr. Craig who recollects, the conversation quickly

turned into a long, pleasant visit.

The Teshins and Craigs foresaw that using English and having two

priests of different Orthodox ethnicities would help to break the ice

for prospective members of a new church. Asked if the group had aclear idea of how to proceed from the outset, Natalie laughs as she

exclaims, No! [Alex and I] had always gone to church where the

choir sang and the priest celebrated liturgy. We undertook it with

fear and trembling! In May of 1996 both priests and fifteen people

met at the Teshins home. After talking at length about the project

it was evident that the cooperation between the OCA and Greek

priests was warm and genuine. It was also evident that the participa-

tion of both would play a critical role in establishing the mission

Looking back Natalie is certain that two key elements of the mission

success have been the model and structure provided by the OCA


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The Orthodox Visio

Mission Deanery led by Fr. Ian McKinnon, and the Annunciations

encouragement and ability to direct the new group to needed re-

sources.

Fr. Tom Renfree, the missions current pastor, agrees collaboration

has been the key. He identifies the strengths of the OCAs mission

program, as sensitivity to the need for worship close to home, flex-

ibility and its provision (even to groups in small communities) of

both the authority to establish under the OCAs auspices and initial

clergy support. He notes that the guidance of Fr. Ian, Dean of theOCAs Mission Deanery, has been important to the mission as well.

In addition to being instrumental in securing permission for Fr. Tom

to serve as the missions pastor in the fall of 1997 when Fr. Jonah left

Merced, Fr. Ian offered the fledgling group a realistic overview of

whats involved in mission work and practical step-by-step plans

for implementing the vision. Fr. Ian is able to prepare [new mission

groups] for the long haul and encourages them with a sure vision

rather than sugar coating a picture of what lies ahead, says Fr. Tom.

But Fr. Tom is also quick to point out that Annunciation Church has

played a vital role in the missions vision and development.

From the outset, the Craigs and the Teshins worked with Fr. Jon and

Fr. Jonah to identify potential members in the communities of the

region, breaking them into two groups: Orthodox who had ties to

the Church, but who had dropped out due to distance or other

reasons, along with those persons of ethnic Orthodox backgrounds

who had expressed interest in an Orthodox church closer than the

San Joaquin Valley; and those of non-Orthodox backgrounds/

ethnicity who were interested in Orthodoxy, provided it was local

enough to allow them to find their way into it. The group began with

social activities to allow prospective members to meet and then

progressed to a search for a space and plans for offering Orthodox

liturgy.

The group sought permission from St. Michaels Episcopal Churchto conduct Orthodox Liturgy or Vespers as St. Michaels schedule

allowed. When the request was ultimately denied, Fr. Michael Kelly,

pastor of St. Patricks Roman Catholic Church in Sonora, came to the

rescue and offered the group the use of Historic St. Annes Church

in Columbia State Park. Christian Orthodox worship began in

Tuolumne County through the mission group at St. Annes in Au-

gust of 1996. The historic event was a blessing and an immediate

challenge. St. Annes lacked space for fellowship, air conditioning

(summers in the gold country can simmer above 100) and indoor

plumbing. However, it had heat for winter and it was a beginning.

Judy Wilder, one of St. Annes committee members, helpfully pointed

out the new outdoor privy and volunteered to open up the windows

on nights before summer services.

Chief obstacles, now, included limitations imposed by St. Annes

itself and the lack of a second Priest or Deacon to allow for activities

when Fr. Tom was unavailable. The stewards of St. Annes allowed

the mission group to store many of its decorative items and liturgi-

cal supplies on site, but each service required a lengthy set up and

take down. It was virtually impossible to evoke a sense of home-

coming in the space or to establish a dedicated, traditional Orthodox

worship environment as everything had to be portable and removed.

Cont. on p. 15

C o n s t a n t i n e

Chekene, an engi-neer and long-

time leader in San

Franciscos Rus-

sian community,

passed away on

14 June 2000. He

was born in Mos-

cow in 1916, but

the Russian

Revolution soon

turned his life up-

side-down. He

and his mothertraveled south-

east to escape political upheaval and settled in Harbin, China, within

a large Russian colony. When Constantine was five years old, he

lost his mother and was taken in by his guardian, Daniel Pavlovich

Umnoff. Raised in the Russian community of Harbin, Constantine

was educated at an American-run YMCA and received a mechanica

engineering degree from the Harbin Polytechnic Institute in 1937

Upon graduation, he traveled to Shanghai to find employment and

housing; shortly thereafter, he summoned his childhood acquain

tance and fiance, Lubov Prikaschikoff, to join him. In January 1938

the two were married and, during the course of their 62-year union

had four children Olga (deceased), Catherine, Daniel and Elena

With the onset of the Chinese revolution in 1949, the Chekene fam

ily traveled to Bangkok, Siam (Thailand) to await exit visas to the

United States; and in 1950 traveled by ship from Bangkok to San

Francisco. Mr. Chekene worked as an engineer for various enter

prises before co-founding his own firm with John B. Rutherford in

1960. Rutherford and Chekene, Structural Engineers, became an

industry leader in California and has grown to a multi-office corpo

ration with a staff of over 75.

Within the San Francisco Russian community, Mr. Chekene was a

tireless volunteer, serving as vice-president of the Parish Counci

for many years under the guidance of Archbishop JOHN

(Shahovskoy). He led the construction of Christ the Savior Church

at 12th Avenue and Anza Street and spearheaded the renovation o

the historic bell tower at Holy Trinity Cathedral at Green and Van

Ness Streets. In 1973, he assisted in the re-establishment of a Rus

sian school at Christ the Savior Church and taught Russian history

there. And in 1991, in response to glasnost and perestroika

Mr. Chekene founded the organization Diocesan Outreach to Refu

gees. Through D.O.R. he was able to assist hundreds of newly

arrived Russian immigrants and provide humanitarian aid to the

needy in his native land.

Diocese

Loses a

D e a r

Friend!

Cont. on p. 16


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The Orthodox Vision

Last summer at the All-American Council, a proposal was put for-ward to initiate a Seminarian Internship Program. The Program was

meant to get students out from the Seminary and into a parish for a

summer where they would learn about parish life and assist the

priest. It was enthusiastically accepted by the Council and the

Program was formulated. Parishes were asked to submit applica-

tions and seminarians were encouraged to apply for the Program,

and the OCA agreed to fund the Program.

A year later after many applications, the first of the seminarians

were sent to parishes throughout the country this summer. There

were five seminarians accepted and four were assigned to parishes

in the Diocese of the West. The Priest Robert Skidmore, from St.

Vladimirs Seminary was assigned to Annunciation Church inMilwaukie, Oregon; Priest John Ramos of St. Vladimirs was as-

signed to Protection of the Holy Virgin in Santa Rosa, California;

Deacon Peter Tobias of St. Vladimirs was assigned to St. Nicholas

in Billings, Mon-

tana; and John

Beal, also of St.

Vladimirs, was as-

signed to St.

Nicholas in San

Anselmo, Califor-

nia.

Since this was theinaugural summer

of the Program,

many details

needed to be

worked out includ-

ing compensation,

housing and most

importantly, the

programs require-

ments itself.

A r c h p r i e s t

Seminary Interns in the WestAlexander Garklavs and Priest Steven Voytavich were assigned b

His Beatitude to put the program together which they did with grea

success. The interns were required to not only assist the pries

(some to a greater degree than others because the were ordained

but to also learn about parish life. Interns were charged with prepar

ing monthly impression reports on parish life, verbatims on differen

conversations that had an impact on them as well as a host of othe

requirements set by the individual priest/mentor. The priest/men

tors were asked to train, guide and importantly, give unique oppor

tunities and experiences to the seminarians.

For example,

Deacon Peter

was assigned to

Billings, but in

fact worked with

the St. Anthony

the Great Mis-

sion in Bozeman,

helping establishit and prepare it

for his possible

return next year

as a resident

priest. Fr. John

was to work not

only with his par-

ish assignment

but the St. Inno-

cent Mission in

Eureka where he

will be assigned

after the summer.Fr. Robert worked not only with all of the parishes in the Portlan

area but also looked to take on the mission in Ashland after th

internship. John Beal, was able to return to his parish in San Anselm

and help contribute to its parish life and his development.

The common denominator was practical experience. Many of th

seminarians have not had a chance to experience parish life nor to

get some practical seasoning in serving. Here they have a chance t

work closely with a mentor in the field. All have had the chanc

to preach, teach and serve the community in a way quite similar t

when they get to their parish assignment after graduation. An

with the careful guidance of their mentor/priest are able to avoid

some of the obstacles many new priests find before them. Ansince all of the interns look to be assigned to the Diocese, they ar

able to observe and learn about how the Diocese of the West oper

ates and meet the many clergy and laity they will be working wit

over the years.

It is quite clear that the Program has been a resounding success

Every parish with an intern has risen to the challenge and the in

terns, in turn, have responded with great enthusiasm. Such pro

grams as these will only help in the training of future clergy and

make them stronger in meeting the needs of the parish. And thi

makes the Church as a whole stronger!


9/207

The Orthodox Visio

Third Annual Clergy Wives

Retreat Held in PortlandBy Mat. Julia Erickson

It was with great joy and anticipation that 21 clergy wives gathered

for the third annual Matushka retreat in Portland, Oregon. Partici-

pants were from all over the Diocese of the West of the Orthodox

Church in America.

Fr. Lawrence Russell (Church of the Annunciation, Santa Maria,

California) was the retreat master. His talks focused us on the our

relationship to the Orthodox priesthood, what is the role of the

priest, and what does this mean to us who have been made one in

the flesh with a man who is ordained. Another major focus of our

time were our many conversations together. Sharing our lives, our

struggles, joys and our prayers gave many renewed strength and

encouragement for the coming year. Many wanted to keep contact

through out the year. To that end, an e-circle (a type of closed

internet bulletin board)was planned to help us stay connected.Making our group more formal by the adoption of by-laws was also

discussed and tabled until next year.

Outside of the retreat center we were able to attend Saturday Ves-

pers at St. Nicholas Church in southwest Portland with Fr. George

Grey presiding. And, also Sunday Liturgy at the Church of the

Annunciation in Milwaukie, Oregon with Fr. Matthew Tate, Fr. KevinLien, Fr. David Shank, and Fr. Mark Story. This was followed by a

lovely (and yummy reception) in our honor which brought our re-

treat to a close. Five Matushka continued on to Goldendale, Wash-

ington to the monastery of St. John the Baptist. There we spent two

days in prayer and more conversations.

Next year the conference will be held at the new Diocesan retreat

center at the Life Giving Spring in Boulder City (near Las Vegas,

Nevada). Mother Gabriella from the Dormition Monastery, outside

of Lansing, Michigan will be the primary presenter. It was requested

that an older, more experienced Matushka be recruited to talk about

her life as a clergy wife for the benefit for all. This will try to be

arranged. If anyone knows of someone qualified and willing, please

alert next years retreat planners.

The retreat will be the third weekend in May (May 18-20, 2001). Al

clergy wives from the Diocese of the West are welcome to attend

Further information will be mailed as time draws closer. We thank althose who helped in the planning and running of the retreat as wel

as the participants. These annual gatherings have become a grea

source of joy and fellowship for us who have been placed in a

unique position in serving God. Gatherings such as this allow us to

work together for the building of the Church and make us strongerin

supporting our spouses ministry. We hope that more will partici

pate inthis retreat as time goes on.


10/208

The Orthodox Vision

Diocese Establishes a New Russian

Deanery to Help Immigrants

Effective June 1, 2000, the San Francisco Russian Missionary Dis-

trict Deanery was established. Initially, the Very Reverend and

Reverend Clergy of the following parishes are transferred from the

Pacific Central Deanery to the San Francisco Russian Missionary

District Deanery:

1. Christ the Savior Church, San Francisco

2. St. John the Baptist Church, Berkeley

3. Nativity of the Virgin Church, Menlo Park

4. Holy Myrrhbearing Women Church, West Sacramento

5. St. Vladimir Church, Santa Barbara

Effective June 1, 2000, the Reverend Bazyl Kalinowski, Rector of the

Christ the Savior Church, San Francisco, is appointed Acting Dean

of the San Francisco Russian Missionary District Deanery, pending

an election and subsequent appointment after one year.

The purposes of the new Deanery are these:

1. To improve Diocesan communication with the parishes

concerned by their homogeneous grouping and conse-

quent direct links with them.

2. To foster a renewed impetus in the Russian language mis-

sionary outreach of the Diocese, particularly to the newer

immigration of Orthodox and the un-churched from Russia.

3. To foster fellowship and mutual assistance in this mission-

ary outreach through retreats and publications.

4. And to assist the other Diocesan deaneries and parishes

with their pastoral and missionary activities among the

same people.

His Grace TIKHON

Bishop of San Francisco and the Diocese of the West

A son of the Diocese and a recent graduate of St. Tikhons Semi-nary, the former Reader James Brittain was tonsured to the Lesser-

Schema at the Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Fran-

cisco on the Feast of Ascension and ordained to the Holy Diaconate

the following Sunday at Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco.

One of the founding members of St. Anne Orthodox Mission in

Albany, Oregon which just celebrated its tenth anniversary

Hierodeacon Isidore converted to Orthodoxy at the age of seven-

teen. He attended Willamette University in Salem, Oregon where he

studied Japanese, after which he began his studies at St. Tikhon

Seminary. Hierodeacon Isidore spent the last three years at St

Tikhons and graduated in May. The close contact he had with the

monastics of St. Tikhons Monastery while studying at seminary, he

says, was very influential in drawing him toward the monastic voca-

tion. My experiences at seminary really showed me the impor

tance of Church service and giving ones

whole life to the Church, Hierodeacon

Isidore said, the formation there [at St

Tikhons] instilled within each of us a sense

of duty and obedience to the Church, a love

for the services and the Orthodox way of

life which naturally directed me to make the

decision to petition His Grace, Bishop

TIKHON to be tonsured and ordained to

the Diaconate.

Currently Hierodeacon Isidore is attached

to St. Paul Orthodox Church in Las Vegas

Father Isidore is awaiting further assign

ment but is temporally working in the Office

of the Chancellor and at the newly acquired

Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center in Boul-

der City. He will assist in its formation and

administration. We all wish the newly ton

sured and ordained Hierodeacon Isidore

Many Years!

New Hierodeacon Tonsured for Diocese

By Archimandrite Nikolai (Soraich)


11/209

The Orthodox Visio

Many years ago, a Russian Baba or grandmother said to

me, I think its fine for women to be priests as long as they

dont go into the Holy Altar. Now, some might believe this

comment to have proceeded from almost laughable igno-

rance or even superstition. In fact, there are times and cir-cumstances, such as exist in certain monasteries for women,

when it is both necessary and proper for women to go into

the altar. What this, truly, very wise, lady was saying, was

that the issue is not one of power (should men let women be

priests?) nor of equality (dont women have the right to be

priests?) nor one of utility (could women be good priests?)

Rather it is a question of human nature. (Did God create

men and women to be different, and, if so, is one of those

differences that men can do certain things and women other

things which are, by nature, exclusive to each sex?)

Now it is obvious that there are many jobs, such as those of

doctor, lawyer, CEO, teacher, cab driver, or police officer,

which men and women are able to handle equally well. There

are some other jobs such as combat soldier, heavy con-

struction worker nurse, or early childhood instructor, which,

while we may identify them with one or the other sex, have

been equally well performed by the opposite sex. But, there

is at least one function within Gods plan, which is solely

reserved to men. Only a man can be a husband, a father,

can beget a child. Only a woman can be a wife, a mother,can give birth to a child. Thus, about half of the human race,

all men, was excluded from the blessings extended to St.

Hanna, St. Anna, St. Elizabeth and the other righteous

women, hallowed in childbirth, through whom the good will

of God was revealed to the world. Furthermore, only a

woman, the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary, could give

birth in time to the Timeless One and be hailed by all genera-

tions as Full of Grace, Burning Bush, Cause of Our Joy,

Rescuer of the Perishing and Joy of All Who Sorrow.

We must go on to ask then, is there something about theOrthodox Christian Priesthood which makes it impossible

for women to exercise its function? To this answer, the

Church answers and always has answered yes. Remem-

ber, we are not asking, Can a woman preach, teach, pray,

console, counsel or administer a parish as well as a man

can? The question is, Can a woman perform the specifi-

cally priestly function of standing, visibly, in the place of the

invisibly present Bridegroom of the Church and High Priest,

Jesus Christ, in the celebration of those mysteries (Sacra-

ments) by which the Wedding Feast of the Lamb (Rev

elation 2:19 and 19:7-9) is made present by anticipation in

the midst of the Church of God?

More simply stated, we are asking, Is a woman a suitabl

substitute for the Groom at a wedding?

It should perhaps be no surprise that this question neve

even arose until the current eruption of sexual perversion

and gender confusion and that those Protestant group

which have admitted women to preside in their assemblies

have also moved away from Christian teachings about sexua

morality, abortion and marriage. Some of these groups, such

as Methodists, Presbyterians, and United Church of Christ

now have factions which have recently declared that there i

a Goddess in addition to God. Priests have always been

understood, even by pagans, as representatives of theiGods. Priestess serve goddesses.

All of this is not to say that men are better or more importan

than women. We may well prefer cake to bread or milk to

wine, but bread and wine, not cake and milk, are the appro

priate elements for the Divine Liturgy. Similarly, God ha

ordained that men not women should stand in the place o

the Bridegroom at the Eucharistic Wedding Feast. Even

our Blessed Lady who is more honorable than the Cheru

bim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphimdid not appropriate to herself the Holy Priesthood to which

her son chosen and ordained His Holy Apostles. In reality

the thought of a female Christian priesthood could only have

arisen in a world far gone from the purity of the Apostolic

Faith; and the fact that Orthodox men and women are

troubled by such questions is a measure of the extent to

which the spirit of this age has confused the thinking of some

of Gods very own people.

What the old Baba knew that we forget is that the question

is not one of power, or equality, or utility, but of human nature as God created it. No man can be a mother, no woman

a bridegroom.

Archpriest Joseph Hirsch is the Dean of Transfigura

tion of Christ Cathedral in Denver, Colorado. If you

are interested in having him answer a question concern

ing church life, doctrine, or practices, please send a let

ter or email to the editor-in-chief of The Orthodox Vi

sion. We will try to answer all questions.

Why is it women can be lawyers, doctors, CEOs or anything they want in the secular world,

but why in the Church cant women be priests?


12/2010

The Orthodox Vision

t Icons

t Hand-made Rugs

t Worship Items

t Prayer Ropes

t Cds

t Books and more Books

Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery Releases Catalog

To recieve the catalog call

(719)748-3999

or write

Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery

2343 County Road 403

P.O. Box 416

Lake George, CO 80827

On July 22 and 23rd, His Grace Bishop TIKHON visited Albany,

Oregon to celebrate the patronal feast and tenth anniversary of the

founding of St. Anne Mission. As part of His Graces visit, the

mission was presented with the relics and icon of its patron saint,

the Holy and Righteous Anne, the mother of the Mother of God.

Joining in the celebration were over 200 Orthodox clergy and faith-ful from up and down the West Coast.

The two-day festivities

began at 1:00 p.m. Sat-

urday with a Molieben

to St. Anne that in-

cluded a procession

and grounds blessing

around the perimeter of

the missions 3-acre

property. As the icon

and relics of St. Anne

were taken in proces-

sion under warm and

sunny skies, the mis-

sion choir sang the

Troparion of St. Anne

and His Grace show-

ered the grounds (and later the people) with Holy Water. His Gracewas joined in the opening prayer service by Archimandrite Nikolai

(Soraich), Archpriest Matthew Tate, Priests Kevin Lien, Nicholas

Letten, Isaac Skidmore, and Stephen Soot (the missions rector),

Hierodeacon Isidore (Brittain), and Subdeacon Hennok Soot.

Following the Molieben, those in attendance gathered under a40x60' tent for fellowship and light refreshments. A 1950s fire truck

was on hand for the children to climb and explore, and commemora-

tive booklets and BT 2000 badges were distributed especially for

the occasion. A model of a proposed future temple and other prop-

erty developments were also on display.

Later that day, John Burnett from Expanding Edge, an export com-

pany based in San Anselmo, CA, conducted a Russian church bell

ringing class and demonstration with five authentic Russian bells

he personally transported to Albany for the celebration. Each of the

St. Annes Mission Celebrates 10 YearsBy Priest Stephen Soot

worship services celebrated during Bishop Tikhons visit were in-

troduced and concluded with the beautiful ringing of those magnifi-

cent Russian bells.

The Saturday afternoon Molieben and picnic were immediately fol

lowed by a spaghetti dinner and Feast Day Vigil. Mrs. Nadine Blankfrom Concord, CA graciously conducted the Vigil choir, which was

composed of singers

from throughout the

Diocese. Archpries

Ian MacKinnon, Dean

of Missions, also ar

rived Saturday evening

from Sacramento, CA in

time to attend the ful

Vigil.

The Hierarchical Divine

Liturgy on Sunday

morning filled the mis

sion chapel with over

100 worshippers. A

good number of faith

ful from St. Nicholas

Church in Portland traveled the 70 miles to Albany especially to

witness the elevation of their pastor, the Priest George Gray, to the

rank of Archpriest. Under the capable direction of Mr. Tracey Edson

also of St. Nicholas Church, the choir sang some of the most beau-

tiful liturgical responses the St. Anne community had ever heard.

After the singing of Many Years, everyone was again invited outdoors to the banquet tent for a Champagne Brunch. Bishop

TIKHON congratulated Fr. George and the St. Anne community. He

exhorted the missions members to do the will of God above all else

and that the building of a temple should never be viewed as an end

in itself.

During the brunch, Priest Stephen Soot thanked all those present

for their prayers and support and presented His Grace, the Chancel-

lor and choir directors with gift baskets. He then handed over the

Cont. on p. 16


13/2011

The Orthodox Vision

News From Around the Diocese

On June 11, Priest Victor Sokolov, the Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco, California was el-

evated to Archpriest by His Grace TIKHON.

On July 19, Archpriest Steven Kachur, retired priest from Holy Assumption Church in Clifton, NJ fell asleep in

the Lord in Phoenix, AZ.

On July 23, Priest George Gray of St. Nicholas Church in Portland, Oregon was elevated to Archpriest by His

Grace TIKHON.

On August 19, Archpriest Eugene Tarris, a retired priest from St. Herman Church in Littleton, Colorado was

awarded the Palitza.

New Assignments in the Diocese

Priest John Armstrong is assigned to St. Herman Church in Littleton, Colorado.

Priest Valerii Boulannikov is assigned to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church in Menlo Park, California.

Priest John Ramos is assigned to St. Innocent Mission in Eureka, California.

Priest Isaac Skidmore is assigned to Archangel Gabriel Mission in Ashland, Oregon.

Hierodeacon Isidore (Brittain) is assigned to St. Paul Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.


14/2012

The Orthodox Vision

Reminder To All Parishes:

Please submit an updated parish history to

the Office of the Chancellor by September 15th

for inclusion in the updated history of the Dio-

cese of the West originally written by Mr.

Nicholas Cooke and published in 1987.

The Diocese is looking to release the new ver-

sion in January of 2001.

Fr. Vladimir Sokovich, the rector of Holy Trinity Cathedral in San

Francisco during the 1920s began a tradition that has continued

now for over 75 years. The July Fourth Fort Ross celebration was

created to bring the Russian peoples together in a time of turmoil

that existed in their motherland. This day of American Indepen-

dence provided a convenient date for many in northern California to

come together and connect with other Russian Orthodox Christians

at the old Russian settlement on the Sonoma Coast, and there serve

the Divine Liturgy and share a picnic lunch.

The son of Fr. Vladimir, Constantine Sakovich of the Protection of

the Virgin Parish in Santa Rosa, CA, relates that like many other

priests, Fr. Vladimir was sent to America to missionize and serve the

Russian people in this country. Originally, he was to serve in Cali-fornia for a space of only three years, and then return to Russia after

this period of service.

However, the revolution that occurred in his country would force

him to remain here in the United States. The Russian people in

northern California, as many others throughout America could only

hear what was going on in their homeland from a distance. Contact

with family and friends would be difficult if non-existent and the

Russians here in

America could

only hold on to

each other and

their Orthodox

faith.

What Fr. Sokovich

provided was a

means for manyRussians near and

far to gather to-

gether and remi-

nisce about their

homeland. On the

Fourth of July, this

celebration of the

Independence of

America became a

special day that

not only expressed an appreciation for what America has given so

many people, but also provided a day where Russians from all over

could gather, share, and celebrate their own culture and faith.

Mr. Constantine Sokovich remembers going up to Fort Ross as a

young child, and expressed that this celebration was a field day for

the Russians. The younger Sokovich alluded to the long rough

drive, asserting that the road leading to Ft. Ross, many miles north

of Bodega bay was not paved yet. This journey proved that thi

event was very important for the Russian people and it became a

yearly pilgrimage. Constantine implied that Independence day was

an appropriate day to hold this celebration for what it stands for, bu

that it also became a practical date because it did not conflict regu

larly with the Church calendar and services so that the many priests

and parishioners could attend.

This past 4th of July, 2000 saw many Russians and non-Russians

come together to be at the Liturgy in the small Fort chapel, dedi-

cated to the Holy Trinity. The day, filled with the same sense o

purpose as it did from the events inception now includes many

more non-Russian converts and second and third generation Rus-

sians. However, this celebration continues to provide to all those

Fort Ross 2000By Priest John Ramos

Cont. on p. 16


15/2013

The Orthodox Vision

Perspective on YouthBy Priest Anthony Karbo

One night, thinking that it had already dawned, Sophronius went

out by the monasterys gate and looked towards the outer gate...

There he saw a man, black in appearance and fearful in form. He

wore the garb of a military officer... His eyes were blood red and

shone like flames of fire. His mouth was like that of an ape and his

teeth protruded from his mouth. At his waist he had entwined aroundhim a large serpent, whose head hung down with its tongue hang-

ing out like a sword. On his shoulders there rested galloons

shaped like the heads of asps and on his head he wore a hat, from

which venomous snakes extended their bodies and wrapped them-

selves like hair around his neck. When the abbot Sophronius saw

this, he became petrified from fear...

The above vision took place at a monastery founded by St. Paisius

Velichkovsky (feast day - Nov. 15th) some years after his repose. By

that time the monastics had already grown lax in their discipline -

finances were healthy, the country was at peace, food was plente-

ous, the gardens were beautiful, visitors were generous. By all

worldly accounts the monastery was indeed blessed...

The demon introduces himself to Sophronius as the Chief Com-

mander sent by the Arch-Adversary to wage war against the monks:

Be it known to you...When you make your promises at your ton-

sure, you declare an unseen war on us and you inflict many wounds

on us with your spiritual weaponry. Many times we retreat in

shame, since the flame of your prayers burns us. Now, however, we

no longer fear you...

The demon recalls how, at first, sixty thousand of his ranks were

sent to fight the holy and experienced Paisius and his disciples. Aslong as he was in charge, we had no rest. In spite of all the tempta-

tions, devices and snares that we tried against him, we availed

nothing... . After St. Paisius, however, things let up a bit - and ten

thousand of the enemy hosts were re-assigned. When the monks

became negligent and took more concern for their fields and houses

and vineyards than for their souls, another ten thousand demons

were relieved of their watch. Division was stirred up and some monks

left - a victory celebration for the hosts of darkness, and

more demons took leave. Now comparatively few were

needed to keep watch over the once spiritually powerful

monastery.

Abbot Sophronius groaned within himself and asked,What further need have you to remain with us, seeing

how, as you yourself confess, we have given up our fight?

There is still one thing left that disturbs us.... It is those

filthy rags, those books you have in your library! We live

in fear and trembling lest any of the younger ones ever

take them into his hands and begin reading them. Once

they begin reading those accursed rags, they learn of

your ancient piety ... and the little upstarts begin raging

against us. They learn that the Christians of old, both lay

and monastic, used to pray unceasingly, fast, examine

and confess their thoughts, keep vigil and live as though they were

foreigners and strangers in this world. Then they actually begin

putting that foolishness into practice. Furthermore, they even take

all of the Scriptures seriously.... Our whole concern at present is to

keep people away from spiritual occupations, especially prayer

and the reading of those smoky books.... They are like darts in our

side....

In the days we live in, days of ease, comfort, of seeking after materia

well- being, all the in the supposed name of God - such Patristicwitness takes on special significance. Perhaps at no other time in

history has there been such an abundance of comforts and dis

tractions facing our youth. Sports, scouts, school events, socia

outings and obligations, dating expectations, jobs, not to mention

internet, videos, Nintendo, music... - none of which, in and of them

selves are by any means evil - compete for the hearts, minds, and

time of our young people. Parents run ragged from event to event

fad to fad, hoping to keep even the youngest child happy, well

rounded, and involved. Sunday mornings are no longer sacred, filled

as they are with tournaments, events, obligations and demands on

us all. Our whole concern at present is to keep people away from

spiritual occupations... says the demon to Sophronius. And we

find ourselves responding with the saintly abbot- What further

need have you with us, seeing as we have all but given up ou

fight?... Our children are too busy to be at the Feasts, to active to

worry about the fasts, too occupied to keep even a simple rule of

prayer....

The one thing the Adversary fears more than any other? Those

books! May we parents, church educators, god-parents, and clergy

see to it that our young people have access to those books

specifically, the lives of saints. Let us acquaint them intimately with

the men and women of old who prayed, fasted, confessed, kep

vigil... and took all of the Scriptures seriously! Being part of the

One Church, the One Body of which Christ is the Head, we musenable them to be ONE with those who have gone before them in

faith; to live THE life of the saints, to become saints. It is for us to

produce not future church attendees, but holy men and women

Let us provide for them those books in our church libraries, a

gifts, in family reading times together - that those little upstarts

begin raging against the unseen hosts of darkness on our behalf

and for the salvation of all.cont. on p. 13


16/2014

The Orthodox Vision

The Washington State Orthodox Clergy Association is pleased to

announce the formation of a new web site dedicated to the 40 Ortho-

dox parishes in the northwestern United States. The region is com-

posed of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana and contains all

canonical jurisdictions. The web site can be found at

www.orthodoxnw.com. The site contains directions to each parish

and mission. It links to individual parishs web sites and has useful

information on each parish. The site also contains information for

new visitors to Orthodoxy and helps explain some of the unique

things about worship. Finally, there is a section book reviews, Lenten

recipes and links to other sites of interest. For more information on

the web site, contact Reader Xenios Marckx at Holy Resurrection

Church, PO Box 1332, Puyallup, Washington 98371 or via emai

at [email protected].

New Pan-Orthodox Web Site for the Northwest

In all cases, the facts illustrate that the hard value of this

asset always exceeds this range of my suggested pur-

chase price. If accepted, we would establish a substan-

tial equity position in the project while also lessening

our debt service....

My only suggestion before going forward and placing an offer to

purchase this property, should this

be your desire, would be finding

candidates (priest or layperson)

who may possess the skills in both

the areas of hospitality and fa-

cilities maintenance and opera-

tions.

While it is impossible to predict

the future, I believe this projectcan become a catalyst project for

our diocese, from which, many

other services and charitable pro-

grams can spring.

Fr. Stephen Soot, a professional fund raiser for community

service institutions, sent a letter on Wellspring to be submitted

to this meeting of the Diocesan Council. The letter expressed

his judgment that Wellspring was an extraordinary opportunity

for the Diocese to. create an institution of great impact and

value for the Church, confirming Johns conclusions.

The Council approved the proposal to put together funding

and make an offer. For the down payment, Fr. Nikolai

approached different groups within the Diocese for help.

One group in particular agreeed to help with the

downpayment. Then Fr. Nikolai talked to the Sisters, who

were delighted that the Diocese was serious. They agreed

to remove one obstacle after another, including a signifi-

cantly higher bid for the property from another party, and

later in June accepted our offer.

The City Planning Commission met on July 19 to review

conditional use of Wellspring as a retreat center. Many neigh-

bors of the center attended and showed overwhelming sup-

port for the transaction. The Commission approved the user

permit unanimously. The purchase was completed on July

21, 2000.

Eric and Theresa Patterson have

agreed to move into the facility and

manage itpro tem while a perma-

nent director is sought. Eric is head

chef at a leading restaurant in Las

Vegas, and Theresa has been the

Chancellors secretary for several

years. Both have experience in the

hospitality industry and have proved

themselves eminently competent and

devoted to the Church. Wellspringhas been around so long and touched

the lives of so many, that it enjoys a

surprisingly widespread good repu-

tation in the community. Fr. Deacon

Isidore, newly arrived in Las Vegas, has used the guest logs

the Sisters supplied to call Wellsprings large clientele and

keep up their interest in the center.

Wellspring can now become a part of the life of the Diocese

Low air fares to Las Vegas and the support of a diocesaninstitution make it a natural for diocesan gatherings, from

retreats to assembliesnot only for our diocese, but for

others. It can continue to serve the local community, but

now can start to offer services specifically attractive to Or-

thodox as well. In this way, it could be a great help in the

work of the Church in America. As this era gets underway

we extend a heartfelt thanks to Fr. Nikolai and John Della

Monica for their selfless efforts to bring this to pass. Mat the

new Retreat Center be a place of renewal and witness for

the Diocese for many years to come.

Retreat CenterCont. from p. 3


17/2015

The Orthodox Vision

SonoraCont. from p. 5

Fellowship, crucial to encouraging relationships and new members,

was hindered by not being held on the premises. Even committed

worshipers had to overcome feeling transient in the space. For some

first-time visitors fellowship requiring formal planning and the com-

mitment of leaving the church and making ones way to meet the

group at a restaurant was an intimidating obstacle. Scheduling poseda further challenge to evangelism. As mission members worked to

raise community awareness and encourage attendance, they could

not declare their location and invite the community to attend ser-

vices. Invitations were burdened with reminders of the first-and-

third-Sundays-schedule and further qualified in case of changes in

St. Annes calendar or Fr. Toms assignments. This was a particular

issue for community members who remembered an earlier groups

attempt to found a local mission. Many equated irregular services

with instability and were reluctant to become involved. The missions

members began to dream of a home of their own and the ability to

offer consistent, weekly activities.

An ideal space appeared on the market in a former retreat center

featuring a large hall for worship, an adjacent kitchen/hall for fellow-

ship, ample living quarters for a priest and his family, additional

room for accommodating guests or classes or meetings, appropriate

zoning, adequate parkingall just outside the town of Sonora. The

missions members had just enough time to ponder how they could

marshal the resources to purchase the space before it sold. Ac-

knowledging it was not yet time for such a move, the group resolved

to continue worshiping at St. Annes.

Meantime, Deacon Elias Union of the Antiochian Orthodox Arch-

diocese, his Matushka, Anna, and their daughter, Elizabeth, were

looking for a community in which to re-locate their family and newlyacquired business. Weary of the pace of engineering work and life

in San Francisco, the Unions had recently purchased San Jose Candle

Company, which has been manufacturing church candles and offer-

ing church supplies since 1947. The Unions search for a new home

which would nurture and afford opportunities for service, family

and business led them to the gold country of the Sierra Foothills. In

Tuolumne, God matched the chance to live and work in a rural com-

munity with the opportunity to assist and worship in a vital Ortho-

dox mission. As the Unions scanned the local real estate market for

a facility for San Jose Candle, they came across a site they felt was

full of potential for the mission. It was, in fact, the very site the

mission had looked at earlier, on the market again as the previous

sale had fallen through. Deacon Elias and his family acted as buy-ers, solving the missions dilemma of how to go about structuring

the purchase and simultaneously solving their own need for hous-

ing.

Late in 1999 the entire parish council of The Annunciation Greek

Orthodox Church of Modesto came to visit the Mission in its new

location. The Annunciations Councils subsequent generous do-

nations and loans of liturgical supplies allowed the mission to begin

turning a simple hall into a true house of Orthodox worship. A few

months later, Deacon Elias received permission from the Antiochian

Archdiocese to serve the Orthodox Christian Mission of Sonora on

loan. This permission has enabled the mission to reach its long-held

goal of offering services every Sunday by alternating Liturgy cel

ebrated by Fr. Tom with readers services led by Deacon Elias. A

the mission prepared for its first Pascha, supplies and gifts came

from as far away as Las Vegas.

Today Dr. Craig begins his class for new catechumens with ques

tions about what brought them to Orthodoxy and to this mission

Two of the four catechumensa father and daughter respond im

mediately. I was born into a Russian Orthodox family, the fathe

explains, but we lived in Germany and there were no Orthodox

churches near us so I was raised Roman Catholic. His daughter ha

not been brought up in the church because there were no Orthodox

churches near their previous home. They are delighted to have an

Orthodox mission close to themeven in this rural place. His com

ments are echoed by others. Families with some members raised

Orthodox are finally able to bring other family members to church

Orthodox Christians who have been in the foothills for years have a

church locally to come home to; local people who are drawn to

Orthodoxy have an opportunity to experience an Orthodox Liturgy

Each week reveals yet more work to be undertaken with fear andtrembling and, simultaneously, opportunities to marvel at what i

possible, what has been accomplished through Divine will and the

collaborative efforts of so many, and an affirmation of how much the

work of this mission is needed.

YouthCont. from p. 13

Some Suggestions:

- Check with your priest for recommendations on age appropriate

lives of saints. Buy them, read them, donate them to your church

library. Give them as gifts to your godchildren and follow up on theireading. Do not merely read the life of the saint - if there is a feast, go

to the church that day - venerate the saint, hear the hymns, offer

prayer. Research and learn your patron saints - intentionally name

your children after the saints. Adopt a family patron, a homeschoo

patron, etc. An exceptional resource is The Prologue from Ochrid

by our very own St. Nicholas of South Canaan - I recommend every

household to obtain a copy and read it daily at meals or after family

prayer. It is well worth the investment. Perhaps parishes could spon

sor sets to be purchased on credit. Holy Protection Monastery

will soon have a catalogue out and be a local source not only o

those books, but also of icons of the saints. May it be blessed!


18/2016

The Orthodox Vision

who participate the remembrance and commemoration of those who

paved the way for all Orthodox Christians in this land.

The morning began with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, celebrated

by His Grace, Bishop TIHKON in the fort chapel. Serving with his

Grace was our Chancellor, Archimandrite Nikolai, Fr. Leo Arrowsmith

from the Fremont mission of St. Innocent, and the Heirodeacon

Isidore. The choir, directed by Fr. Stephen Meholick, was com-

posed of several bay area priests as well as of the brothers from the

Monastery of St. John of Shanghai. Directly following the Liturgy

a procession took place to the Ft. Ross Cemetery where his Grace

presided over a Panihkida service. After the conclusion of the

service a representative from the state park presented to His Grace

a document researching who had been buried at the Ft. Ross cem-

etery. A picnic concluded the days events. Parishioners from the

Protection of the Holy Virgin parish in Santa Rosa and St Nicholas

in San Anselmo prepared and barbecued a delightful meal.

Groups of people, including several of our priests, formed ensemblesand sang patriotic songs for the occasion. A state park official was

present to share the history of Ft. Ross and to conclude the day

with the shooting off of Canons.

We were blessed this year with beautiful weather which provided

for some spectacular views of the rugged Coastline as well as the

large Redwoods that covered the rolling California hills to the east.

It would be difficult for one to leave this rustic sight without ac-

knowledging the rich history of the Russian migrs and get a sense

of Gods abounding grace that enabled the spread of Orthodox

Christianity in this land.

The annual celebration will continue next year around the 4th ofJuly as the Diocese will gather again to celebrate the spread of

Orthodoxy in America. We hope that more people will come for this

annual pilgramage as we celebrate the history and the future of the

Diocese of the West. It is truly a remarkable past and an exciting

future!

Fort RossCont. from p. 12

But Mr. Chekenes most fervent passion was the development of

the property known as St. Eugenes Hermitage. His dream began

with the Holy Trinity Cathedral bell tower renovation. He could no

find it in his heart to discard the old bell tower and so he proposed

to give it new life by constructing a new foundation in the form of a

chapel in the woods of Pt. Reyes. Mr. Chekene worked endlessly to

bring his vision to fruition - planning development, supervising

construction and maintaining public awareness through organized

picnics and fundraisers. He cajoled everyone with the requisite

skills to donate their expertise, and he could be found working weekly

side-by-side with Leon von Hauffe, George and Anna Dorian, his

constant companion, Lubov, and many other tireless volunteers

And to those who were at times discouraged by the sheer magni-

tude of the effort, Mr. Chekene could often be heard to say, Your

reward will be in heaven.

The chapel, dedicated to the memory of St. Sergius of Radonezh

was consecrated in 1988 in honor of the Millennium of the Russian

Orthodox Church. During the ceremony Mr. Chekene blinked awaytears of joy as well as tears of regret at what he had left undone. Fo

his dream had not been limited to construction of the chapel; in-

deed, Mr. Chekene had envisioned a complete renovation of the

existing facilities and the creation of a peaceful refuge for his fellow

Orthodox Christians.

ChekeneCont. from p. 5

The Diocese of the WestAnnounces the

2000 Annual Assembly

to be held October 23 to 26

in Las Vegas, Nevada

For more information, contact:

The Office of the Chancellor

5400 Annie Oakley Drive

Las Vegas, NV 89120

(702)898-4800

microphone to Archimandrite Nikolai. Fr. Nikolai commented o

how pleased he was to see so many from other parishes present

and encouraged the people to remain united in their common wit

ness for the Church.

Thus, after a final prayer and blessing from the bishop, St. Anne

10th Anniversary came to a close. According to Fr. Stephen, th

celebration has left an indelible mark on the minds and hearts of th

mission members who hosted it. All the effort that went into prepar

ing for the event produced more than its share of blessings in re

turn. We continue to reap the blessings from the prayers offere

by so many at our patronal feast, and thanks to His Grace, ou

beloved Chancellor and the clergy and faithful who supported us

we are emboldened to carry on the work that lies ahead.

AlbanyCont. from p. 10

If you would like to contribute money in memory of

Constantine Chekene to the Monastery of St. John of

San Francisco, you can send it to the memorial fund set

up in his honor.

Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco

PO Box 563

Point Reyes Station, CA 94956-0563

ATTN: Chekene Memorial Fund


19/20

From the Fathers

O Lord, may Your will be done

Wise in God Archpastors!

As it is known to you, the most Blessed Meleti Patriarch of

Antioch, together with his Holy Sobor, called on my unwor-

thiness many times to accept the grace of the High Order of

the Archbishop in my native Antiochian church, though I

declined this great honor of episcopacy every time, prefer-

ring the laborious service as a missionary priest in a foreign

land to the high episcopate service in my

land and everything that is connected with

the Archbishops Order, great honor and

comparatively better living conditions.

I acted this way because, on the one hand,

I wanted to follow the example of Moses

who, according to the words of the

Apostle, refused to be called the son

of Pharaohs daughter, choosing rather

to share ill treatment with the people of

God on the other hand I had in mind the

words of our Archpriest Jesus Christ who

said, what man of you, having a hun-

dred sheep, if he has lost one of them,

does not leave the 99 in the wilderness,

and go after the one which is lost. So I preferred labor

and suffering rather than comfort and honor for the sake of

spiritual consolation and the salvation of those of my fellow

countrymen who by the incomprehensible will of God are

now scattered in a foreign land, especially those within the

borders of North America who are like sheep without a

Shepherd.

But when this same high episcopate service was proposedto me here in America and among my spiritual children for

the sake of their spiritual betterment I accepted this service

with a feeling of wholehearted appreciation to you my dear

hierarchs, with a sons gratitude toward the Holy Orthodox

All-Russian Synod and the All-Blessed Meleti, Patriarch of

Antioch, with the deepest devotion to His Righteous Em-

peror of All Russia Nicholas the Second the only Protector

and Defender of the Church in the Whole World and with

reverent obedience to the all wise and all blessed Gods will

about me.

This was given by Bishop Raphael in New Yorks Russian Cathedral at the Service of his

Nomination to the Bishop of Brooklyn, Vicar of the Aleut Dioceses on February 28, 1904.

Hence, I accepted and Im accepting now this episcopacy

not for the sake of honor so if I would have been ambitiousthen I would have accepted the archbishops order in my

land in Syria, - not for the sake of self-interest - for by ac

cepting here this high episcopate order my material wealth is

not going to be improved; - not for the sake of comfort and

personal peace, for I know really well how difficult it is to be

a bishop everywhere and at all times and especially during

our time and in this foreign New World. Yes, I hear wha

kind of storms of little faith and waves o

indifference rush to hit the church ship, I also

see what kind of and how many wolves of

unbelief and dishonesty are surroundingChrists flock and are ready to steal them

away. . . But in spite of this and many other

obstacles and difficulties of episcopate ser

vice in America I accepted this service no

being afraid of labor but of idle rest and in

activity, - not of the fight with obstacles and

difficulties, but indifference and apathy in the

face of vivid dangers.

Now when you hear my daring words don

think, Holy Archpastors, that the reason for

them is presumptuous arrogance, - for I

know my shortcomings and that I am weak, - but they come

from strong reliance on the all powerful and all mighty grace

of God, healing infirmities and relighting fires, by

laying your hands, Holy Hierarchs, on my head, it mystically

comes in and dwells and acts in me for my salvation and the

salvation of all my loving children of Gods chosen flock.

It is very cheerful for me that I begin my high service under

your high guidance, Enlightener of the Aleut and North American Diocese. In spite of my shortcomings and weaknesse

you deigned to accept me as a member of your service

Thats why I hope that you as before and as in the future wil

not leave me without your wise precepts and fatherly for

bearance. In these thoughts and hopes I am with readiness

and meekness repeat what I started my speech with O

Lord, may Your will be done.

This document was translated from Russian by Olga Maev of St

Nicholas of South Canaan Mission in Billings, Montana


20/20

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summer 2000 orthodox vision newsletter, diocese of the west

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