Bishop MARK

Bishop MARK was born on June 22, 1958 to John L Maymon and Catherine Hoffman at St Edward’s Hospital in New Albany, Indiana. He is the fifth of eight children. Bishop MARK was baptized in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church in 1958, and confirmed when he was nine. After attending elementary school (grades 1-8) at our Lady of Perpetual Help, he began attending New Albany High School, graduating in 1976.

The following fall he began studies at Indiana University South East, later completing undergraduate studies at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree Majoring in Biblical Literature with an emphasis in Old Testament, and with a Minor in Business Administration, graduating Summa Cum Laude in May of 1985. In 1987, he completed the requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Biblical Literature with the emphasis in Old Testament at Oral Roberts University. He graduated with Honors and was named Old Testament Student of the Year.

Upon graduating from the Seminary, Bishop MARK was offered, and accepted the position of Adjunct Professor of Old Testament at Oral Roberts University. His responsibilities included teaching Old Testament and New Testament Survey for all incoming freshman, as well as Biblical Hebrew I & II, Hebrew Prophets, Old Testament Introduction, The History of Israel, Wisdom Literature, Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations and Old Testament Theology. He was also responsible for the oversight of fourteen graduate fellows and co-taught Teaching Methodologies.

During his studies at Oral Roberts University, Bishop MARK was introduced to the Orthodox Church in his Church History class, by the V. Rev. George Eber, pastor of St. Antony in Tulsa, OK. Through contact with the Orthodox Church, he saw the Scripture less and less as the book of the university and more and more the Book of the Church. Fr. George invited him to ‘come to the Church that gave us the Bible.’ Listening to the wonderful hymnology of the Orthodox Church at Great Vespers, Matins and Divine Liturgy, the Scriptures were opened in an entirely different way.

Additionally, the Orthodox presented God as a loving Father and Shepherd who comes searching for those who are lost. Many personal struggles, unconquered through the academic study of the Scripture, began to dissipate as he learned how to struggle more effectually through the School of Repentance during Great Lent. On Great and Holy Wednesday in 1989, he was officially received into the Orthodox Church through Holy Chrisimation.

Being newly Chrismated, already 31 years of age, he requested Metropolitan PHILIP’s blessing to attend St Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary. With the blessing of His Eminence, Bishop MARK completed the degree requirements for the Master of Divinity Degree at St Vladimir’s in 1991 and spent an additional year studying Church History and Patristics, under the direction of Fr. John Meyendorff. During the summers of 1991 and 1992, Bishop MARK worked at the Antiochian Village, under the direction of Fr. Paul Finley and Fr. George Alberts. He also developed the curriculum for the Christian Education programs for the summer camp programs (1991-1993).

After working at the Antiochian Village Camp and Conference Center, as weekend manager from 1992 to 1993, he moved to New Kensington, PA. There he assisted Fr. John Abdalah with services, taught Bible studies, enquirer classes and served on the parish council. He also began working as a counselor in mental health, dealing with dual diagnosis patients, i.e., those with both mental illness and substance abuse issues.

In the summer of 1997, Bishop MARK yearned to offer himself to the work of our Lord more fully and petitioned for Ordination to the priesthood, asking to serve, St. John the Evangelist Church in Beaver Falls, PA. On August 17,1997, he was ordained by the hand of His Grace Bishop ANTOUN at St Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church in Wilkes Barre, PA and to the Holy Priesthood at St George in Pittsburgh, PA. on September 07, 1997. He was assigned to St John the Evangelist in Beaver Falls, PA from September 1997 through December 31, 2000. In January of 2001, he was assigned to assist Fr. John Estephan at St. George in Grand Rapids, MI, until Fr. John’s retirement in December of 2002. Upon Fr. John’s retirement, Bishop MARK assumed all the responsibilities for the pastorate of St George.

Bishop MARK was nominated to the sacred episcopacy at a Special Convention of the Antiochian Archdiocese held in Pittsburgh, PA in July, 2004, and was elected to the episcopacy by the Local Synod of Bishops in October, 2004. He was consecrated as a bishop at the hand of His Beatitude IGNATIUS IV, Patriarch of Antioch and All The East at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Damascus Syria on December 5, 2004.

Bishop MARK was enthroned at St. George Cathedral, Toledo, OH on Thursday, August 25, 2005.