Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania

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Alive in Christ is produced by the 

Department of Communications of the 

Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania, a 

diocese of the Orthodox Church in 

America. 

Editor 

His Grace, Bishop TIKHON 

Managing Editor 

Cindy Davis 

Editorial Staff 

V. Rev. John Kowalczyk 

Matushka Sandra Kopestonsky 

Photography 

Cindy Davis 

Martin Paluch 

Cover Photograph 

Dr. David Ford 

Artwork 


Alive in Christ is distributed free of 

charge within the Diocese of Eastern 

Pennsylvania, PO Box C, South 

Canaan, PA 18459 570-937-9331 

A special thanks goes to the Church of 

St. Catherine the Martyr, representation 

of the OCA to the Russian Orthodox 

Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, 

for allowing the use of the photograph 

of His Grace Bishop TIKHON presenting 

the gift to Patriarch KYRILL after his 

enthronement. More photos of the event 

can be viewed at: 

http://www.st-catherine.ru 

Joseph and Emma Stafiniak 

Michele Stafiniak 

Stephen, Jen, Andi and Tye Stafiniak 

Olga Sviatko 

Ola Tatusko 

Wash and Helen Telepchak 

Jason and Keri Tomsic 

James and Mary Weida 

Dr. Thomas and Dr. Jane Weida 

Rosemary Ziegenfuss 

2 Alive in Christ www.doepa.org

Charting the Course 

4 

5 

6 

Looking Forward: A Message from our Bishop 

Diocesan Administration and Center 

Travels of a Bishop 

Evangelism & Church Growth 

Missions Taskforce 

Please Give: Thoughts on Church Stewardship 

Notes from a Missionary: Christina Semon 

14 

16 

17 

8 

8 

13 

Feature Article: 

100th Anniversary of the repose of St. Alexis 

Education 

Educational Resources 

A Call to Tithe: A Parishioner’s Perspective 

Parish L ife 

Jermyn and Mechanicsburg 

Catasauqua 

Wilkes Barre 

Winter Retreat in Stroudsburg 

Mount Carmel 

Coaldale 

Holy Trinity Gets Involved 

Williamsport and Jermyn 

Edwardsville 

Graduates: 2008 and 2009 

St. Tikhon’s Summer Camp 2008 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

26 

27 

28 

29 

33 

Communications 

Diocesan Website and Newsletter 36 

www.doepa.org 

Alive in Christ 

3

Looking forward 

Dearly Beloved in Christ, 

Christ is risen! 

Immediately following His resurrection from the dead, the Lord Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to Go into 

all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). In our day, “preaching the Gospel” is often 

understood to mean the preaching of a sermon or the conveying of a teaching. Although this external aspect of 

preaching is certainly a part of what the Lord intended, it does not convey the full meaning of His exhortation. 

In fact, the Lord was asking His disciples not just to preach about the resurrection, but to offer to every human 

being an entrance into a new and divine life. As the Apostle Paul writes: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new 

creation; old things have passed away, behold all things have become new (II Corinthians 5:17). All that Christ 

accomplished for us, the Resurrection from the dead, the Ascension into heaven and the Descent of the Holy 

Spirit are not simply events that we can speak about but rather realities in which all mankind can participate. 

The primary concern of the Orthodox Church, and the basis of her preaching, is to encourage participation in this 

reality, and the means she offers us for this is what we call asceticism. Although we often relegate asceticism to 

the Lenten season, it is important to remember that asceticism is not limited to the outward practice of prayer, 

fasting, and prostrations. Rather, asceticism refers to the path we take to find healing and renewal of our souls, 

which ultimately leads to union with Christ. 

This healing and renewal are bestowed upon us as a free gift of God’s grace but also require some effort on our 

part, which is the purification of our heart from the passions and the instilling in it of the life-giving virtues. 

Asceticism is the means that we have to purify our hearts and be truly alive in Christ. 

This issue of our Diocesan magazine, Alive in Christ, has a new external look and format, which we hope you will 

enjoy. However, our goal is not simply to enjoy things that are externally new, but rather to find encouragement 

to make that ascetical effort to cleanse our inner and deep heart and to find Christ there. Whether we know it or 

not, we are all striving to live this ascetical life which leads to our renewal in Christ and the pages of our diocesan 

magazine give evidence to this. 

I am calling upon all of us to continue to dedicate ourselves with renewed zeal to the living of an ascetical life, by 

giving ourselves over to personal renewal through repentance and prayer, to parish renewal through hospitality 

and a fuller liturgical life and to the renewal of Orthodox Christianity in our diocese through missionary work and 

stewardship. May the grace of God, together with our ascetical labors truly make us alive in Christ. 

Sincerely yours in the risen Christ, 

+Bishop Tikhon 


V. Rev. John Kowalcz 

walczyk 

Chancellor 

lor 

Cindy Davis 


The Right Reverend, 

Bishop TIKHON 

Rev. Martin Browne 

Treasurer 

Mat. Sandra Kopestonksy 

Administrative Assistant 

Diocesan Center, South Canaan 

www.doepa.org 


5

The Travels of 

a Bishop 

In addition to his many pastoral 

visits within the Diocese of Eastern 

Pennsylvania, His Grace, Bishop 

TIKHON, represented the clergy 

and the faithful of the diocese at 

several international events. 


www.doepa.org 


7

Evangelism and Church Growth 

At the 2007 Diocesan Assembly, His Grace, 

Bishop Tikhon appointed a Task Force on Missions for the Diocese of Eastern 

Pennsylvania. The first meeting of this Task Force met at St. John the Baptist 

Church in Edwardsville on January 24, 2008. A second meeting was held at Holy 

Apostles Mission in Mechanicsburg on Thursday, February 21. 

At both meetings, His Grace offered a vision for the Diocese in terms of both 

establishing new missions and revitalizing older parishes that have seen 

decline in recent years. He emphasized that the purpose of the Task Force 

was to encourage the involvement of the entire diocese: deaneries, parishes 

and individuals, both clergy and faithful, in the work of spreading the Gospel 

of Christ. 

Since any spiritual growth in the Church must begin with self-examination, it 

was decided to send a short Parish Life Survey to all the parishes of the 

Diocese in order to lay the groundwork for further work in the areas of 

mission and evangelism. The Survey was a simple one, looking at the basic 

demographics and finances of our parishes. 

The following article is offered as a preliminary evaluation of the results of 

the Parish Life Survey. It is both an honest look at the present state of our 

diocesan parishes as a whole, and a call for all of us to re-evaluate our 

approach to missions, evangelization and stewardship. The Church is the 

whole of our life, not simply a part of it, and we must be prepared to offer 

ourselves to Christ with our whole being. 

CHURCH GROWTH AND HEALTH: A 

CHALLENGE TO OUR DIOCESE 

LET’S TALK DOLLARS! 

Consider two figures: $63.46 and $13.57. 

What’s special about these numbers? The first — $63.46—represents 

an average weekly tithe (10%) based on the median annual 

income for Pennsylvania residents: $33,000 according to census figures. 

The second — $13.57 – represents the average weekly offering 

of parishioners to our diocesan parishes, based on responses to 

our 2008 parish life survey. 

The difference between these two figures – the average weekly 

tithe less the average weekly offering – is $49.89. This represents the 

vast difference between the ideal of Christian financial stewardship 

that assumes tithing, and the current reality of our diocesan parishes. 

Now imagine if you and every other parishioner in your parish 

increased your offering by $49.89 a week! In a parish of 70 adults, 

this could potentially generate nearly $182,000 in added income to 

your parish! If this would happen, would your parish be lacking for 

8 Alive in Christ www.doepa.org 

Missions Taskforce 

Members 

V. Rev. Daniel Kovalak 

V. Rev. Michael Hatrak 

V. Rev. Vladimir Fetcho 

V. Rev. John Udics 

V. Rev. Dionysius Swencki 

V. Rev. David Mahaffey 

Rev. David Cowan 

Rev. Nicholas Solak 

Rev. Timothy Hasenecz 

Rev. Timothy Hojnicki 

Rev. Stephen Vernak 

A man can be harmed by 

another only through the 

causes of the passions 

which lie within himself. 

It is for this reason that 

God, the Creator of all 

and Doctor of men’s 

souls, who alone has 

accurate knowledge of 

the soul’s wounds, does 

not tell us to forsake the 

company of men; He tells 

us to root out the causes 

of evil within us and to 

recognize that the soul’s 

health is achieved not by 

a man’s separating 

himself from his fellows, 

but by his living the 

ascetic life in the company 

of holy men. 

St. John Cassian

anything? Wouldn’t it be able not 

only to pay the bills but also be 

equipped to extend its mission and 

ministry beyond the walls of the 

church? Would your parish leadership 

and volunteers have to spend 

countless hours in endless meetings 

and fund-raising activities just 

to make ends meet? 

Granted, averages don’t tell the 

whole story. Our diocese includes 

parishes located in economicallydepressed 

areas facing unusually 

difficult circumstances, and 

parishes whose membership 

includes a largely elderly 

population on fixed incomes. There 

are a number of variables and 

factors, economic and 

otherwise, that will tend to skew 

averages. 

But consider this one fact: The 

healthiest, most active and 

vibrant parishes in our diocese (in 

any diocese!) are those with the 

highest average weekly offering 

of their parishioners. It’s that 

simple. YOU have the ability to 

empower your parish to thrive by 

striving toward the ideal of 

Christian stewardship through 

your regular, weekly financial 

offerings. On the other hand, if 

you and your fellow parishioners 

are content to maintain your 

current level of financial support 

– the diocesan average of $13.57 

a week – not only will the health 

of your parish not change, it will 

continue to spiral downward, 

unable to keep pace with everincreasing 

operating costs. 

Further, the important work, 

witness, mission and ministry of 

our diocese and national church 

will correspondingly suffer at 

current levels of support. Just as 

your parish can only be as healthy 

as its members empower it to be, 

our diocese can only be as healthy 

as its parishes empower it to be. 

NOW FOR SOME TEACHING 

Most Orthodox publications on 

financial stewardship begin with 

sermons, pithy stories, illustrations, 

and biblical quotations to lay a 

foundation upon which to build their 

case. We’ve intentionally put the 

dollar figures up front here to 

emphasize the urgency of the 

desperate financial condition of an 

unfortunate majority of our 

diocesan parishes. 

Chances are if these figures 

don’t sound an alarm to you, you’ll 

YOU HAVE THE 

ABILITY TO EMPOWER 

YOUR PARISH TO 

THRIVE BY STRIVING 

TOWARD THE IDEAL 

OF CHRISTIAN 

STEWARDSHIP. 

stop reading now. The averages, 

amounts and realities initially 

presented here would be sufficient 

to incite a lackluster response – 

“that’s interesting” – but little more. 

If, however you boldly desire to 

keep reading, prepare to be 

challenged! 

“COME TO OUR SERVICES!!” 

Many parish bulletins often 

include some variation on this 

innocuous phrase: “Please come 

to our services” Let’s think about 

this. The hallmark of our 

Orthodox faith is our “services.” 

Everything we need to learn, know 

and do as Orthodox Christians, is 

revealed, announced, manifested, 

taught, applied and “lived” in our 


divine worship. Therefore, 

attending “the services” should be 

for us, not optional but essential 

actions of faith! It indicates our 

personal desire and commitment 

to learn, know and do what, as 

Orthodox Christians, we’re 

supposed to learn, know and do. 

Frankly, the invitation for 

parishioners to “come to our 

services” should be an 

unnecessary one! Though 

parishes vary in their particular 

schedules of worship, every 

“service” to be offered assumes 

the gathering of the parish 

community. There are no “secret” 

or “private” services in the church. 

Even the occasional memorial 

services (panahida) requested by 

and at the convenience of 

parishioners for departed family 

members are in fact “services” of 

corporate worship, where, amidst 

the “great cloud of witnesses” of 

angels and saints, God is blessed 

and glorified in the fellowship of 

His Church. In the Creed we 

profess our belief in “one, holy, 

Catholic and Apostolic Church.” 

Our church buildings exist for the 

purpose of manifesting this faith in 

corporate worship, ministry and 

fellowship. 

Did you ever ask what 

“services” such invitations refer 

to, who is in fact offering them 

and/or benefitting from them? 

These days, the American 

economy is based primarily on the 

“service” industry. Every company, 

merchant, store and internet 

website promotes products and 

services to supply a demand: to 

help meet needs. So what does 

“service” mean in the Church? 

Service means ministry. In the 

Bible, the word for service is 

“diakonia,” usually translated 

“ministry.” It means meeting needs 

www.doepa.org Alive in Christ 9


and serving others. It’s where we 

get the word “deacon.” In the New 

Testament, deacons were 

ordained to perform a particular 

service; to meet the needs of 

widows on behalf of the apostles 

(cf. Acts 6). 

Lest we forget, Our Lord and 

Savior Jesus Christ taught us 

clearly (in one of the Sunday 

Gospel lessons we hear during 

Lent): “whoever would be great 

among you must be your servant, 

and whoever would be first 

among you must be slave of all. 

For the Son of man also came not 

to be served but to serve, and to 

give his life as a ransom for many” 

(Mark 10:43-45). This is the 

model of service and ministry that 

each of us in the church are given 

to follow. 

So, “come to our services” 

doesn’t just mean “come to 

receive and partake of the 

services the priest and a handful 

of faithful are offering you.” It also 

suggests that we who attend 

those services are, ourselves, 

prepared to offer OUR service: to 

meet needs and serve others as 

Christ inspires and teaches us to 

do in the New Commandment. 

Now, if you rarely or just 

occasionally “come to services,” 

even if you come every Sunday, 

you miss the many other 

“services “ of the Church during 

the week, each of which is, again, 

an opportunity for the parish 

community to gather in corporate 

worship; “to learn and do.” 

Herein lies part of the financial 

problem faced by many parishes. 

The more involved you become 

with something, the more you are 

exposed to the needs that must 

be met. For example, if you only 

see the priest “working” on 

Sundays, you don’t see a need 

to pay him a full-time salary (and 

benefits!). But when you come to 

all or most of the services, you 

begin to realize the priest invests 

a lot of time in preparing for each 

one; whether ten or two hundred 

people attend. And others are 

involved as well: singers, readers, 

candle desk, maintenance 

people, etc. (Note : if the priest 

happens to spend hours with you 

and/or a family member on a 

hospital visit, in facing death, in a 

counseling session or crisis 

THE MORE INVOLVED 

YOU BECOME WITH 

SOMETHING, THE 

MORE YOU ARE 

EXPOSED TO THE 

NEEDS THAT MUST BE 

MET. 

intervention, he suddenly ‘“doesn’t 

get paid enough!”). 

Again, the more involved you 

are, the more the needs become 

apparent and obvious. You’ll 

understand the costs associated 

with “doing business” as a church: 

why the bills for lights, heat, 

power, air conditioning, water, 

telephone, snowplowing, 

maintenance, equipment, 

improvements, insurance, taxes 

and repairs are what they are. 

Just like your household, these 

ever-increasing expenses must 

be satisfied in your “household of 

faith” – your local parish – to help 

meet its needs and fulfill the 

purpose for which it exists. (Notice, 

we have yet to even mention 

extending the mission and ministry 

of the parish beyond its immediate 

needs!) 

Realistically, measure the 

diocesan parish weekly offering 

average of $13.57 against these 

needs and consider the level of 

“service” you provide in satisfying 

these needs. This amount barely 

covers the cost of a snow shovel 

(let alone someone actually using 

it!). Nor does it cover the cost of 

paper for Sunday bulletins, a 

replacement light bulb for the 

iconostas, or one Sunday school 

textbook. Should a repairman be 

called to fix the church boiler? 

(“The church might be a little cold 

but come to our services 

anyway!”) Our Orthodox worship 

– the hallmark of our faith – is 

what we do, and what we do best. 

And it informs and inspires 

everything we do outside the 

church doors as well. 

Any challenge to our Christian 

financial stewardship, therefore, 

must begin with assuring that our 

“services” are executed well, 

“decently and in order,” with a 

competent, duly-trained and 

adequately compensated priest 

presiding, a fully-involved and 

engaged community of faithful 

parishioners eager to gather for 

corporate worship, in a building – 

a Temple of the living God!—that 

is beautiful, uplifting, 

appropriately adorned and 

adequately maintained, with all 

the resources necessary to fulfill 

these needs. 

At each Saturday Vesper 

service, we joyfully sing “The 

Lord is king: He is robed in 

majesty (Psalm 93:1). As the 

weekly collection basket comes, 

do we contradict our words of 


praise and say, essentially, “Let the 

Lord wear rags!” 

IDEAL CHRISTIAN FINANCIAL 

STEWARDSHIP 

As parish churches, many 

have a confession to make. We 

have foolishly, for years, 

permitted (even fostered!) a 

mistaken idea of “dues” that is 

completely opposed to the 

teaching of the church. Let’s 

correct this mistaken idea. 

“Dues” has traditionally been 

understood as a specific dollar 

amount, set by a parish 

community at a parish meeting as 

a financial obligation for 

membership. If you’re in a parish 

with a “dues” system, chances 

are this is the single most 

important discussion held and 

decision made at a parish 

meeting. 

Why is this wrong? How is it 

mistaken? Because “dues,” in this 

sense, represents a minimum 

financial obligation. It may be 

important to establish such a 

minimum obligation of 

membership for the secular (i.e. 

“worldly” aspect of membership 

– for compliance with by-laws and 

civil governance – but in fact is a 

betrayal of the teaching of our 

Lord, the Bible and the Church. 

How is this so? Well, if you’ve 

“come to the services” throughout 

the years, one thing you haven’t 

heard taught concerning the 

Christian life is minimum 

anythings! The Church, as does 

her Lord and Savior, teaches in 

terms of ideals; “maximums” if you 

will. Did Jesus teach about 

minimums when He instructed us, 

“be perfect, as your heavenly 

Father is perfect” (Matthew 

5:48), “Be merciful, even as 

your Father is merciful (Luke 

6:36) and “love one another; 

even as I have loved you” (John 

13:34)? We do disservice to Our 

Lord, the Gospel and the Church 

by setting minimum requirements. 

It is, to say the least, a compromise 

of Christ’s commandment: “you 

shall love the Lord your God 

with all your heart, and with all 

your soul, and with all your 

mind, and with all your 

strength” (Mark 12:30). 

By analogy, do we often ask 

ourselves: “What is the minimum 

amount of food we need to eat in 

order to live?” or “what is the 

minimum number of the Ten 

Commandments I need to keep to 

be a faithful servant of God?” ANY 

reference in the Church that begins 

with the words “the minimum” is a 

compromise: an unneeded 

loophole that basically excuses one 

from striving toward the ideal. 

How often, in our fallen and frail 

humanity, we try to take advantage 

of such “exceptions to the rule” to 

the point where the exceptions 

BECOME the rule! In Lent, rather 

than try to achieve the ideal of 

fasting from meat and dairy 

products, we hear “at least fast 

from meat” or “at minimum on 

Fridays.” In Confession – the 

healing power of Christ’s 

ANY REFERENCE IN THE 

CHURCH THAT BEGINS WITH 

THE WORDS “THE MINIMUM” 

IS A COMPROMISE. 

Thanks to Our 

Supporters 

Catasauqua 

Holy Trinity Church 

Very Rev. Timothy Hasenecz 

In Memory of Archpriest Eugene 

Vansuch 

Rev. Jason and Matushka Katia 

Vansuch 

Matushka Frances Vansuch 

Chris and Nina Bagshaw, Halle and 

Andrew 

Andrew and Pat Brusko, Gabriel, Alex 

Reader Michael and Vincentine Brusko 

Sue Cressman 

Steve Doncevic 

Dr. Phillip and Trudy Ellmore 

Kiprian and Sherri Fedetz, Alex and 

Andrew 

Richard and Jean Garrison 

Charles and Helen Gaston 

Michael Gaston, Michael and Lucas 

Sonya Gerhard 

Trevor and Dana Hackman, Alexis and 

Joshua 

Mary Howell, Leo and Adam 

Michael Harahus 

Joseph and Mary Horoschak 

Patrick Kelleher 

Jim and Nadia Kelly 

Dave Laster 

Mark and Nicholya LeFevre and Blaise 

Jack and Sandy Miller 

Ivan and Marina Moroz 

Jim and Helen O’Brien, Melisa, Kelly 

Nick and George Papaharalambos 

William and Christine Reynolds, 

William, Stephanie 

Rebecca Romanchik 

Dr. Serges and Fay Salivonchik 

Gary and Connie Solan, Casi, 

Nicholas 

Steve and Barbara Symanovich 

www.doepa.org 


11

Thanks to Our 

Supporters 

Coaldale 

St. Mary’s Church 

Rev. Daniel & Matushka Gail 

Mathewson 

Very Rev. Paul & Matushka Lovey 

Ropitsky 

Gloria Bench 

Harry Bialis 

Anna Bogosh 

Ted Bogosh 

Stephanie Chmel 

Analisha & Vanessa Christman 

Melanie & David Christman 

Raymond & Mary Jo Danchak 

John & Mary Evetushick 

Vera Flyzik 

Barbara Gallagher 

Rose Harkins 

Olga Hebda 

Helen & Wash King 

John & Dorothy King 

Mr. & Mrs Dustin Leatherman & Son 

Michael Lorchak 

Nancy Lorchak 

Ted & Pauline Lorchak 

Mary Lutash 

Ben & Olga Macalush 

Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Macenka 

Paul and Kay Maliniak 

Helen Ostrosky 

Mr. & Mrs. Joe Preschutti 

Mr. & Mrs. John Puschak 

Stephen Redash 

Mr. & Mrs. Otis Remington 

Helen Scheese 

Paul & Helen Sheers 

Larissa Seneres 

Mr. & Mrs. Simon Stafiniak 

Elizabeth Warcholak 

Jesse Weidaw 

Richard York 

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Yurchak 


forgiveness through our repentance! -- we hear “at least we come a 

few times a year!” When we speak of our “services,” some are quick 

to boldly say “at least I go on Sundays.” With such an approach to 

Church life, is it surprising that, in terms of finances, some “goodstanding” 

parishioners can be heard to say: “at least I pay my dues.” 

Are YOU among the “minimalists?” Are you ready to adjust your 

thinking on Church “dues?” Here’s the truth, in the briefest form 

possible. YOU OWE GOD EVERYTHING! “Why, that’s ludicrous! If 

I give God everything, I’ll have nothing left for myself and my family.” 

Well, glory to God, He knows this and has made sufficient provision 

for you and your family. In the Bible, it’s called “the tithe.” In a nutshell, 

the teaching of the tithe means that God allows you to keep a 

whopping 90% of your income for personal use and return a meager 

10% as His “due.” So the correct understanding of “dues” means 

that you voluntarily give to God at least 10% of your income. (Surprise: 

“offerings” are considered beyond the 10 %!) 

How close is your current weekly offering to this ideal? Based on 

the average diocesan parish weekly offering, the average annual 

income upon which it is based would be just $13,570. If that’s close 

to your income, you’re given an average amount. But if the median 

income for Pennsylvania residents in 2007 was $33,000 our diocesan 

average, with tithing, SHOULD be around $3,300 annually or $63.46 

per week (previously cited). Our diocesan weekly average is $49.89 

LESS THAN it should be! 

The remainder of this article can be viewed at www.doepa.org


His Grace, Bishop Tikhon, blesses missionary 

Christina Semon during the Commission Service. 

Notes from a Missionary 

Notes from Romania: 

Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen! 

Hirstos a inviat! Adevarat a inviat! 

Living in Cluj, Romania is a neat 

experience. I live with a widow and her 

name is Anica. We live in the Eastern 

part of the city in a 6 th floor Romanian 

apartment. She and I get along very well 

although she doesn’t know English, but 

we are finding ways to communicate. It 

has not been hard to adjust to the food 

here because it is really good. If I had to 

point something out about the food, it 

would be the large amount of bread that 

I consume. Cluj has a population of 

approximately 317,000 people and the 

mass transportation system works well. 

Daily I use the buses to travel around 

the city and walk all over the place. My 

primary work at this time is to learn the 

Romanian language and culture. Many 

people here are able to speak some level 

of English, so it is hard sometimes to 

speak Romanian with people. In spite of 

this I am striving to respond to them in 

Romanian even though it is badly 

spoken. I am taking lessons with a tutor 

five days a week for 3 hours each lesson. 

Floyd and Ancuta, OCMC missionaries 

here, have showed me around and 

introduced me to the staff at the St. 

Dimitrie Program and the Protection of 

the Theotokos Family Center. 

It was a great blessing and joy to 

celebrate Pascha in Romania. The parish 

I attend is St. John the Theologian 

Romanian Orthodox Church and it is the 

same parish where Floyd and Ancuta 

attend services. It is a small wooden 

temporary church with many people 

coming to worship. The majority of 

people have to be outside because that 

is how small the church is. There were 

probably over 500 people where only 120 

of those people were packed in the 

church. The Paschal Divine Liturgy was 

filled with jubilation for Christ and love 

for each other. 

Glory to God for all things! 

Sincerely, 

Christina Semon 

www.doepa.org 


13

Featur 

eature e Article 

Fifteen years ago the 

Orthodox Church in America 

glorified Fr. Alexis Toth of Wilkes- 

Barre as St. Alexis, Confessor and 

Defender of Orthodoxy in 

America. We should ask 

ourselves, what have we done 

with the legacy of this local 

saint, local to North America, 

and specifically to the Diocese 

of Eastern Pennsylvania? To 

answer this question requires 

some familiarity with what that 

legacy is. This requires a 

thorough consideration 

involving an examination of the 

life and work of St. Alexis and 

the ongoing effects of his work 

in the century following his 

repose. While certain aspects 

of this legacy have been 

examined, and were no doubt 

instrumental in his glorification, 

much more remains to be done, 

and it may be said, needs to be 

done. That it has not been done 

so far is itself telling. How do 

we know where we are, where 

we are going if we do not know 

how we got here? We should 

be honest in recognizing that 

the Orthodox Church in America 

would not be here were it not 

for the work of St. Alexis of 

Wilkes-Barre. How many of our 

parishes, especially but not 

limited to this diocese, are 

direct spiritual descendants of 

St. Alexis, brought into the 

Orthodox Church by him, or 

founded with his 

encouragement and by his 

efforts? 

Clearly much of the written 

work of St. Alexis was polemical, 

directed against the Roman 

Church in general, but 

specifically the Eastern Catholic 

Churches known by some as the 

Unia. Nevertheless, it would be 

good for us to remember that 

the polemic was mutual. It 

could be argued that it began 

with Archbishop John Ireland of 

Minneapolis/St. Paul. The tone and 

content of his encounter with St. 

Alexis sparked the journey that 

brought St. Alexis and, later, 

thousands of Eastern Catholics 

back to the Orthodox faith of 

their fathers. 1 And the 

struggle did not end with his 

reception into the Orthodox 

Church in 1892, but continued 

in various ways and in 

different places until his 

repose in 1909. 

Polemic was not the focus 

of St. Alexis’ life as an 

Orthodox priest, however, 

mission was. This is the first 

lesson we should learn from his 

life. He was a missionary not to 

strangers but to his own people, 

and that mission involved 

education, followed by pastoral care in 

the form of sacramental life and spiritual 

formation. In this St. Alexis reminds us that 

mission begins at home. Mission is never 

complete, but ongoing. At no point can 

any Christian say they are done, since 

our life is to be one of communion 

with God who is infinite, beyond the 

limits of our existence. 

Consequently, every diocese of 

our Church is missionary. 

Entering into the Church in 

whatever form is a beginning, 

and to paraphrase St. Basil 

the Great in a different 

context, the beginning of 

the journey is not the 

journey. Having 

begun, the journey 

remains. So, too, the 

mission of the 

Church remains 

until every human 

being is an 

O r t h o d o x 

Christian in the 

fullest (Catholic) 

sense of the term. 

Until every 

human being 

thinks and acts, 

St. Alexis 

confessor 

and defender 

of orthodoxy 

in america 


prays and speaks, lives and dies in an 

Orthodox manner, the Church is 

missionary. St. Alexis knew this and 

practiced this with his people. He did 

not simply travel from place to place, 

but established himself and left only 

when there were competent priests 

capable of carrying on the mission of 

spiritual formation that follows upon 

the initial contact. 

We, his spiritual descendants, 

need to follow his example and be 

missionaries to our own people – the 

American people. There is no better 

place to begin this than in our own 

families, whether they are 10 th 

generation Orthodox or recent 

converts, reaching out from there to 

neighbors, coworkers and friends. 

Doing this, we should not be afraid to 

imitate the strong stand taken by St. 

Alexis in his public discourse. This is 

not to say we should engage in the 

strident polemics with Roman 

Catholics as he did, or with 

Protestants or any others as such. The 

content of his polemics was dictated 

by place and time. But, we should be 

as fearless as he was in confessing and 

defending the Orthodox faith before 

others not simply as one choice among 

many at the American religious buffet. 

Orthodoxy cannot be limited to the 

richest, intellectually deepest, most 

exotic, most traditional, most 

liturgical, aesthetic, or even most 

ancient faith on offer. If we really 

believe what we pray at the Divine 

Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom: We 

have seen the true Light! We have 

received the Heavenly Spirit! We have 

found the True Faith, worshipping the 

undivided Trinity Who has saved us, 

then we should not be afraid to 

declare it as such, not just as the oldest 

form, but as the fullness of the 

Christian Faith. Indeed, such a 

position does not require our isolation 

from others, but our active 

engagement with them to show them 

by our worship and our lives, 

enlightened by our teaching, that this 

is the Faith of the Fathers. 

Part of that witness, so clearly 

evident in St. Alexis’ life, is suffering 

borne with patience and 

perseverance. In his life, he suffered 

great loss: of a wife and child, of 

homeland, of the Church of his youth 

and the opportunities for 

advancement and security it offered, 

of the support of some of those who 

asked him to help them enter 

Orthodoxy and then turned on him, 

bringing him into court and public 

shame. Through all of this he 

persevered. He preached, taught, 

pastored the sheep the Lord gave him, 

without complaint or bitterness. Some 

might cite his polemics as evidence of 

bitterness, but they would be wrong. 

We live in an age that no longer 

understands the forms of 

communication of times gone by, and 

we certainly have forgotten that truth 

matters more than niceness. St. Alexis 

did not avoid suffering, but he wanted 

to make it clear he was suffering for 

truth. It would have been easier for 

him, earned him greater reward, to 

renounce the Orthodox Church and 

return to the Roman Catholic Church. 

He did not. He could have left Wilkes- 

Barre after losing the court case, but he 

did not. Hirelings abandon the sheep 

when they are threatened, true 

shepherds stay with their sheep. He 

kept his eyes on the prize, salvation in 

Jesus Christ, for himself and for all 

people. 

Here he offers his spiritual 

descendants an incarnation of the 

Lord’s teaching “In the world you will 

have tribulation, let not your hearts be 

troubled but behold, I have overcome 

the world.” And “He who perseveres to 

the end will be saved.” We need to 

incarnate this in our lives as he did in 

his. To follow his missionary example 

is to encounter opposition, rejection, 

betrayal, trial and humiliation. But 

this should not deter us. The mission 

matters because it is the Master’s 

mission and we are privileged to serve 

Him, all of us, clergy and laity together. 

To us this saint is given as an icon of 

dedication and perseverance, a model 

of contemporary mission to one’s 

own. Moreover, we are given him 

as our heavenly intercessor. 

Perhaps the most fitting 

testimony to our local saint on the 

one hundredth anniversary of his 

repose is the liturgical renewal of 

our relationship with him through 

prayer, not just once a year, but once 

a week. Many of us literally walk in 

his earthly footsteps, all of us in his 

spiritual footsteps. Should we not 

actively, regularly seek his guidance 

through intercession? The church 

has glorified him, but how well is 

that reflected in our parish life, 

beginning with our liturgical life? 

Undoubtedly, there is room for 

improvement. The Church in North 

America has been blessed with a 

group of wonderful saints each of 

whom uniquely witness to Jesus 

Christ and together are a compelling 

testimony to the presence of 

Orthodox Christianity in North 

America. We need to pay more 

attention to all of them, in every way, 

than we do at present, including St. 

Alexis of Wilkes-Barre. This 

centennial provides an opportunity to 

begin, again, an ongoing encounter 

with our North American saints, 

starting with St. Alexis of Wilkes- 

Barre, Confessor and Defender of 

Orthodoxy in America. Holy Father 

Alexis, pray to God for us! 

Fr. Martin Browne 

St. John the Baptist Church 

Edwardsville 

Featur 

eature e Article 

1 

In response to St. Alexis’ declaration that 

“I am a Uniate, and I was ordained by a 

lawful Catholic bishop.” Abp. Ireland said 

“I do not consider that either you nor that 

bishop are Catholic…” St. Alexis Toth, 

The Archpriest John Naumovich as Viewed 

by the Uniate Viestnik in THE WRITINGS OF 

ST. ALEXIS TOTH: CONFESSOR AND DEFENDER OF 

O RTHODOXY IN AMERICA. Edited and 

Translated by George Soladatow. AARD 

Press. Minneapolis, 1994. 66,67. 

www.doepa.org 


15

Education 

Educational Resources 

Although each Christian generation has its own unique challenges, there were 

those followers of Christ – in various times and places – who suffered 

extraordinarily for the Faith. They gave their lives completely through 

sacrificial service or in death, “for the sake of Christ and the Gospel.” Saints in 

Times of Trouble bears witness to twelve such disciples. The popular Saints of 

North America Activity Book, put forth by the OCA’s Department of Christian 

Education, has now been complemented by what promises to be an equally 

useful resource: a workbook focusing on Saints in Times of Trouble. 

What makes this brief collection distinct from some others is the diversity of 

examples presented. Descriptions include, for example, St. John Chrysostom 

and the deaconess St. Olympias and St. Poplia from the 4th century; St. Aidan 

(Scotland) and St. Cuthbert (Britain) from the 7th century; St. Alexander Nevsky 

(the Russian Prince) 13th century, and the Iconographer St. Andrei Rublev, 

14th century. Moving forward, the 19th and 20th centuries are represented by 

such figures as: St. Barbara the Nun-Martyr of Russia; St. Gorazd, Bishop and 

New-Martyr of Prague; St. Maria Skobtsova of Paris; St. Mitrophan of China; 

and St. Patriarch Tikhon. 

In addition to facts concerning their lives each entry contains the Troparion 

and Kontakion for the Saint, and journal questions to facilitate discussions 

with students as well as puzzle activities. Further resources, including a large 

glossary and full color displays of cultural points of interests are cited for 

those who want more information. As in the first book, Saints of North America, 

this second activity book features beautifully detailed iconographic line 

drawings as well as a map of where the Saints journeyed during their lifetime. 

A compilation such as this will prove invaluable for parents and teachers 

alike. God provided a witness to Himself through the men and women herein 

described. The Church does her children a great service by teaching them 

about those “ heroes “ for the faith, to follow in their footsteps. Christ said, 

“In the world you shall have tribulation.” He followed with these words, 

“Rejoice, for I have overcome the world.” Saints in Times of Trouble reveals how 

that possibility is given regardless of the outward circumstances of one’s life, 

a necessary lesson for people of all ages. 

Saints in Times of Trouble is a result of the creative cooperation of Christine 

Zebrun, Myra Kovalak, Maria Proch, Valerie Zahirsky, Alexandra Safchuk, John 

Pusey and other members of the Department of Christian Education. 

Download the book Saints in Times of Trouble for free at http://dce.oca.org 

It would help people who deal 

with children to pray every 

morning: “O Lord God, only Thou 

knowest this Thy child, his 

heart, his needs, his future. 

Help me not to make a mistake 

in my dealings with him today.” 

By ‘dealings’ we mean all our 

words, actions and reactions – 

not only our conversations about 

God. We must have the 

conviction that God is ready to 

inspire the hearts of all his 

people. We must make an effort 

to pray, for we will only gain 

experience by trying. This is 

the teaching of the saints. 

Sister Magdalen 

St. John the Baptist Monastery 

Essex, England 

Nothing so furthers 

teaching as this: 

loving and being 

loved. 

St. John Chrysostom 


What Shall I Give unto the Lord 

for All His Goodness to Me? 

A Call to Tithe 

by J.M. Davis 

Within the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania there has existed for 

some time a system of “dues” in place of the practice of tithing. 

Dues are traditionally remitted by members of an organization in 

exchange for the right of membership and certain other rights or 

privileges. The idea of having a right to the Church and her 

Sacraments is foreign to us because all Christians know that these 

are gifts from God to which no one has a right but which the Lord 

extends to us in his boundless love and mercy. 

Historically, and since Old Testament times, man has offered to 

the Lord not his due, since we could never return to the Lord all 

that He is due, but rather a tithe. It is this practice of tithing that I 

would humbly propose we return to, for the growth and health of 

our diocese and its members. 

The following article is offered as a contribution to what should be 

an ongoing theological discussion on stewardship and tithing 

within our diocese. 

Tithing and Unity 

Most of us live in a fragmented world. Our lives are divided and 

compartmentalized into a work life, a church life, a social life and 

so forth. One of the challenges of the journey to salvation is to 

bring all of those fragments into unity which is accomplished by 

dedicating the whole of our being to Jesus Christ and to the 

following of His commandments. 

Education 

heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath 

delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of 

all. (Genesis 14:18-20) 

The entire account of Melchizedek and Abram is referred to in the 

seventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 7:1-10). 

Again we see a reference to tithing in Genesis 28:22 when 

Abraham’s grandson Jacob makes a commitment to give back to 

God one-tenth of his increase. 

In the New Testament, tithing is also offered as a way of life for 

Christians, although the Lord reminds us that tithing should not be 

approached in a legalistic manner (giving what is due) but as a 

voluntary offering in the context of our struggle to find wholeness. 

The Lord freely gives us everything, and we, in turn, freely offer Him 

what we can. 

Tithing is Eucharistic 

We tithe because we love the Lord and we wish to return 

to Him the first fruits of our labors. We know that all 

that we have, both our labors and the fruit of those 

labors, comes from the Lord. 

The word Eucharist means 

thanksgiving. It is in thanksgiving that 

man offers to God the wine and 

bread which the Lord 

consecrates and returns to 

man as the body and blood 

of Christ. Even (cont. 

on p. 18) this 

bread and wine 

Christ is the source of our unity and it is He who gives us all things, 

including our life itself. The Apostle Paul reminds us of this when 

he writes: For you know how generous our Lord Jesus Christ 

hasbeen: he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that 

through his poverty you might become rich. (II Corinthians 8:9) 

Tithing is Scriptural Tithing is the voluntary offering of one-tenth of 

one’s earnings to the Lord’s storehouse, the Church. Considered 

to be a common practice in Old Testament times, we first glimpse 

tithing in the account of Abraham returning from a battle by the 

Dead Sea where he tithed to Melchizedek, the priest of God, onetenth 

of his spoils: 

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: 

and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, 

and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of 

www.doepa.org Alive in Christ 

17

this bread and wine begin with the seeds which God in nature 

provides to man, which by man’s labors are sown and harvested 

and offered to God. In a similar manner, tithing is the offering our 

first fruits to the Lord in thanksgiving. 

Tithing is Ascetical 

We are a nation, indeed a world, of consumers. The accumulation 

of material wealth has become for many an aim unto itself. But the 

Lord himself told us that we cannot serve both God and mammon. 

Rather, we are to “commend ourselves and one another and our 

whole lives unto Christ our God”. We commend our spirit through 

prayer and our bodies through fasting. Likewise, we are called to 

commend our material possessions through tithing and 

almsgiving. 

It may seem impractical, or even impossible, to consider giving 

more than you already do. When introduced to the idea of tithing, 

I was wholeheartedly committed to it…in theory. It was another 

thing altogether to put my money where my mouth (and heart) 

was. I truly wanted to tithe “but” (insert your own objection here). 

“But” this month, I have a car repair bill. “But” next month the 

furnace needs maintenance, and so on and so forth. So often, 

those “buts” prevent our good desires from reaching their intended 

destination- to live what we believe. 

Since none of us lives on unlimited resources, to give up more is 

a difficult proposition. If we look closely, though, many of us will 

find a multitude of small luxuries we might sacrifice in order to 

increase our tithe to the Lord with the assurance that what little we 

offer will be returned to us as greatly increased. 

Tithing is an Act of Faith 

Recently, our church experienced financial struggle and scandal. 

We faced the painful reality that what money we did offer, earned 

from our hard work and toil, was mismanaged. Indeed, that money 

may even have been used to fund the personal luxuries of those 

who mismanaged it. This was a betrayal of our trust and our 

sacrifice. We can choose to look back and withhold our trust, and 

our financial support, remembering that we were betrayed. Or, 

instead, we can make it our goal to look forward, not as a way of 

ignoring the past, but as a movement of repentance. While it is the 

responsibility of all members of the Church, from the Bishop to the 

Laymen, to care for the practical, financial and earthly things, we 

must all remember that it is only in a spirit of repentance and with 

a heart full of prayer that we may achieve any of the good things of 

heaven or of earth. 

Let us remember that the same Lord who allowed these struggles 

to occur also delivered us from them. So let us trust the Lord and 

be good stewards of what God gives us, being generous even 


when it does not make rational sense. As an example, I offer the 

following from the life of Saint John the Almsgiver: 

[One day], one of the strangers, noticing John’s remarkable 

sympathy, decided to try the blessed man; so he put on old clothes 

and approached him as he was on his way to visit the sick in the 

hospitals … and said to him: ‘Have mercy upon me for I am a 

prisoner of war.’ 

John said to his purse-bearer: “Give him six gold pieces.” After the 

man had received these he went off, changed his clothes, met 

John again in another street, and falling at his feet said: “Have pity 

upon me, for I am in want.” The Patriarch again said to his pursebearer: 

“Give him six gold pieces.” As he went away, the purse-bearer 

whispered in the Patriarch’s ear: “By your prayers, master, this 

same man has had alms from you twice over!” But the Patriarch 

pretended not to understand. Soon the man came again for the 

third time to ask for money and the attendant, carrying the gold, 

nudged the Patriarch to let him know that it was same man; 

whereupon the truly merciful and beloved of God said: “Give him 

twelve gold pieces, for perchance it is my Christ and He is making 

trial of me.” 

Tithing as a Practical Matter 

As a practical matter, the Church and our diocese require financial 

support to survive. But we need to seek for more than just survival 

and reach beyond simply maintaining the status quo. The Lord 

gave us a great commission - to spread the Gospel to all nations. 

Even in Christ’s times, the spreading of the Gospel required 

financial resources. If we are to share the Gospel with others, or 

even to instill our faith in our children, our actions must follow our 

faith and supply those resources needed to carry out the efforts of 

the Church in its great commission. I urge my fellow parishioners 

and diocesan members to reflect deeply and honestly about their 

own personal finances and what they can contribute toward the 

building up of God’s holy church. What choice will we make the 

next time we’re faced with the decision to choose between a 

small personal luxury or to offer, instead, something more to the 

Lord? Let us resolve to serve God and not mammon. And let our 

humble tithe, like the offerings of the myrrhbearing women, allow 

for Christ’s word and His salvation to reach all mankind. 

J.M. Davis is a parishioner in the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania. 

She has been a short-term missionary in Kenya, Haiti and Alaska. 

Having worked for many years in the fields of banking and 

telecommunications, Ms. Davis is currently the Vice President of 

Cellular One of Northeast Pennsylvania.

St. Michael’s Church in Jermyn 

celebrated the baptism of twins, 

Sofia and Karina Goetter. Pictured 

are: Fr. John Kowalczyk and the 

parents of the twins, Chris and 

Rebecca Goetter. 

ST. MICHAEL, 

JERMYN 

Parish Life 

Bishop Tikhon’s visit with the Ikon “She 

Who Is Quick to Hear” 12/7/08 

3rd Annual Dinner Dance 10/11/08 

HOLY APOSTLES 

MISSION, 

MECHANICSBURG 

Chrismation of Elizabeth Tomes: 4/12/09 

Pascha 2009 - record attendance of 

109! 

Blessing of the Susquehanna River: 1/13/09 

www.doepa.org 


19

Thanks to Our 

Supporters 

Edwardsville 

St. John the Baptist 

Church 

Fr.Martin & Mat. Heidi Browne 

Sarah, Michael, James & Grace 

Browne 

Christine Adamski 

Karen Adamski 

Anna Billek 

Lorraine Brader 

Olga Conant 

Mary Cunius 

Ed Davies 

Helen Deletconich 

William Deletconich 

Elizabeth Dutko 

Christine Ferenchick 

Megan Ferenchick 

Tyler Ferenchick 

Kathy Harmanos 

Jean & John Heusel 

Helen Kobusky 

Florence Kotch 

Pat Kulikowich 

Bill Kupstas 

JoAnne Olejnick 

Anna Pengrin 

Kathryn Prokopchak 

Madison Robbins 

Janet Romanchick 

Peter & Marie Souchick 

Helen Spinicci 

Eva Turaj 

Joyce Walsh & Kyle 

Wanda Wanko 

Elizabeth Wozniak 

Joseph Wozniak 

Parish Life 

Gabriel Brusko, a member of Holy Trinity Orthodox 

Church in Catasauqua, prepares for his first 

Confession on November 22, 2008, with Father 

Timothy Hasenecz. 

HOLY TRINITY, CATASAUQUA 

Congratulations to the newly-illumined Mary Beirne. Pictured 

are mom, Christine Bullinger, the newly-illumined Mary, Father 

Timothy Hasenecz, and father, Sean Bullinger.

His Grace, Bishop Tikhon, awarded Archpriest David Shewczyk the 

jeweled Cross on Sunday, October 26, 2008. His Grace also presented 

a Gramota to the parish to commemorate its 40 th Anniversary. The 

Parish Council was installed during the Divine Liturgy by His Grace. 

A parish open house followed the Liturgy. 

HOLY TRINITY, WILKES-BARRE 

The Church School performed the Annual Yolka in December. The 

program included traditional Christmas poems, a Christmas play, 

and Christmas music as well as a visit from St. Nicholas. 

Parish Life 

Thanks to Our 

Supporters 

Frackville 

Holy Ascension 

Church 

Rev. Matthew and Matushka 

Jennifer Cantrell 

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Bricker 

Eva Boniscavage 

Sonya Bosack and Family 

Buchanan Family 

Olga Chrush 

Sergius Chrush and Family 

Olga Chuma 

Richard and Nicole Chwastiak 

Rick and Ann Chwastiak 

Mike and Carol Cuttic 

Raisa Derr 

Mary Diffenderfer 

Anna Dikun 

Barbara Examitas 

Martha and Tom Fletcher 

Sarah and Alexa Fletcher 

Michael Kasmer 

Mary and David Keysock 

Patrick and Vera Kleman 

Matushka Helen Kuchta 

Paul Malinchock 

Margaret Nestor 

John and Margaret Orris 

Alex and Ann Peleschak 

Helen Polanchyck 

Peter Rachko 

Mary C. Reed 

Douglas and 

Mary Ellen Rudenko 

Nicholas, Julia, 

and Andrew Rudenko 

Carole Sagan 

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Swaboda 

Greg, Rita, Greg Tatuska 

Michael, Roseann 

and Mikey Weremedic 

Peter and Marie Weremedic 

Peter Weremedic, Jr. 

John, Liz, Madeline and 

Sophia Wittig 

Elizabeth Yust

Thanks to Our 

Supporters 

Gradyville 

St. Herman of Alaska 

Church 

V. Rev and Mrs. John Perich 

Dan, Daria Babiak and Family 

Sheron and Ralph Bitsko 

Xenia Bancer 

Anatole and Cynthia Bredikin 

The Chobany Family 

Reader Oleg and Jean Dudkin 

The Hammerer Family 

Nicholas and Loretta Hrnjez 

Chrysa, Steven and Joseph Heller 

Leonid and Danuta Hrebien 

Reader Gregory, Sharon, Katya & 

Alexander Hubiak 

Berhe and Tsirha Keleta 

The Kelley Family 

Mary Kessler and Bill Kessler 

George and Christel Krugovoy 

Toni, Brandon, Ryan 

and Joe Leboon 

Judith Tobak Newell 

Susan Pasqualone 

Sonya Perich 

Taisia and Alixandra Perich 

Subdeacon Mark, Valerie and Mark 

Paul Pianovich 

Francis Plasha 

Anastasia Plisko 

John, Dina, Amanda 

and Zander Prokop 

The Pusey Family 

Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Rena Quinton 

Anne Rindfleisch 

Stephen M. Sissons 

Millie Sokol 

Bill and Jeanne Sokurenko 

Leonard Soroka 

Paul Stafiniak 

Serge and Lana Taptykoff 

Daria, Tony, Natalya 

and Michael Tatasciore 

George, Debbie, Nicholas, 

and Gregory Taylor 

John W. Weaver 

George, Valerie, Simon Winnick 

Anna C. Woodring 

The Yerkes/Macura Family 

Parish Life 

WINTER RETREAT IN STROUDSBURG 

Holy 

Trinity Church & Holy Cross Greek Orthodo 

thodox Church 

in Str 

troudsburg Hosts College Winter Retr 

etreat eat Febr 

ebruar 

uary 2009 

Fr. Theodore of Holy Cross and Fr. Nicholas of Holy Trinity in 

Stroudsburg helped East Stroudsburg University college students 

host an Orthodox college retreat weekend in February. This year 

approximately 25 students from East Stroudsburg University, Penn 

State and others from the Philadelphia area met at an ESU rented 

lodge near Marshall’s Creek for the weekend. On Sunday, the college 

students came to Holy Trinity for Divine Liturgy and a brunch that 

followed in the church hall. Students expressed their appreciation 

for the outstanding spread of food and hospitality shown by Holy 

Trinity parishioners. Both Holy Cross and Holy Trinity pray that 

this college retreat to Orthodox college students here in the Northeast 

continues to grow and increase in participation each year. 


Parish Life 

ST. MICHAEL, MOUNT CARMEL 

Congratulations to Gregory and Jessica (Tomcavage) Diehl on 

the birth of Ella Dianne Diehl on May 4, 2008. Ella was 

baptized on December 20 th . Godparents are Paul Joseph 

Tomcavage (US Navy) and Jennifer Tomcavage. They are pictured 

here with Father Michael Evans. 

On Sunday, September 21, 2008, St. Michael’s Parish celebrated 

its 100 th anniversary with great joy. The hierarchical Divine Liturgy 

was concelebrated by His Grace, Bishop Tikhon, along with 

Archpriest Michael Hatrak, Dean, Archpriest Michael H. Evans, 

pastor, Vice-Dean and Treasurer, and the Frackville Deanery 

Clergy. Fr. Michael Evans and the parish were presented with a 

Synodal Gramota. Stanley Zbicki, President of the Parish 

Council, and Peter Yastishak, Choir Director, were each presented 

a Diocesan Gramota for their many years of service to the Parish. 

Roses were presented to Bishop Tikhon by Alexandra and Rachel 

Rebuck at the church vestibule. Fr. Emilian Hutnyan was the 

homilist. There were 190 people in attendance at the anniversary 

dinner, which was held at Lazarski’s Banquet Hall in Mt. Carmel. 

Citations were presented by Kevin Jones, the Mayor of Mt. 

Carmel, from the Senate and State of Pennsylvania, and the Mt. 

Carmel Borough. We pray that we will continue our efforts to 

proclaim the Holy Gospel of Our Lord in our surrounding area 

in this and future generations. 

On February 28, 2009, Natalya Estelle Kline, daughter of Harry 

and Melissa Kline, was baptized by Father Michael Evans, in St. 

Michael’s Orthodox Church. Godparents are William and 

Lezonne Hertz. May God grant Natalya Many Blessed years! 

www.doepa.org 

Thanks to Our 

Supporters 

Minersville 

SS. Peter and Paul Church 

Very Rev. and Mrs. Michael Hatrak 

James and Anna Antonio 

John and Gloria Barnetsky 

JoAnn Brinich 

Ralph and Kathy Brinich 

The Charowsky Family 

Susie Frew 

Elsie Herman 

Rick and Lynda Hutton 

Lauren and Ricky Hutton 

Olga Kirkauskas 

Anna Olexa 

Christian and Sofia Pascuzzo 

Michael and Lisa Pascuzzo 

Mike, Barb and Cassandra Rogers 

Bernard and Helen Sagusky 

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Skrincosky 

Susanne Stablum 

Colin and Sara Studlack 

David and Georgine Studlack 

John and Cindy Studlack 

Sandra Wyslutsky 

Mount Carmel 

St. Michael’s Church 

Very Rev. Michael and 

Matushka Sonya Evans 

T. P. Alekseyko 

Dorothy Beckus 

Olga Berkoski 

Christine Buchkarik 

Julia Bushick 

Charles Chidovich 

John Chidovich 

Anna Gondal 

Catherine Hardnock 

Stephen Homiak 

Joseph and Alma Katchick 

Bill and Mary Kessler 

Adam Leschinsky 

Leon Markovich 

Jean Mathias 

The Rebuck Family 

Eveann Shamus 

Anna Tanney 

Joseph and Sandy Tosca 

Ben and Mildred Trefsgar 

John and Mary Zeluskey 

Stanley and Vera Zbicki 


23

Congratulations to Benjamin and Olga 

Macalush on the celebration of their 

61st wedding anniversary on May 10 th , 

2008. The couple is still very active, 

each at 83 years old and counting. 

Bennie is a regular behind the altar, 

and Olga is still very active in the 

Ladies Aid. Their son, Reader Leonty 

(Lenny), is presently the choir director 

at St. Paul’s Antiochian Church in 

Emmaus, PA. St. Mary’s is very happy 

to have such an active family in our 

midst. 

Plans are underway for our 100th 

anniversary celebration on 

September 6, 2009. His Grace, Bishop 

TIKHON, will be celebrating the day 

with us. St. Mary’s celebrated her first 

Divine Liturgy on Sunday, September 

26th, 1909, by Archpriest Alexander 

Hotovitsky and Fr. Michael Fekula 

concelebrating together. Fr. Michael 

was assigned by His Eminence 

Archbishop Platon to lead the parish 

as its first priest. 

Following that liturgy, the first parish 

meeting of 200 members was 

conducted with Father Hotovitsky 

acting as chairman and Professor 

Borch acing as secretary. The following 

charter members comprised the first 

church council: President, Theodore 

Pluta; Trustees: Metro Drozdak, 

Simeon T. Holoviak, Simion Lewchick, 

Anthony Macenka, Peter Monchak, 

Peter Pavlick, Anthony Polansky, Elik 

Sotak, Samuel Sotak, Contantine 

Tatusko, and Peter Wyshowsky. 

Services were first held in the local 

school, in Coaldale, and later a hall was 

built to hold services for the first four 

years, till the Parish and rectory were 

built, and which were completed by 

1914 and 1916 respectively. 

Archbishop Platon approved architect 

St. Mar 

ary’s s Orthodo 

thodox Church in Coaldale 

John Bergenzen’s plans for the 

construction of a red brick cross 

shaped church bearing five cupolas, a 

bell tower, and three choir lofts. The 

cupolas have been recently repainted 

and the parish is the jewel of eastern 

Schuykill County. People from far and 

wide come to take pictures and visit 

this beautiful parish, patterned after 

parishes in Kiev. 

St. Mary’s is a growing parish, which 

since 2007, has taken in ten new 

members with five more catechumens 

on the way. They have revived the 

Sunday Church School and began a 

youth group which has ten members. 


The Greeting and Welcome team has 

been making great improvements 

with new signs from the Church 

adorning Route 209 and a listing of 

services in the local news paper. In 

order to attract new people to the 

Orthodox Faith, people have to know 

you exist!! 

St. Mary’s is looking forward to what 

God has in store for this wonderful 

parish in the OCA. They welcome 

anyone to come and visit or come and 

retire here and make this little quiet 

community your own. Please mark 

your calendars and join us in our 

milestone celebration on September 

6th, 2009, or just stop by for a visit! 

If you would like to know more 

information about the parish visit our 

website: 

www.stmarysnativity.org or email 

Father Daniel— 

fr.danielm@gmail.com

“To please God and to save the soul this 

Holy Faith was given to us in its pureness 

without any additions and human 

inventions and it must be preserved as such 

until our death” 

- St. Alexis of Wilkes Barre 

Thanks Parish to Our 

Life 

Supporters 

Nanticoke 


Rev. and Mrs. Adam Sexton 

Steve Brezna 

Christina Cherkis 

Christine Cieslak 

Frank Fedock 

Jim and Mary Ann Oram 

Joseph P. Paprota 

Joseph R. Paprota 

Mary Paprota 

Jack Sarochinsky 

Marge Sokol 

Olga Sulewski 

Truszkowski’s 

Pete and Cathy Truszkowski 

Mary Zupko 

Mike and Pearl Zupko 

Olyphant 

All Saints Church 

Fr. David, Mat. Tamara, and 

Gabriel Cowan 

Elizabeth Generotti 

Veronica Koziar 

Eleanor Krushinski 

Milly and Buddy Kuzmiak 

Anastasia Mazur 

Fran Meholic 

Greg Meholic, DDS 

Claudia MIkulak 

Ann and Karen Naughton 

Maria Oles 

George and Betty Perechinsky 

Barbara Puhalla 

John and Marguerite Puthorosky 

Pete and Joni Rezanka 

Dan and Susan Stafursky 

Ken Stafursky 

Samantha, Stephanie, and 

Zachary Stafursky 

Steve and Pat Stafursky 

Linda Stuchlak 

www.doepa.org 


25

Parish Life 

Holy Trinity 

gets 

Involved 

Larissa, Fr. Nick, and Ben 

Solak Project Mexico 2008 

Larissa Hatch, a member of Holy Trinity Church has been accepted 

for a summer internship at Project Mexico. Larissa is a sophomore 

at Juniata College located in Central PA. She will spend 

approximately two months as a coordinator in Project Mexico 

receiving work groups that come to build homes for the needy 

in Tijuana. Ten teens and adults from Holy Trinity will also 

participate in Project Mexico this June. These parishioners and 

friends are: Fr. Nicholas Solak, Emma Solak, Liz Hatch, Jacqui 

Hatch, Laura Stinger, Lisa Mastroberte, Sam Souilliard, Zach 

Aberica, Jen Kalata and another yet to be identified. Holy Trinity 

will be one of the groups Larissa will welcome and guide in their 

work. At Juniata, Larissa is also a volunteer in similar charity 

work. She is the president of the college chapter of Habitat for 

Humanity. The Juniata College chapter of Habitat for Humanity 

is a nonprofit group that aids the people of Huntingdon County. 

Habitat does this by helping with various community efforts and 

by building decent housing for local families in need. 

Additionally, Juniata College Habitat works with the local 

Huntingdon chapter of Habitat for Humanity and together strives to improve the area. 

Brian and Rebecca Boyle, also of Holy Trinity, had the opportunity of working with Habitat for Humanity in 

Florida during the months of Jan.-March. Habitat for Humanity was founded as a Christian ministry, however, volunteers 

of all faiths participate. Habitat in the Florida Keys builds and renovates simple decent houses with the help of 

homeowner (partner) families through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials. Most of the actual 

building in this Florida chapter is completed during the summer months, so during their time in Florida, the Boyles 

were unable to “swing a hammer”. However, much planning and preparation takes place prior to building. Brian and 

Rebecca were fortunate to be able to take part in these pre-construction activities. This particular Habitat chapter has 

an office and home store in Key Largo, FL. Gently used furniture is donated by the community to the home store and 

sold to the public. Brian, along with another volunteer, had the pleasure of picking up and moving the furniture from 

houses, hotels, condos, etc. within a 30 mile radius to the home store. Furniture sales for the month of March alone 

were well over $10,000, all of which will contribute to the building of the next house. Rebecca donated her time to 

office/computer tasks, assisting the CEO/Director who relies entirely on volunteers to help with files, accounting, 

paperwork, fundraising, etc. Eighteen Habitat houses have been built in the Upper Keys with 5 more scheduled for 

next year. Fundraising activities, such as flea markets, silent auction parties, golf tournaments, and no-party- parties 

are held frequently. This is a very dedicated and ambitious chapter of Habitat for Humanity in Florida. The local 

community is extremely supportive and generous. This was an exceptional learning experience in Christian charitable 

outreach. 

26 


www.doepa.org

WILLIAMSPORT 

On Lazarus Saturday, 

April 11, 2009, 

Elizabeth 

Yonkin 

was baptized by 

Father Daniel 

Kovalak. Her 

sponsors were Fr. 

James Chuta and 

Nancy Paschuk. 

Ignatius Edward 

Hunter was 

chrismated on Holy 

Saturday, April 18, 

2009. His sponsor 

was Gary Summers. 

They are pictured 

with Father Daniel 

Kovalak. 

Congratulations 

Elizabeth and 

Ignatius! 

Parish Life 

JERMYN 

St. Michael’s Orthodox 

Church in Jermyn is 

celebrating its Centennial 

this year, with the 

culminating activities being 

the Hierarchal Divine 

Liturgy and Gala Banquet 

on Nov. 7th. There are 

many events to help mark 

this special occasion. On June 15, 2008, a newly crafted 

cemetery archway was blessed, which started off our 

celebration. Beginning in July, we had a “Breakfast a month” 

as a fundraising activity. Other fundraising activities have 

been several Corbi pizza & cookies sales, raffles, sale of items 

such as jewelry and a CD by the Spirit of Orthodoxy choir, 

and a Flea Market. On October 26, 2008, St. Michael’s 

hosted an exhilarating, spiritually uplifting concert presented 

by the Spirit of Orthodoxy Choir, led by Alexsei 

Shipovalnikov. Many people enjoyed our two trips to the 

Millennium Theatre in Lancaster County to experience the 

shows “The Miracle of Christmas” and the Easter show 

“Behold the Lamb”. A group of people went Christmas 

Caroling to a nursing home and to the homes of some inbound 

parishioners. On May 3, 2009, the Centennial 

Committee hosted an internationally known speaker, Fr. 

Peter Gillquist, from California. He spoke on “Finding the 

church of the New Testament.” 

Events planned for the future are: the ordering of Corbi 

products in June, a SWB Yankees 

game on July 31st, a liturgy at the 

cemetery followed by a family 

picnic at Aylesworth Park, another 

Flea Market on Sept. 12th, the 

concert by the Spirit of 

Orthodoxy concert on Sept. 

20th, and the Hierarchal Divine 

Liturgy and banquet on Nov. 

7th. 

Please visit our website: 

www.stmichaeljermyn.org and 

click on the “Centennial News” 

button to see other information 

or pictures. 

www.doepa.org 


27

Thanks to Our 

Supporters 

Olyphant 


Very Rev. Vladimir Fetcho 

Matushka Marianne Fetcho 

V. Rev. Eugene Pianovich 

Matushka Joanna Pianovich 

Richard and Julie Cesari 

James and Jonathan Cesari 

Josephine Chicilla 

Joan Derbin 

Jerry and Carol Dreater and Mason 

Paul and Sylvia Dreater 

Major Paul Dreater, Jr. 

Kayla and Liam Evanina 

Dorothy Fetchina 

Joseph Fetchina 

Marie Grabania 

Michael Grabania 

Tatiana and David and Tyler Hughes 

George Kopestonsky 

John Nightingale 

Kyra Nightingale 

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Price 

Delores Rebar 

Dr. and Mrs. Larry R. Sherman 

James and Helen Thomashefsky 

Mary Youshock 

Pottstown 


Very Rev. S. David Mahaffey 

Protodeacon Peter and Matushka Marnie 

Skoog, Marija, Joshua and Kyra 

Eleanor Barnosky 

Reader Jon and Anna Marie Black 

John and Helen Boretsky 

Mike and Debbie Brilla and Family 

John and Christine Davis, Anna and Julie 

Anna Marie Katancik Dempsey 

Nancy Dempsey 

Joseph Dutzer 

Carl Ecker 

In Memory of Dorothy Ecker 

Reader Jason and Jennifer Franchak 

Mr. and Mrs. George Gerasimowicz 

In Memory of parents Anna and Michael 

Gumrott by Mrs. Evelyn Leleck 

In memory of Husband George Leleck by 

Mrs. Evelyn Leleck 

James and Gale Hutnyan, Julie and 

Stephen 

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Leapold and Family 

Mary Monarek 

Theresa Katancik Ott 

Joe Rapchinski 

Mary Rapchinski 

Julius and Katherine Rigo, Julius, Jr. 

Euphemia Romanik 

Reader Ken Sekellick 

Bill Spiro 

John and Dorothy Wisneski 

Charles and Alexandra Wurster 

ST. . JOHN THE BAPTIST 

EDWARDSVILLE 

During the past year St. John the Baptist has had several memorable events 

in our parish life, both liturgical and social. Following the success of the 

10 th Annual Food Fest, the parish welcomed His Grace in September for an 

annual Parish Feast Day celebration. At the close of the Hierarchical Divine 

Liturgy, at which His Grace was assisted by Protodeacon Keith Russin and 

Archdeacon Nicholas of Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos Monastery, 

the following members of the Parish were recognized for major wedding 

anniversaries celebrated during the year: 

50 Years: Leo and Marie Martin 

40 Years: Eugene & Shirley Gingo 

Leo & Christine Adamski 

David and Anna Antall 

Helen & Joseph Grumblis 

25 Years: Ben and Lucille Dragan. 

At the Dinner which followed in the Church Hall parishioners Julie Sitar and 

George Grabousky were awarded the first Archimandrite Anthony Repella 

Recognition Award, given to those parishioners whose active, long term 

dedication to the life of the parish reflects the dedicated service of Fr. 

Repella who served the parish for 38 years. Another one of these was 

presented to Anna Billek in January before she moved to North Carolina to 

live with her son. 

In December, Fr. Sergius of St. Tikhon’s Monastery and Bookstore came and 

served Vespers and afterwards gave a talk and answered questions on the 

monastic life, prayer, and asceticism in the life of the Orthodox Christian. 

In February, His Grace returned to conduct the funeral of beloved 

parishioner Anna Dutko. Last September saw the institution of a Daily 

Vespers on Wednesday evenings, followed by an ongoing course on 

Orthodoxy 101. Both of these have met with a positive response from 

parishioners with good attendance in good weather, but a steady, faithful 

core throughout the winter months. 

The parish has already begun planning for its Centennial Celebration for 

2010-2011. Planning has begun, as has the activity of the Historical 

Committee. Concerts, lectures, trips, recordings and DVD’s are all in the 

planning stages. A parish website is under development. 

During the past year there have been four Baptisms and Chrismations: 

Anna (Sienna Jane) Miller 

Alexander Delaney 

Anastasia Podolak 

Elizabeth Wozniak. 


Congratulations 2008 Graduates 

Florina Bacuta 

Newark High School 

St. Michael Church 

Wilmington, DE 

Anthony Blondek 

North Pocono High School 


Olyphant, PA 

Christopher Carey 

Mt. Sophia Home 

School Academy 



Jonathan Cesari 

Mid-Valley High School 


Olyphant, PA 

Stephanie Danko 

Pen Argyl High School 


Bethlehem, PA 

Regan Hines 

Military Academy 



Leah Hojnicki 

University of Delaware 



Richard Hutton 

Pottsville Area High School 


Minersville, PA 

Shelby Jones 

Pottsville Area High School 

Assumption of the Blessed 

Virgin Mary Church 

St. Clair, PA 

Kristy Elizabeth Kitchura 

Forest City Regional 

School District 


Jermyn, PA 

Nicholas John Kowalczyk 

Lakeland High School 


Jermyn, PA 

Lydia Marsh 

Nazareth High School 


Bethlehem, PA 

www.doepa.org 


29


Peter Marsh 

Penn State University 


Bethlehem, PA 

Jacquelyn Marie Peck 

Mt. Sophia Home 

School Academy 



Alexander Paul Pianovich 

Upper Dauphin 

Area High School 

Holy Ascension Church 

Lykens, PA 

Alexander Roberts 

Catasauqua High School 


Bethlehem, PA 

David Roberts, Jr. 

St. Mark’s High School 



Gregory Roman 

Salisbury High School 


Bethlehem, PA 

David Schlasta 

Lakeland High School 


Jermyn, PA 

Christopher D. Skvir 

B.S., Rutgers University 

St. Stephen’s Cathedral 

Philadelphia, PA 

Allysa Vavra 

Panther Valley High School 

St. Mary’s Church 

Coaldale, PA 

James Weremedic 

Berwick Area High School 

Holy Annunciation Church 

Berwick, PA 



Andrew Capalong 

B.S. in Biology 

Kings College 


Olyphant, PA 

Stephanie Ebert, L.P.N. 

Wilkes-Barre Area Career 

and Technical Center 


Nanticoke, PA 

Athanasia (Trudy) Ellmore 

B.A. History 

Muhlenberg College 


Catasauqua, PA 

Laura Fedoronko 

B.S. Rehabilitative Science 

University of Pittsburgh 



Christopher Getzie 

Scranton Preparatory School 

St. Basil Church 

Simpson, PA 

Jacqueline Hatch 

Pocono Mountain West HS 


Stroudsburg, PA 

Iuliana Kraiter 

St. Mark’s High School 



Christian Pascuzzo 

Blue Mountain High School 



Christopher Pinto 

Bangor Area High School 



Melissa Purcell 

Pocono Mountain East HS 



Alexandra Rebuck 

Danville Area High School 


Mt. Carmel, PA 

Cassandra Rogers 

Millersville University 



www.doepa.org 


31


Joseph Rybny 

Doctor of Pharmacy Degree 

University of Pittsburgh 

St. Mark’s Church 

Wrightstown, PA 

Nicholas Scochin 

Holy Cross High School 


Olyphant, PA 

Timothy Shewczyk 

B.S. Electrical Engineering 

Rensselaer Polytehnic Institute 


Wilkes-Barre, PA 

Samantha Stafursky 

Athens Area High School 


Olyphant, PA 

2009 

Diocesan 

Diaconal 

Formation 

Graduates 

Jay Adams 

St. Tikhon’s Seminary 

Diaconal Formation Program 



Michael Pasonick, Jr. 


Diaconal Formation Program 

Holy Resurrection Cathedral 

Wilkes-Barre, PA 

Reader Joseph Semon 

St. Tikhon’s Seminary Diaconal 

Formation Program 


Olyphant, PA 

2009 

Diocesan 

Seminary 

Graduates 

Ian Burgess 

Master of Divinity Degree 


Holy Ascension Church 

Frackville, PA 


Vasili Dubee 

Priestly Formation 



Jermyn, PA 

James Worthington 

Master of Divinity 



Pottstown, PA

St. Tikhon’s Summer Youth Camp, was held 

July 6-12 on the grounds of St. Tikhon’s Monastery. Camp 

director Martin Paluch and counselors welcomed 99 campers 

from eastern and western Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New 

Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. 

This year’s camp theme Best Friends was developed by 

Mrs. Anna Marie Black, children’s program director. Having 

friends and in particular a best friend is crucial to a child’s overall 

development and wellbeing. Jesus Christ had friends, too, 

during His time on earth. The Christian education component 

of the camp week focused on those persons who had some 

relationship to Christ or were indeed His friends: Mary, The 

Theotokos, and her cousin Elizabeth; St. John the Baptist; 

Lazarus; St. John the Beloved Disciple, and each of us in our 

relationship to Christ today. The Church Fathers also had particular 

ideas about what friendship means, and campers heard 

about some of those insights throughout the week. 

www.doepa.org 


33

Parish Life 

Campers rotated according to 

age groups, 7/8s, 9/10s, and 11-13 

for daily swimming, sports and recreation, 

paddle boating on the lake, 

and workshops in Christian education. 

Teens, Ages 14 and older, followed 

a separate schedule for the 

program “Sacraments” developed 

by Ms. Kim Metz, Ms. Tatiana 

Bohush, and Mr. Nick Macura. 

Chaplaincy duties were shared 

by Archpriest T. Stephen 

Kopestonsky and Priest Milorad 

Orlic who served Morning and 

Evening Prayers and gave homilies 

on the Gospels each day. As choir 

director, Mrs. Lory Nescott, led the 

singing during prayers and at 

Friday’s Vespers and the Saturday 

morning Divine Liturgy. Campers 

served as readers. 

The children and teens acknowledged 

the contributions of 

camp benefactor Mr. Paul Wozniak 

by signing a huge poster that was 

presented to him on his 88 th birthday 

on July 12. The campers also 

made greeting cards to be delivered 

to Archpriest Basil Stoyka, a longtime 

chaplain and friend of camp, 

who was unable to attend this year. 

Weather was superb for the 

much-anticipated traditional activities: 

the hike to Flat Rock; a pinata, 

and Thursday’s barbecue, hayride, 

bonfire, and talent show. Those not 

wishing to hike stayed back with 

Mrs. Black who challenged them in 

a different kind of physical activity, 

a simulation of the World Eskimo- 

Indian Olympics that are held in 

Alaska each July. 

Older campers competed in 

the basketball tournament, and the 

youngest competed in the Washer 

Board Tournament. Fr. Vladimir 

(Poszywak), a riasophor monk from 

Lorain, Ohio, instructed campers on 

making three craft projects, and 

many children competed for prizes 

in The Answer Box competition. After 

Thursday’s hayride with Martin 

driving the tractor, campers rode to 

a nearby dairy farm where they could 

feed the cows and watch them being 

milked. Then they visited a 

nearby airfield to see radio-controlled 

airplanes and watch one being 

flown. Once back at camp, the 

children gleefully stuffed Martin with 

hay—another long-standing camp 

tradition. 

Some of camp’s most important 

work is done in the dorm, since the 

week’s stay requires campers to get 

along with roommates and counselors. 

Mrs. Veronica Bilas, who 

dubbed herself “the problem solver,” 

took charge of administrative details 

in the dormitory and instituted 

Caught Doing Good, a program to encourage 

and reward good behavior. 

Recognition was given for the 

cleanest rooms for each of the agegroup 

designations. 

Although the three aspects of 

friendship as defined by the Church 

Fathers were intended for discussion 

among only the older campers 

Ages 11-13, the priest presenters 

wove comments about these aspects 

through the fabric of their homilies 

and talks during the week. So campers 

heard about these three aspects 


Parish Life 

wove comments about these aspects through the fabric of their 

homilies and talks during the week. So campers heard about 

these three aspects of friendship: 

A slave. We do God’s will and follow His commandments 

out of fear and to escape punishment. 

A servant. We do God’s will and follow His commandments 

to get some reward, some payback. 

A friend. The highest level of friendship. 

We do God’s will and follow His commandments because 

of our love for Him and love for each other, expecting nothing in 

return. 

On Friday evening the children and teens always assembled 

in the pavilion for a sort of winding down of camp with skits and 

final words from Martin. In keeping with the camp theme, Mrs. 

Black asked for volunteers to tell what each liked about his or 

her best friend. A long line of children told about such qualities 

as loyalty, honesty, liking the same things, being there for his 

friend, and more. 

After the last Amen at Divine Liturgy, campers departed 

the monastery church for a group photo outdoors and breakfast 

in the trapeza. The morning calm changed to emotional goodbyes, 

promises to e-mail one another, emptied dorms, and the 

sounds of tires on the road leading out of the monastery grounds. 

Camp was over for another year. 

We thank the monks of the Brotherhood of St. Tikhon’s 

Monastery who graciously open their hearts to campers, offer 

their prayers for all, and who do not mind the rush of campers on 

the monastery grounds. We thank the parents for placing their 

trust in the program. We thank the children for their smiling 

faces, their joy, their challenges, for their very presence as members 

of the Body of Christ. 

We thank God for the opportunities at camp to become 

true friends of one another and with God. As Christ asked of His 

disciples (and as the Church Fathers affirm), “You are My friends 

if you do whatever I command you.” (John 15: 14) 

Anna Marie Black 

Children’s Program Director 

St. Tikhon’s Summer Youth Camp 

www.doepa.org 


35


The ancient Orthodox Christian 

Church can harness the tools of the 

modern age to spread the Good 

News and to unite the members 

of Christ. The internet is such a 

tool that can keep us connected. 

The Diocese of Eastern 

Pennsylvania’s website provides 

up to date information about 

various topics. On the website can 

be found: announcements, news, 

calendar, photo gallery, parish 

directory, and much more. Please 

check back often and regularly to 

see what’s happening in your 

diocese! If you would like parish 

events to be posted, you can contact 

the Director of Communications, 

Cindy Davis, at 

doepa@live.com 

The diocesan newsletter, Living Waters, is essentially 

the printed version of the website but with a more 

indepth focus on significant events within the diocese. 

Much like the website, the purpose of the newsletter 

is to improve the sense of community and connectedness 

between parishes. 

The parishes in our diocese are full of activity, and 

this activity should be shared among ourselves. The 

newsletter is a way for this sharing to take place in a 

timely manner. It is a benefit for all but will require 

the input of all. Please send in your news! 

Email: doepa@live.com 


Jermyn 


Father John and Matushka Kowalczyk, 

Sophia and Nicky 

Father Daniel and Matushka Mary Geeza 

Protodeacon Gabriel and Matushka 

Petorak 

Andrea, Andrew and Rachel Baldan 

Debby, Rachel and Paul Bernosky 

Daryl and Jerry Bescovoyne 

Sergei, Wendy and Amy Bochnovich 

Eileen Brzuchalski 

Dave and Ann Butler 

David J., David Jr. and Josh Butler 

David, Susan and Michael Butler 

Patricia, Tom and Tommy Cadwalader 

Sandy and Kevin Carney and Family 

Bob and Eileen Dance 

Marie Derkasch 

Stephen and Chris Derkasch 

Dr. and Mrs. William Derkasch 

William, Courtney and Alexa Derkasch 

Kaye Federiko 

Donald and Rosalie Fives 

Annabelle Franchak 

Peter and Delores Frenchko 

Chris and Rebecca Goetter and Family 

Dorothy and Andy Hanchak 

Julia Hanchak 

Nicholas Hanchak 

John and Mary Kay Hockin 

Atty. John and Winona Hockin 

Jon, Debby and Jonathan Jaye 

Rose Kelechawa 

Mike and Gloria Klapatch and Sons 

Jeremi, Nicole and Josh Korpusik 

Mary and Henry Korpusik 

Jim and Karen Landi 

Maria and Nicholas Landi 

Joan Lasichak 

John E. Lasichak 

Michael Lasichak 

Ruthann Lasichak 

Steve and Jean Malec 

Dr. Cindy and Michael Mancini 

David and Domanica Mancini 

Arlene Mandichak 

JoAnn Mattise 

Scott, Paula, Mark and Nicole Melesky 

Tom Meredith 

Wendy Ann Mobley 

Thanks to Our 

Supporters 

John and Barbara Nayduch 

John and Patsy Pash 

Willard Puzza 

Peter and Helen Senio 

Ron, Lorraine and Ann Sernak 

Delores Serniak 

Steven and Kathy Serniak 

Anastasia Sloat 

Marilyn and Jerry Soroka and Family 

Julie Speicher 

John Susko 

Irene Swirdovich 

Col. (R.) Peter and Martha Telencio 

Damian and Stepen Telencio 

Millie Telep 

Joanne Yurchak 

Betty Zrowka 

Dorothy Zrowka 

Saint Clair 

Assumption of the Virgin Mary 

Church 

Very Rev. and Mrs. Michael Hatrak 

Olga DeMarkis 

Tusha Dernbach 

Peggy Dimoff 

Wassil & Georgene Draovitch 

Tatiana Heffner 

John Hoptak 

Nancy Jones 

Jim & Ruthann Kerick 

Justyna Pelak 

Marge Rosenberger 

Ted & Jeanette Sagan 

Sam and Joan Wisnosky 

Shillington 

St. Herman’s Church 

Parish Council and 

Faithful Parishioners 

Simpson 

St. Basil’s Church 

Very Rev. Daniel Geeza 

Matushka Mary Geeza 

Olga Buberniak 

Mary Ann & Jim Braun 

Maria & Jefferson Braun 

Nadine Demianovich 

Christopher L. Getzie 

LTC Peter Getzie 

Col. Paula Getzie 

Helen Hrichuk 

Ron & Lorraine Kavalkovich 

Ron Kovalkovich & Damian Drobish 

Michael & Theresa Luczkovich 

Mary Okorn 

Christina Marie Proch 

Elizabeth Anne Proch 

Maria Proch 

Marie Proch 

John Proch 

Walter & Mary Ann Proch 

Alexandra Roat 

Benjamin David Roat 

Dr. & Mrs. David Roat 

Doris Skasko 

Jo Ann Somple 

South Canaan 

St. Tikhon’s Monastery 

Church 


Very Rev. Michael G. Dahulich 

V. Rev. Daniel K. and 

Matushka Dolores Donlick 

V. Rev. Alexander, Mat. Elena 

& Alex Golubov 

Very Rev. and Mrs. T. Stephen 

Kopestonsky 

V. Rev. Michael Lepa 

Protodeacon Keith S. Russin 

Matushka Nina Stroyen 

Matushka Dorothy Sulich 

Reader Edward Wawruch 

Alice Boga 

Tom Casper 

John and Rose Derk 

Reader Thomas and Melissa Donlick 

Betty A. Figura 

Mrs. Mary Huniak and Family 

Clarice Karnick 

John, Sue and Helen Kuchmanich 

Metro Lazorack 

Peter and Cindy Lazorack 

Robert Mack 

John and JoAnne Paluch 

Robert H. Roth 

www.doepa.org 


37

Wilkes-Barre 

Holy Resurrection Cathedral 

Very Rev. Joseph and Matushka Gloria 

Martin 

Protodeacon Sergei and Matushka Vicki 

Kapral 

Protodeacon Keith Russin 

Andrew Buleza 

Cynthia Dulsky 

Debbie, Judd and Sara Good 

Juliana, Jeff, Kyra and Stephen Good 

Alex, Andrew, Anna and Aaron Haber 

Dr. John and Cathy Haber 

Marge Kotarski 

Mrs. Mary Krill 

Olga Layton 

Alice Laskowski 

Marina and Elena Martin 

Steve and Gloria Nerbecki 

Michael and Nancy Pieck 

John and Irene Zimich 

John and Doris Zoranski 

Kyra E. Zoranski 

Wilkes-Barre 


Very Rev. David 

and Matushka Sharon Shewczyk 

Susan Bawn 

Alexanne Conklin 

Liz and John Gurka 

William and Mary Gurka 

Jeremy and Marianne Haugh 

Rose M. Kennedy 

Evelyn Kozmiski 

Mary and Stephen Krill 

Mary Ann Kudey 

Joan Lello 

Mildred L. Mayher 

J. P. and Denise Meck 

Paul, Corie and Abby Meck 

David and Deborah Mills 

Mary Piznar 

Olga Shewczyk 

Timothy and Nicholas Shewczyk 

Eleanor and Theodore Sovyrda 

Stankiewicz Family 

Michael and Leona Stchur 

Marie Talpash 

Michael and Lisa Talpash 

Thanks to Our 

Supporters 

Rachel and Christa Talpash 

William Talpash, Jr. 

In Memory of William Talpash, Sr. 

Martha, Paul and Paul Andrew Tumavitch 

Pearl Tutko 

Helen Welgo 

Williamsport 

Holy Cross Church 

Very Rev. Daniel and Matushka Myra 

Kovalak 

Rev. James Chuta, Matushka Nancy 

Pashchuk and Rosemary Phillips 

Sean and Hayln Alexander and Family 

Ann Chabal 

Mr. and Mrs. Mathew Chabal 

Henry and Cally Herman 

Dr. and Mrs. Minas Hiras 

Donna and Alex Kadenas 

Phil Kundis 

Lamprinos Family 

Elsie Skvir Nierle 

Mr. and Mrs. Lew Shatto 

Sinatra Family 

Wrightstown 

St. Mark’s Church 

Archpriest Theodore Heckman 

Protodeacon Gregory and Martha Moser 

Sergei and Irene Arhipov 

Reader Peter and Sandy Bohlender 

Boris and Joanne Borichevsky 

Sergei and Connie Borichevsky 

Isaac Chappe 

Patrick Colucci 

Andrew and Daria Cortese 

Maurice and Linola Hakim 

Justin Heckman 

Stephanos and Helen Kyriakodis 

Jack and Barbara Malriat 

Ken and Dorothy Martiak 

Reader George Nakonetschny 

Julia Petrov 

Jim and Monia Pitra 

Eugene Redko 

Olga and Gregory Rosin 

Jeanette Ruano 

Charles, Judi and Joe Rybny 

Myron and Linette Sedor and Family 

Ceil Seroka 

Kevin and Mary Anne Swan and Family 

Natalia and Evangeline Tikhomirova 

John Wanko 

Betzy Werner 

Doug and Sharon Yates and Family 

Edward Zamerovsky 

Philadelphia 


His Grace, Bishop Tikhon 

Fr. Victor, Matushka Anastasia, Elizabeth, 

Katherine, and Alexander Gorodenchuk 

Matushka Mary Fedoronko 

Reader James Wellington Adams, III 

Reader John, Mrs. Alexandra, Evyn 

and Lydia Black 

Reader George, Mrs. Pauline, and 

Margaret Englesson 

Reader Paul, Diane, Laura 

and John Fedoronko 

Reader Christopher Jones 

Reader Michael Jones 

Reader Nichols Jones 

Reader Larry, Mrs. Connie, Jonathan and 

Christopher Skvir 

Reader Joseph Stearne 

Dimitri Archipov 

Atanas Atanasov 

Daniel, Sonia Stephen 

and Christine Bondira 

Charles and Halina Colter 

John, Kate, Nicholas, Alexander, 

Andrew Cox 

Helen, Mark and Steve Davis and Family 

Ray, Michele, Matthew 

and Natalie Decker 

Willis and Lubie Dietrichs 

Dr. Jack, Irene, Alexander, Halina 

Allan and Mrs. Tatiana Heller 

Kyra, Sophia, Natasha 

and Nicholas Forest 

Maria del Carmen Garza 

Nina and Bill Gavula 

Matthew and Stephanie Gavula 

Michael Gavula and Cora Fitzwater 

Anna M. Fedryck-Hargrave 

Lydia Grabania 

Natalie Hatrak 

Nicholas and Nina and Eugenia Horsky 

Andrei, Kathryn, Stefan 

and Peter Jablokov 

Arnold, Katherine, Anna and Alexa Jensky 

Leonard and Catherine Jones 


What is important to you for your preschooler? 

Orthodox Teachings 

Quality Education 

Clean and safe environment 

Nurturing and caring teachers 

NOW ENROLLING! 

FOR SEPTEMBER 2009 

Holy Protection Orthodox Christian Preschool, a blending of Holy Cross and Holy Trinity Orthodox Churches in 

Stroudsburg, offers an Orthodox based educational program designed for three and four year olds. The 

kindergarten readiness program prepares children socially, emotionally, physically, intellectually and 

SPIRITUALLY! Your children have an ideal opportunity to get a sound start to their education in an 

environment rich in Orthodox traditions and beliefs. 

Our program has room for only 12 children. Please call NOW for information. 

570 420-8898 – Alexa Karakos, Director 

HPOCP is located at 

Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church 

135 Stokes Ave. 

Stroudsburg, PA 18360 

Harold and Lorraine Kane 

Paulette Kevolic 

Janice Kolea 

Greg, Lydia Kira and Nicholas 

Gregory Kuzmanchuk 

Mikeal, Alyssa and Sarah Lampreich 

Timothy Linahan 

Peter and Martha Linski 

Sonia, Larissa and Michael Jr. Mariani 

Robert and Christine Phillips 

Stephan and Marge Pron 

Kathie and Sergio Rabaca 

Thomas, Nina, Nicholas 

Deanna, and Victoria Rapak 

Peter, Heather and Katie, Holly Ren 

Jack, Martha, Megan, Adam 

Jacob and Amelia Sisko 

Robert Gregory Tallick 

The Taptykoff Family 

Irene Zaroff 

www.doepa.org 


39

Upcoming 

Diocesan Events 

September 13 

September 19 

(tentative) 

September 27 

October 4 

October 24 

November 1 

November 7 

December 4-5 

100th Anniversary of St 

Mary’s Church in Coaldale 

Women’s Retreat, St 

Tikhon’s Seminary 


Stephen’s Cathedral in 

Philadelphia 

35th Anniversary of St Mark’s 

Church in Wrightstown 

100th Anniversary of Holy 

Annunciation Church in 

Berwick 

5th Anniversary of Holy 

Apostles Mission in 

Mechanicsburg 


Michael’s Church in Jermyn 

46th Annual Diocesan 

Assembly at St Nicholas 

Church in Bethlehem

Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania

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