St. Innocent Orthodox Church Z 50th Anniversary:1967-2017 Z Moscow Patriarchal Parishes Z 23300 W. Chicago _ Redford, MI 48239 _ 313-538-1142 _ Fax: 313-538-8126 Church Website: www.stinnocentchurch.com _ E-Mail: [email protected] St. Innocent Monastic Community: 9452 Hazelton, Redford, MI 48239 _ 313-535-9080 PASTOR: Rt. Rev. Mitered Archpriest ROMAN STAR _ Cell: 313-319-0590 Dean, Central States Deanery, Patriarchal Parishes OCTOBER 28-29, 2017 ASSISTANT PRIESTS: Rev. DANEIL SHIRAK _ 313-295-3073 Rev. Dr. JOSHUA GENIG _ 630-936-6386 EPISTLE: Galatians 2:16-20 (#203) [Sunday] DEACON: Dn. Michael Comerford, Attached GOSPEL: St. Luke 8:26-39 (#38) [Sunday] ATTACHED: Sister Ioanna TONE: 4 CHOIR DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Star Hatfield READERS: George Hanoian; William Davis

Z 21st SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Z

_ SATURDAY, 10/28, Parish’s 50th Anniversary – 9:30am — GREETING of the BISHOP, VESTING & _ HIERARCHAL DIVINE LITURGY _ ANNIVERSARY GRAND BANQUET at St. Michael’s Banquet Hall _ _ SUNDAY, 10/29 – 9:15am — HOURS & AKATHIST &/OR CANON; CONFESSIONS _ _ 10am — DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM _

COMMEMORATED TODAY: SATURDAY: Repose of Ven. Job, Abbot and Wonderworker of Pochaev (1651). Martyrs Terence and Neonila, and their 7 children. Repose of St. Arsenius, Archbishop of Serbia (1266). Greatmartyr Paraskeva of Iconomium (3rd c.). St. Dimitry, Metropolitan of Rostov (1709). Martyrs Africanus, Terence, Maximus, Pompeius, and 36 others, of Carthage (3rd c.); & SUNDAY: Martyr Anastasia the Roman (3rd c.). Ven. Abramius the Recluse, and his niece, Bl. Mary, of Mesopotamia (ca. 360). Ven. Abrámii, Archimandrite of Rostov (1073-77).

FOR THE REPOSE OF: Estelle & Joseph Star; Anna & John Witkowski; Michael Sr. & Margaret Rusko; Mary, Andrew, Daniel, Michael & Lottie Yakuber; Ross & Margaret Falsetti; Helen, John & Carole Andrayko; Peter & Theresa Harvilla; Betty Martell; Frances, Todd & John Smoly; Peter Glover; Irene Adams; Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua deVyver, David Horka; Michael Rusko; Anna Lichagina, Yelena & Zinaïda Korniyevskaya; Joseph Nossal; Michelle Tucker; Todd Comerford, John Manier, Jr. MEMORY Theresa Harvilla, whose anniversary of his repose is on Thursday, 2 November ETERNAL! Marion Pallas, whose anniversary of her repose is on Friday, 3 November

FOR THE HEALTH OF: Archimandrite Seraphim; Priest Daneil, Mat. Debra & Corrina Shirak; Priest Joshua, Mat. Abigail, Emma, Clare, Rose & Anna Genig; Deacon Michael, Mat. Mary Ellen & Julius Comerford; Matushka Mary Donahue; Reader Robert Latsko, Reader George & Betty Hanoian, William Basil Davis, Rose Nossal, Mary Glover, Nancy Cupp, Vasiliki Stamoulis, Gerald Martell, Azbehat, Donald Yakuber, Carl deVyver, Jo Anne Nicholas, Joan Rusko, Daria, Joseph Nossal, Ed Manier, Pat Harbut; Iskias Naizghi, ALSO FOR: Fr. Vasily Kuzmych, who is recuperating from major ear surgery in Moscow on 3 October All St. Innocent clergy, monastics, parishioners and all their guests for the Parish’s 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary Š MAY GOD GRANT THEM MANY YEARS! Š

SCHEDULE FOR THE COMING WEEK (regular Wednesday & Friday fasting) Saturday 11/4 4pm GREAT VESPERS Sunday 11/5 22nd Sunday After Pentecost 9:15am Hours & Akathist/Canon; Confessions 10am DIVINE LITURGY, followed by Coffee Hour

PROSPHORA FOR TODAY IS OFFERED BY: John Andrayko In Memory Eternal of: Parents, Helen Andrayko (Anniversary 10/24) & John Andrayko, Sr. (Anniversary 1/28); sister, Carole Andrayko (Anniversary 6/5); all departed members of the Andrayko and Mehalacki Families; Joe Nossal; friends & loved ones; and For the Health of: John Andrayko; Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie; Rose Nossal; & all parishioners for Parish’s 50th Anniversary.

Z CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! Z HE IS NOW & ALWAYS SHA LL BE! Z CANDLES FOR LAST SUNDAY, 22 OCTOBER YEARLY CHURCH VIGIL LAMPS: Royal Doors Lamp: In Memory of Husband, Joseph; Son, Kenneth; parents, Michael & Margaret Rusko, & John & Martha Nossal, by Rose Nossal Altar Candelabra: In Memory of Parents, Nicholas and Susan Yakuber, by son, Donald Yakuber Altar Candles (2): In Memory of Irene Adams, by Goddaughter, Rose Ann Everhardt Iconostasis Lamps: In Memory of departed family & friends; & Health of family & friends, by Fr. Protodeacon Daniel & Mat. Irene Sudol Candles on the Solea: In Memory of Peter & Theresa Harvilla, Norman & Monica Holst, & Ricky Ellis, by Jason & Debra Truskowski Table of Oblation Lamp: In Memory of Parents, Helen & John Andrayko, Sr. & sister, Carole Andrayko, by John Andrayko, Jr. Reliquary-Icon Lamps: Sts. Innocent, Tikhon & Herman: Health of Joseph/Sue; Robert/Diane; Pat/John; Joseph B., Jared, Jay; Rachelle/Aaron, Gabriel; Tricia, Lindsey; & In Memory of sisters, Anna, Margaret, Theresa & Irene; & brothers, John, Edwin & Michael by Rose Nossal Reliquary-Icon Lamps: Sts. Elizabeth & Raphael: Health of the Genig and the Just Families, by Fr. Joshua & Matushka Abigail Genig Reliquary-Icon Lamps: St. Seraphim & St. Alexis: In Memory of Ross & Margaret Falsetti, by daughters, Rose Ann Everhardt & Margie Martell Reliquary-Icon Lamps: St. Nestor & St. Gerontius: In Memory of Rusko Family: Grandparents, Anna, Alexandra, Mike, Margaret, John, Mary, George, Pauline, Pete, Irene, Andrew, Anna, Grandparents Nickolas & Anna Schulik, by Rose Nossal Reliquary-Icon Lamps: St. Hilarion & Sts. Alexandra & Martha: In Memory of Parents, Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua; Robert David H; // IN MEMORY OF (MEMORY ETERNAL!) //& Health of brother, Carl, by Sister Ioanna Joseph & Estelle Star, by son Father Roman and family Paul & Alexandra Yupco, Basil & Ellen Starinshak, by grandson, Father Roman and family John & Anna Witkowski, by daughter, Matushka Rose Marie and family Samuel & Mary Kupec, by granddaughter, Matushka Rose Marie and family Parents, Helen & John Andrayko, and sister, Carole Andrayko, by John Andrayko + + + My husband, Michael Rusko, by Joan Rusko My husband, Joe; my sisters, Margaret & Ross Falsetti, Anna & Mike Elaschat, Theresa & Pete Harvilla, Irene, & brothers, Michael, John & Edwin Rusko; niece, Rose Mary & Dean Hough; Joe’s brothers, Raymond & Walter Nossal, & sisters, Theresa, Florence & Helen Nossal, by Rose Nossal ++ + Pete & Theresa Harvilla, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay Truskowski + + + Jaimie Truskowski, by daughter Kay T. Parents, Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua; David H; Nina I; Marion P; Fr. Photius; Archm. Roman; Mo. Benedicta, Molly, Olive, by Sr. Ioanna John G. Petz, by Frances Roy + + + Grandfather Dimitri (name’s day, 10/26), by Frances Roy FOR THE HEALTH OF: (MANY YEARS!) Elizabeth & Lawrence, Caitlin & Zachary, by parents & grandparents, Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie Gregory & Tamiko Star, by parents, Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie Children, Grandchildren & Great-grandchildren; Monk Fr. Sdn. Tikhon (Dade); by Rose Nossal Father Roman & Matushka & family; Sister Ioanna; John Andrayko; Nancy; Mary G; Jo Anne N; Grandson Joey (in the Navy Reserves) & all people in the Armed Forces; & all St. Innocent Church parishioners, by Rose Nossal + + + Family & Friends, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay Brother, Greg & Donna; nephew, Gregory & Liz &unborn-child; & nephew, Alex, by Mary Ann & Kay + + + Ed Manier, by Mary Ann H. & Kay Archimandrites Nafanail, Gregory & Seraphim; Fr. Roman & Mat. Rose Marie; Fr. Lawrence B & fam; Fr. Laurence L & fam; Fr. Daneil & fam; Fr. Joshua & fam; Fr. Dcn. Michael & fam; Mat. Mary D; Carl; Monk Fr. Tikhon; Sdn Andrew; Rdr Robert; Robert M; David Samuel/Sky & Avi; JoAnne/Nick; Athanasius; John A; Ed/Tiffany; Kim/Mark & fam; Frances/Ken; Deborah H; Rose; Vasiliki; Billy/Fonda, by Sr. Ioanna Rose Nossal, by John Andrayko + + + John Andrayko (May God watch over him), by Rose Nossal + + + Dawn Dalsasso, by parents Nick & JoAnne + + + Alice & Autumn & unborn-child, by grandmother, Frances Roy + + + Anastasia (Ana) & John (Jasiu), by mother, Frances Roy Virginia Paslawski, by daughter, Frances Roy + + + Henrietta Quick (my aunt, who is soon to be taken to be with the Lord), by Betty Hanoian

ANNOUNCEMENTS (1) TODAY IS OUR SPECIAL DAY, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28th, AS WE CELEBRATE OUR PARISH’S 50th ANNIVERSARY. WE WISH AN ENORMOUS WELCOME & THANK YOU TO ALL OUR MANY VISITORS, who have come from near and far to wish us well and to be a part of this historic moment, including, of course, our Bishop, His Grace John, and the parish’s first Pastor, Fr. Igor Burdikoff— Our deepest appreciation for your support of our 50 years of ministry in the Lord’s vineyard. After the Liturgy everyone will proceed to St. Michael’s Church Banquet Hall, ca. 1¼ miles due west of St. Innocent (26375 West Chicago, south side, between Beech Daly & Inkster), for the GRAND CELEBRATION ANNIVERSARY BANQUET. (Photos will be posted on website soon.) (2) THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE WORKED TO CREATE TODAY’S CELEBRATION. Especially we thank the 50th Anniversary Committee, chaired by Elizabeth Star Hatfield, that has been working for an entire year in planning everything, from fund-raisers to the banquet: Fr. Joshua & Matushka Abigail Genig, John Andrayko, Mary Ann Harvilla, Jason & Debra Truskowski, and Becky Jurczyszyn. (3) VIEW SLIDE-SHOW OF WESS’ CHURCH WEDDING at: http://stinnocentchurch.com/marianna_jason_wess_wedding_10_15_17.html (4) ANNUAL FALL BLANKET CAMPAIGN. We are known as the “blanket people,” because every year we donate so many blankets to help the poor here in our own community, and in recent years we have been giving them to the Redford Interfaith Relief, where both Fr. Roman and Fr. Joshua are on the Board of Directors. The blankets are given out to the needy almost as fast as we can get them there. We purchased 200 blankets from Wal-Mart, who allowed us to buy them at the old price of $5, instead of the current price of $6. Please be as generous as possible. Give your donations to Mary Ann Harvilla. People outside the parish who read this bulletin are also welcome to give/send in donations. (5) CONGRATULATIONS TO FR. ROMAN, who will become the Chairman/President of ONE REDFORD as of January 1st, 2018, with the blessing of His Grace, Bishop John. Fr. Roman is one of the 8 original clergy founders of ONE REDFORD, that was established by members of the Redford Ministerial Alliance to build closer community relationships between Redford’s clergy and churches, with Redford Township administrators, police, courts, fire department, schools and businesses, and now includes Wayne County political leaders and local state representatives. The initial purpose was to seek to avoid local confrontations and violence as occurred in Ferguson and other metropolitan centers around the country. This mandate has now been expanded to include advance community planning for any type of possible disaster. LIFE OF ST. INNOCENT OF (c.1680 - 1731) Feast Days: November 26th (repose); February 9th (translation of his relic & glorification in 1804) & September 2nd (return of his relics to Irkutsk in 1990) St. Innocent was the Apostle to . He was an educator and missionary bishop to the region around Irkutsk, a city located near Lake Baikal in southeastern Siberia, close to the borders of Mongolia and China. He labored there for the Lord for ten years, 1721-1731, at a time of enormous moral decadence. He had profound intellectual and spiritual gifts: the gifts of teaching, languages, preaching and guiding people to God and moral living; gifts of humility, simplicity, patience, endurance and love for all people. In a few short years he brought many people to the Orthodox Faith and vastly improved the moral and spiritual climate of the "pioneer East" of the Irkutsk region. He established schools and instructed the clergy and the people both by his words and by the power of his own example of holy living. He learned the language of the native inhabitants of the region in order to lead many of them to know and love the Lord. His devotion to serving God as a missionary to all races and classes of people in the far-off land of Siberia, and his great love and kindness to all people, endeared him to his flock as the "Holy Man of Siberia." The last ten years of his life were very different from his earlier years in urban European . A priest-monk, scholar, teacher and administrator in Kiev, Moscow and St. Petersburg, he served at the best and most prestigious theological schools and cathedrals in the early eighteenth century. St. Innocent could have lived a comfortable life as an urban monk-priest-professor. But in 1721, with the consent of Peter the Great, St. Innocent was consecrated Bishop of China. After an entire year of difficult travel, he and his companions finally reached the Chinese border, near Irkutsk. He was refused entry. He continued trying to gain permission to enter China for five years. He had to cope with many difficulties: the disappointment of not fulfilling his mission to China, and of being homeless, unemployed, without income, thousands of miles from his home. But instead of feeling sorry for himself, he accepted his suffering and trusted God, realizing that his real mission was to serve where he was, and not in China. Finally, in 1727, he was appointed the first bishop of Irkutsk, in which capacity he continued his missionary work. In 1731, after only a little more than four years as Bishop of Irkutsk, the saint fell asleep in the Lord, and was buried under the altar of the wooden church at the Ascension Monastery where he had lived. In 1766, when the church burned down, it was discovered that not only had the fire not harmed St. Innocent’s body, but that it had remained "incorrupt" (his flesh had not rotted and disappeared from his bones). Between 1766 and 1800, so many miracles were attributed to St. Innocent, that the citizens of Irkutsk appealed to have their local saint formally and universally glorified by the Church, which was granted in 1804. In 1921 the Communists confiscated the holy relics (body) of Irkutsk’s beloved saint. Labeled only as a "Siberian mummy," his holy remains were displayed in museums until 1990, when miraculously, St. Innocent’s relics were discovered, identified, given back to the Church, and returned to the cathedral in Irkutsk on September 2, 1990, amidst great joy and weeping. Within two months after that, all of the bishop’s vestments in which the saint had been buried, plus the cross that had been in his hand, were all miraculously discovered and returned to the saint. The full- sized reliquary containing the saint's relics is located in the Bishop's Cathedral in the Znamensky Women's Monastery in Irkutsk, Siberia (in 1999). A close-up view of St. Innocent's relics is seen in this photo. Every parish has a special relationship with the saint (or feast) to whom the temple and its people are dedicated. The Holy Spirit guides those who choose the name of the church, because within the life of the saint (or meaning of the feast) is to be found instruction and guidance for the particular ministry of each parish. We pray that as this parish of St. Innocent of Irkutsk approaches the conclusion of its fifth decade of existence, St. Innocent will continue to guide us, helping us to discern and fulfill our role as missionaries to people of all ethnic groups, here in the "foreign land" of Metropolitan Detroit, blossoming where we are planted. We pray that we may be God’s instruments as He brings people to Him through us, by means of our words and the example of our own holy lives. May our patron saint help us to become more like him, and learn from his holy example. [From our website. See more & larger photos at: http://stinnocentchurch.com/lifeofstinnocentofirkutsk.html] By Sister Ioanna, St. Monastic Community, Redford, Michigan LIFE OF GREAT-MARTYR ST. DEMETRIUS OF THESSALONICA Feastday: October 26th The Great-Martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher of Thessalonica was the son of a Roman proconsul in Thessalonica. Three centuries had elapsed and Roman paganism, spiritually shattered and defeated by the multitude of martyrs and confessors of the Savior, intensified its persecutions. The parents of St. Demetrius were secretly Christians, and he was baptized and raised in the Christian Faith in a secret church in his father’s home, By the time Demetrius had reached maturity and his father had died, the emperor Galerius Maximian had ascended the throne (305). Maximian, confident in Demetrius’ education as well as his administrative and military abilities, appointed him to his father’s position as proconsul of the Thessalonica district. The main tasks of this young commander were to defend the city from barbarians and to eradicate Christianity. The emperor’s policy regarding Christians was expressed simply, “Put to death anyone who calls on the name of Christ.” The emperor did not suspect that by appointing Demetrius he had provided a way for him to lead many people to Christ. Accepting the appointment, Demetrius returned to Thessalonica and immediately confessed and glorified our Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of persecuting and executing Christians, he began to teach the Christian Faith openly to the inhabitants of the city and to overthrow pagan customs and idolatry. The compiler of his Life, St Simeon Metaphrastes (November 9), says that because of his teaching zeal he became “a second Apostle Paul” for Thessalonica, particularly since “the Apostle to the Gentiles” once founded at this city the first community of believers (1 Thess. and 2 Thess.). The Lord also destined St Demetrius to follow the holy Apostle Paul as a martyr. When Maximian learned that the newly- appointed proconsul was a Christian, and that he had converted many Roman subjects to Christianity, the rage of the emperor know no bounds. Returning from a campaign in the Black Sea region, the emperor decided to lead his army through Thessalonica, determined to massacre the Christians. Learning of this, St Demetrius ordered his faithful servant Lupus to distribute his wealth to the poor saying, “Distribute my earthly riches among them, for we shall seek heavenly riches for ourselves.” He began to pray and fast, preparing himself for martyrdom. When the emperor came into the city, he summoned Demetrius, who boldly confessed himself a Christian and denounced the falsehood and futility of Roman polytheism. Maximian gave orders to lock up the confessor in prison. An angel appeared to him, comforting and encouraging him. Meanwhile the emperor amused himself by staging games in the circus. His champion was a German by the name of Lyaeos. He challenged Christians to wrestle with him on a platform built over the upturned spears of the victorious soldiers. A brave Christian named Nestor went to the prison to his advisor Demetrius and requested a blessing to fight the barbarian. With the blessing and prayers of Demetrius, Nestor prevailed over the fierce German and hurled him from the platform onto the spears of the soldiers, just as the murderous pagan would have done with the Christian. The enraged commander ordered the execution of the holy Martyr Nestor (Oct. 27) and sent a guard to the prison to kill St Demetrius. At dawn on October 26, 306 soldiers appeared in the saint’s underground prison and ran him through with lances. His faithful servant, St. Lupus, gathered up the blood-soaked garment of St. Demetrius, and he took the imperial ring from his finger, a symbol of his high status, and dipped it in the blood. With the ring and other holy things sanctified by the blood of St. Demetrius, St. Lupus began to heal the infirm. The emperor issued orders to arrest and kill him. The body of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius was cast out for wild animals to devour, but the Christians took it and secretly buried it in the earth. During the reign of St. Constantine (306-337), a church was built over the grave of St. Demetrius. A hundred years later, during the construction of a majestic new church on the old spot, the incorrupt relics of the holy martyr were uncovered. Since the seventh century a miraculous flow of fragrant myrrh has been found beneath the crypt of the Great Martyr Demetrius, so he is called “the Myrrh-gusher.” Several times, those venerating the holy wonder-worker tried to bring his holy relics, or a part of them, to Constantinople. Invariably, St. Demetrius made it clear that he would not permit anyone to remove even a portion of his relics. [Considerably abridged from a much longer account, that includes the very significant Russian veneration of the saint; see the complete article at: http://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/10/26/103059-holy-glorious-demetrius-the-myrrh-gusher-of-thessalonica.] ST. DEMETRIUS (DIMITRI), METROPOLITAN OF ROSTOV Feastday: October 28th

Saint Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov (in the world Daniel Savvich Tuptalo), was born in December 1651 in the locale of Makarovo, not far from Kiev. He was born into a pious family and grew up a deeply believing Christian. In 1662, soon after his parents resettled to Kiev, Daniel was sent to the Kiev-Mogilyansk college, where the gifts and remarkable abilities of the youth were first discovered. He successfully learned the Greek and Latin languages and the entire series of classical sciences. On July 9,1668 Daniel accepted monastic tonsure with the name Demetrius, in honor of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica [see his Life, October 26th]. Prior to the spring of 1675 he progressed through the monastic obediences at Kiev’s Kirillov monastery, where he began his literary and preaching activity. The Archbishop of Chernigov Lazar (Baranovich) ordained Demetrius as hieromonk on May 23, 1675. For several years Hieromonk Demetrius lived as an ascetic and preached the Word of God at various monasteries and churches in the Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus. It was while he was Igumen of the Maximov Monastery, and later the Baturinsk Nikol’sk Monastery, in 1684 he was summoned to the Kiev Caves Lavra. The Superior of the Lavra, Archimandrite Barlaam (Yasinsky), knowing the high spiritual disposition of his former disciple, his education, his proclivity for scientific work, and also his undoubted literary talent, entrusted the Hieromonk Demetrius with organizing the MENAION, the “Lives of the Saints” for the whole year. [These monthly volumes are available in English from https://www.chrysostompress.org/lives_of_the_saints.html] From this time, all the rest of Saint Demetrius’s life was devoted to the fulfilling of this ascetic work, grandiose in its scope. The work demanded an enormous exertion of strength, since it necessitated the gathering and analyzing of a multitude of various sources and to expound them in fluent language, worthy of the lofty subject of exposition and at the same time accessible to all believers. Divine assistance did not abandon the saint for his twenty-year labor. According to the testimony of Saint Demetrius himself, his soul was filled with impressions of the saints, which strengthened him both in spirit and body, and they encouraged faith in the felicitous completion of his noble task. At this time, the venerable Demetrius was head of several monasteries (in succession). The works of the ascetic brought him to the attention of Patriarch Adrian. In 1701, by decree of Tsar Peter I, Archimandrite Demetrius was summoned to Moscow, where, on March 23, at the Dormition Cathedral in the Kremlin, he was consecrated as Metropolitan of the Siberian city of Tobolsk. But after a while, because of the importance of his scientific work and the frailty of his health, the saint received a new appointment — to Rostov-Yaroslavl, and on March 1, 1702 assumed his duties as Metropolitan of Rostov. Just as before, he continued to be concerned about the strengthening of the unity of the , weakened by the “Old Believers” schism. From his inspired works and preaching many generations of Russian theologians drew spiritual strength for creativity and prayer. He remains an example of a saintly, ascetic, non-covetous life for all Orthodox Christians. Upon his death on October 28, 1709, it was discovered that he had few possessions, except for books and manuscripts. The glorification of Saint Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov, took place on April 22, 1757. He is also remembered on September 21, the day of the uncovering of his holy relics. Source: https://oca.org/saints/lives SEMINARIANS BEGIN ST. MOSES THE BLACK SOCIETY AT VLADIMIR’S SEMINARY October 24, 2017; SVOTS, NY— In September, a new poll from NBC News and The Wall Street Journal reported that 7 in 10 Americans viewed race relations in the United States as “poor.” The poll — taken in the wake of a white nationalist demonstration in Charlottesville VA, in August — revealed that 28% of the public, including 24% of white and 40% of black Americans stated that race relations are “very bad,” with another 42% of all respondents calling them “fairly bad.” Heartbreaking news. But I’m encouraged to know that here at St. Vladimir’s a new student interest group has sprung up that is addressing the problem: the St. Moses the Black Society, a group that endeavors to foster meaningful conversation on race in the Orthodox Church today and to introduce the Orthodox Christian faith to black communities in America. The society now takes its place alongside four other student-led interest groups, all under the umbrella of our Student Council. The president of the newly-organized society is Anthony Davis, s seminarian in the Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of the South, and the faculty advisor is Professor Peter C. Bouteneff. Comprising the society are 10 students, among them 3 African-American seminarians and 3 African seminarians. Seminarian Davis told me about some upcoming plans for the budding student group. “First of all,” he said, “I led our initial meeting focused around the scriptural verse, Matthew 28:18-20, in which Jesus directs His disciples to go forth to all other nations, baptizing them and teaching them. I reminded society members that we are supposed to reach out not only to people who look like ourselves. We’re supposed to reach out to everyone.” “Second, we’re going to build our ministry on prayer, especially prayer to some of the African saints, “ he noted. “We hope to schedule Akathist services to ask intercession of holy fathers and mothers like St. Moses the Black and St. Mary of Egypt.” “Third,” he concluded, “we hope to minister in facilities like Emmaus House of Harlem, rubbing shoulders with people from black communities, and introducing them to the Orthodox faith.” The society takes its inspiration from the Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black, a national pan-Orthodox organization that desires to make the Orthodox faith available to the African-American community and to help the broader Church in realizing this goal. In fact, several members of our new student-led St. Moses Society participated in the Brotherhood’s 24th Annual Conference held October 6-8, 2017, in Princeton, NJ. Our own Board of Trustees member, Carla Ann Newbern Thomas, M.D., spearheaded and organized that national conference, and our seminary president, Fr. Chad Hatfield, led our campus contingent. [Note our Fr. Roman in photo—in miter, left of Fr. Moses Berry]

Participants in 24th Annual Conference of the Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black, October 6-8, 2017, Princeton, NJ.

The theme chosen by the Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black for their recent conference: “Growing Closer to Christ, Growing Closer Together,” struck me. It reminded me that only in Christ can true unity occur, overcoming any racial, social, ethnic, political, or gender-based divisions (Gal. 3:28-29). Our seminarians realize this also, as they live together on campus and pray together in Three Hierarchs Chapel. They understand the hard ascetical labor of drawing closer to Christ personally, in order to experience oneness in the Spirit corporately. This is one of the many reasons that St. Vladimir’s Seminary continues to be a very special place: a microcosm of vastly differentiated individuals who, in Christ, have the capacity to reflect harmony instead of rancor. Though worlds apart in birthplace, upbringing, and spiritual journeys, [our seminarians are] coming together here at St. Vladimir’s as true brothers in Christ — through common prayer and the reception of the Eucharist in Three Hierarchs Chapel.