November 2010
Priest Peter Milanovich Falls Asleep in the Lord
November 26
(Orlando, Longwood, FL) Priest Fr Peter Milanovich, retired priest and attached to St Stephen the Protomartyr Church here, fell asleep in the Lord on November 24. Priest Daniel Hickman, rector of St. Stephen’s announced the funeral service schedule as follows:
Friday, November 26 - 6:00pm Visitation at Funeral Home
Saturday, November 27 - 10:am Divine Liturgy with burial to follow
Friday visitation will be at Banfield Funeral Home, 420 W. State Rd 434, Winter Springs, FL 32708
Saturday’s Divine Liturgy will be at St. Stephen’s. For more information one may contact Father Hickman at 407-388-4241
With the souls of the righteous departed O Lord, give rest to the soul of thy servant, Priest Peter. May his memory be eternal!
DOS Representatives Continue Dialogue With ACNA
November 10
(Dallas, TX) His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah recently received an Honorary Doctorate from Nashotah House in Wisconsin. The most traditional of Anglican seminaries in the USA, Nashotah House has a long history of contacts with the Orthodox Church dating back to St. Tikhon when he was the Russian bishop in the USA.
Although a seminary of The Episcopal Church (TEC), “The House” has long been an outspoken critic of the ordination of women and practicing gays to orders in the Episcopal church. Such a stance in recent years cost the school dearly as enrollment plummeted, however in recent years and with the establishment of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) enrollment is again growing, especially from students of the Anglican Diocese of Fort Worth, which is being hounded by legal battles led by TEC over property as Diocese of Fort Worth parishes exit TEC over doctrinal and ecclesiological issues.
His Beatitude and Archpriest Chad Hatfield, a graduate of Nashotah House, were present for the 2010 Academic Convocation at which the Metropolitan received his Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa. Father Hatfield delivered the sermon at the liturgy encouraging the students and faculty to stand fast for the Truth against the onslaught of relativism destroying the Episcopal church.
In conjunction with the Convocation, members of the Diocese of the South continued their dialogue with representatives of the ACNA in the wake of His Beatitude’s presentation to the forming ACNA Convention in 2009 in Texas. The OCA, Diocese of the South was represented by Archpriest Joseph Fester, DOS Chancellor, Priest John Parker, Mt. Pleasant, SC., and Deacon Gregory Norris of St Seraphim Cathedral in Dallas. The lead delegate from the OCA was Father Hatfield.
Progress was marked at the meetings with ACNA representatives, headed by Bishop Ray Sutton of Dallas, TX, who reported that the ACNA has recommended to its synod of Bishops that the original form of the Creed be prayed in all ACNA churches. Thus the “filioque” would no longer be added. A series of educational programs on the original creed as crafted by the first and second Ecumenical Councils are being planned.
In other meeting developments, as a result of the Concord signed between St. Vladimir’s Seminary and Nashotah House a proposal for two convocations one at St. Vladimir’s in 2011 and the second at Nashotah House in 2012 be offered with academic papers on issues of faith and practice between Anglicans and Orthodox presented.
Metropolitan Jonah Visits Two Oklahoma Parishes
November 8
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(Bixby, OK) His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah has concluded his Archpastoral weekend trip to Holy Apostles Church. The Metropolitan arrived on Friday, November 5 and offered a lecture at Grace Lutheran Church in Tulsa on the Orthodox Faith.
On Saturday, November 6, His Beatitude, accompanied by Priest Ambrose Arrington, Rector of Holy Apostles and a group of faithful from the parish travelled to the oldest parish in the DOS, Sts Cyril and Methodius Church in Hartshorne, OK. Sts Cyril and Methodius is also the oldest Orthodox Church in the Oklahoma. His Beatitude celebrated the Divine Liturgy there and afterwards spoke with the Hartshorne faithful about the possibility of a new women’s monastic community being established in Hartshorne. The community embraced the vision with great enthusiasm.
On Saturday evening, His Beatitude traveled back to Bixby for Great Vespers and then on Sunday led the community in worship at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at which time Priest Ambrose Arrington was awarded the Gold Cross for his faithful service as rector of Holy Apostles. Also at the Liturgy, His Beatitude performed two Reader tonsurings. Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak and Deacon Steven Kroll assisted His Beatitude at the Liturgy. A celebratory luncheon followed the Liturgy before His Beatitude departed back to New York on Sunday evening.
Rock Hill, SC Mission Outreach Ready to Launch!
November 7
(Rock Hill, SC) With the blessing of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, Locum Tenens of the Diocese of the South, a new mission station is ready to officially launch its ministry in the southern suburbs of Charlotte, NC. Under the guidance of Priest Paul Coats, the Rock Hill Orthodox Mission Outreach will celebrate its first Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos in the Temple on November 21.
“We have been celebrating Vespers since the summer,” states Father Coats, “and we have been blessed with a small and committed group of faithful, already including one catechumen.”
The Rock Hill Mission Outreach is part of a planned effort growing out of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin Mary Church in Charlotte. “We are most grateful for the active support of Priest Bill Mills and the faithful of Holy Virgin Mary in Charlotte," says Father Paul.
Archpriest Marcus Burch, dean of the Carolinas Deanery and OCA Mission Director is also helping in guiding the new mission outreach. According to Father Marcus, “Rock Hill is a natural place for a new mission to be planted.”
Now, with a suitable location to now hold the Divine Liturgy, the newest missionary outreach of the DOS is poised to bring the Orthodox Faith to Rock Hill! May the Lord richly bless this new effort.
For more information on the Rock Hill Mission Outreach, click here.
2011 DOS Pastoral Conference Date Announced
November 4
(Dallas, TX) His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, Locum Tenens of the Diocese of the South has announced the location and date of the 2011 DOS Pastoral Conference. Holy Resurrection Church in Clinton, MS. will be the host parish with the Conference beginning on February 15 and ending on February 17. His Beatitude also announced that Protodeacon Kirill Sokolov will be one of the Conference presenters leading liturgical practicums for deacons.
His Beatitude is strongly encouraging all diocesan deacons to make every effort to participate in the Pastoral Conference, especially those who are currently participating in the OCA Diaconal Vocation Program.
Additional Conference and hotel reservation information will be forthcoming, but for now, SAVE THE DATE and plan on participating.
Archbishop Dmitri Celebrates the 7th Anniversary of His 80th Birthday!
November 2
(Dallas, TX) His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri, Retired Hierarch of the Diocese of the South celebrated his 87th Birthday today at St. Seraphim Cathedral. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Cathedral Dean, Archpriest Joseph Fester. Area clergy and faithful worshiped at the Liturgy and gathered for fellowship at the Cathedral hall after the services. This Sunday, after Liturgy there will be a parish-wide celebration of His Eminence's birthday. If you would like to send His Eminence a birthday card, please do so by sending it to Archbishop Dmitri, c/o St Seraphim Cathedral PO Box 191109, Dallas, TX 75219.
