Colorado Women's Retreat with Author Lynette Smith
Camp St. Laurence near Canon City, CO
September 30-October 2, 2011
Download Flyer and Registration Form (PDF)
A Women’s Retreat with Lynette Smith and her book Voyage will be offered at Camp St. Laurence near Canon City, Colorado from Friday afternoon, 30 September, and concluding with Sunday Liturgy and brunch, followed by quiet time and departures for home.
Camp St. Laurence is an entire mountain valley surrounding Tallahassee Creek about twenty miles west of Canon City off Hwy 50. The valley is surrounded by National Forests and very quiet while revealing much of what makes Colorado such a beautiful and appealing place with great forests on the hillsides and cottonwoods and aspens along the creek. Lodging and meals are included in the modest tuition of $ 75 for a shared room. Private rooms are $95 and available on a first come basis.
Lynette Smith is a recognized Bible scholar and author and very committed to the Orthodox Christian Faith. She is a member of the choir at St. Columba’s Church in Lafayette, Colorado and has taught at other Orthodox parishes in the Diocese of Wichita.
For more information and a registration form, please download the event flyer (PDF).
2011 DOWAMA SOYO Basketball Tournament
5th Annual DOWAMA SOYO Basketball Tournament & Retreat
St. Elijah Church, Oklahoma City, OK
October 7-9, 2011
Featuring Speaker Alex Younes
What you need to know…
- Registration is only $20 but…
- …we’ll be staying in a hotel so you will need to pay for that (See flyer)
- Team registration cost is $50
- Individual registration and medical form MUST be turned in BEFORE the deadline of October 1st!
Please send release forms and team registration forms to:
St. Elijah Orthodox Church
Attn: ERIN LEARNED
15000 N. May Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73134
Questions? Contact DOWAMA Youth Director Erin Learned at erin@stelijahokc.com.
Mary, Our Cause of Rejoicing
By His Grace Bishop Basil
Mary the Theotokos is very close to my heart, and, I am certain, close to the hearts of all who love her Son, Jesus. I can hardly think of her name without tears.
On the Eve of his Retirement, Fr. Constantine Nasr Profiled in NewsOK.com
Fr. Constantine Nasr with his Church history timelineThe August 6, 2011 Religion section of NewsOK published a profile of retiring priest Fr. Constantine Nasr written by reporter Carla Hinton. Hinton explains in the feature post that Fr. Constantine and Kh. Sharon have served the community of St. Elijah for 29 years, and Father will preach his last homily on August 14.
Assistant Priest Fr. Jeremy Davis is quoted as saying, “In terms of his legacy, he is the longest-serving priest at St. Elijah in its history....When he came here 29 years ago, the parish was divided, there were financial problems, lots of angst and turmoil. Now he leaves the parish in place of peace and harmony, in good standing.”
The article explains that Fr. Constantine has been noted for his ministry of developing young men for the ministry. Hinton writes, "...he saw St. Elijah's as a sort of training center because so many students and seminarians made their way there over the years in search of guidance and fellowship." Considered a hub for evangelism and outreach, the parish-under Fr. Constantine's leadership-spearheaded a 2009 pan-Orthodox evangelistic effort in the Oklahoma City area, "Discover Original Christianity."
The article concludes, "Nasr said he is excited about discovering the new ways the Lord will use him after he leaves the pastoral ministry. He said his excitement stems from his observation that numerous people are being drawn to the Orthodox Christian Church these days."
Camp Saint Raphael Concludes 11th Season
Bishop Basil reports:
DOWAMA'S CAMP SAINT RAPHAEL (Ya Boy!) just concluded its 11th summer season. On behalf of our Clergy Brotherhood and entire Diocese I convey most sincere thanks to CSR's Executive Director GAYLE MALONE (gayle@campstraphael.org) and Camp Director FATHER JAMES SHADID (fatherjames@stgeorgecathedral.net) and all the volunteer counselors and staff members for all they do for our children and young people. Many years! Here follows a note from Father James as well as several photos from CSR's 2011 season. "Dearest Sayyidna BASIL, thanks be to God, another wonderful two weeks of CSR has happened. Though our time at camp has ended, the memories will last forever! Thank you, Sayyidna and all members of our DOWAMA Clergy Brotherhood, for the prayers and support you have always given the Camp. We are especially grateful for the wonderful priests you sent (Fathers Mark Haas & Joseph Huneycutt and Fathers Anthony Baba & David Lewis) to minister to the children and staff. They were phenomenal! We had over 150 campers each session from all over the Diocese. Videos from this year's two sessions can be viewed at Session ONE: www.youtube.com/watch?v=c... and Session TWO: www.youtube.com/watch?v=o... Again thank you for all the love and support. Your son, Father James"
Early Bird Registration for 2011 DOWAMA PLC Ends May 15
A note form Fr. Daniel Bethancourt of St. Nicholas in Shreveport, LA: "Christ is risen! Please remember that PLC Early Bird Registration ends this Sunday, May 15th. The brothers might consider announcing that in their parishes this Sunday. Registration may be done online at www.antiochianevents.org/61 Thank you! Forgive me, Priest Daniel" Father Daniel may be contacted at frdanielb@gmail.com
A note from Dr. Nada Farah, president of DOWAMA's Fellowship of St John the Divine: "Dear Bishop Basil: Christ is risen! Please remind our clergy that 2011 PLC Parish Delegate/Report Forms are to be returned to me ASAP at nadafarah@abdentaltx.com These forms as needed so that we can have accurate reporting of Diocesan statistics duringthe General Assembly at the PLC in Shreveport next month. I have received only 15 of 50. Thank you. Yours in Christ, Nada"
Conciliar Releases Marriage Book by Fr. Constantine Nasr
An important new resource has just been produced for Orthodox couples. In Mastering the Art of Marriage: Staying Together When the World Pulls You Apart, Antiochian priest Fr. Constantine Nasr (St. Elijah, Oklahoma City) writes about the love, commitment and hard work involved in making marriages last. "As a pastor for the last 38 years," he notes, "I have had many young couples discuss their plans for marriage with me. I have seen their joy, their excitement and their eagerness to enter into marriage. During the same 38 years I have had many married couples come to me with their marriages in trouble. These same young couples that had been filled with happiness were now filled with anger, distrust and pain. It is staggering to hear that two out of three marriages will end in divorce. It is not the statistic that staggers me. It is the massive pain of divorce that staggers me."
Fr. Constantine continues, "The old signs that guided couples are gone. Today young couples head off in any number of directions hoping it will lead to happiness. Sadly, those roads most often lead to divorce."
Bishop Michael Dahulich of the Orthodox Church in America calls the book "...a resource masterpiece (which) combines the wisdom of the Scripture and the Holy Fathers throughout the centuries and the guidance of modern scholarship and marriage counseling from our own time."
Paschal Greetings from the Assembly of Bishops
Pascha at the Holy SepulchreAnd he said to them, 'Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He said to you.' St. Mark 16:6-7
To the Reverend Priests, the Deacons in Christ, the monastics, and all the pious and Christ-loving Orthodox faithful in our beloved nation,
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Christ is risen!
On this radiant and sublime feast the sorrow of the disciples of our Lord was turned to astonishment and joy. Those whose world had seemingly come to an horrific end, found that their world had, in fact, begun anew and with splendor. The great enemies of the human race: death, sin, the devil and his twisted cohorts, lay collectively defeated, mauled and ruined in the tomb. Hades laments at its loss. No more was sin to tyrannize us. No more was the uncertainty of death to hang around our necks like a mighty millstone bending the human race down to the ground.
Claire Brandenburg Discusses Taos Chapel on Ancient Faith Radio
Claire Brandenburg, founder of Holy Annunciation Chapel and manager of the Heavenly Ladder Bookstore in Taos, New Mexico, speaks with Bobby Maddox about her efforts to spread Orthodoxy in northern New Mexico and about a new CD featuring the writings of Archpriest Sergius of Kasimov.
Memory Eternal! + Fr. Theodore Ziton
His Grace Bishop Basil writes:
Fr. Theodore Ziton, formerly of St. George Cathedral in Wichita, Kansas (1963-66) and retired from St. George Church in Canton, Ohio, fell asleep in Christ this past Friday, April 8th. He is the father of Fr. Stephen Ziton, formerly of St. Mary Church in Wichita. Fr. Theodore was preceded in death by Khouriya Vivian. The schedule of divine services for Fr. Theodore (all to be held at St. George Church in Canton, OH) is as follows: Thursday, April 14th - special funeral service for a priest at 7:15PM; Friday, April 15th - usual funeral service at 10:30AM followed by graveside prayers, interment and the meal of mercy.
May his memory be eternal!
Pastor Emeritus of St. George Antiochian Church passes away at age of 81
The St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Canton, Ohio mourns the loss of their longtime pastor, The Very Rev. Fr. Theodore Ziton, who served the parish from 1975 to 1996. He passed away this past Friday, April 8, 2011.
Fr. “Ted” was born in Toledo’s north end neighborhood on August 7, 1929, the second of three boys, to Julia (Sabback) and Elias K Ziton. After high school graduation with honors, he attended the University of Toledo then transferred to Columbia University in New York when he was accepted into St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. He attended both institutions simultaneously, and in June ‘54 he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Science and a Master’s in Divinity.