IN THE NEWS: Connecticut, NY, Texas, Wisconsin, Indiana
NEW BRITAIN, CT: Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Holy Trinity Church
On the second weekend of October 2013, the faithful of Holy Trinity Church, New Britain, CT, celebrated the 100th anniversary of the laying of their church’s cornerstone and the 111th anniversary of the parish’s establishment. It was on October 12, 1913, that His Eminence, Archbishop Platon, blessed the cornerstone of what at that time was the parish’s new church.
His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon and His Eminence, Archbishop Nikon, presided at the anniversary services and events. Joining them were Archpriest David Koles, rector; Archpriest John Kreta, Chancellor of the Diocese of New England; Priest James Parnell, an Army Chaplin with the CT National Guard attached to the parish; Priest Antony Gori, retired, Kingston, MA, who as a deacon had been attached to the parish; former rector, Archpriest Sergius Kuharsky, retired; and former attached priest, Archpriest Steven Voytovich, now Dean of Saint Tikhon’s Seminary. Also serving were Protodeacon Paul Nimcheck, Saints Cyril and Methodius Church, Terryville, CT, and Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak.
During the celebration, Metropolitan Tikhon presented a Synodal Gramota to Father Koles and the parish’s faithful. Father Koles also was awarded the right to wear the jeweled cross, while Father Voytovich was awarded the right to wear the palitsa.
EAST MEADOW, NY: Orthodox Christians participate in CROP Hunger Walk
Faithful from three Long Island parishes took part in the Fourth Annual CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Hunger Walk in Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, NY on Saturday, October 19, 2013.
Sponsored by the humanitarian aid organization Church World Service, some 80 to 90 faithful pursued a one or two mile course to raise funds to feed the hungry and provide resources to help citizens of impoverished countries to grow better crops in an effort to raise their standard of living.
Among the parishes represented in the walk were the OCA’s Holy Trinity Church, East Meadow, NY, led by Arlene Kallaur, walk coordinator, and Priest Martin Kraus, rector. Joining them were Archpriest John Jillions, OCA Chancellor, and Matushka Denise. Also participating were clergy and faithful from Holy Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church, Brookville, NY, and Saint Paul Greek Orthodox Church, Hempstead, NY. Members of the Young Adult League, who were attending a diocesan conference at Saint Paul’s, also joined the walkers, along with some 20 members of the Uniondale High School Key Club.
Hot soup and other refreshments were served after the walk, which ended with an impromptu songfest. Mrs. Kallaur noted that some 1,200 walks are held across the country each year – fifteen of them conducted on Long Island alone. She added that up to 25% of the funds raised through walks are given to local concerns to assist food pantries, community gardens and other hunger-fighting initiatives. This year’s funds will be given to the Long Island Council of Churches, which maintains food pantries in Freeport and Riverhead and continues to be very active in assisting Hurricane Sandy victims.
DALLAS, TX: Former SVOTS Dean’s presentations open to public
Archpriest John Erickson, former Dean of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY, will deliver two public presentations at Saint Seraphim Cathedral, Dallas, TX on Wednesday, October 30, 2013.
At noon, Father John will speak on the topic, “Does Christian Marriage have a Future?” in which he will explore aspects of marriage that challenge Orthodox Christians today. At 7:00 p.m. that evening, he will speak on “Christian Tradition in a Post Modern World.”
Father John is the Peter N. Gramowich Professor of Church History, Emeritus. He taught at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary from 1973 until his retirement in 2009.
The presentations are being offered in conjunction with a two-day meeting of the clergy of the Southcentral [Dallas] Deanery of the Diocese of the South.
KENOSHA, WI: Parish reaches out to VA patients
Saint Nicholas Church, Kenosha, WI, recently reached out through one of its members, Bernard Herman Prouty, an employee of the Milwaukee VA Hospital, to place Orthodox Christian icons and prayerbooks in its facility chapel.
Priest Stephen Hrycyniak, pastor of Saint Nicholas Church, blessed the icons and, together with Mr. Prouty, made arrangements with the head chaplain to have them properly placed within a side chapel that serves Catholic—and now Orthodox Christian—patients and staff members.
“Saint Nicholas parish has a number of military veterans among its members, and in light of the current government shut-down, the impact of which has left a sour taste in the mouth of many service members, it was particularly timely to focus some attention on the faith needs of our veterans,” said Father Stephen.
MERRILLVILLE, IN: New icon of Pantocrator blessed
His Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel, recently blessed a new icon of the Pantocrator at the Descent of the Holy Ghost Church, Merrillville, IN.
According to Priest Thomas Frisby, rector, the icon, which measures approximately 12’ x 12’, is the work of Mother Theodora [Balaban], a talented iconographer who immigrated to the US from Romania several years ago. It is suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the nave. Since the church does not have a dome, a special frame and suspension system was fabricated by Mother Theodora and her assistants.