MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS SPRING 2015 • Volume 30, Number 2 Sitka & Alaska Page 3 ALSO INSIDE: Orthodox Missions in The Limits of Language: Christ’s Divine Love Beyond Words FIJI MISSION MAGAZINE SPRING.2015,.Volume.31,.Number.1 CONTENTS The OCMC’s Mission magazine is published twice a year as a resource to educate and engage people in FEATURES Orthodox missions. EDITOR: . .Fr ..Martin.Ritsi MANAGING EDITOR: . Alex.Goodwin DESIGN:. Cameron.Thorp As.the.official.missions.agency.of.the.Assembly.of.Canoni- cal.Orthodox.Bishops.of.North.and.Central.America.it.is. OCMC’s.mission.to.make.disciples.of.all.nations.by.bringing. people.to.Christ.and.His.Church . For more information about OCMC visit our website at www.ocmc.org Mailing Address Orthodox.Christian.Mission.Center.. 220.Mason.Manatee.Way.. St ..Augustine,.FL.32086 Orthodox Misions Fiji 3 in PH:.(904).829-5132.Fax:.(904).829-1635 Fr. Martin Ritsi Toll.Free:.1-877-GO-FORTH.(463-6784) Email:.missions@ocmc org. 6 Evangelism at Two Miles per Hour Program Contacts: Bishop David of Sitka and Alaska Rev. Fr. Martin Ritsi . Executive.Director Dn. James Nicholas. .Missionary.Director Andrew Lekos . .Mission.Teams.Director Jack Klees . Finance.Director Alex Goodwin. .Communications.Director The Limits of Language: Penelope Petropoul. Major.Gifts.Officer 10 Kenneth Kidd . Annual.Gifts.Officer Christ’s Divine Love Beyond Words Spyridoula Fotinis OCMC Missionaries and their families: Alaska: The.DiLullo.Family.Albania: Anastasia.Pamela. Barksdale;.Georgia.Gilman.Bendo;.The.Hoppe.Family;.. The.Macdonald.Family;.The.Ritsi.Family.. Guatemala: Jesse.Brandow,.The.Chakos.Family.. Kenya: Meagan.Engelbach.Mongolia: Kurt.Bringerud;.. The.Moore.Family.Romania: The.Frantz.Family.. Mission Specialists: .The.Colburn.Family;.The.Rucker. Mission Priest Spotlight ....................................................................................12 Family;.Felice.Stewart . His.Grace.Bishop.Neofitos.of.Nitria:.A.Life.of.Service.and.Love,.Markella Balasis OCMC BOARD OF DIRECTORS: OCMC Missionaries............................................................................................ 14 Fr. George P Liacopulos . President Met. Savas Zembillas. .Assembly.Liaison . Waqaa!,.Hosea and Tamara DiLullo Mr. John N Colis . .Vice.President . Missionary.Updates. Mr. Clifford Argue. Previous.President Mr. William O Birchfield III. Treasurer Dr. Gayle Woloschak. Secretary Orthodox Mission Teams....................................................................................20 Fr. Alexander Veronis . President.Emeritus . Going.From.the.‘Lower.48’,.Pres. Renee Ritsi THIS ISSUE THIS ISSUE IN OCMC BOARD MEMBERS: . Developing Missions........................................................................................... 22 Fr ..Joseph.Ciarciaglino,.Fr ..John.Chakos,.Dn ..Dr ..John.Christa- kis,.Mr ..George.Conopeotis,.Mr ..Patrick.R ..Crosson,.Dr ..John. Creating.a.Culture.of.Missions.among.Youth:.. G ..Demakis,.Mr ..Michael.Grivon,.Mr ..John.C ..Hrapchak,.Mr .. The.OCMC.Coin.Box.and.Lesson.Plan.Program,.Kenneth Kidd Bruce. Humphrey,. Fr .. Luke. Mihaly,. Mr .. Scott. Mitchell,. Mrs .. Helen.Nicozisis,.Fr ..John.Parker,.Fr ..Philemon.Patitsas,.Fr ..Ted. Pisarchuk,.Rev ..Dn ..Andrew.J ..Rubis,.Mrs ..Elizabeth.Slanta,. ALSO Fr ...Matthew.Tate,.Fr ..Luke.Veronis,.Mrs ..Marina.Zazanis On the cover:.The.Orthodox.Faith.came.to.Alaska.in.the.late.18th.century.with.missionaries.from.Russia.who.would. become.great.saints.of.the.Church ..Native.Alaskan.people.have.held.fast.to.Orthodoxy.ever.since ..The.Church.in. Alaska.is.trying.to.preserve.and.grow.the.Orthodox.Christian.tradition.with.the.help.of.the.Orthodox.Christian.Mission. Center.(OCMC) .. 2 OCMC MISSION MAGAZINE • WWW.OCMC.ORG line of catechumens stand expectantly waiting Orthodox Missions for the baptism to begin - their dark skin shining A in contrast to their white baptismal robes. Joy is radiating from their faces. They stand together before the clergy at the newly-consecrated Church of the Holy Trinity in Fiji and are a sign of the wonderful works God is doing on this tropical island, under the in direction of His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of New Zealand. Adult baptisms are so much a part of the Fiji mission vision that a large baptismal font was constructed directly in front of the entrance to the church. Approaching the church, it is the first thing one sees, erected in the middle of the pathway and by Fr. Martin Ritsi standing as a mystical entranceway to the church. BELOW: The Church FIJI of the Holy Trinity is a new parish that was recently constructed and consecrated in Fiji. The Church in Fiji also has an orphanage and will soon be opening a shelter for women. Following his enthronement His Eminence Amphilochios, Metropolitan of New Zealand, traveled to Fiji to bring the Orthodox Faith. Many Fijians have become Orthodox after meeting and spending time with His Eminence, and the body of believers continues to grow. OCMC MISSION MAGAZINE • SPRING 2015 3 Orthodox Missions in FIJI Christianity Metropolitan was introduced indigenous Fijians and non-believers, we witness God working Amphilochios smiled with Indo-Fijians (originating in extraordinary ways. His Eminence satisfaction as we walked to this region, from India). Among the Archbishop Makarios of Kenya said up to the church that indigenous Fijians, the recently, “In the mission field God, not Fijimorning. He stopped to once known as majority is Christian, while infrequently, intervenes miraculously. show me, with a glint of of the Indo-Fijians, only Many other missionaries can give a similar pride in his eyes, how the the “Cannibal 6% percent have accepted testimony. Our Lord…often miraculously font was equipped with Christ. Surprisingly, many enlightens those who come to receive running water and a drain Isles”, in the Christian Fijians I met had the light of Orthodoxy for the first time going directly into the Hindu backgrounds. There in mature years.” This is the case in Fiji. earth below. It is intended early 1800’s is receptivity among this Many are called out of their daily lives to be used often, and little population to accept the through a powerful encounter with God did I know that later that at a time when Gospel. – similar to encounters we read of when day, he would give me the During my visit, I the apostles first met Jesus. Now with 4 honor of participating cannibalism was heard accounts of the clergy, 4 churches, 2 nuns, missionary in the baptism of 13 powerful way God coworkers from Australia, Greece, New catechumens. still practiced revealed himself to people Zealand, and the US, many baptized Allow me to backtrack through Metropolitan faithful, an orphanage, and a women’s a little. This journey to between Amphilochios. One of shelter, the foundation for the Orthodox Fiji came after seeing the four Fijian priests Mission in Fiji is established. how well the mission warring tribes. explained how his mother But now that the mission in Fiji is there was developing. It heard the Metropolitan established, is there still anything left to was more than coincidence that in the speak during his first visit to the island. do? Translations, training, assistance to same week I decided it was time for She immediately sensed something expand and start new communities, help firsthand exploration, an invitation also special and invited him for dinner. for the orphans, and other social projects came from the Metropolitan himself. She told her son he had to A series of events followed that showed meet him. The son, now the completion of a solid foundation Fr. Bartholomew, relayed for Orthodoxy in Fiji. This included the that he had felt a calling to consecration of a newly-constructed ministry early in his life, but church, group baptisms, the blessing of began a career and never marriages, tonsuring two nuns, opening pursued this further. When an orphanage, and liturgies almost every he met the Metropolitan, he day with visitors from Australia, Greece, immediately knew he must and the United States. join this Church and pursue Before I began preparations for the calling that had lain the visit, I had little understanding dormant. of Fiji and the islands that surround Another example of it in Oceania. In retrospect, I see my God working through the awareness was founded on hearsay and Metropolitan was told by one advertisements of a warm people and of the two newly tonsured luxurious resorts situated in tropical nuns. She explained how paradise. While I found that Fijians are she had been working at a indeed amazingly gentle and friendly, shopping center and saw the and the island is tropical, the “paradise” Metropolitan pass by. She felt aspect was built for tourists who visit drawn to him and left what the hidden resorts. Life for the average she was doing. She followed Fijian is simple. Homes are small, and him until he sat down people work the land or sea to carve out somewhere. Not knowing a basic living. what to say, she simply Christianity was introduced to this offered him a glass of water. region, once known as the “Cannibal That began a relationship that Isles”, in the early 1800’s at a time when culminated in her embracing cannibalism was still practiced between a monastic life and taking warring tribes. Fortunately, history records responsibility to assist the only one foreign missionary martyred new orphanage. in this way. Today, the population is So often, in places where comprised of two main ethnic groups – the Gospel is preached to 4 OCMC MISSION MAGAZINE • WWW.OCMC.ORG are just some of what lies ahead. And then, there is not just Fiji, but the other islands of Oceania that lie within the vision of the Metropolitan. On my way back to the United States, I was asked to visit the Metropolis headquarters in New Zealand. There I was met by a classmate from seminary, Fr. Paul Patitsas, and his family. Fr. Paul took me around New Zealand and helped me understand how So often, in the mission developed in Fiji, places where the Metropolitan’s vision, as well the Gospel as many of the ministries and is preached activities in New Zealand.