Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese

Hauran Connection Sunday School Materials Online

The Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America's Hauran Connection web page has been updated with a collection of Sunday School materials pertaining the the Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran. These materials include lesson plans, a map and poster, and a message from His Eminence Metropolitan SABA, as well as materials for pre-kindergarten through high school levels. The materials were developed by Sally Buxton of St. George Cathedral in Wichita, KS. The power of the message they present will be strengthened if these materials are combined with prayers for the children and families of the Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran. Some teachers also have collected donations from their children for the children of our Sister Diocese. May God bless your ministry to His children.

Some Reminders from the 2009 PLC Committee

Requests from our 2009 PLC Committee at St Mary/Wichita, KS:

If you would prefer vegetarian meals at the Parish Life Conference, June 10-13 (the fast-free week after Pentecost), please inform Fellowship President JUDY STANLEY (jstanleyfacs@yahoo.com) as soon as possible so that she can compile a count for them.
Registration forms are being received without the $10 registration fee included. Please remind your parishioners that this must be add to all registration forms for anyone over the age of 12 years old.
Please get your ads for the PLC's Souvenir Journal submitted as soon as possible. Questions or comments? Contact PLC Chair HELEN STITT at hastitt@sktc.net

Bishop BASIL Celebrates Sunday of Orthodoxy with Fellow Hierarchs

The hierarchs reading the Synodikon of Orthodoxy.

On Sunday, March 8, 2009, Bishop BASIL of the Antiochian Archdiocese, Metropolitan ISAIAH of the Greek Archdiocese and Archbishop DMITRI of the OCA gathered at St. George Cathedral in Wichita, Kansas to celebrate the Triumph of Orthodoxy.

Photos courtesy of Subdeacon Vladimir Grigorenko of St. Seraphim Cathedral, Dallas, TX.

DOWAMA Antiochian Women Featured in DIAKONIA

The Spring 2009 issue of DIAKONIA, the quarterly newsletter of the Antiochian Women of North America, features the Antiochian Women of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America (DOWAMA). Click here to read the Spring 2009 issue!

St. Luke Church Breaks Ground on New Temple

Bishop BASIL writes:

This past Saturday, February 14th, 2009, I visited with Fr. David Mustian and the good people of St. Luke/Lafayette, CO to break ground and plant the Cross at the site of their proposed new church temple in the nearby town of Erie, CO. Clergy from our Rocky Mountain Deanery and from other jurisdictions were in attendance, as well as over 250 lay folk, including the mayor of Erie, the town council and other town officials.

Father David and Building Committee Chair Mrs. Kirk (Lisa) Tatusko report that the congregation hopes to be in the new facility by their patronal feast day on October 18th. May it be blessed!

2009 St. Raphael Clergy Brotherhood Retreat

Bishop BASIL writes:

It was a great joy to be with Bishop MARK and so many of you this past week at our DOWAMA St. Raphael Clergy Brotherhood Retreat at the Spiritual Life Center in Wichita, KS. Those of you who, for a variety of reasons, were unable to attend were truly missed!

2010 DOWAMA Clergy Brotherhood Retreat

The 38^th Annual DOWAMA Clergy Brotherhood Retreat

February 2-5, 2010

The Spiritual Life Center – 7100 East 45^th Street, North – Wichita, Kansas – (316) 744-0167

"What is man, that Thou shouldest magnify him and the Thou shouldest set Thine heart upon him?"

Mark your calendars now! our featured speaker will be Archimandrite Zacharias of Essex, and his topic will be "What is man, that Thou shouldest magnify him and the Thou shouldest set Thine heart upon him? (Job 7:17): Fulfillment of Personhood according to Elder Sophrony of Essex." This is another Brotherhood Retreat you certainly will not want to miss!

Updates to St. Raphael Clergy Brotherhood Web Site

Bishop BASIL writes:

Please note that our St. Raphael Clergy Brotherhood's Liturgical Resources web site has been redesigned and has a new address: http://www.dowama.org/. Many and most sincere thanks to Reader John Michael Press of Ss. Peter and Paul/Topeka, KS who has served as our web master since the site's inception.

Basil Esper: Memory Eternal!

Bishop BASIL writes:

Dear to Christ, Fathers and Brothers:

Blessings.

Basil Esper of the Syrian port city of Lattakiya, the father of His Eminence Metropolitan SABA of Bosra-Hauran, fell asleep in Christ on Saturday, December 13th. Please join me in praying a rope for the repose of his soul, saying, "O Lord Jesus Christ, grant rest to the soul of Thy departed servant."

May his memory be eternal, and may you be granted long life.

In Christ Who is our Resurrection and our Life,

+ B A S I L
Bishop of Wichita and the Diocese of Mid-America
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

DOWAMA's 2009 College Mission Trip: Bosra-Hauran

As part of the sister diocese relationship between the Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran and the Diocese of Wichita and Mid America, Father Richard Petranek of St. Paul Church and Father Matthew MacKay of St. Joseph Church of Houston, Texas, have been blessed by Metropolitan PHILIP of New York, Metropolitan SABA of Bosra, and Bishop BASIL of Wichita to lead a group of eighteen college age students from the Diocese of Mid- America on a Mission Trip to the ancient Archdiocese of Bosra in southwest Syria.

The purpose of the two week Mission Trip (May 24th-June 7th, 2009) is to join with Metropolitan SABA and his clergy and laity who are valiantly laboring to rebuild the church temples, shrines and ministries of the Archdiocese. Our group will assist in refurbishing some of the church temples and properties of this ancient See. In addition, the group will go on pilgrimage to several of the most famous monasteries, shrines and historical sites of the Patriarchate of the Great City-of-God Antioch and all the East.

In addition to work projects, the young people will also make pilgrimage to many of the most revered holy sites within our Patriarchate, including the house chapel of St. Ananias where the Holy Apostle Paul was baptized and the Patriarchal Cathedral and residence in Damascus, the women's monasteries of Our Lady in Saydnaya and St. Thekla in Ma'aloula, the men's monastery of St. George Al-Humayrah in the "Valley of the Christians," the reliquary shrine of the Martyr and Unmercenary Healer St. Julian (Mar Ilyan) in Homs. The group will return to the U.S. in time to attend our Parish Life Conference in Wichita where they, along with Metropolitan SABA, will share their experiences with us.

Cost is $2,000.00 per person (including round-trip airfare from Houston, lodging and meals).

It is our hope that we will have young people from every DOWAMA Deanery on this trip!