SAINT STEVEN’S SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL ANNUAL REPORT JANUARY 1 — DECEMBER 31, 2016

Ministry and Education Liturgy and Service Fellowship and Family

1 Saint Steven’s Annual Report 2016

hen we speak of the church, we often think of a “Granted, there are building. Yet, biblically and spiritually speaking, a times when we, W church is much more than a building. The origin of the personally and word “church” comes from word ekklesia which means "the collectively face gathering of the people" and refers to the Church as the Body of challenges and Christ, the people of God. struggles to one degree or another, but As the days and months of the year progress, through our various I am glad that we are ministries, we as the ekklesia, the gathered people of Saint Steven’s a healthy church and Cathedral, strive to focus on the very nature and purpose of the are always seeking to church. I found the following post by and Orthodox priest on the overcome such Orthodox Christian Network, an Orthodox Media Ministry and challenges in a way commissioned agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox that honors God and Bishops in the United States: Those involved in the early church, we His intentions for His are told in Acts 2:42, had four purposes: Teaching/learning about the church “ faith, fellowship, breaking of the Bread (the Eucharist) and prayers. A fifth was soon added, which was the “daily distribution”, serving food to the poor and the widows. (Acts 6:1) 2 Teaching/Learning—Knowledge is power. There is no power for someone in something they have no knowledge of. For example, I do not know much about the periodic table in chemistry. So, when someone starts talking about the elements and their properties, I quickly tune out and move on. If our knowledge of Christianity is like my knowledge of chemistry, then we will quickly lose interest in the things of God. Teaching and learning about the faith is also not confined to Sunday school, or to children. We should strive to continually learn about our faith, and we should see opportunities to teach others about the faith throughout our adult life. We must become lifelong students who at the same time are lifelong teachers.

Fellowship—A Christian does not live in isolation. Being a Christian is about being “in communion” with the Lord and with one another, following the two great commandments which are to love God and to love our neighbor. Saint Paul tells us in Galatians 6:2 that we are to “bear one another’s burdens” and this is done in the context of fellowship.

Breaking of the Bread—The central act of the church is the celebration of the Eucharist. One can learn about the faith in a Bible study in a home. One can have fellowship with other Christians outside the church. But the central act of the church community is the Eucharist. Because that is what is unique to the church community. It is the one thing that the church community does that cannot be done outside of the church community. Every church is, in reality, a Eucharistic assembly.

Prayer—The most basic function of the church is prayer. Prayer is done constantly. Individual members pray to the Lord. Members pray for one another. Gatherings open and close with prayer. The priest prays with and for his parishioners. Prayer is something that should be done daily by all Christians, multiple times per day.

3 Daily distribution—From the get-go, there was a sense that the church needed to minister to the poor, and to those outside of the church. Community outreach, both ministering to one’s own church community and the community outside of the church, was important in the life of the early church. The church had a great desire to serve the poor, the widows, those afflicted in any way, so that no one would go hungry, no one would go without prayer, no one would be excluded from fellowship.

This excerpt beautifully describes what we, as the Church today, are still called to do, and which still defines our very purpose. If we fail today in these historical and basic ministries of Teaching/Learning, Fellowship, Worship, Prayer and Outreach, then we no longer function as God intended when he established His ekklesia. As we review the work of the past year, we can see clearly that we have not failed. We have not failed in the work that is referenced in the Holy Scripture, and implied in the very nature of the church. Granted, there are times when we, personally and collectively face challenges and struggles to one degree or another, but I am glad that we are a healthy church and are always seeking to overcome such challenges in a way that honors God and His intentions for His people. For this, we must always be thankful and strive with even more zeal and love to do even more, for as the Lord told us in the parable of the faithful servant, “to whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12)

Cathedral Dean

4 Excerpts from The Parish Community: Our Life in Christ “The Orthodox Parish in North America” by: V. Rev. Thomas Hopko

After the family, we experience our life in Christ primarily in the parish. From birth to death, the parish community is where God “raises the infants, guides the young, supports the aged, encourages the faint‐hearted, reunites the separated, leads back those who are in error and joins them to His Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.” (from the Anaphora prayers of St. Basil) The vitality of spiritual life in our families and personal prayer is nourished by the parish. All outreach to, and our relationships with, our neighbor‐ hoods, dioceses, the national church as well as the worldwide church flow from the parish community.

Many people today lament the state of our parish life in modern and secular North American society. There are many crises to be dealt with daily, simply because the devil hates and opposes the holiness and unity of a true parish community whose life is fully in Christ. The purpose of this paper is not to despair over these crises, but to examine our parish life, rejoice and give thanks for the godly aspects of our communities and enable us to see the shortcomings as challenges and opportunities to strengthen and grow our life in Christ.

One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic An Orthodox parish has only one God‐given reason for being. It exists to be the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ. Whatever the original reasons and conditions for its founding, whatever other services and activities it may provide, whatever other desires and needs it may fulfill for its members, a community of Orthodox Christians must be Christ’s one holy Church.…The parish must be holy because Christ’s Church is holy. Everything in the parish, and everything about it, must be holy because God and Christ are holy. There can be no aspect of a parish not inspired and empowered by God’s Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of God and of Christ. Everything in and about a parish—its organization, structure, administration, finances and properties, as well as its theological and moral teachings and practices, and its liturgical and sacramental rites and services – must be of God. They must be determined by God, inspired by God and submitted to God for His glory and the good of His people. The Christian parish must also be catholic. For the parish to be “catholic” means that it is full, complete and whole, lacking nothing in its mystical and sacramen‐ tal being and life as Christ’s holy Church. … An Orthodox parish, if it is Christ’s one holy Church, will be apostolic in at least two meanings of the term. It will be apostolic because it is founded upon Christ’s apostles

5 and firmly rooted in apostolic doctrine and tradition….The Greek word apostolo, from which the words apostle and apostolic are derived, means “to send.” So does the Latin word mitto, from which are derived the words mission and missionary….An Orthodox Christian parish, however it was founded and for whatever purpose it was organized, must understand itself to be an apostolic community with a missionary purpose. Its members, especially its leaders, must be conscious of themselves as people sent by Christ from God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring God’s unity, holiness and fullness to all human beings in this divided, sinful and fragmented world.

Heart: Liturgical Worship and Sacramental Service Jesus says that God must be loved first of all with all one’s heart. In biblical usage, the heart is the center of a person’s being. It is the ground of a person’s life, the seat of a person’s will, and the source of a person’s activity, beginning with one’s words. It is the “place where God bears witness to himself,” according to St. Isaac of Syria; the place in a person, according to St. Macarius, which contains God himself, and Christ and the Holy Spirit, and the whole of creation, visible and invisible, spiritual and material, good and evil.

A person’s heart reveals what he or she really is, and really thinks, and really wants and really does. “For where 6 your treasure is,” Jesus tells us, “there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21) The heart of a parish, if it is Christ’s one holy Church, will be totally given to God. In this sense, the heart of an Orthodox Christian parish will be its liturgical and sacramental worship. Worship will constitute the parish’s core. It will be the parish’s essential mode of self‐realization. It will be its basic reason for being, the foundational purpose for its existence and life. An Orthodox Christian parish is first and foremost a worshipping community. It exists to praise, bless and glorify God, to ceaselessly sing the thrice‐holy hymn to the life‐creating Trinity. Its essential purpose is to baptize people in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; to enable them to die in Christ and to be raised with Him to newness of life; to be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit; to hear God’s word, to respond to God’s gospel, to confess and repent of our sins, to participate in the Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ’s Body and Blood; and to actualize God’s Kingdom on earth, in spirit and truth, by faith and grace, until Christ comes in glory at the close of the age.

Soul: Spiritual Life and Pastoral Care An Orthodox Christian parish must also be a community of people loving God with all their souls, as God’s law commands and Jesus confirms… Loving God with all one’s soul means loving Him with all of one’s thoughts, words and deeds in all of the routine thinking, talking and acting involved in everyday living. For an Orthodox Christian parish, if it is Christ’s holy church, this means that the commu‐ nity as a whole, and each individual member of it, is personally committed to living a Christian spiritual life by struggling to keep God’s commandments….People need help in living a Christian spiritual life in its fullness and depth. People do not mechanically become “members of Christ” and “temples of the Holy Spirit.” (1Corinthians 6:15‐19)…Members of Christ’s Church must have spiritual guidance and direction. They require pastoral attention and care. They need instruction in “fighting the good fight” by learning how to resist temptation, to reject evil thoughts, and to overcome spiritual passions by partaking, through faith and grace, in Christ’s victory through the Holy Spirit. 7 Mind: Education and Enlightenment Essential also to an Orthodox parish, if it is Christ’s holy Church, is total mobilization of efforts to love God with all of one’s mind through enlightenment and education. Jesus’ first title in the scripture is rabbi, which means teacher or master…The Lord’s first followers are called disciples or students. And the first thing that is said about those who believed in God’s gospel of Christ crucified and glorified is that they “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine.” (Acts 2:42) An Orthodox Christian parish, therefore, is essentially a teaching and learning property and possessions, positions and profits. We community for all its members. It is a school of will be asked how we loved “in deed and in truth,” disciples whose master is Christ as He speaks and not merely “in word or speech,” through within the community of believers, especially concrete acts of charity for the hungry and thirsty, through the pastors and those with the charism and the sick and suffering, the homeless and naked, the training for teaching and preaching. persecuted and imprisoned.

Whatever confusions and difficulties confront Strength: Mission and Philanthropy Orthodox Christianity in North America today, Loving God with all one’s strength means that we whatever their origins and causes, and whatever are to love God with all that we possess, primarily temptations and trials they bring to believers, there our money and property. Strength, in this context, is no good reason why an Orthodox Christian does not merely mean mental, emotional or parish in the United States cannot be Christ’s holy physical might, though these, of course, are not to Church. All that is required is that its members, be excluded from our love for the Lord. An beginning with its leaders, be firmly resolved to Orthodox Christian parish, when it is Christ’s holy have it so. Their afflictions will be great, as Christ Church, is obliged to use all of its powers for God’s has promised, but their successes are assured by glory and the people’s good. Christians as individ‐ His victory. ʺIn the world you have tribulation,ʺ Jesus ual persons, as well as families, parishes and says to his apostles, ʺ but take courage, I have dioceses, will have to give account to Christ for overcome the world.ʺ (John 16:33) ʺFor what is how they used their God‐given strength. We will impossible with men is possible with God.ʺ (Luke 18:27) have to answer for our use of money and resources,

8 Our Worship Ministries

Altar Service Saint Steven’s Altar Service is open to Orthodox Christian boys and men who would like to learn more about the worship services and assist as helpers to our priests. Participants of all ages must possess a sense of reverence, respect and an eagerness to learn and serve. Third through twelfth grade girls serve as Myrrh Bear‐ ers at the Service of the Lamentations on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, sprinkling myrrh and rose petals upon the Tomb of Christ. They also participate in festive processions as taper and icon bearers throughout the year.

Greeters and Ushers (Tutori) On Sundays, our dedicated ushers do everything from greeting parishioners and visitors at our front doors, to answering questions and solving logistical problems, to helping usher the faithful in an organized manner. They are our ministers of good faith to our parishioners and visitors; their kindly smiles are the first thing people see when they come to Church at St. Steven’s.

Liturgical Chanters and Reader’s Program In addition to the bishops, priests and deacons who comprise the central ordained ministries in the Church, the Orthodox tradition also has special blessings for the particular ministries of chanters, sub‐deacons and readers. These minor orders are given the responsibility of reading and chanting psalms, prayers and New Testament epistles in the worship services of the Church. 9 Christian Education Ministries

Sunday School In 2016, we had 96 students registered in our Church School under the supervision of Fr. Norman Kosanovich. Assisting him we have 28 Sunday School teachers, Superintendent Laura Burge and her Assistant, Pamela Stefan, and Youth Director, Jonny Braun.

Saint Ignatius Day Festivities Sunday, January 3, 2016, provided yet another full schedule of events at the Cathedral, begin‐ ning, as always, with Matins and Divine Liturgy, in order to praise and thank God who so graciously provides for all who seek Him. The inaugural Saint Ignatius Day of youth activities commenced with a schedule that kept Sunday school students busy and informed well into the afternoon – both before and after a delicious lunch and variety of desserts – with lessons on Saint Ignatius, instruction on liturgical chanting and serving, a hands‐on lesson on making prosphora, folklore dancing for the cultural program students, and a school‐wide chorus energetically performing “Light In The Darkness” in preparation for the St. Sava Day program. A parents’ discussion on raising an Orthodox Christian family in today’s culture and society was hosted by Fr. Nick and featured special guest Protinica Radmila Vasiljevic, the mother of our Bishop Maxim.

Take heed, then, often to come together to give thanks to God, and show forth His praise. For when you assemble frequently in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and the destruction at which he aims is Above: special lessons in making the Altar Bread, Prosphora, prevented by the unity of your faith. Below: youth enjoy learning the Orthodox faith through music —Saint Ignatius of Antioch 10 Saint Ignatius Day Festivities provide the parish youth with a unique learning experience through a variety of activities

Fr. George Florovsky on St. Ignatius of Antioch Saint Ignatius stresses that we must “not only be called Christians but we must be Christians.” For him the Christian life was Christo‐centric, for through the God‐Man all things come from the Father and return to the Father. The Christo‐centric emphasis of the Christian life is a constant motif in his letters — the constant mention of “the blood of Christ;” “love” as a hymn to Jesus Christ; the “mind of Christ” is “the Father’s mind;” “Jesus Christ is God’s knowledge;” the “Name” of Jesus is sacred; the Cross, the Passion, the Death, the Resurrection of Christ are the foundations of our “Hope,” creating, through the Incarnation, the path to our redemption; “if we live in union with him now, we shall gain eternal life,” we shall rise with him. Through “initiation” into the mysteries [sacraments], through faith, love, continual prayer, and fasting, we can have Christ “within us.” And, through union with Christ, “in faith and love in the Son and Father and Spirit” we shall have “increasing insight” and we shall rise with him, for true freedom is only in union with the Risen Christ.

—Ignatius of Antioch 11 Women’s Tea and Study

Womenʹs Tea & Study hosts Hieromonk Sebastian

On Sunday, October 23, 2016 our Cathedral Womenʹs Auxiliary hosted another ʺTea and Studyʺ after the lunch‐ eon. The women gathered in the South hall for desserts and refreshments as Father Nick introduced the special guest speaker for the afternoon, Hieromonk Sebastian from the Holy Archangel Monastery in Krka. Krka Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery which was first established in 1345, and is located near the river Krka, 3 km east of Kistanje, in central Dalmatia. It is the best known monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church in that area and it is officially protected as part of the Krka National Park. Fr. Sebastian, a native of Canada has spent several years at the monastery where among his obedience, he is the monastery cook. So in addition to speaking of the spiritual life of the monastery, the witness to the Orthodox Women’s “Tea and Study” Conferences Our Cathedral Women’s “Tea and Study” is coordinated by our Women’s Auxiliary as faith, the women also enjoyed listening a forum to discuss various topics of interest to women and faith to the experience he has as monastery chef. This experience also included being In Orthodoxy, weʹre not governed by what a convention featured on several cooking shows on resolution says, but by what the community has done before. the local television in Dalmatia, Croatia. Can a woman be a missionary evangelist? Yes, thereʹs Saint Nina of Fr. Sebastian was born Alexander Georgia. Can she be a theologian and liturgist? Yes, thereʹs Saint Radovanovic, and prior to become a Cassiane. Hereʹs a toughie: can a woman rule over a nation, and call a monk spent time at Saint Stevenʹs, council that establishes church doctrine? Meet Saint Irene. volunteering for the Western American A glance through history shows that an Orthodox woman can be a Diocese, where he met many of the healer, a missionary, a preacher, a pastoral counselor, a debater, women of the Cathedral and had the joy and a fool‐for‐Christ, and she doesnʹt need a clerical collar to do it. of preparing many meals with them in —Frederica Matthews Green the Cathedral kitchen. 12 Cathedral's 4th Annual Festival of Learning!

he 4th Annual Festival of Learning was held on Sunday, June 5, 2016 and was another amazing oppor‐ tunity for students of our Sunday School to share with the entire Cathedral Family what they learn in T the program throughout the year. The Central aim of Christian education in our Church is to evoke and nurture faith in Jesus Christ according to the Orthodox Teaching and vision, out of which issues a genuine Orthodox way of life. The Church nurtures a living awareness of the risen Christ in our midst, who is the true Celebrant of Sacraments and the true Teacher of His people, and makes Himself known to us by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The whole range of Orthodox educational material‐ books, visuals, Bible Studies, lives of saints contemporary discussion of Christian values‐becomes effective to the degree that communicates the love and sprit of Christ. Throughout the school year, beginning in September, children, parents, family members, and our Sunday School staff begin collecting samples of work from ongoing lessons and projects and reserve them for display, reflection, discussion, and expanded learning during the Festival at the end of the school year.

13 14 A MESSAGE UNCHANGED Excerpt from The Mission of Orthodoxy, by Father Alexander Schmemann

One of the great dangers of modern, and especially American, culture is its reduction of man to history and to change. This is the first thing we Orthodox have to denounce and to resist. We must openly con‐fess that there are things which do not change, that human nature does not, in fact, change; that such realities as sin, or righteousness, or holiness do not depend on the changing pattern of culture. How many times I have heard, for example, that in ʺour ageʺ the concept of sin must be changed if it is to be relevant to modern man. How many times we have heard that in ʺour ageʺ we cannot speak of the Devil. Yet I am absolutely convinced that sin is ex‐actly the same for me as it was for Saint Paul, and that if there is no Devil, Christianity is no longer the same religion it was for nearly two thousand years. It is not enough to speak, as some Western theologians do, of the ʺdemonic.ʺ It is not enough to identify sin with alienation. And it is at this point that Orthodoxy has a tremendous responsibility, for it is fundamentally the belief in unchanging realities, it is the denunciation of all ʺreductionsʺ as not only doctrinally wrong, but existentially destructive.

Thus, the first condition for anything else is simply faith. Before anything else is possible, before I can speak of myself as belonging to this or that generation, as immigrant or native, of our age as technological or post‐ industrial, etc., there is this one fundamental reality: man standing before God and finding that life is communion with Him, knowledge of Him, faith in Him, that we are created literally for God. Without this experience and affirmation, nothing has meaning. My real life is in God and in heaven. I was created for eternity. These simple affirmations are rejected as naive and irrelevant today, and in spite of all its Christian terminology. Western Christianity becomes more and more a man‐centered humanism. At this point, no compromise is possible, and every‐thing depends upon whether Orthodoxy will remain faithful to its God‐ centeredness, to its orientation toward the Transcendent, the Eternal, the Divine.

We do not deny that men need justice and bread. But before everything else they need God. Thus, we truly can do what we are called to do in spite of all temptations. The seemingly ʺcharitableʺ character of these temptations misses the unchanging truth that our call is not only to proclaim or to defend, but first of all to live this unchanging, eternal hierarchy of values in which God and God alone is the beginning, the con‐tent, and the end of everything. This is the real content of the Orthodox faith, of our liturgy, of our sacraments. This is what we celebrate on Easter night. This is what is revealed at the Eucharistic Table. It is always the same thing, the same prayer, the same joy: “Thy Kingdom come ... ʺ It is the understanding of life as indeed preparation, not simply for an eternal rest, but for the life which is more real than anything else‐‐a life of which this life is but a ʺsymbolʺ and a ʺsacrament.ʺ I can hear and sense the reaction: ʺOh, again paradise and hell; is that Christianity? And I will answer: ʺYes, it is.ʺ It is because so many people today have forgotten this, it is because all this has become ʺirrelevantʺ for Christians themselves, that so many are in hell already. And Orthodoxy will lose all its salt if each one of us does not strive first of all for this personal faith and for this hunger for salvation, redemption, and deification. Christianity begins only when we take seriously the words of Christ: ʺSeek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all things shall be added unto youʺ (Matthew 6:33). 15 Cathedral Vacation School Deep Sea Discovery Diving into the Sacraments of the Church

ʺExploring the Seas of the Churchʺ was the theme for this yearʹs annual Vacation Church School held August 1‐4, 2016 It was a fun‐filled, joyous and spiritually enriching four days for all of the children, families and friends who made the daily events special with their enthusiasm and love for the Church. Each day we had over 30 children participate in the program which included prayer, lessons in faith, breakfast and lunch, special arts and crafts projects, music and song, a ʺdeep sea discoveryʺ into the Sacraments of the Church, games, fun and much more!

These were truly special days, beginning on Monday, August 1st. The children were excited to learn and spend time together in the many activities of the morning and afternoon. Tuesday, August 2nd was the Feast of Saint Elijah the Tishbite and liturgy was celebrated by His Grace Bishop Maxim with many of the children

16 singing the entire liturgy together! It was unique and very special also because the children with everyone present witnessed an ordination to the Holy Diaconate! His Grace, Bishop Maxim ordained Vladan Radovanovic to be the new deacon for the Western American Diocese! Following the liturgy, the children joined the Bishop, clergy and Deacon Vladan and his wife Dejana with guests for a special lunch to celebrate the feast.

On Wednesday, August 3, following breakfast, keeping in the theme of the week, the children and their chaperones visited the Aquarium of the Pacific where they learned many wonderful things about sea life and found deeper gratitude to God for all His creation. On Thursday, August 4, in addition to the full schedule of the day, the children also joined our Saint Stevenʹs Senior Citizenʹs to celebrate their Anniversary picnic. The children were treated to a special lunch with the seniors and beautifully performed several spiritual songs they learned during Vacation School. To conclude the weekʹs activities, their was a water slide party in the Cathedral park, with special treats, including the ʺdolphin desertʺ for everyone.

We are most grateful to all the children and parents who participated in this inspiring program, as well as to our Cathedral for its the generosity in providing such events for our youth. Special thanks also goes to Jonny Braun who created and coordinated the VCS this year, Adele Chadwick, with help from Andrea Fake, for preparing all of the meals, Calise Green for organizing all of the Arts and Crafts projects, Bernice Ducich and the seniors for providing the Senior’s lunch with the youth, and to everyone who made this wonderful experience so special, joyful and inspiring! 17 On Tuesday, September 6, 2016, our Cathedral had the honor of welcoming Professor Bogdan Lubardic, PhD., from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Orthodox Theology. The topic for the evening was ʺLearning with St. Matthew: How are we to overcome and understand fear‐ on Christ the eternal source of Joy and Peace.ʺ Professor Lubardic spoke on the gospel event found in the 14th chapter of St. Matthew’s gospel. Namely, Jesusʹ walking on the water. The theme was the human condition of fear, which we collectively run away from but cannot scape. As he did in previous talks, Dr. Lubardic dissected the reading from Scriptures in order to better under‐ stand its deeper meaning. This gospel episode which gives a deeper understanding of the human condition of fear reveals its twofold dimension: fear of the unknown and fear in not knowing Him who dispels all fear which, in fact, is a lack of faith due to sin. Dr. Lubardic noted that when the Apostle Peter, who began to slip upon walking on the waters, calls to Jesus ʺLord, save me,ʺ the waters become calm. Which is to say, that our confession of our faith results in peace in our lives. This slipping and drowning in the waves described in the gospel narrative, our guest speaker noted, will never occur and happen in our own spiritual lives as long as we keep our view focused on Christ. The presentation was followed by dinner and a question and answers session which was enjoyed by all. In addition to His Grace, Bishop Maxim and the Cathedral clergy, also present for the presentation and discussion were hieromonk Dimitrije from the Monastery Tvdos and Nikola and Strahinja, two students of theology and recent graduates of the Seminary in Prizren, Kosovo and Metohija. At the conclusion of the evening, Jonny Braun and the students Nikola and Strahinja led everyone in the singing of ʺTo thee, the Champion leaderʺ hymn to the Mother of God, as it was the leaving‐taking of the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God.

18 Annual Pan‐Orthodox Bible Bowl Every year on the first Saturday in December, the Southern California Bible & Church History Tournament takes place for Orthodox students in Grades 5 through 12. Orthodox parishes from all over the Southland, including as far as San Diego, are represented in this event that simultaneously encourages fellow‐ ship and friendly competition! On Saturday, December 3, 2016, Saint Paul Greek Church in Irvine played host and Saint Stevenʹs Cathedral fielded a team comprised of all first‐time participants: Alex and Ben Cronin, Luka Dobrilovic, and Daniel Kosanovich. They remained competitive while fielding questions that were asked based on the ten‐page reading packet the students received two months prior to the event, and they finished in fifth place. Included in this fun day were “ice‐breaker” activities before both rounds of questions, designed to get the kids to move around and meet each other, as well as a delicious free lunch enjoyed by everyone in attendance: players, parents, and siblings who came to cheer them on! Next October, when the announcement is made and reading packets are distrib‐ uted, we hope to have not only these four competitors return but others to join them, creating multiple teams from our Cathedral with youth who are more knowledgeable in their Faith, and fun memories for all involved!

Christian Education Home Fellowship Groups Each month we conduct five Bible fellowship groups for adults throughout the territory of the parish, with 35 regular participants. The theme in 2016 was: “the Lord’s Prayer.”

Mrvichin Library and Cathedral Museum Our library continues to acquire books on the Orthodox Faith and serves as a great resource for our school and parish. New acquisitions to the library in 2016 included the gift from Bishop Maxim of the newly published work, The Christian Heritage of Kosovo and Metohija: The Historical and Spiritual Heartland of the Serbian People. This masterpiece was a project of the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America, especially His Grace Bishop Maxim and was published by Sebastian Press. Among the accolades which the book has received are the following: “The lovely and learned volume, ʹThe Christian Heritage of Kosovo and Metohijaʹ is a wonderful addition to the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library, where it will be used and appreciated by many scholars.”‐ Deb Stewart, Dumbarton Oaks Research Library, Washington, DC; “It is indeed a magnificent production, of value equally because of the interesting text and of the fine illustrations. Congratulations are due to all who have collaborated to produce such an impressive volume.”‐ Metropolitan Kallistos Ware. Anyone who wished to purchase their own copy of this important work may do so by contacting the diocesan offices, or online at http://christian‐heritage.eserbia.org

Serbian Cultural Program We have 2 Instructors and 35 students, representing 3 grade levels receiving instruction in traditional Serbian dancing for children. In 2016, we continued a new dance program for adults, giving adults the opportunity to learn and perform traditional dances. 19 2016 Childrenʹs Day Nativity Pageant and Festivities

After a delicious luncheon was prepared by the parents of the Religious Cultural Association on Sunday, December 18, the children of our Sunday School took their places, for a production of The BNN Bethlehem News Networksʹs Nativity Coverage, a Nativity play written by Fr. Nick and Jonny Braun.

As the play unwinds, the Bethlehem News Network, BNN daily broadcast is interrupted by Breaking News of the Birth of the Messiah. BNN Moderator, Lisa Car is joined by her panel of reporters: Anita Anchor, Vicki Voice, Bill Board, Sunny Storms with weather, Stanley Cupp with sports, and Cara Van with traffic. As Lisa Car is signaled that there is Breaking News in Bethlehem, field reporter Trina Forrest, located outside the Bethlehem Inn, updates everyone on the news of what is taking place at the time of Jesus’ birth. The panel of reporters discusses the news of God’s Revelation to mankind. The song “The 12 Days of Christmas” was adapted to reflect on what God reveals to the world in the Birth of His Son, as we learn in the Bible and celebrate in the Church.

As soon as the last refrain of the Sing‐A‐Long finale to the play, ʺSilent Night ” ended, the chorus led everyone in singing “Nicholas The Saintly” just as Saint Nicholas surprised the children on the stage, another special observance on this day, and led them in procession to the Christmas tree at the other end of the hall, in order to present each of them with a gift.

Finally, to end the day, observing another custom, many of the children were tied with red string by their parents in observance of Childrenʹs Day on the third Sunday before Christmas. The tying emphasizes, in part, the holy bond of love children have with parents and the holy bond we all share with God, who created us out of love. This day vividly illustrated that love!

20 HONORING ACHIEVEMENT THE CLASS OF 2016—Sunday School Graduates

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE COLLEGE GRADUATE

Alexis Brankovic Paul Christopher Kosanovich Maria Anastasia Ceko Alexis, daughter of Subdeacon Son of Fr. Norman and Popadija Maria, daughter of Fr. Nicholas & Alexander and Julia Brankovic, Anne Kosanovich, Paul gradu‐ Sandra Ceko, graduated Magna graduated from Oaks Christian ated from Temple City High Cum Laude from The Collins High School in Westlake Village, School, where he played baseball College of Hospitality Manage‐ where she played volleyball as and football for four years and ment, California State Polytechnic Varsity Captain, and made Third‐ was a Scholar Athlete for three University, with a Bachelor’s of team All‐Marmonte League. She years. In baseball, he pitched a Science degree. She is a lifelong received top honors for Academic ‘perfect game’ as a sophomore, member of Eta Sigma Delta Excellence in Film and Video and and a ‘no‐hitter’ in both his junior Honor Society, placing in the top was Assistant Director for TedX and senior years and played in 15 percent of her class, and is also 2016, a national speaker’s pro‐ the CIF Championship Game. In a Golden Key Honor Society gram. Alexis was a member of football, he was selected to play member. Maria also studied the National Charity League, for in the 37th Annual San Gabriel abroad in Italy at the Florence six years. She volunteered at Los Valley East‐West Game. Paul has University of the Arts. She was a Robles Hospital for two years and been an Altar Server and Epistle member of the Restaurant & received numerous awards for Reader, Youth Chorale and Folk‐ Foodservice Professionals Club at her volunteer service, including dance member. Paul is attending Cal Poly Pomona, participating in the Presidential Bronze Service New Mexico Highlands Univer‐ several hotel and restaurant tours Award. Alexis is studying film sity and playing on the football in California. Her goal now is to production at Emerson College in team. establish her own specialty Boston. bakery/cafe in Los Angeles. 21 Music Ministry

Cathedral Choir and Cantors Our Cathedral Choir, under the direction of Rebekah Danks, regularly sings the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and major feast days. In 2016, they also prepared and performed a Nativity Concert for the parish at Christmas and were one of the featured choirs at the Annual Music Festival of Greater Los Angeles. Our cantors are led by Jonny Braun and enhance the services on feast days with the singing of special hymns.

Sunday School Choir and Youth Chorale With the addition of Jonathan Braun to our Cathedral staff, we established a Sunday School Choir and Youth Chorale now lead the singing at the liturgy once a month throughout the Church year. Rehearsals are held during Sunday School time as well as after lunch on Sundays. Inspired by Jonny’s gifted and joyful presence, our Sunday School and youth singers are filled with enthusiasm and enjoy sharing God’s word through their singing! They also perform at the Festival of Learning, various feast days and special occasions.

22 Glorifying Christ, Our God! The Second Annual Pan‐Orthodox Music Festival of Greater Los Angeles

With the blessings of the canonical Orthodox bishops on the West Coast, Orthodox clergy and faithful from Southern California gathered at Saint Steven’s Cathedral on August 20, 2016 for the 2nd Annual Pan‐Orthodox Music Festival of Greater Los Angeles.

In addition to our Saint Steven’s Cathedral Choir, other participating choirs this year included Saint Sophia Cathedral Choir, Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral Choir, Saint Andrewʹs Choir, Joy of All Who Sorrow Choir, and POYAC, the Pan‐Orthodox Young Adult Choir. Each of the choirs that performed shared the beauty of Orthodox liturgical music and above all, glorify God by offering back to Him the gifts He has graciously given to them.

Fr. John Bakas, Dean of Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral offered a message of joy in participating in the music festival, as well as a reminder to everyone that music, like art and architecture in the Church is not only ascetically beautiful, but most importantly serves the purpose of our salvation and bringing us into an authentic experience of the Kingdom of God. In other words, it is not just ʺhowʺ but ʺwhyʺ that must be our focus in all that we do as the people of God.

The finale to the Music Festival was most inspiring and moving as all the choirs and audience together sang refrains and verses from Psalm 148, ʺPraise the Lord from the Heavens, Praise Him in the Highest!ʺ Following the concert, everyone was invited to both the reception in the Cathedral social hall and evening Vespers Service.

23 2016 Nativity Concert Cathedral Choir, Cantors and Youth Singers present inspiring Nativity Concert

An annual combination of observances every December makes for a most special day and Sunday, December 18 2016, was no exception. As the Matins service led into the Divine Liturgy, and Father Nick intoned “Blessed is the Kingdom…,” the sound of the “Amen” indicated the first treat of the day: the combined Music class and Youth Chorale was leading the congregation in responses. These singers from our Sunday school enjoyed offering praise to the Lord with the beautiful voices He has bestowed upon them. Following the Liturgy, our Saint Steven’s Cathedral Choir, Cantors and Youth Singers, under the direction of our talented and dedicated choir directors, Rebekah Danks and Jonny Braun, presented an inspiring Nativity Con‐ cert of liturgical music and popular Christmas carols. The finale to the performance consisted in a sing‐a‐long of the beloved “Hark, the Herald Angels sing!” We always look forward to these performances which now include singers of all ages!

24 Outreach, Charity and Fellowship Ministries

Cathedral West to Cathedral East Event Huge Success, as Saint Steven’s raises $42,900 to rebuild the historic Saint Sava Cathedral!

Sunday, June 26, 2016 What has become known as the “Threefold Commemoration” – the annual observance of Vidovdan, Saint Stevenʹs Endow‐ ment Recognition Day, and the Womenʹs Auxiliary Slava on the last Sunday in June – has in recent years added other worthy causes to the itinerary, such as Balkan flood relief and the Special Olympics. This past year was no exception, and while the reason was the heart‐wrenching fire that destroyed the historical Saint Sava Cathedral in New York City, the response of the Saint Stevenʹs parish community beautifully illustrated the Apostle Paulʹs words to “bear one anotherʹs burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6: 2).

A delicious luncheon banquet was complemented by a warm welcome from Executive Board President Steve Spilker, a presentation of an icon of Saint Anastasia to this yearʹs Kuma Valerie Glover, inspirational words by Fr. Nick, acknowl‐ edgement by Treasurer Steve Burge of the six new Cathedral Endowments established in the last year, and Fr. Djokanʹs emotional account of the tragic events of Easter Sunday, May 1, 2016. Fr. Djokan expressed his parishʹs gratefulness for the impressive financial, spiritual, and emotional support offered literally from throughout the world. He thanked Fr. Nick for the invitation to come to Alhambra and make an appeal and was impressed by the turnout at a time when many families are on summer vacation. It is the prayer of us all that one day a beautiful new temple will stand on the same ground in the heart of Manhattan, but the real Church, the people of Saint Sava Cathedral, are alive and well because they are “alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2: 5). 25 Cathedral School families team up with FOCUS Lenten Almsgiving Project: Backpack Feeding for Homeless Children

Saint Steven’s Cathedral Sunday School families did an awesome job collecting food for this year’s Lenten Almsgiving Project, In conjunction with FOCUS North America, on Palm Sunday, April 24, 2016, the collecting ‐process ultimately resulted in our Sunday school children stuffing backpacks full of food, which was subsequently distributed to children in need. FOCUS North America is a national movement of Orthodox Christians, united in faith and joined by a desire to provide action‐oriented and sustainable solutions to poverty in communities across America.

This activity was a great reminder to our youth that there is a strong need to feed the hungry, including kids their very own age! Stuffing a total of 38 backpacks full of food for homeless children, meant that every family in our Sunday School program filled nearly an entire backpack!

26 Saint Steven’s Three Angels Ministry—Hospitality to the Homeless The Three Angels Ministry, provides regular monthly service to the Pasadena Union Station Mission, where parishioners volunteer to prepare dinner for the homeless. In 2016, 11 group leaders and 21 other volunteers from our parish participated in this monthly service project.

Saint John the Merciful Emergency Need Program In 2016, this program provided personal financial assistance for such needs as rent or mortgage payments, temporary housing, medical expenses, groceries and other household needs, for a total of $15,450.00 to 14 individuals or families.

Serbian Orthodox Clergy Widows In 2016, as every year since 1991, Saint Steven’s contributes $5,000 to supplement the financial support given to the widows of clergy who have served the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Community Holiday Project During the Holiday season, our Cathedral family collaborated with local programs assisting families in need. This effort in 2016 included the “Comfort and Joy” Outreach program to local families in need in greater community around us.

A very special Christmas outreach tradition is the one coordinated by Jonny Savic and his “elves” at the Center for Achievement of Teens and Children with Hand Differences (CATCH) at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. CATCH is a community designed for children of all ages with missing, small or weak arms, hands or fingers. Jonny and Nicole Savic collect toys and donations for Christmas gifts distributed to these special children through Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles.

Publications and Internet Ministry In addition to the Cathedral Messenger News Magazine, we distribute a Sunday Bulletin and a weekly electronic “E‐Bulletin,” which distribution in 2016 has grown to over 350 email recipients. We also continue to maintain our Cathedral Website and facebook presence, which are regularly updated with new information. You can follow the Cathedral on the web at www.saintstevens.org; on facebook and on twitter. If you wish to receive the weekly electronic bulletin, please contact the Cathedral Office.

27 The Sights, Sounds and Tastes from the Heart of the Balkans! Annual Parish Festival—SerbFest On September 17‐18, with the help of so many volunteers and generous donors, our Cathedral held our Annual Festival, hosting many guests and friends from throughout Southern California. Once again, we express our gratitude to festival chairman Jonny Savic and everyone who helped make the festival a success! As reflected in the financial report, our 2016 parish festival net profit was $33,936!

Annual Spring Fling Event In February each year, our Women’s Auxiliary organizes a creative and fun‐filled event decorating dining tables and fashion show. Last year we enjoyed how the women creatively and beautifully developed the theme ʺtraveling around the world.” Each table was impressively decorated and represented a different country!

28 Family, Youth and Young Adult Ministries

FAMILY WINTER CAMP: TRAVELING FROM “ME” TO “WE”

With predictions of a wet winter for Southern California, Sunday school children and parents, too, were hoping Camp Wrightwood would once again become a winter wonderland the weekend of February 12‐14, 2016. Warm weather the week before camp almost dashed those hopes (a group hiked to the top of the hill and played in snow on the other side!), but nothing stops the fun and fellowship experienced every year! Campers 29 filled up on pizza shortly before the bus filled up with campers, and then we departed from the Cathedral parking lot. Director John Pecel met us at camp for orien‐ tation and cabin assignments, then it was time for a good nightʹs rest in anticipation of a busy weekend. Delicious meals were su‐ pervised by kitchen director Vaso Adzich, we joined in prayer and song for the Akathist Hymn “Glory to God for All Things,” Vespers, and Divine Liturgy, took official camp photos, ran John Pecelʹs obstacle course, entertained each other with a talent show and sing‐along, but at the start of it all, we had to prepare for our theme, “Traveling From Me to We: Your Passport to Heaven!” The first assignment Saturday morning was for every camper to decorate their passport, which would be needed for the entirety of camp! “Lessonavia” was a destination where campers learned and discussed how our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us how to live for “we” rather than “me;” “Projectburg” was where arts and crafts instructor Cyndi Stepich helped everyone display their talents; “Psalmodyville” was a place where song and glorifying God combine in an unforgettable way, taught by youth director Jonny Braun. The “Kingdom of God on Earth” was our destination in the Divine Liturgy. Campers needed to get their passport stamped on the proper pages to show they successfully visited each destination. However, one page remained unstamped, even as we departed on Sunday: the “Kingdom of God in Heaven.” That destination wasnʹt reached at camp, although learning to travel from “me” to “we” was certainly a helpful way to keep us in the right direction! 30 Our first ever “Glamping” event in September was full of fun and fellowship for the whole family! Families brought their tents and camping gear and spent the day and night enjoying their friendships and fellowship. 31 The Annual Back to School Pool Party, held at the residence of Steve and Laura Burge in San Marino. Laura is our very dedicated and talented School Superintendent. The special highlights of this event were a beautiful day of swimming, good food, and wonderful Christian fellowship. Our children and youth, led by Jonny Braun, performed songs for their parents and even got them to join in! We thank the Burge family for their kindness and generosity! 32 New York, New York! Saint Stevenʹs Cathedral Youth Group arrived in New York City on December 26 for a week long visit of the many sites of Manhattan and Yonkers. During the week, the group visited and toured Saint Vladimirʹs Orthodox Theological Seminary, Saint Sava Cathedral, Saint Nicholas Church at Ground Zero and the many sights of New York City! There was also daily fellowship activities and prayer together, and reflection from excerpts from the book, ʺ Our Thoughts Determine Our Livesʺ by Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, Serbia. The Youth Groupʹs first full day in New York City was spent visiting Saint Nicholas Church and 911 Memorial, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, where they also met up with Fr. Nathanael Symeonedes and Greek Orthodox youth group also touring Manhattan! Day two was spent touring Saint Vladimirʹs Orthodox Theological Seminary, and visiting with Seminary Dean, Fr. John Behr and President Fr. Chad Hatfield. The teens presented a donation to the seminary on behalf of Saint Stevenʹs Cathedral. Following the morning visit to Saint Vladimirʹs, the teens were treated to a special tour and lunch and tour at the famous Stew Leonardʹs in Yonkers. Stew and Kim Leonard were so gracious to organize this tour and provide this special lunch for the group. Kim and Stew are part of our Cathedral family, as Kim is the daughter of Paul and Barbara Kral. The group completed their day with a tour of sites in mid‐town Manhattan: Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Plaza Hotel, and Times Square.

33 Day three was spent visiting Saint Sava Cathedral in Manhattan, where we were met by Cathedral Dean Fr. Zivojin Jakovljevic, and were treated to a special reception and conversa‐ tion with His Grace, Bishop Irinej. The teens presented the bishop with a check on behalf of Saint Stevenʹs par‐ ish, donated to the rebuilding of this historic Cathedral. In the evening the group had another special treat: a Broadway show! They saw the Broad‐ way hit ʺWickedʺ and afterwards discussed its meaning in relation to good and evil.

The final full day of the trip was spent ice skating in Yonkers and at a special party in their honor at the home of Ted and Claudia Bazil. Ted and Claudia are friends of Fr. Nick and active workers at Saint Vladimirʹs Seminary. All in all, it was a very amazing trip which left the group with so many fond memories for which they expressed their gratitude.. Thank you Saint Stevenʹs Cathedral and RCA for making this amazing opportunity possible!

Group photo in the Seminary Chapel (top) and a ‘lobster lesson” at Stew Leonards (above) Stopping for a photo beneath the famous “upside down cow” at Stew Leonards. (left) 34 Young Adult FORUM discusses the Great and Holy Council

On Thursday, July 28, the Los Angeles Pan‐Orthodox young adult FORUM had a very unique and special opportunity to hear from His Grace, Bishop MAXIM, Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Western America on his reflections and impressions of the recently held Great and Holy Council of the Church. Following a delicious meal, Bishop Maxim introduced the topic with some personal reflections and opened the discussion, giving the young adults a unique opportunity for questions and answers on specific details about this historic event for Orthodoxy. Bishop Maxim shared many personal reflections from his daily journal which he kept while attending the Great and Holy Council of Crete. Bishop Maxim, who oversees the Serbian Diocese of the West, was one of the few bishops from the United States who was present and actively participated in the recently held Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church. Responding to the requests of many, His Grace kept a daily Journal of notes and personal reflections which are now published by Sebastian Press. The FORUM was grateful to have His Grace attend on July 28 and present these reflections and answer questions on the minds of the young adults regarding the work of this Holy Council. In addition to an Council Encyclical, several Council Documents on issues ranging from the mission of the Orthodox Church in the modern world and its relations with other Christian churches, to the importance of fasting were adopted by the Council.

35 Celebrating Feasts and Fellowship

2016 Saint Sava Day Observance On Sunday, January 31, 2016, the Cathedral Sunday school youth presented a beautiful program, as the parish celebrated the Feast of Saint Sava. The rainy weather did not stop many from gathering at Saint Stevenʹs for this important and joyful celebration. The day began with Matins and Divine Liturgy with the childrenʹs chorus leading the singing. This was followed by the festive program that featured song and dance by the RCAʹs folklore dance groups – Andjeli, Opancici, and Sokoli – a presentation by the combined Preschool and Kindergarten classes, the beautiful song presentation by our Sunday School Youth, as well as individual student recitations in both Serbian and English. A delicious lunch, tasty desserts, and folk dancing by young and old alike rounded out another satisfying celebration, for which we give thanks to our Lord and His holy servant, Sava.

Sunday of Orthodoxy This annual celebration was held on March 19‐20, and was led by His Eminence Archbishop Benjamin of the Orthodox Church in America, and His Grace Bishop Maxim of the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church (host hierarch), together with faithful and clergy from various jurisdictions.

36 Pascha‐the Feast of Feasts Easter Celebration

In the Orthodox Church, the feast of Christʹs resurrection is commonly referred to as ʺPaschaʺ (Pas‐ka), the Greek term for ʺPassover.ʺ In the words of the late Fr. Thomas Hopko, “It is the new Passover of the new and everlasting covenant foretold by the prophets of old. It is the eternal Passover from death to life and from earth to heaven. It is the Day of the Lord proclaimed by God’s holy prophets, “the day which the Lord has made” for His judgment over all creation, the day of His final and everlasting victory. It is the Day of the Kingdom of God, the day “which has no night” for “its light is the Lamb” (Rev 21.22–25). “On the Great and Holy Feast of Pascha, Orthodox Christians celebrate the life‐giving Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This feast of feasts is the most significant day in the life of the Church. It is a celebration of the defeat of death, as neither death itself nor the power of the grave could hold our Savior captive. In this victory that came through the Cross, Christ broke the bondage of sin, and through faith offers us restoration, transforma‐ tion, and eternal life. This greatest feast, illuminated by the light from above, is a divine pre‐figuration of the general resurrection of all those who have died from the beginning of time. And this is so because, as the Paschal Hymn so triumphantly proclaims: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life! Our Cathedral celebration of Pascha is glorious, as the services of Holy Week are crowned with the candlelight procession announcing the Resurrection, the singing of the Paschal Hymns and the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and Agape Service in which we read the gospel of the Resurrection in many languages, followed by the great Easter banquet and picnic. All the children of the parish are always invited to participate the egg hunt which takes place on the East lawn of the Cathedral.

The celebration of Easter in the Orthodox Church, therefore, is once again not merely an historical reenactment of the event of Christ’s Resurrection as narrated in the gospels. It is not a dramatic representation of the first Easter morning. There is no “sunrise service” since the Easter Matins and the Divine Liturgy are celebrated together in the first dark hours of the first day of the week in order to give men the experience of the “new creation” of the world, and to allow them to enter mystically into the New Jerusalem which shines eternally with the glorious light of Christ, overcoming the perpetual night of evil and destroying the darkness of this mortal and sinful world. ‐Fr Thomas Hopko 37 Feast of Our Lady, Queen of the Angels

On Saturday, May 7, 2016, Orthodox clergy and faithful from Greater Los Angeles gathered at Saint Steven’s Cathedral for the celebration of the feast of Our Lady, Queen of the Angels, the Patron Saint of Los Angeles. This feast day was established by His Grace, Bishop Maxim and the other Orthodox bishops on the West Coast. The Liturgy was officiated by His Grace Bishop Maxim with the concelebrating priests of the local Western American Diocese and other nearby Orthodox Jurisdictions. The responses were sung by the Pan‐Orthodox Young Adult Choir (POYAC). Following the Divine Liturgy the clergy and faithful gathered for refreshments, and fellowship.

Feast of Saint Steven, Simon the Monk—Cathedral Slava

On Sunday, October 2, 2016 the Cathedral celebrated the feast of our Patron Saint, Steven, Simon the monk. The festive liturgy had a special dynamic quality of antiphonal singing with the Cathedral Choir and the Cathedral Youth Chorale and Sunday School singers. Honored kumovi for the feast were George and Marlene Chumo, Jonathan Braun and Luke Stefan, who all faithfully serve the Church in numerous capacities. The festivities for the day which followed the matins and liturgy, included the festive procession around the Cathedral temple, a memorial service for all departed founders, benefactors and faithful Cathedral members, as well as the blessing of the festive bread (slavski kolach) and wheat. The program included greetings from Cathedral Dean, Fr. Nicholas Ceko, Executive Board President Steven Spilker, and Executive Board Vice‐President Vaso Adzich. The delicious banquet and beautiful table decorations were all prepared by the Cathedral Womenʹs Auxiliary, and thoroughly enjoyed by all! As in previous years, the day included the presentation of the Proto Vlado and Protinica Bessie Mrvichin Scholarship awards. The 2016 Scholarship recipients were our graduated senior high school students, Alexis Brankovic and Paul Kosanovich. The program also featured outstanding performances from our Cathedral folklore groups and a special recognition of the 10th Anniversary of His Grace, Bishop Maxim as Bishop of the Western American Diocese.

38 Leadership and Other Ministries

Leadership and Auxiliaries Together as laity and clergy, our greatest concern is the spiritual wellbeing and growth of our Cathedral parish, and the sacred work of building a community of faith and love. Many in our parish are committed to the sacred task of serving our Lord and our brothers and sisters in Christ in the work of ministry at Saint Steven’s Cathedral. The parish leadership is chosen to an office that is essential to the mission of the Church in sharing the love of God and the truth of the Gospel. In addition, they express their willingness to offer their time and abilities for the spiritual growth and well‐being of our Cathedral parish, for the salvation of souls, and ultimately, for the kingdom of God and His glory. For this we are grateful to each and everyone!

Ministry to the sick and homebound In 2016, we continued our efforts in Pastoral Care reached out to the sick in hospitals, nursing care facilities or at home. This effort includes the work of the clergy in bringing the Holy Eucharist to those who because of illness, are not able to attend liturgy, as well as the prayerful outreach of our “Saint Steven’s Myrrh‐bearing Women,” ministry which also makes visits to sick and shut‐in women in the parish.

Property, Buildings and Maintenance Oversight of our buildings and property maintenance is provided by a handful of members who offer their time and talent in the regular maintenance and repair of all our Cathedral facilities. By keeping all of our facilities clean, attractive and in repair, we provide a safe and inviting environment to come and worship, pray, learn, develop community, and grow in faith. In 2016, we completed several capital improvement projects which are highlighted in the financial portion of this report.

PRAYER FOR STEWARDS

Lord Jesus Christ, You are the good steward, who redeemed Adam and Eve of their failed stewardship by offering Yourself for the life of the world. You taught us in the feeding of the multitudes that whatever we give to God is returned to us multiplied. You praised those good and faithful servants in the parable of the talents who returned to the Master their gifts. So help us to learn the joy of stewardship, remembering that everything we have comes from You and belongs to You. We know, Lord, that we often live in fear of the future and insecurity. Help us to remember the lilies of the field and so to trust in Your providence. Grant to us a cheerful and generous spirit. Enkindle in the hearts of all Your people a zealous love for You. For You are the Good Steward, and to You we give thanks, praise and glory, together with Your Father who is from everlasting and Your all‐holy good and life‐giving Spirit now and ever and onto the ages of ages Amen! 39 PARISH STATISTICS AND SACRAMENTS FOR YEAR 2016

BAPTISM/ NEW MEMBERS

CHRISMATION Regular Members Luca Vukoje Kathleen D. Lubanko Zoe Bozunovic Mirjana Belcevich Luka Dimkich Robert Otis Marko Rucnov Paul Budilo Emerson Olaiz Stephan Preunas Ian Dempsey Robert Russo Robert Russo Ian Dempsey Georgije Markovic Milos Tasic JelenaJocovic Adele Chadwick Amelia Salata Rade Filipovic Mackenzie Balding Mariora Filipovic Danko Djurisic Natassia Filipovic Milena Bertole Nikola Filipovic Harvey Kozic Paul Kosanovich Nicolina Riner Life Members Nicholas Preonas Chase Rados Lauren Rados Virginia Pavkovich

2016 PARISH STATISTICS WEDDINGS

Divine Liturgies: 96 Diana Burge to Nicholas Sala Vigil/Vespers Services: 65 Ian Dempsey to Sasha Barnard Matins: 70 Pavel Budilo to Michelle Clark Special Services: 56 Kimberly Barron to Brian Hults Baptisms/Chrismations: 18 Funerals: 9 Marriages: 5 In Memoriam Memorial Services: 24 †SlavkoKnezevic †Elizabeth Hebl Pastoral Meetings with groups/individuals: 142 Marriage Enrichment sessions: 16 †George Kovacevich †Marion Vonderohe Visitations to the sick: 42 †Robert Savich †TrivaJovicic Catechism sessions for adults: 16 †Radojica Nikcevic †Christopher Robles Children registered in Sunday School: 88 Children registered in Serbian Dance: 35 †Bozidar Pavkovic †Martin Vignovich Parish Home Study Fellowship Groups: 3 †Radmilo Jelicic †Michael Stefanovic †Ann Whelan 40 6 INCOME EXPENSES

Stewardship Contributions $ 367,123.00 Salaries $ 193,169.24 Stewardship Endowment Income $ 54,730.26 Salary for Dean, Assistant Priest, and Administrative assistance Church Offerings $ 25,486.31 Insurance, Taxes & Pension $ 192,540.90 Church Holiday Offerings $ 53,915.00 General liability, liquor liability, payroll, Includes Auxiliary donations worker’s compensation, health and life Candle Net Revenue $ 9,062.22 insurance, property tax; clergy pension, Memorial Donations $ 17,515.00 self-employment, and renter’s insurance Memorial Endowment Income $ 19,981.11 Maintenance $ 144,737.35 Janitorial staff wages and health insurance, Life Membership Endowment Income $ 23,665.00 Gardening, supplies, pest control, HVAC, Parish Festival Net Income $ 33,936.12 repairs and general maintenance Facility Use Fees $ 2,450.00 Utilities $ 67,639.98 Beverage Net Income $ 10,678.19 Electric, gas, water, refuse, and telephone Other $ 2,190.50 Diocesan Assessment $ 54,575.04 Includes Stole Fees, Interest earned, proceeds from parish events Postage, Printing, Office Equipment/Supplies $ 19,952.33

5% Other Endowment Income $ 126,648.52 Christian Education, Youth and Young Adults $ 50,960.27 for ministries Sunday School Supplies, lay assistant salary, young adult ministry, seminars and conferences TOTAL INCOME FOR 2016 $ 747,381.23 Liturgical Music Ministry $ 15,913.66 Choir Director Salary and supplies Thank You for your generosity! Charities and Donations $ 20,400.00 A heartfelt thank‐you to the everyone in our Cathedral $17,900 for New York Cathedral, family for your support of our parish ministries! In spite $1,500 Diocesan Days Sponsorship, th of the deficit that we have this year, our parish is still $1,000 Gift for Bishop Maxim’s 10 Anniversary doing well. Through your generosity and participation, Miscellaneous - Other Expenses $ 24,808.03 and through the generosity and participation of others, Includes church supplies, hospitality, parish events, we know we can continue and eliminate such shortfalls event security, travel and other expenses in future years. This effort simply cannot be possible TOTAL ALL EXPENSES $ 784,696.80 without a strong family of members and parishioners which we are so blessed to have. The real credit for all NET LOSS < $ 37,315.57 > the work and ministry that we are able to do, the lives we are able to touch, our ability to reach out and assist Even with our many strengths and many generous people, we still concluded those most in need goes to you, our generous steward the year in a deficit. Our collective generosity can prevent this. We ask members and donors., and for that we say Thank You! everyone to join in making our beloved Cathedral a priority. If you have not participated, we kindly ask you to please consider doing so, as it would go a long way to putting us in the black and would be most appreciated. 41 6 2016 OTHER ENDOWMENT DISBURSEMENTS Extend your Giving Beyond Your Living Other Purposes Saint Steven’s Cathedral Endowment

Annual Endowment Publication & Mailing $ 2,851.26 Funds allow you to set up an enduring Capital Improvements investment in the church, to extend Renovations to Sunday School Classrooms $ 67,993.57 your generosity to the church beyond Handicap Ramp at South Church Entrance $ 12,397.57 your lifetime, and to leave a legacy for Re‐piping of Gas Line in Social Hall $ 4,349.34 future generations of Cathedral Charity and Other members and the work of the Church Rebuilding of Saint Sava Church NYC $ 25,000.00 in years to come.

Clergy Widow’s Fund $ 5,000.00 The principal of these gifts is held in Saint Vladimir’s Seminary $ 6,000.00 perpetuity with the investment income SUB‐TOTAL OTHER DISBURSEMENTS $ 123,591.74 made available as needed for ministries

of the church and as designated by the Earmarked Endowments donor. An endowment gift may be ENP Needy Fund $ 6,899.99 made at any time, and is frequently RCA $ 6,206.66 made in honor or memory of an indi‐ Mrvichin Scholarship Awards $ 4,000.00 vidual, or as part of an estate plan.

As you can see from this report, our Helen Paich Forbes & Catherine Stanish Manion Endowments strengthen the Cathedral, Legacy Fund Disbursements so that it may continue to empower its Riverside house gardening and repairs $ 1,400.00 ministry even in difficult economic Riverside house property tax $ 1,058.39 times. Because only a portion of in‐ Riverside house utilities $ 567.24 come is distributed for actual use, this ensures each gift will make a lasting Note: In January 2017, the Riverside home sold contribution through the life of Saint for net proceeds of $321,802.57. Steven’s Cathedral. The same charita‐ ble act that provides our Saint Steven’s TOTAL OTHER DISBURSEMENTS FOR 2016 $ 143,724.02 Cathedral with a contribution this year can ensure that the parish receives a gift on your behalf every year, throughout your lifetime and beyond.

42 On Parish Membership

A Continuity with the Early Church The Biblical image of the perfect Christian community is one where the sharing of the Gospel and the teaching of the Apostles takes place. In this sharing, the community realizes its life in God through Jesus Christ. For two thousand years, communities of believers have dedicated themselves to living in an awareness of fellow‐ ship and belonging ‐‐ strengthened by ‘remaining faithful to the teaching of the Apostles, to the community, to the breaking of bread and to prayerʹ [Acts 2:24]. The Tradition of the Church teaches that our Christian identity is established by being a member of a community that worships together, celebrates the sacraments and remains faithful to this biblical image.

Consider Parish Membership Members are those Orthodox Christians who understand what it means to build up the body of Christ. They do this by making a true commitment to our parish. Membership creates stability in the parish just as marriage creates stability in society. Membership also creates strength in our parish because it is a commitment to participate in the ministries of the Church, to fulfill the spiritual strivings of an Orthodox Christian, and to financially support the parish by proportional giving. Membership makes a person’s baptismal vows specific to the parish, its work and its people. Baptism could be considered the theory and membership in the parish the practice ground. Just as the monk has his cell and monastery, a pastor his flock, so a Christian needs his pasturage, his field of practice. Our life together is the field of working out our salvation in Christ.

Monetary Support – Our Duty of Care The Church teaches us to be generous toward our parish and toward others as part of the discipline of learning to turn our hearts toward God – and not our self. As parish members we have a personal “duty of care” toward our parish. That duty includes contributing to the financial stability and work of the parish through our monetary support. In order to achieve a sound and solvent financial picture with a balanced budget, it is essential that each adult parishioner make a generous, meaningful financial contribution to support the parish. This offering is part of the requirement for membership in the parish.

Our financial support of Saint Steven’s Cathedral is not an obligation or an option, it is our responsibility. Our parish has been entrusted to us—not to keep—but to care for, to minister from, to strengthen, and to preserve for future generations. We are responsible. We need to continue to work to keep our parish in good condition.

We are each asked to prayerfully consider the amount we intend to give to the parish, in thanksgiving for the many blessings that we enjoy from God. The mission of the Church and the success of our Cathedral parish are impossible without our loving and generous support.

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LIFE MEMBERS Mia McDonald Jasmina Boulanger Virginia Pavkovich Diana Babic Mitzie Miladinovich‐Mandic Gene Bowan John Pecel George Brnilovich Alexander Milinovic Vladimir Budilo Mary Peyovich Bronko Bronza Mila Miller Mary Chuckovich Ann Polich James Burge Andria Mladenovich Brad Chumo Helen Popovich Marnie Butts Draza Mrvichin George & Marlene Chumo Gilbert Popovich George Carich Nick Popovich John Colich Alex Rados Lorraine Colich Teresa Radich Milo & Dolores Colich Stephen A. Rados Violet Colich Chase Rados Tom Colich Stephen Rados Sondra Cope Lauren Rados Marko Cvejic Darlene Robles Dan Dakovich Walter Rados Radovan Dajkovich George Salata Stefanie Davis Aleksandar Rogic Peter Doder Tom Salata Mitch Dimkich Paul Salata Milenko and Sonja Doder Elaine Salaya Milan Djokich Keith Salaya Bernice Ducich Eleanor Samardzich Bosko Djujich Kirk Salaya Marguerite Endacott Vido & Monika Samarzich Jeffrey Doder Cameron Savage Valerie Glover Julia Sellers Marie Dragovich Zelen Savich Dorothy Harris Robert & Andriana Sellers Marisa Drury Alexander Sekanovich Olga Irick Stephanie Sellers Vernon Goicovic Julia Sellers Lynn Jurich Darinka Spadier Helen Greenway Lisa Simikic Alex Knezevich Nicholas Spanovich Michael Guite Honey Skoro Draza Knezevich Virginia Stefanovich Michaelyn Harper Val Skoro Donald & Marlene Kral Ariana White Dorothy Harris Kathy Smolin Paul & Barbara Kral Chris & Stefanie White Sally Ivankovich Michael Spadier Scepan Kral Jonathan White Helen Katich Diane Tomovich Kathleen Jo Lubanko Nicholas White Paula Klein Gussie Trifunovich John & Romilda Lovrensky Mildred Zotovich Milovan Krakovic Lavonne Voit Ollie Lynn REGULAR MEMBERS Mary Kral Milovan Vukcevich Yvonne Maginnis Vaso & Mary Adzich Michael Kral Sally Ann Vukcevich Milan & Mercia Martich Bryan & Marisa Allred Steve Kukic Vlado Vukcevich Eileen McCleave Milena Andrejich Nadyne & Rick Lapi Desanka Vuksanovich Jack McClellan Nancy Anzalone Kim Leonard Peter Wucetich Lawrence & Joyce Merchep Mirko Babic Darlene Lubanko Prvoslav Zivojinovic Stanislava Mihich Meghan Balding Alexander Lynn Simeun & Vera Miljic John & Cynthia Barnard Cayce Lynn LIFE MEMBER STEWARDS Olga Mitrovich Stephanie Barron Sheryl Manos Nana & John Allen Predrag Mitrovich Anika Bartley Melanie McCleave Nikola Bakajin Mileva Mladenovich Milos Basaric Kathryn McDonald Marie Belotti Eli Mulkovich Ljiljana Botica Mirjana Belcevich 44 PARISH MEMBERSHIP

Ana Belden David Djujich Marijana Kral Alexandra Mulkovich Jacqueline Bertole Mark Dobrilovic Lisa Kral Nikolas Mulkovich Helen Borovac Slobodan Dobrilovic Robert Kral George Nelson Suzie Borowski Jay Dong June Kurilich Julie Nikchevich Eugene G. Bowan Max & Kathy Dragovich Benjamin Lemon Chris & Lidija Nikchevich Nelda Bowan John Ducic Gail Likich Donald Nikchevich George & Andja Bozic George Ducich Romilda Lovrensky Michael Obradovitch Alexandra Brand Nick Ducich Richard Lovrensky Miriana Ojeda Alex & Julie Brankovic Tryal Edmundson Maliana Lozynsky Kathryn Olaiz Andja Brankovich Andrea Fake George Lubanko Danica O’Leary Jonathan Braun Rade & Mariora Filipovich Kathleen Lubanko Robert Otis Tatiana Budilo Nikola Filipovich Margita Luckovich Michael Palmer Pavel Budilo Nastassia Filipovich Vera Lukic‐Nestoras Rose Ann Parrish Michael Budincich Brian Gerich William Malcom Sanja Pearce Natalie Bulaich John Glover Andja Marco Ilona Pecel Carrie & Brian Bullard Jonathan & Calise Green Daniel Marovich Nicole Pecel Jo Ann Burdi Gregory Gutesha Diana Marovich William Peckovich Henry Burge Will Harris Ljiljana Maricic Vojislav Pejic Steve & Laura Burge Erin Herrera Maria Marvosh George Perovich William Burge Kimberly Hults Georgia Masanovich Irena Petrovic Michelle Carbone Dennis Jaich Natalie McKenna Archie Petrovich Dorothy Caswell Michael V. Jesic Donna Michael Eleanor Phillips Andreana Ceko Vel Jesic Milena Mihich Felicia Pincu Maria Ceko Alexander Jocovic Dragutin & Inge Mijatovich Jenny Pincu Adele Chadwick Mirko Jokanovic Bobbie Milacich Maria Pincu George Chumo, III Joy Jugovic Pamela Milacich Ned & Hilda Plecas Alicia Colich Diane Kaefer Robert Miladinovich Thomas Polich Craig Colich Donna Katich Robert and Milena Milicevic Tyrone & Bernadette Polich Ryan Colich Vera Keep Diane Milivojevic Slobodan Ponjavic George Collins Ian Kleinsasser Savo Miljic Emilija Popa Dusanka Cvejic Tanya Knezevich‐Duckett Vera Miljic Stephen & Milica S. Preonas Branka Cvejic John F. Knight IV Steven Miller Evan & Nicole Privett Milan Cvejic Paul Kosanovich Gordon Milosevic Rick Quinn Slavka Dajkovich Natalia Koudsi Diana Mirazic Jeff Ratkovich Richard Davidovich Betty Kovacevich Petar Mladenovic Donielle Reynolds Sasha & Ian Dempsey Milenko Kozic John Monroe Robert & Jeanette Risher Dragana Djukelic Aleksandar Krakovic Krista Morand Anita Roglich Donna Djujic Vladimir Krakovic Yelena Morri Pace Rommel 45 Petka Rosser Nenad Tomasevic Fr. Chris & Matuska Horsley “Good stewardship shapes Mirko Rucnov Rosemary Tomich Brian and Kimberly Hults Vera & Robert Russo Mike Tufegdzich Steve Ingistov the proper life of a Christian Diana & Nick Sala Noelle Tydlaska Angelina Janich in the Church. It allows the Jason Salata Robert Ukropina Sam Jankovich Christian to stand before the Marc Salata Sreto Uncanin Andrija & Koviljka Jevtic Holy Trinity in a state of Gloria Salata Dobrica & Danica Vasich Slavica Jovan profound gratitude. Good Linda Salata Scott & Cassandra Vossmeyer Dejan & Svetlana Jovanovic Vido Samarzich, Jr. Gordana Vukotich Adam Kavic stewardship also shapes the Nina Santich Irene Vukovich Rose Kovacevich proper relationship between Aleks Sarac Lydia Vuynovich Fr. Norm & Anne Kosanovich a Christian and his or her Momcilo Sarac Nada Wall Vasa Kostic possessions. In the practice Christopher Savic Desmond Warren Gabriella Lunich of good stewardship the Jelena Savic Gerald Warren Ann Malobabich Jonathan & Nicole Savic Michael & Karen Wayne Peter Milacich Christian is freed from the Eliza Savich Nicholas Wayne Ankica Milosavljevic debilitating fear of Marina Scholl Patrick Wayne Mary Milosevich insufficiency and the Dragic & Vida Sevic Cristina & David Witham Veronica Nikcevic avariciousness that results Mary Ann Sickle Cara Wucetich Louise Obradovich from feeling deprived. The Sylvia Simpson Denise Zarubica Dusan & Ofelia Pascan Lazar & Tatyana Skundric Svetlana Zivanovic Aleksandar & Iwona Pejovic joyful freedom of life in Michael & Patricia Slavich George Zivkovich Rajka Pesic expanding, unending George Spadier Eric Zivojinovic Tony & Maria Plese abundance is the gift of God Michael Spadier Ethan Zotovich Tyrone & Kerry Polich to the good steward. Steve & Mara Spilker Ted & Jennifer Polich Corporate good stewardship Dragan Stankovic NON‐MEMBER STEWARDS Edoardo Ponti Victoria & Andrew Starke Snezana Begovic & Sasha Alexander‐Ponti in a parish improves the Natalie Steefel Lydia Berich Sava & Renata Rados quality of spiritual life for Laurence & Pamela Stefan Fr. Nick & Popadija Ceko Sonia Randazzo the community. It allows Tim & Cyndi Stepich Michele Clark Budilo Aleksandar & Ljubica Savic the parish to fulfill its Crystal Stevenson Bea Collis Ljubica Yelich mission in fidelity to the Milka Stojanovich Chris & Anne Cronin Jennifer Strbac Franc & Vidosava Damis gospel through a proper Roger & Zdravka Strealy Olga Djukelic alignment of values and Gordana Swanson Tona Djukic priorities…” Milija Tanaskovic Mirko Duvnjak Milos Tasic Bernice Gogo ‐ Anthony Scott Miodrag & Debra Tasic Boris & Zeljka Gortinski 46 2016 PARISH LEADERSHIP

Right Reverend Bishop Maxim, PhD Protopresbyter Stavrophor Nikola Ceko, Dean Presbyter Norman P. Kosanovich, Assistant Priest Protopresbyter Stavrophor Ilija Daikovich, Retired Jonathan Braun, Lay Assistant

BOARD OF CONTROL EXECUTIVE BOARD WOMEN’S AUXILIARY Stephen S. Rados, Chairman Steve Spilker, President Kathleen Lubanko , President Paul Kral, Secretary Vaso Adzich, 1st Vice President Valerie Glover1st Vice President Eugene Bowan Chris Savic, 2nd Vice President Vera Russo, 2nd Vice President Milo Colich Vera Russo, Secretary Jeanette Risher, Secretary Brian Gerich Steven Burge, Treasurer Natalie McKenna, Treasurer Donald Kral Eli Mulkovich, III, Fin. Secretary Anita Roglich, Financial Secretary Milan Martich Alexander S. Rados AUDITING BOARD CATHEDRAL CHOIR BOARD OF TRUSTEES Brian Bullard Violet Colich, President Tyrone Polich, President Peter Doder Betty Kovacevich, 1st Vice President Eugene Bowan, Vice President John Glover Nelda Bowan, Secretary George Chumo, Jr, Secretary Robert Sellers Donna Katich, Treasurer Vaso Adzich Brian Bullard TUTORI—VESTRY & USHERS Steve Burge John Pecel, Coordinator SENIOR CITIZEN’S CLUB Milo Colich Radovan Dajkovich Bernice Ducich, President Thomas Colich Radovan Dajkovich Eleanor Samardzich, Vice President Valerie Glover Robert Kral Betty Kovacevich, Secretary Donald Kral George Salata Violet Colich, Treasurer Paul Kral Christopher Savic Dorothy Perko, Financial Secretary Mitchell Kovacevich Robert Sellers Tatiana Budilo, Cor. Secretary Milan Martich Vaso Adzich Eli Mulkovich, III Alexander Brankovic Brian Bullard John L. Pecel RELIGIOUS CULTURAL ASSOCIATION George Chumo, II Stephen S. Rados Ned Plecas, President Ian Dempsey Robert Risher Victoria Starke, Vice President Marko Dobrilovic George Salata Andrea Fake, Secretary Andrew & Nina Robles Christopher Savic Marijana Kral, Treasurer Paul Kral Robert Sellers Carrie Bullard, Financial Secretary Debra Tasic Kate Lubanko Brian Gerich, Emeritus Nicholas Mulkovich John Lovrensky, Emeritus Nicole Pecel Olivera Lynn, Emeritus Milos Tasic Dave Witham 47 SAINT STEVEN’S SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL Non-Profit Org

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