Bishop BASIL Missions Endowment Fund
Each year during the Nativity season, all congregations in the Diocese of Wichita are requested to solicit contributions from all of their individual parishioners and parochial organizations for this worthy endeavor, which provides assistance to mission priests throughout the Diocese.
Every year we have the opportunity to celebrate the feast of St. Basil the Great and honor our own Bishop BASIL by donating to the Bishop BASIL Missions Endowment Fund.
It began in 1975 when the Southwest Region (name at that time) wanted to increase awareness of the need for mission work in the Region. At that time, the Southwest Region consisted of only 8 communities (our Diocese now numbers 51 congregations). Pledges were made to the "Missions Fund", and in 1977 Father Michael Wellborn was partially funded by the Region and assigned to the Region's first mission, Three Hierarchs in New Orleans, Louisiana (renamed St. Basil and relocated to Metairie, Louisiana). In 1978 a "Region Missions Blitz Weekend" was held in Dallas, Texas, resulting in the founding that very weekend of the Region's second mission, Ss. Constantine and Helen in Dallas. The Region also helped fund their first priest, Father Anthony Nelson. Over the years, the Region has funded many missions and helped fund their priests.
He is Worthy!
His Grace with Dn. Michael and Shamassy Melanie SakranOn Thursday, November 12, 2009, during the Divine Liturgy for the commemoration of St. John Chrysostom, Bishop BASIL ordained to the holy diaconate Michael Sakran, a DOWAMA vocation at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, at his home parish of St. George in Houston, Texas.
Report from the DOWAMA SOYO Basketball Tournament
The gymnasium at St. Elijah in Oklahoma City was bouncing with activity as more than 150 teens and advisers gathered for the third annual DOWAMA SOYO Basketball Tournament. SOYO members traveled from El Paso, Houston, Denver, Wichita, Omaha and everywhere in between to attend this wonderful event and retreat.
Fr. Michael Nasser served as the retreat speaker for the weekend. He talked with the teens about "Maintaining Faith in Chaos." Everyone in attendance was enlightened by his words of wisdom on how we can make our lives more focused on Christ while living in a world with many distractions.
AXIOS!
Bishop BASIL writes:
AXIOS! Fr. Michael Pavez of St. Michael Church in Beaumont, TX will be elevated to the dignity of Archpriest on the feast of the Archangel Michael - Sunday, November 8th.
HE IS WORTHY! On the evening of Thursday, November 12th, during the Divine Liturgy for the commemoration of St. John Chrysostom, Michael Sakran, a DOWAMA vocation at St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, will be ordained by me to the holy diaconate at his home parish of St. George in Houston, TX.
MOUSTAHIQ! On Sunday, November 29th, our DOWAMA and Cathedral Youth Director Camille Anthony Baba, a DOWAMA vocation and a graduate of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, will be ordained by me to the holy diaconate at St. George Cathedral in Wichita, KS.
2009 DOWAMA Fall Gathering and SOYO Basketball Tournament + October 23-25
The 2009 DOWAMA Fall Gathering and SOYO Basketball Tournament will be hosted at St. Elijah/Oklahoma City, OK on the weekend of October 23rd-25th. Please distribute the material previously provided to you concerning this event to your parish organizations and congregation. Questions? Contact Judy Stanley of St. George Cathedral/Wichita, KS (jstanleyfacs@yahoo.com), president of the DOWAMA Fellowship of St. John the Divine.
Our Lady of Walsingham Pilgrimage: October 17 + Mesquite, TX
Bishop BASIL writes:
Please join me for the annual Our Lady of Walsingham Pilgrimage on Saturday, October 17th, at the Church of Our Lady/Mesquite, TX. Questions? Contact Fr. Daniel Keller, proistamenos.
AXIOS!
AXIOS! Fr. Mark Haas of St. James the Brother-of-the-Lord Church in Fort Collins, CO was elevated to the dignity of Archpriest on Sunday, September 13th.
DOWAMA Procedural Documents Online
Bishop BASIL wites:
As is my practice at the start of each Church Year, I have attached hereto IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS which you are asked to download, share with your appropriate parish officers, members and employees, and then file for future reference. These document are available at www.antiochian.org/DOWAMA/Policies. Included are:
a - Archdiocesan Guidelines & Procedures Concerning Clergy Sexual Misconduct
b - Rules & Procedures Concerning the Archdiocesan Spiritual Court
c - The Archpastoral Directive Concerning the Time of Church School
d - Guidelines Concerning a Visitation by a Bishop
Mission of Midland-Odessa Featured in the Odessa American
The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Mission of Midland and Odessa was featured in a recent edition of the Odessa American newspaper:
The new church gives Odessa a taste of the Middle East.
Since October 2008, the group of church members has met for a full communion service once or twice a month with traveling priest the Very Rev. Michael Keiser, who lives in Florida. The other weeks, a Bible study and smaller prayer and singing services are scheduled, including the practice of traditional Byzantine chants...
Fr. Joseph Huneycutt and Kh. Gigi Shadid on Orthodox Christian Network
Come Receive the Light - The Nationally Syndicated Land Based Radio Program - On this week's CRTL podcast: Fr. Chris speaks with Fr. Joseph Huneycutt of St. George Church in Houston, Texas on his book Defeating Sin: Overcoming Our Passions and Changing Forever. The Fathers describe this essential effort as the path to godliness--"theosis" in the Orthodox faith. You won't want to miss this powerful message! In a short segment, Gigi Shadid talks about her music, faith and teaching. Gigi Shadid is an educator, a Khouria, and a musician with two CDs of Orthodox children's music.
Fr. Joseph Huneycutt may also be heard regularly on Ancient Faith Radio's Orthodixie podcast. He is also the author of the Orthodixie blog.