Orthodox School Opens its Doors in Wichita
Faculty and students, Christ the Savior AcademyHis Grace Bishop Basil writes:
Christ the Savior Academy opened Monday morning at St. George Cathedral/Wichita, KS. This is the second classical day school in the Diocese of Wichita, the first and oldest being St. Peter's Classical School at St Peter/Fort Worth, TX. Mrs Trent (Jennifer) Sebits, a member of the Cathedral and President of the Academy's Board of Trustees, wrote of Monday's opening: "Thanks be to God! Today marks the fulfillment of the fervent prayers and feverish work of so many people, namely each one of you. As I write this email, the story of our little school opening its doors is reaching online newspapers such as the San Francisco Chronicle, San Diego Bee, San Antonio Express and the Palm Beach Post, not to mention some in Kansas: The Wichita Eagle, Topeka Capital Journal and the Hutch News. After Susanne Tobias of the Wichita Eagle wrote the story, the Associated Press picked it up and newspapers around the country have posted it on their web sites. Please find the story here.
St. Timon Sunday
His Grace Bishop Basil writes:
PLEASE REMEMBER!!! JULY 29th has been designated as 'Saint Timon Sunday' in our Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America. Dn. James Kallail, Coordinator of DOWAMA's Sister Diocese program 'The Hauran Connection,' writes: "This year Sunday, July 29th is the day set aside to remember our brothers and sisters in Christ of the Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran in southern Syria, especially Metropolitan Saba and his clergy. It is also the designated day in our Diocese for fundraising for The Hauran Connection." Need resources for that day or have other questions? Go to www.antiochian.org/hauran or contact Deacon James.
Dr. Samir Cohlmia Releases CD of Chants for the Dormition
Dr. Samir Nouhad Cohlmia, Protopsaltis of the Diocese of Wichita and of S. George Cathedral in Wichita, Kansas, has produced an audio CD of the chants for the great feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. Chanted in both English and Arabic, the CD includes the hymns for Great Vespers (including the doxastikon on the Litiya), Orthros (including the special Marian Polyeleos - Psalm 44 - "A Good Word"), select verses from all three stases of the Lamentations at the Tomb of the Mother of God, and the famous arrangement of the Megalynarion for the Divine Liturgy composed in melismatic tone 1 by the late maestro Andraos Mouaikel (1890-1964), Protopsaltis of St. George Cathedral in Beirut, Lebanon. The CD is available through the Wichita Chancery (1559 N. Woodlawn Street - Wichita, KS 67208-2429) for $15 a copy (which includes postage & handling); check payable to "Dr Samir N. Cohlmia" and ear-marked "Dormition CD."
PowerPoint Presentations on Bosra-Hauran
The following PowerPoint presentations concern our Sister Diocese of Bosra-Hauran in Syria; both presentations are available to download via the links below.
Orthodox Youth Spend Summer Building Homes
June 22, 2012
Houston, TX (IOCC) — The sound of power saws and nail guns mingle with easy laughter and conversation as IOCC Orthodox Action Team volunteers work side by side, building homes and friendships at volunteer home-builds in Houston and Minneapolis. They have traveled from Maryland, Virginia, Georgia and New York to help construct homes for families left homeless by hurricanes in Houston and tornadoes in Minneapolis. Four home building teams have already completed their one-week commitment, with four more summer builds and critical home repairs slated for Minneapolis, Houston, and in Minot, North Dakota, which lost an estimated 1,600 homes to flooding last summer.
The 2012 team builds began in March with a pairing of Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) college students and veterans of previous IOCC builds. The next three builds, including the first ever home built by IOCC volunteers in Minneapolis, also brought together a mix of Orthodox youth with older volunteers.
Memory Eternal! + Florence Kouri
His Grace Bishop Basil writes:
MEMORY ETERNAL! Florence Kouri (nee Cohlmia) of St. George Cathedral/Wichita, KS, mother of Honorary Archdiocesan Trustee Dr. Sammy Kouri and Dr. Harry Kouri, reposed this morning, June 21st, at the age of 98. Condolences may be sent to the family at SKouri@cox.net
The schedule of divine services, all of which will served at St. George Cathedral, is as follows:
TRISAGION & FUNERAL on Sunday, June 24th at 7:00 PM.
TRISAGION & INTERMENT on Monday, June 25th at 11:00 AM. A Meal of Mercy will immediately follow the interment.
Thanksgiving, Awards, Elections and More from the 2012 DOWAMA Parish Life Conference
The Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America held its 2012 Parish Life Conference from June 6-9 in Houston, Texas, courtesy of the generous hosting of St. Joseph Church. His Grace Bishop Basil offers the following letter of thanks. Information regarding the awards bestowed and elections held at the conference may be found below. Click here for a photo gallery from the 2012 conference.
To the Christ-loving Clergy, Monastics and Laity of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America:
I embrace and greet you with a holy kiss in the Name of the Lord Christ. Having just returned to the Chancery from our annual Diocesan Family Reunion – the 2012 DOWAMA Parish Life Conference – I convey blessings and most sincere thanks to Father Joseph & Khouriya Elizabeth Huneycutt, Father James & Khouriya Jennifer Early, Deacon Meletios and our PLC Chair Shamassy Kristi Marx, and all the faithful of St. Joseph Church in Houston, Texas for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality which they extended to the 600+ people who attended the Conference from throughout our Diocese. May God the All-holy Trinity richly reward them for all they have done to help build up the Body of Christ here in America’s Heartland. Many years!
Workshop on "Ten Interesting Facts on US Orthodox Churches from the FACT Study"
Presented by Alexei Krindatch at the 2012 Diocese of Wichita Parish Life Conference:
Orthodox Reality in America
Key note presentation at the 2012 Dioces of Wichita Parish Life Conference by Alexei Krindatch:
Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Santa Fe Purchases Community House
Bethany House, Santa Fe, New MexicoKiera Hay, Albuquerque Journal North reporter, writes:
It’s not a monastery. It’s not a retreat.
Rather, Holy Trinity Orthodox Church’s new Bethany House, located on an acre of prime Cordova Road real estate in Santa Fe, is an intentional community.
It’s for “people who have embraced the Orthodox faith,” who have committed to “living in prayer and with the church” and want to form meaningful relationships with each other, Holy Trinity’s Very Rev. John Bethancourt said.
Intentional communities are relatively common across both the religious and secular spectrum as places where like-minded people can live around certain ideals and goals.
For Holy Trinity, Bethany House is where unmarried members of the church can create a deeper sense of community and faith.