Summer 2000

New Diocesan Retreat Center in

Boulder City, Nevada

The Official Publication of the
Diocese of the West of the
Orthodox Church in America
Diocese of the West
650 Micheltorena Street
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Phone: 1-800-323-6921
Publisher
His Grace Bishop TIKHON
Bishop of San Francisco and
the Diocese of the West
In This Issue
Volume 5, Number 2
Diocese Purchases Retreat Center:
A History and a Promise.................................................2
Sonora: Growth of a Mission..........................................4
Constantine Chekene: Memory Eternal!........................5
Diocese Host Four Seminarian Interns...........................6
Clergy Wives Hold Retreat in Portland...........................7
Diocese Creates New Russian Deanery............................8

Address all stories and Hieromonk Isidore Ordained...........................................8

editorial comments to:
Editor-in-Chief Womenhood and the Priesthood......................................9
Priest Eric G. Tosi
14 Shadow Place
Billings, MT 59102 Albany Celebrates 10 Years............................................10
Phone and Fax: (406)254-1194
Email: marsaba@aol.com News From Around the Diocese.....................................11
Address all circulation Fort Ross Celebration....................................................12
and advertising to:
Office of the Chancellor
5400 Annie Oakley Drive Prespective on Youth......................................................13
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Phone: (702)898-4800 From the Fathers: St. Raphael of Brooklyn........Backpage
Fax: (702)898-0303

The Orthodox Vision is published three times The new Diocese of the West webpage is now online.
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Diocese. Subscriptions outside the Diocese WWW.OCADOW.ORG
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Information on all parishes, institutions and departments
The articles contained herein do not neces-
Archived issues of The Orthodox Vision
sarily reflect the views or policies of the Dio-
cese or the editors. The advertisements con- Complete letters of instruction from His Grace
tained herein are not necessarily endorsed And much, much more
by the Diocese or Editorial Staff.

From His Grace Bishop TIKHON
“Going Forward”
I recently forced myself through a flurry of “straight-
ening up things.” This describes an activity meant to
bring order out of chaos, but actually resulting in the
creation of a new sort of disorder out of the old: it’s
also called “paper-shuffling.” I re-sorted all my cop-
ies of “The Orthodox Church” (since the first issue),
all my copies of “The Russian-American Orthodox
Messenger” that preceded “The Orthodox Church,”
all my copies of “One Church” (organ of the Mos-
cow Exarchate/Parishes in America), all my copies
of the “Messenger” (Viestnik) of the Russian Student
Christian Movement since the 20s, all my copies of
the “Messenger” of the Moscow Patriarchate in West-
ern Europe, all my copies of “Orthodox Life”,
“Pravoslaynaya Rus”, “Pravoslavnaya Zhizn,” and the
“Orthodox Word.” Finally, I came to our diocesan pe-
riodical (s). I do not have the earliest such: these were
Xeroxed one-sheet flyers that Fr. Leonid Kishkovsky,
then the Rector of the St. Innocent Mission at Holy
Trinity Cathedral, used to send by bulk via air freight
to each Dean, who then was obligated to distribute
them in his Deanery. But I do have the next realiza-
tion of a Diocesan periodical, the newspaper “Light
of Life”, and I arranged all my copies of them, then
all my copies of its successor, “The Orthodox West,”
then all my copies of what we have today: the fine
magazine: “Orthodox Vision.”
I’ve always contributed articles to the issues of “The
Orthodox West” and to the “Orthodox Vision” since
you, brothers and sisters, and the Holy Synod of the
Orthodox Church in America elected me and His Be-
atitude, together with Archbishop Dmitri, Bishop
Boris, and Bishop Job, consecrated me Bishop.
This issue, however, I am going only to present a very
short repeat of a couple paragraphs that I gave in my
“Chancellor’s Report” in the Fall, 1984, issue of
“Light of Life,” during the time when His Grace,
The Orthodox Vision
Bishop Boris, was ad-
ministering our Dio-
cese, since it says just
what I want to say to
you today:
The Apostolic and Eucharistic life of
our diocese and its parishes goes on.
This alone should be a cause for joy
on all our parts…joy which might be
difficult to express, but which never-
theless truly exists. I believe that we
must as diocese go forward and grow
based on our immense potential and
God’s love for us, and that the impor-
tant keys to that growth and progress
are a kind of joyous asceticism and a
serious rededication to the unchang-
ing values and goals of Holy Tradi-
tion. The late Serbian theologian, Fr.
Justin Popovich, wrote that the true
missionary endeavor is asceticism.
Indeed, the deepest goals and aims
of both asceticism and missionary
work are based in the love of others.
I see one of these deep goals and aims
as charity (or charities) and a clear-
cut program developed for and by it.
I hope that our diocesan council will
create this department and that the
clear mandate for it will come from
the floor of the assembly.
+Bishop TIKHON
1
The Orthodox Vision
Diocese Purchases New Retreat Center: A History and a Promise
By Peter Schwalbenberg
In July of 2000, the Diocese of the West made an offer to purchase
the Wellspring Retreat Center in Boulder, NV. Wellspring is owned
and operated by the Episcopal Sisters of Charity. The property is
located on a two-acre site just 25 minutes southeast of Saint Paul’s
parish in Las Vegas.
Wellspring has quite a rich history. The facility was originally con-
structed in August of 1931, as the hospital for the builders of the
Hoover Dam. Known as the “Six Companies Hospital” (six firms
collaborated on the construction of the dam) with its staff of 16 and
furnished with 23 beds, the hospital opened its doors for service on
December 1, 1931.
In 1933 a new wing was added to the facility to handle the increased
demand as the community around the dam project grew. Then in
1937, with the dam project nearing its completion, the hospital’s
workload diminished, as did its work force.
It was turned into a museum in 1938 through the orders of the Na-
tional Park Service. By 1954, Boulder City had grown-up and, as a
city, was again in need of a hospital. The city acquired the now
vacant building for $15,000 and re-opened its doors. Later in 1964,
the last wing addition was made to the hospital at a cost of $96,000.
In 1967, after determining several costly modifications would need
2
to be made, the decision was made to build a new hospital and shut
the old facility down for the last time—so people thought.
The hospital lay vacant and unattended for twelve years. In 1979,
the Sisters of Charity moved out from the East Coast, gained owner-
ship and began the slow process of breathing life back into this
collection of old buildings. For the past 21 years, the facility has
been in full swing as a retreat center. Several prestigious awards
have been given to the center for its years of service to its commu-
nity, culminating with placement on the National Register of His-
toric Places.
Over the past 5 years our Diocese has used this facility several
times per year, for events such as the Las Vegas Mission Deanery
annual meeting and Matushka retreats. Attendees of the retreats
remember warmly the sisters’ hospitality, and look forward to com-
ing back. Archimandrite Nikolai (Soraich) has been acquainted
with the sisters and the facility since his coming to Las Vegas, and
their relation has been one of mutual respect and support.
During our last use of the center in February of this year for the
annual Mission Deanery retreat, it was disclosed that the facility
was going to be listed for sale. The Sisters were seeking a physical
plant easier to maintain in order for them to continue their charitable
works. The Sisters made it known that they would be happy to have
the center continue its mission as an institution of the OCA.

At the request of the Diocesan Council, John Della Monica, the
tireless architect of the Diocese, spent March 28 and 29 of this year
assessing the center. His goal was to evaluate the condition of the
property and the city regulatory climate, to determine the value of
the property as a basis for an offer price.
John spent the first day primarily on the site of the retreat center.
After a tour with the listing agent, John stayed on and inventoried
and photographed the entire facility (interior and exterior), and
grounds. The center consists of two buildings. The largest has a
kitchen, two dining rooms, two chapels, a lobby and library, a meet-
ing room for up to 30 people, storage and business office, and 20
guest rooms with about 45 beds between them. The other building
has a meeting room for about 50 people, 12 beds and a kitchenette.
There are 43 parking stalls plus considerable open space on the
property which could be used for additional building.
In general, John found the facility to be in good order operationally
which indicates that the campus has been well maintained despite
its age. Over the last several years, the Sisters have accomplished
what major projects one would expect to find in a facility this age.
Recent mechanical, electrical and plumbing work throughout the
facility has kept exhaustive modernization to a minimum. Addition-
ally, the roof was replaced in its entirety in 1992 and should last +/-
25 more years longer due to the type of roofing tiles used. However
John discovered that several projects remain to be done, and esti-
mated their cost.
The next day John met with the City of Boulder with Code Enforce-
ment Officer, Mr. Jim Dicus, to discover any issues which might
affect an offer to a purchase. Mr. Dicus stated that he had a long
history of dealing with this property and nothing stood out as a
major concern. He advised us to go forward with an offer, and
3
The Orthodox Vision
offered to be of help.
Although the facility presents no physical problems, it is not cur-
rently zoned as a retreat center and would require a conditional use
permit for any new owner to continue operations.
Next John made an estimate of the potential income and the value of
the property. The sisters had cut back the number of retreats to far
below capacity. The potential income was derived from a conserva-
tive model, which used the current prices charged by the sisters, but
with a higher occupancy rate that reflects the capacity of Well-
spring. John then triangulated the value of the property by two
methods: replacement cost, and the cost of comparable properties
John presented his findings in a report to the Diocesan Council
meeting of June 2. In the conclusion to his report, he stated the
following:
“In preparing of this report, I have sought council from
several people, some from within the Church and others
from a variety of professions related to banking, real es-
tate and facilities development. I state this to establish
that my facts and recommendations are based upon more
than my opinion alone.
It is apparent to me now, based upon my research, that
this property has value in its operations and demonstrates
great potential for our diocese. This value and potential
is consistent across all methods of evaluation with, rev-
enue vs. expense, standing out the most in my opinion.
We see that with conservative projections of usage,
coupled with realistic operational costs and debt repay-
ment, it yields a healthy return on investment, effort and
risk.
With my evaluation complete, I propose that an offer to
purchase this property be made by our diocese. I suggest
the initial offer be made. I further suggest that an equity
position of no less than 45% be planned for.
Cont. on p. 14
The Orthodox Vision
Sonora: Growth of a New Mission
By Carma Berglund
Five years ago two Orthodox priests, one from the Orthodox Church
in America and one from the Greek Diocese, and a handful of found-
ing members undertook building an Orthodox Church in Tuolumne
County, a rural area in California’s gold country. It was a daunting
task. There are few models for such a collaborative effort, and the
founders, who had no meeting space and limited resources, had not
undertaken mission work before. Yet the Orthodox Christian Mis-
sion of Sonora has itself become a model of a successful collabora-
tion between Orthodox jurisdictions. The mission now owns its
own building, celebrates liturgy, instructs catechumens, teaches
inquiry classes and serves a congregation drawn from three coun-
ties, with members of varied ethnic Orthodox backgrounds as well
as converts from Protestant churches. The mission’s history is sig-
nificant because of the remarkable individual stories of which it is
made and the extent of the collaboration found at the heart of its
practical achievements.
Dr. William Craig, a graduate of an Episcopal theological seminary
and an expert on the life and writings of the Christian apologist C.S.
Lewis, served as an Episcopal minister for 54 years. He was dean of
the New Orleans Episcopal cathedral, an honorary cannon of the
Episcopal cathedral in Salina, Kansas and served six years on the
national Executive Council before moving to Tuolumne County
where he served as an interim pastor for years before converting to
Orthodox Christianity. Dr. Craig explains his and his now late wife,
Mary-Eliot’s, conversion to Orthodoxy as “a return to something
very close to the teachings of the Episcopal Church before that
denomination declined from its old standards of faith and morals.”
The Annunciation (Greek Orthodox) Church in Modesto was the
nearest Orthodox church. It exemplified what attracted the couple to
Orthodoxy, as Mary-Eliot explained in a memo, “[with] its liturgy, full
attendance of adults, large numbers of children, and what is felt as
an attentive and devout atmosphere...’the Church’ feels to me to be
the answer to a desire for a life of religious meaning.”
Dr. Craig voiced their concern about Annunciation Church in his
journal of the time, “the nearest Orthodox church is far from where
we live; nobody can expect us to worship there every Sunday.” The
4
concern contrasted sharply with the couple’s desire to attend each
week and it coincided with his musing about how he could best
serve his new Church. He had determined that he ought not seek
Orthodox priestly ordination, “But as a layman?” he wondered if he
could be instrumental in helping establish an Orthodox Church in
Tuolumne County. In late 1995, Dr. Craig queried Annunciation’s
new long-range planning committee about an assistant-priest who
would be able to devote some time to help develop a church in
Tuolumne County. Father Jon Magoulias’s response was positive
as he envisioned a mission that would be “like a daughter to the
Annunciation, supported and trained by her mother (the Parish),
growing up using her own language, which would be English.” By
early 1996, the Parish Council had incorporated the idea into its
long-range plans.
Alex and Natalie Teshin moved to Sonora in 1995. Their only misgiv-
ing about the move was how far they would be required to travel to
worship in an Orthodox Church. Upon moving, they became affili-
ated with St. Mary Magdalene in Merced, an OCA mission. Though
the Merced mission answered their immediate need for Orthodox
worship in the region and they enjoyed their affiliation with it as
they had known Fr. Jonah Paffhausen for many years, they found
the drive a serious obstacle especially during the winter. In early
1996, Fr. Jonah learned of Dr. Craig and his interest in a church for
Tuolumne County from Fr. Jon at Annunciation. At Fr. Jonah’s urg-
ing, Natalie called Dr. Craig who recollects, the “conversation quickly
turned into a long, pleasant visit.”
The Teshins and Craigs foresaw that using English and having two
priests of different Orthodox ethnicities would help to break the ice
for prospective members of a new church. Asked if the group had a
clear idea of how to proceed from the outset, Natalie laughs as she
exclaims, “No! [Alex and I] had always gone to church where the
choir sang and the priest celebrated liturgy. We undertook it with
‘fear and trembling’!” In May of 1996 both priests and fifteen people
met at the Teshins’ home. After talking at length about the project,
it was evident that the cooperation between the OCA and Greek
priests was warm and genuine. It was also evident that the participa-
tion of both would play a critical role in establishing the mission.
Looking back Natalie is certain that two key elements of the mission’s
success have been the model and structure provided by the OCA’s
 The Orthodox Vision

Mission Deanery led by Fr. Ian McKinnon, and the Annunciation’s

encouragement and ability to direct the new group to needed re-
Diocese
sources. Loses a
Fr. Tom Renfree, the mission’s current pastor, agrees collaboration D e a r
has been the key. He identifies the strengths of the OCA’s mission
program, as sensitivity to the need for worship close to home, flex- Friend!
ibility and its provision (even to groups in small communities) of
Constantine
both the authority to establish under the OCA’s auspices and initial
Chekene, an engi-
clergy support. He notes that the guidance of Fr. Ian, Dean of the
neer and long-
OCA’s Mission Deanery, has been important to the mission as well.
time leader in San
In addition to being instrumental in securing permission for Fr. Tom
Francisco’s Rus-
to serve as the mission’s pastor in the fall of 1997 when Fr. Jonah left
sian community,
Merced, Fr. Ian offered the fledgling group a realistic overview of
passed away on
what’s involved in mission work and practical step-by-step plans
14 June 2000. He
for implementing the vision. Fr. Ian is able to “prepare [new mission
was born in Mos-
groups] for the long haul and encourages them with a sure vision
cow in 1916, but
rather than sugar coating a picture of what lies ahead,” says Fr. Tom.
the Russian
But Fr. Tom is also quick to point out that Annunciation Church has
Revolution soon
played a vital role in the mission’s vision and development.
turned his life up-
side-down. He
From the outset, the Craigs and the Teshins worked with Fr. Jon and
and his mother
Fr. Jonah to identify potential members in the communities of the
traveled south-
region, breaking them into two groups: Orthodox who had ties to
east to escape political upheaval and settled in Harbin, China, within
the Church, but who had dropped out due to distance or other
a large Russian colony. When Constantine was five years old, he
reasons, along with those persons of ethnic Orthodox backgrounds
lost his mother and was taken in by his guardian, Daniel Pavlovich
who had expressed interest in an Orthodox church closer than the
Umnoff. Raised in the Russian community of Harbin, Constantine
San Joaquin Valley; and those of non-Orthodox backgrounds/
was educated at an American-run YMCA and received a mechanical
ethnicity who were interested in Orthodoxy, provided it was local
engineering degree from the Harbin Polytechnic Institute in 1937.
enough to allow them to find their way into it. The group began with
Upon graduation, he traveled to Shanghai to find employment and
social activities to allow prospective members to meet and then
housing; shortly thereafter, he summoned his childhood acquain-
progressed to a search for a space and plans for offering Orthodox
tance and fiancée, Lubov Prikaschikoff, to join him. In January 1938,
liturgy.
the two were married and, during the course of their 62-year union,
had four children — Olga (deceased), Catherine, Daniel and Elena.
The group sought permission from St. Michael’s Episcopal Church
to conduct Orthodox Liturgy or Vespers as St. Michael’s schedule
With the onset of the Chinese revolution in 1949, the Chekene fam-
allowed. When the request was ultimately denied, Fr. Michael Kelly,
ily traveled to Bangkok, Siam (Thailand) to await exit visas to the
pastor of St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Sonora, came to the
United States; and in 1950 traveled by ship from Bangkok to San
rescue and offered the group the use of Historic St. Anne’s Church
Francisco. Mr. Chekene worked as an engineer for various enter-
in Columbia State Park. Christian Orthodox worship began in
prises before co-founding his own firm with John B. Rutherford in
Tuolumne County through the mission group at St. Anne’s in Au-
1960. Rutherford and Chekene, Structural Engineers, became an
gust of 1996. The historic event was a blessing and an immediate
industry leader in California and has grown to a multi-office corpo-
challenge. St. Anne’s lacked space for fellowship, air conditioning
ration with a staff of over 75.
(summers in the gold country can simmer above 100ø) and indoor
plumbing. However, it had heat for winter and it was a beginning.
Within the San Francisco Russian community, Mr. Chekene was a
Judy Wilder, one of St. Anne’s committee members, helpfully pointed
tireless volunteer, serving as vice-president of the Parish Council
out the new outdoor privy and volunteered to open up the windows
for many years under the guidance of Archbishop JOHN
on nights before summer services.
(Shahovskoy). He led the construction of Christ the Savior Church
at 12th Avenue and Anza Street and spearheaded the renovation of
Chief obstacles, now, included limitations imposed by St. Anne’s
the historic bell tower at Holy Trinity Cathedral at Green and Van
itself and the lack of a second Priest or Deacon to allow for activities
Ness Streets. In 1973, he assisted in the re-establishment of a Rus-
when Fr. Tom was unavailable. The stewards of St. Anne’s allowed
sian school at Christ the Savior Church and taught Russian history
the mission group to store many of its decorative items and liturgi-
there. And in 1991, in response to “glasnost” and “perestroika”,
cal supplies on site, but each service required a lengthy set up and
Mr. Chekene founded the organization “Diocesan Outreach to Refu-
take down. It was virtually impossible to evoke a sense of home-
gees”. Through D.O.R. he was able to assist hundreds of newly
coming in the space or to establish a dedicated, traditional Orthodox
arrived Russian immigrants and provide humanitarian aid to the
worship environment as everything had to be portable and removed.
needy in his native land.

Cont. on p. 15 Cont. on p. 16

5
The Orthodox Vision

Seminary Interns in the West

Alexander Garklavs and Priest Steven Voytavich were assigned by
His Beatitude to put the program together which they did with great
success. The interns were required to not only assist the priest
(some to a greater degree than others because the were ordained)
but to also learn about parish life. Interns were charged with prepar-
ing monthly impression reports on parish life, verbatims on different
conversations that had an impact on them as well as a host of other
requirements set by the individual priest/mentor. The priest/men-
tors were asked to train, guide and importantly, give unique oppor-
tunities and experiences to the seminarians.

For example,
Deacon Peter
was assigned to
Billings, but in
fact worked with
the St. Anthony
the Great Mis-
sion in Bozeman,
Last summer at the All-American Council, a proposal was put for- helping establish
ward to initiate a Seminarian Internship Program. The Program was it and prepare it
meant to get students out from the Seminary and into a parish for a for his possible
summer where they would learn about parish life and assist the return next year
priest. It was enthusiastically accepted by the Council and the as a resident
Program was formulated. Parishes were asked to submit applica- priest. Fr. John
tions and seminarians were encouraged to apply for the Program, was to work not
and the OCA agreed to fund the Program. only with his par-
ish assignment
A year later after many applications, the first of the seminarians but the St. Inno-
were sent to parishes throughout the country this summer. There cent Mission in
were five seminarians accepted and four were assigned to parishes Eureka where he
in the Diocese of the West. The Priest Robert Skidmore, from St. will be assigned
Vladimir’s Seminary was assigned to Annunciation Church in after the summer.
Milwaukie, Oregon; Priest John Ramos of St. Vladimir’s was as- Fr. Robert worked not only with all of the parishes in the Portland
signed to Protection of the Holy Virgin in Santa Rosa, California; area but also looked to take on the mission in Ashland after the
Deacon Peter Tobias of St. Vladimir’s was assigned to St. Nicholas internship. John Beal, was able to return to his parish in San Anselmo
in Billings, Mon- and help contribute to its parish life and his development.
tana; and John
Beal, also of St. The common denominator was “practical experience”. Many of the
Vladimir’s, was as- seminarians have not had a chance to experience parish life nor to
signed to St. get some practical seasoning in serving. Here they have a chance to
Nicholas in San work closely with a mentor in the “field”. All have had the chance
Anselmo, Califor- to preach, teach and serve the community in a way quite similar to
nia. when they get to their parish assignment after graduation. And
with the careful guidance of their mentor/priest are able to avoid
Since this was the some of the obstacles many new priests find before them. And
inaugural summer since all of the interns look to be assigned to the Diocese, they are
of the Program, able to observe and learn about how the Diocese of the West oper-
many details ates and meet the many clergy and laity they will be working with
needed to be over the years.
worked out includ-
ing compensation, It is quite clear that the Program has been a resounding success.
housing and most Every parish with an intern has risen to the challenge and the in-
importantly, the terns, in turn, have responded with great enthusiasm. Such pro-
programs require- grams as these will only help in the training of future clergy and
ments itself. make them stronger in meeting the needs of the parish. And this
Archpriest makes the Church as a whole stronger!

6
 The Orthodox Vision

Third Annual Clergy Wives

Retreat Held in Portland
By Mat. Julia Erickson

It was with great joy and anticipation that 21 clergy wives gathered
for the third annual Matushka retreat in Portland, Oregon. Partici-
pants were from all over the Diocese of the West of the Orthodox
Church in America.

Fr. Lawrence Russell (Church of the Annunciation, Santa Maria,

California) was the retreat master. His talks focused us on the our
relationship to the Orthodox priesthood, what is the role of the
priest, and what does this mean to us who have been made one in
the flesh with a man who is ordained. Another major focus of our
time were our many conversations together. Sharing our lives, our
struggles, joys and our prayers gave many renewed strength and
encouragement for the coming year. Many wanted to keep contact
through out the year. To that end, an e-circle (a type of closed
internet bulletin board)was planned to help us stay connected.
Making our group more formal by the adoption of by-laws was also
discussed and tabled until next year.

her life as a clergy wife for the benefit for all. This will try to be
arranged. If anyone knows of someone qualified and willing, please
alert next year’s retreat planners.

The retreat will be the third weekend in May (May 18-20, 2001). All
clergy wives from the Diocese of the West are welcome to attend.
Further information will be mailed as time draws closer. We thank all
those who helped in the planning and running of the retreat as well
as the participants. These annual gatherings have become a great
source of joy and fellowship for us who have been placed in a
unique position in serving God. Gatherings such as this allow us to
work together for the building of the Church and make us strongerin
supporting our spouses’ ministry. We hope that more will partici-
pate inthis retreat as time goes on.

Outside of the retreat center we were able to attend Saturday Ves-

pers at St. Nicholas Church in southwest Portland with Fr. George
Grey presiding. And, also Sunday Liturgy at the Church of the
Annunciation in Milwaukie, Oregon with Fr. Matthew Tate, Fr. Kevin
Lien, Fr. David Shank, and Fr. Mark Story. This was followed by a
lovely (and yummy reception) in our honor which brought our re-
treat to a close. Five Matushka continued on to Goldendale, Wash-
ington to the monastery of St. John the Baptist. There we spent two
days in prayer and more conversations.

Next year the conference will be held at the new Diocesan retreat
center at the Life Giving Spring in Boulder City (near Las Vegas,
Nevada). Mother Gabriella from the Dormition Monastery, outside
of Lansing, Michigan will be the primary presenter. It was requested
that an older, more experienced Matushka be recruited to talk about

7
The Orthodox Vision
Diocese Establishes a New Russian
Deanery to Help Immigrants
Effective June 1, 2000, the San Francisco Russian Missionary Dis-
trict Deanery was established. Initially, the Very Reverend and
Reverend Clergy of the following parishes are transferred from the
Pacific Central Deanery to the San Francisco Russian Missionary
District Deanery:
1. Christ the Savior Church, San Francisco
2. St. John the Baptist Church, Berkeley
3. Nativity of the Virgin Church, Menlo Park
4. Holy Myrrhbearing Women Church, West Sacramento
5. St. Vladimir Church, Santa Barbara
Effective June 1, 2000, the Reverend Bazyl Kalinowski, Rector of the
Christ the Savior Church, San Francisco, is appointed Acting Dean
of the San Francisco Russian Missionary District Deanery, pending
an election and subsequent appointment after one year.
The purposes of the new Deanery are these:
1. To improve Diocesan communication with the parishes
concerned by their homogeneous grouping and conse-
quent direct links with them.
2. To foster a renewed impetus in the Russian language mis-
sionary outreach of the Diocese, particularly to the newer
immigration of Orthodox and the un-churched from Russia.
3. To foster fellowship and mutual assistance in this mission-
ary outreach through retreats and publications.
4. And to assist the other Diocesan deaneries and parishes
with their pastoral and missionary activities among the
same people.
His Grace TIKHON
Bishop of San Francisco and the Diocese of the West
8
New Hierodeacon Tonsured for Diocese
By Archimandrite Nikolai (Soraich)
A son of the Diocese and a recent graduate of St. Tikhon’s Semi-
nary, the former Reader James Brittain was tonsured to the Lesser-
Schema at the Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Fran-
cisco on the Feast of Ascension and ordained to the Holy Diaconate
the following Sunday at Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco.
One of the founding members of St. Anne Orthodox Mission in
Albany, Oregon which just celebrated its tenth anniversary,
Hierodeacon Isidore converted to Orthodoxy at the age of seven-
teen. He attended Willamette University in Salem, Oregon where he
studied Japanese, after which he began his studies at St. Tikhon’s
Seminary. Hierodeacon Isidore spent the last three years at St.
Tikhon’s and graduated in May. The close contact he had with the
monastics of St. Tikhon’s Monastery while studying at seminary, he
says, was very influential in drawing him toward the monastic voca-
tion. “My experiences at seminary really showed me the impor-
tance of Church service and giving one’s
whole life to the Church,” Hierodeacon
Isidore said, “the formation there [at St.
Tikhon’s] instilled within each of us a sense
of duty and obedience to the Church, a love
for the services and the Orthodox way of
life which naturally directed me to make the
decision to petition His Grace, Bishop
TIKHON to be tonsured and ordained to
the Diaconate.”
Currently Hierodeacon Isidore is attached
to St. Paul Orthodox Church in Las Vegas.
Father Isidore is awaiting further assign-
ment but is temporally working in the Office
of the Chancellor and at the newly acquired
Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center in Boul-
der City. He will assist in its formation and
administration. We all wish the newly ton-
sured and ordained Hierodeacon Isidore
Many Years!

Why is it women can be lawyers, doctors, CEOs or anything they want in the secular world,
but why in the Church can’t women be priests?
Many years ago, a Russian “Baba” or grandmother said to
me, “I think it’s fine for women to be priests as long as they
don’t go into the Holy Altar.” Now, some might believe this
comment to have proceeded from almost laughable igno-
rance or even superstition. In fact, there are times and cir-
cumstances, such as exist in certain monasteries for women,
when it is both necessary and proper for women to go into
the altar. What this, truly, very wise, lady was saying, was
that the issue is not one of power (should men let women be
priests?) nor of equality (don’t women have the right to be
priests?) nor one of utility (could women be good priests?)
Rather it is a question of human nature. (Did God create
men and women to be different, and, if so, is one of those
differences that men can do certain things and women other
things which are, by nature, exclusive to each sex?)
Now it is obvious that there are many jobs, such as those of
doctor, lawyer, CEO, teacher, cab driver, or police officer,
which men and women are able to handle equally well. There
are some other jobs such as combat soldier, heavy con-
struction worker nurse, or early childhood instructor, which,
while we may identify them with one or the other sex, have
been equally well performed by the opposite sex. But, there
is at least one function within God’s plan, which is solely
reserved to men. Only a man can be a husband, a father,
can beget a child. Only a woman can be a wife, a mother,
can give birth to a child. Thus, about half of the human race,
all men, was excluded from the blessings extended to St.
Hanna, St. Anna, St. Elizabeth and the other righteous
women, hallowed in childbirth, through whom the good will
of God was revealed to the world. Furthermore, only a
woman, the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary, could give
birth in time to the Timeless One and be hailed by all genera-
tions as “Full of Grace, Burning Bush, Cause of Our Joy,
Rescuer of the Perishing and Joy of All Who Sorrow.”
We must go on to ask then, is there something about the
Orthodox Christian Priesthood which makes it impossible
for women to exercise its function? To this answer, the
Church answers and always has answered “yes”. Remem-
ber, we are not asking, “Can a woman preach, teach, pray,
console, counsel or administer a parish as well as a man
can?” The question is, “Can a woman perform the specifi-
cally priestly function of standing, visibly, in the place of the
invisibly present Bridegroom of the Church and High Priest,
Jesus Christ, in the celebration of those mysteries (Sacra-
9
The Orthodox Vision
ments) by which the ‘‘Wedding Feast of the Lamb’ (Rev-
elation 2:19 and 19:7-9) is made present by anticipation in
the midst of the Church of God?”
More simply stated, we are asking, “Is a woman a suitable
substitute for the Groom at a wedding?”
It should perhaps be no surprise that this question never
even arose until the current eruption of sexual perversion
and “gender confusion” and that those Protestant groups
which have admitted women to preside in their assemblies
have also moved away from Christian teachings about sexual
morality, abortion and marriage. Some of these groups, such
as Methodists, Presbyterians, and United Church of Christ,
now have factions which have recently declared that there is
a “Goddess” in addition to God. Priests have always been
understood, even by pagans, as representatives of their
Gods. Priestess serve goddesses.
All of this is not to say that men are better or more important
than women. We may well prefer cake to bread or milk to
wine, but bread and wine, not cake and milk, are the appro-
priate elements for the Divine Liturgy. Similarly, God has
ordained that men not women should stand in the place of
the Bridegroom at the Eucharistic Wedding Feast. Even
our Blessed Lady who is more honorable than the Cheru-
bim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim,
did not appropriate to herself the Holy Priesthood to which
her son chosen and ordained His Holy Apostles. In reality,
the thought of a female Christian priesthood could only have
arisen in a world far gone from the purity of the Apostolic
Faith; and the fact that Orthodox men and women are
troubled by such questions is a measure of the extent to
which the spirit of this age has confused the thinking of some
of God’s very own people.
What the old Baba knew that we forget is that the questions
is not one of power, or equality, or utility, but of human na-
ture as God created it. No man can be a mother, no woman,
a bridegroom.
Archpriest Joseph Hirsch is the Dean of Transfigura-
tion of Christ Cathedral in Denver, Colorado. If you
are interested in having him answer a question concern-
ing church life, doctrine, or practices, please send a let-
ter or email to the editor-in-chief of The Orthodox Vi-
sion. We will try to answer all questions.
The Orthodox Vision

St. Anne’s Mission Celebrates 10 Years

By Priest Stephen Soot
On July 22 and 23rd, His Grace Bishop TIKHON visited Albany, worship services celebrated during Bishop Tikhon’s visit were in-
Oregon to celebrate the patronal feast and tenth anniversary of the troduced and concluded with the beautiful ringing of those magnifi-
founding of St. Anne Mission. As part of His Grace’s visit, the cent Russian bells.
mission was presented with the relics and icon of its patron saint,
the Holy and Righteous Anne, the mother of the Mother of God. The Saturday afternoon Molieben and picnic were immediately fol-
Joining in the celebration were over 200 Orthodox clergy and faith- lowed by a spaghetti dinner and Feast Day Vigil. Mrs. Nadine Blank
ful from up and down the West Coast. from Concord, CA graciously conducted the Vigil choir, which was
composed of singers
The two-day festivities from throughout the
began at 1:00 p.m. Sat- Diocese. Archpriest
urday with a Molieben Ian MacKinnon, Dean
to St. Anne that in- of Missions, also ar-
cluded a procession rived Saturday evening
and grounds blessing from Sacramento, CA in
around the perimeter of time to attend the full
the mission’s 3-acre Vigil.
property. As the icon
and relics of St. Anne The Hierarchical Divine
were taken in proces- Liturgy on Sunday
sion under warm and morning filled the mis-
sunny skies, the mis- sion chapel with over
sion choir sang the 100 worshippers. A
Troparion of St. Anne good number of faith-
and His Grace show- ful from St. Nicholas
ered the grounds (and later the people) with Holy Water. His Grace Church in Portland traveled the 70 miles to Albany especially to
was joined in the opening prayer service by Archimandrite Nikolai witness the elevation of their pastor, the Priest George Gray, to the
(Soraich), Archpriest Matthew Tate, Priests Kevin Lien, Nicholas rank of Archpriest. Under the capable direction of Mr. Tracey Edson,
Letten, Isaac Skidmore, and Stephen Soot (the mission’s rector), also of St. Nicholas Church, the choir sang some of the most beau-
Hierodeacon Isidore (Brittain), and Subdeacon Hennok Soot. tiful liturgical responses the St. Anne community had ever heard.

Following the Molieben, those in attendance gathered under a
40’x60' tent for fellowship and light refreshments. A 1950’s fire truck
was on hand for the children to climb and explore, and commemora-
tive booklets and “BT 2000” badges were distributed especially for
the occasion. A model of a proposed future temple and other prop-
erty developments were also on display.
After the singing of Many Years, everyone was again invited out-
doors to the “banquet tent” for a Champagne Brunch. Bishop
TIKHON congratulated Fr. George and the St. Anne community. He
exhorted the mission’s members to do the will of God above all else,
and that the building of a temple should never be viewed as an end
in itself.

Later that day, John Burnett from Expanding Edge, an export com-
pany based in San Anselmo, CA, conducted a Russian church bell
ringing class and demonstration with five authentic Russian bells
he personally transported to Albany for the celebration. Each of the
During the brunch, Priest Stephen Soot thanked all those present
for their prayers and support and presented His Grace, the Chancel-
lor and choir directors with gift baskets. He then handed over the
Cont. on p. 16

Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery Releases Catalog

To recieve the catalog call
❏ Icons (719)748-3999
❏ Hand-made Rugs or write
❏ Worship Items Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery
❏ Prayer Ropes 2343 County Road 403
❏ Cds P.O. Box 416
❏ Books and more Books Lake George, CO 80827

10
 The Orthodox Vision

News From Around the Diocese

On June 11, Priest Victor Sokolov, the Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco, California was el-
evated to Archpriest by His Grace TIKHON.

On July 19, Archpriest Steven Kachur, retired priest from Holy Assumption Church in Clifton, NJ fell asleep in
the Lord in Phoenix, AZ.

On July 23, Priest George Gray of St. Nicholas Church in Portland, Oregon was elevated to Archpriest by His
Grace TIKHON.

On August 19, Archpriest Eugene Tarris, a retired priest from St. Herman Church in Littleton, Colorado was
awarded the Palitza.

New Assignments in the Diocese

Priest John Armstrong is assigned to St. Herman Church in Littleton, Colorado.

Priest Valerii Boulannikov is assigned to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church in Menlo Park, California.

Priest John Ramos is assigned to St. Innocent Mission in Eureka, California.

Priest Isaac Skidmore is assigned to Archangel Gabriel Mission in Ashland, Oregon.

Hierodeacon Isidore (Brittain) is assigned to St. Paul Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.

11
The Orthodox Vision

Russians here in
America could
only hold on to
each other and
their Orthodox
faith.

What Fr. Sokovich

Fort Ross 2000
By Priest John Ramos
Fr. Vladimir Sokovich, the rector of Holy Trinity Cathedral in San
Francisco during the 1920’s began a tradition that has continued
now for over 75 years. The July Fourth Fort Ross celebration was
created to bring the Russian peoples together in a time of turmoil
that existed in their motherland. This day of American Indepen-
dence provided a convenient date for many in northern California to
come together and connect with other Russian Orthodox Christians
at the old Russian settlement on the Sonoma Coast, and there serve
the Divine Liturgy and share a picnic lunch.
The son of Fr. Vladimir, Constantine Sakovich of the Protection of
the Virgin Parish in Santa Rosa, CA, relates that like many other
priests, Fr. Vladimir was sent to America to missionize and serve the
Russian people in this country. Originally, he was to serve in Cali-
fornia for a space of only three years, and then return to Russia after
this period of service.
However, the revolution that occurred in his country would force
him to remain here in the United States. The Russian people in
northern California, as many others throughout America could only
hear what was going on in their homeland from a distance. Contact
with family and friends would be difficult if non-existent and the
provided was a
means for many
Russians near and
far to gather to-
gether and remi-
nisce about their
homeland. On the
Fourth of July, this
celebration of the
Independence of
America became a
special day that
not only expressed an appreciation for what America has given so
many people, but also provided a day where Russians from all over
could gather, share, and celebrate their own culture and faith.
Mr. Constantine Sokovich remembers going up to Fort Ross as a
young child, and expressed that “this celebration was a field day for
the Russians.” The younger Sokovich alluded to the long rough
drive, asserting that the road leading to Ft. Ross, many miles north
of Bodega bay was not paved yet. This journey proved that this
event was very important for the Russian people and it became a
yearly pilgrimage. Constantine implied that Independence day was
an appropriate day to hold this celebration for what it stands for, but
that it also became a practical date because it did not conflict regu-
larly with the Church calendar and services so that the many priests
and parishioners could attend.
This past 4th of July, 2000 saw many Russians and non-Russians
come together to be at the Liturgy in the small Fort chapel, dedi-
cated to the Holy Trinity. The day, filled with the same sense of
purpose as it did from the event’s inception now includes many
more non-Russian converts and second and third generation Rus-
sians. However, this celebration continues to provide to all those
Cont. on p. 16

Reminder To All Parishes:

Please submit an updated parish history to
the Office of the Chancellor by September 15th
for inclusion in the updated history of the Dio-
cese of the West originally written by Mr.
Nicholas Cooke and published in 1987.

The Diocese is looking to release the new ver-

sion in January of 2001.

12

Perspective on Youth
By Priest Anthony Karbo
One night, thinking that it had already dawned, Sophronius went
out by the monastery’s gate and looked towards the outer gate...
There he saw a man, black in appearance and fearful in form. He
wore the garb of a military officer... His eyes were blood red and
shone like flames of fire. His mouth was like that of an ape and his
teeth protruded from his mouth. At his waist he had entwined around
him a large serpent, whose head hung down with its tongue hang-
ing out like a sword. On his shoulders there rested “galloons”
shaped like the heads of asps and on his head he wore a hat, from
which venomous snakes extended their bodies and wrapped them-
selves like hair around his neck. When the abbot Sophronius saw
this, he became petrified from fear...
The above vision took place at a monastery founded by St. Paisius
Velichkovsky (feast day - Nov. 15th) some years after his repose. By
that time the monastics had already grown lax in their discipline -
finances were healthy, the country was at peace, food was plente-
ous, the gardens were beautiful, visitors were generous. By all
worldly accounts the monastery was indeed “blessed”...
The demon introduces himself to Sophronius as the Chief Com-
mander sent by the Arch-Adversary to wage war against the monks:
“Be it known to you...When you make your promises at your ton-
sure, you declare an unseen war on us and you inflict many wounds
on us with your spiritual weaponry. Many times we retreat in
shame, since the flame of your prayers burns us. Now, however, we
no longer fear you... “
The demon recalls how, at first, sixty thousand of his ranks were
sent to fight the holy and experienced Paisius and his disciples. “As
long as he was in charge, we had no rest. In spite of all the tempta-
tions, devices and snares that we tried against him, we availed
nothing... “. After St. Paisius, however, things let up a bit - and ten
thousand of the enemy hosts were “re-assigned.” When the monks
became negligent and took more concern for their fields and houses
and vineyards than for their souls, another ten thousand demons
were relieved of their watch. Division was stirred up and some monks
left - a victory celebration for the hosts of darkness, and
more demons took leave. Now comparatively few were
needed to keep watch over the once spiritually powerful
monastery.
Abbot Sophronius groaned within himself and asked,
“What further need have you to remain with us, seeing
how, as you yourself confess, we have given up our fight?”
There is still one thing left that disturbs us.... It is those
filthy rags, those books you have in your library! We live
in fear and trembling lest any of the younger ones ever
take them into his hands and begin reading them. Once
they begin reading those accursed rags, they learn of
your ancient piety ... and the little upstarts begin raging
against us. They learn that the Christians of old, both lay
and monastic, used to pray unceasingly, fast, examine
13
The Orthodox Vision
and confess their thoughts, keep vigil and live as though they were
foreigners and strangers in this world. Then they actually begin
putting that foolishness into practice. Furthermore, they even take
all of the Scriptures seriously.... Our whole concern at present is to
keep people away from spiritual occupations, especially prayer
and the reading of those smoky books.... They are like darts in our
side....
In the days we live in, days of ease, comfort, of seeking after material
well- being, all the in the supposed name of “God” - such Patristic
witness takes on special significance. Perhaps at no other time in
history has there been such an abundance of “comforts” and dis-
tractions facing our youth. Sports, scouts, school events, social
outings and obligations, dating expectations, jobs, not to mention
internet, videos, Nintendo, music... - none of which, in and of them-
selves are by any means “evil” - compete for the hearts, minds, and
time of our young people. Parents run ragged from event to event,
fad to fad, hoping to keep even the youngest child “happy,” well-
rounded, and involved. Sunday mornings are no longer sacred, filled
as they are with tournaments, events, obligations and demands on
us all. “Our whole concern at present is to keep people away from
spiritual occupations... “ says the demon to Sophronius. And we
find ourselves responding with the saintly abbot- “What further
need have you with us, seeing as we have all but given up our
fight?... Our children are too busy to be at the Feasts, to active to
worry about the fasts, too occupied to keep even a simple rule of
prayer....”
The one thing the Adversary fears more than any other? ‘Those
books!” May we parents, church educators, god-parents, and clergy
see to it that our young people have access to “those books”,
specifically, the lives of saints. Let us acquaint them intimately with
the men and women of old who prayed, fasted, confessed, kept
vigil... and took “all of the Scriptures seriously!” Being part of the
One Church, the One Body of which Christ is the Head, we must
enable them to be ONE with those who have gone before them in
faith; to live THE life of the saints, to become saints. It is for us to
produce not future church “attendees”, but holy men and women.
Let us provide for them “those books” in our church libraries, as
gifts, in family reading times together - that “those little upstarts
begin raging against” the unseen hosts of darkness on our behalf
and for the salvation of all.
cont. on p. 13
The Orthodox Vision
Retreat Center
Cont. from p. 3
In all cases, the facts illustrate that the hard value of this
asset always exceeds this range of my suggested pur-
chase price. If accepted, we would establish a substan-
tial equity position in the project while also lessening
our debt service....
My only suggestion before going
forward and placing an offer to
purchase this property, should this
be your desire, would be finding
candidates (priest or layperson)
who may possess the skills in both
the areas of hospitality and fa-
cilities maintenance and opera-
tions.
While it is impossible to predict
the future, I believe this project
can become a catalyst project for
our diocese, from which, many
other services and charitable pro-
grams can spring.”
Fr. Stephen Soot, a professional fund raiser for community
service institutions, sent a letter on Wellspring to be submitted
to this meeting of the Diocesan Council. The letter expressed
his judgment that Wellspring was an extraordinary opportunity
for the Diocese to. create an institution of great impact and
value for the Church, confirming John’s conclusions.
The Council approved the proposal to put together funding
and make an offer. For the down payment, Fr. Nikolai
approached different groups within the Diocese for help.
One group in particular agreeed to help with the
downpayment. Then Fr. Nikolai talked to the Sisters, who
were delighted that the Diocese was serious. They agreed
to remove one obstacle after another, including a signifi-
cantly higher bid for the property from another party, and
later in June accepted our offer.
New Pan-Orthodox Web Site for the Northwest
The Washington State Orthodox Clergy Association is pleased to
announce the formation of a new web site dedicated to the 40 Ortho-
dox parishes in the northwestern United States. The region is com-
posed of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana and contains all
canonical jurisdictions. The web site can be found at
www.orthodoxnw.com. The site contains directions to each parish
and mission. It links to individual parish’s web sites and has useful
14
The City Planning Commission met on July 19 to review
conditional use of Wellspring as a retreat center. Many neigh-
bors of the center attended and showed overwhelming sup-
port for the transaction. The Commission approved the user
permit unanimously. The purchase was completed on July
21, 2000.
Eric and Theresa Patterson have
agreed to move into the facility and
manage it pro tem while a perma-
nent director is sought. Eric is head
chef at a leading restaurant in Las
Vegas, and Theresa has been the
Chancellor’s secretary for several
years. Both have experience in the
hospitality industry and have proved
themselves eminently competent and
devoted to the Church. Wellspring
has been around so long and touched
the lives of so many, that it enjoys a
surprisingly widespread good repu-
tation in the community. Fr. Deacon
Isidore, newly arrived in Las Vegas, has used the guest logs
the Sisters supplied to call Wellspring’s large clientele and
keep up their interest in the center.
Wellspring can now become a part of the life of the Diocese.
Low air fares to Las Vegas and the support of a diocesan
institution make it a natural for diocesan gatherings, from
retreats to assemblies—not only for our diocese, but for
others. It can continue to serve the local community, but
now can start to offer services specifically attractive to Or-
thodox as well. In this way, it could be a great help in the
work of the Church in America. As this era gets underway,
we extend a heartfelt thanks to Fr. Nikolai and John Della
Monica for their selfless efforts to bring this to pass. Mat the
new Retreat Center be a place of renewal and witness for
the Diocese for many years to come.
information on each parish. The site also contains information for
new visitors to Orthodoxy and helps explain some of the unique
things about worship. Finally, there is a section book reviews, Lenten
recipes and links to other sites of interest. For more information on
the web site, contact Reader Xenios Marckx at Holy Resurrection
Church, PO Box 1332, Puyallup, Washington 98371 or via email
at xeniosm@thurston.com.

Sonora
Cont. from p. 5
Fellowship, crucial to encouraging relationships and new members,
was hindered by not being held on the premises. Even committed
worshipers had to overcome feeling transient in the space. For some
first-time visitors fellowship requiring formal planning and the com-
mitment of leaving the church and making one’s way to meet the
group at a restaurant was an intimidating obstacle. Scheduling posed
a further challenge to evangelism. As mission members worked to
raise community awareness and encourage attendance, they could
not declare their location and invite the community to attend ser-
vices. Invitations were burdened with reminders of the first-and-
third-Sundays-schedule and further qualified in case of changes in
St. Anne’s calendar or Fr. Tom’s assignments. This was a particular
issue for community members who remembered an earlier group’s
attempt to found a local mission. Many equated “irregular” services
with instability and were reluctant to become involved. The mission’s
members began to dream of a home of their own and the ability to
offer consistent, weekly activities.
An ideal space appeared on the market in a former retreat center
featuring a large hall for worship, an adjacent kitchen/hall for fellow-
ship, ample living quarters for a priest and his family, additional
room for accommodating guests or classes or meetings, appropriate
zoning, adequate parking—all just outside the town of Sonora. The
mission’s members had just enough time to ponder how they could
marshal the resources to purchase the space before it sold. Ac-
knowledging it was not yet time for such a move, the group resolved
to continue worshiping at St. Anne’s.
Meantime, Deacon Elias Union of the Antiochian Orthodox Arch-
diocese, his Matushka, Anna, and their daughter, Elizabeth, were
looking for a community in which to re-locate their family and newly
acquired business. Weary of the pace of engineering work and life
in San Francisco, the Unions had recently purchased San Jose Candle
Company, which has been manufacturing church candles and offer-
ing church supplies since 1947. The Unions’ search for a new home
which would nurture and afford opportunities for service, family
and business led them to the gold country of the Sierra Foothills. In
Tuolumne, God matched the chance to live and work in a rural com-
munity with the opportunity to assist and worship in a vital Ortho-
dox mission. As the Unions scanned the local real estate market for
a facility for San Jose Candle, they came across a site they felt was
full of potential for the mission. It was, in fact, the very site the
mission had looked at earlier, on the market again as the previous
sale had fallen through. Deacon Elias and his family acted as buy-
ers, solving the mission’s dilemma of how to go about structuring
the purchase and simultaneously solving their own need for hous-
ing.
Late in 1999 the entire parish council of The Annunciation Greek
Orthodox Church of Modesto came to visit the Mission in its new
location. The Annunciation’s Council’s subsequent generous do-
nations and loans of liturgical supplies allowed the mission to begin
turning a simple hall into a true house of Orthodox worship. A few
months later, Deacon Elias received permission from the Antiochian
Archdiocese to serve the Orthodox Christian Mission of Sonora on
15
The Orthodox Vision
loan. This permission has enabled the mission to reach its long-held
goal of offering services every Sunday by alternating Liturgy cel-
ebrated by Fr. Tom with readers’ services led by Deacon Elias. As
the mission prepared for its first Pascha, supplies and gifts came
from as far away as Las Vegas.
Today Dr. Craig begins his class for new catechumens with ques-
tions about what brought them to Orthodoxy and to this mission.
Two of the four catechumens—a father and daughter respond im-
mediately. “I was born into a Russian Orthodox family,” the father
explains, “but we lived in Germany and there were no Orthodox
churches near us so I was raised Roman Catholic.” His daughter has
not been brought up in the church because there were no Orthodox
churches near their previous home. They are delighted to have an
Orthodox mission close to them—even in this rural place. His com-
ments are echoed by others. Families with some members raised
Orthodox are finally able to bring other family members to church;
Orthodox Christians who have been in the foothills for years have a
church locally to come home to; local people who are drawn to
Orthodoxy have an opportunity to experience an Orthodox Liturgy.
Each week reveals yet more work to be undertaken “with fear and
trembling” and, simultaneously, opportunities to marvel at what is
possible, what has been accomplished through Divine will and the
collaborative efforts of so many, and an affirmation of how much the
work of this mission is needed.
Youth
Cont. from p. 13
Some Suggestions:
- Check with your priest for recommendations on age appropriate
lives of saints. Buy them, read them, donate them to your church
library. Give them as gifts to your godchildren and follow up on their
reading. Do not merely read the life of the saint - if there is a feast, go
to the church that day - venerate the saint, hear the hymns, offer
prayer. Research and learn your patron saints - intentionally name
your children after the saints. Adopt a family patron, a homeschool
patron, etc. An exceptional resource is “The Prologue from Ochrid”
by our very own St. Nicholas of South Canaan - I recommend every
household to obtain a copy and read it daily at meals or after family
prayer. It is well worth the investment. Perhaps parishes could spon-
sor sets to be purchased “on credit.” Holy Protection Monastery
will soon have a catalogue out and be a local source not only of
“those books’, but also of icons of the saints. May it be blessed!
The Orthodox Vision
Fort Ross
Cont. from p. 12
who participate the remembrance and commemoration of those who
paved the way for all Orthodox Christians in this land.
The morning began with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, celebrated
by His Grace, Bishop TIHKON in the fort chapel. Serving with his
Grace was our Chancellor, Archimandrite Nikolai, Fr. Leo Arrowsmith
from the Fremont mission of St. Innocent, and the Heirodeacon
Isidore. The choir, directed by Fr. Stephen Meholick, was com-
posed of several bay area priests as well as of the brothers from the
Monastery of St. John of Shanghai. Directly following the Liturgy
a procession took place to the Ft. Ross Cemetery where his Grace
presided over a Panihkida service. After the conclusion of the
service a representative from the state park presented to His Grace
a document researching who had been buried at the Ft. Ross cem-
etery. A picnic concluded the days events. Parishioners from the
Protection of the Holy Virgin parish in Santa Rosa and St Nicholas
in San Anselmo prepared and barbecued a delightful meal.
Groups of people, including several of our priests, formed ensembles
and sang patriotic songs for the occasion. A state park official was
present to share the history of Ft. Ross and to conclude the day
with the shooting off of Canons.
We were blessed this year with beautiful weather which provided
for some spectacular views of the rugged Coastline as well as the
large Redwoods that covered the rolling California hills to the east.
It would be difficult for one to leave this rustic sight without ac-
knowledging the rich history of the Russian émigrés and get a sense
of God’s abounding grace that enabled the spread of Orthodox
Christianity in this land.
The annual celebration will continue next year around the 4th of
July as the Diocese will gather again to celebrate the spread of
Orthodoxy in America. We hope that more people will come for this
annual pilgramage as we celebrate the history and the future of the
Diocese of the West. It is truly a remarkable past and an exciting
future!
The Diocese of the West
Announces the
2000 Annual Assembly
to be held October 23 to 26
in Las Vegas, Nevada
For more information, contact:
The Office of the Chancellor
5400 Annie Oakley Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89120
(702)898-4800
16
Chekene
Cont. from p. 5
But Mr. Chekene’s most fervent passion was the development of
the property known as St. Eugene’s Hermitage. His dream began
with the Holy Trinity Cathedral bell tower renovation. He could not
find it in his heart to discard the old bell tower and so he proposed
to give it new life by constructing a new foundation in the form of a
chapel in the woods of Pt. Reyes. Mr. Chekene worked endlessly to
bring his vision to fruition - planning development, supervising
construction and maintaining public awareness through organized
picnics and fundraisers. He cajoled everyone with the requisite
skills to donate their expertise, and he could be found working weekly
side-by-side with Leon von Hauffe, George and Anna Dorian, his
constant companion, Lubov, and many other tireless volunteers.
And to those who were at times discouraged by the sheer magni-
tude of the effort, Mr. Chekene could often be heard to say, “Your
reward will be in heaven.”
The chapel, dedicated to the memory of St. Sergius of Radonezh,
was consecrated in 1988 in honor of the Millennium of the Russian
Orthodox Church. During the ceremony Mr. Chekene blinked away
tears of joy as well as tears of regret at what he had left undone. For
his dream had not been limited to construction of the chapel; in-
deed, Mr. Chekene had envisioned a complete renovation of the
existing facilities and the creation of a peaceful refuge for his fellow
Orthodox Christians.
If you would like to contribute money in memory of
Constantine Chekene to the Monastery of St. John of
San Francisco, you can send it to the memorial fund set
up in his honor.
Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco
PO Box 563
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956-0563
ATTN: Chekene Memorial Fund
Albany
Cont. from p. 10
microphone to Archimandrite Nikolai. Fr. Nikolai commented on
how pleased he was to see so many from other parishes present,
and encouraged the people to remain united in their common wit-
ness for the Church.
Thus, after a final prayer and blessing from the bishop, St. Anne’s
10th Anniversary came to a close. According to Fr. Stephen, the
celebration has left an indelible mark on the minds and hearts of the
mission members who hosted it. All the effort that went into prepar-
ing for the event produced more than its share of blessings in re-
turn. “We continue to reap the blessings from the prayers offered
by so many at our patronal feast, and thanks to His Grace, our
beloved Chancellor and the clergy and faithful who supported us,
we are emboldened to carry on the work that lies ahead.”
 From the Fathers
This was given by Bishop Raphael in New York’s Russian Cathedral at the Service of his
Nomination to the Bishop of Brooklyn, Vicar of the Aleut Dioceses on February 28, 1904.
“O Lord, may Your will be done”
Hence, I accepted and I’m accepting now this episcopacy
Wise in God Archpastors! not for the sake of honor so if I would have been ambitious
then I would have accepted the archbishop’s order in my
As it is known to you, the most Blessed Meleti Patriarch of land in Syria, - not for the sake of self-interest - for by ac-
Antioch, together with his Holy Sobor, called on my unwor- cepting here this high episcopate order my material wealth is
thiness many times to accept the grace of the High Order of not going to be improved; - not for the sake of comfort and
the Archbishop in my native Antiochian church, though I personal peace, for I know really well how difficult it is to be
declined this great honor of episcopacy every time, prefer- a bishop everywhere and at all times and especially during
ring the laborious service as a missionary priest in a foreign our time and in this foreign New World. Yes, I hear what
land to the high episcopate service in my kind of storms of little faith and waves of
land and everything that is connected with indifference rush to hit the church ship, I also
the Archbishop’s Order, great honor and see what kind of and how many wolves of
comparatively better living conditions. unbelief and dishonesty are surrounding
Christ’s flock and are ready to steal them
I acted this way because, on the one hand, away. . . But in spite of this and many other
I wanted to follow the example of Moses obstacles and difficulties of episcopate ser-
who, according to the words of the vice in America I accepted this service not
Apostle, “refused to be called the son being afraid of labor but of idle rest and in-
of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather activity, - not of the fight with obstacles and
to share ill treatment with the people of difficulties, but indifference and apathy in the
God” on the other hand I had in mind the face of vivid dangers.
words of our Archpriest Jesus Christ who
said, “what man of you, having a hun- Now when you hear my daring words don’t
dred sheep, if he has lost one of them, think, Holy Archpastors, that the reason for
does not leave the 99 in the wilderness, them is presumptuous arrogance, - for I
and go after the one which is lost”. So I preferred labor know my shortcomings and that I am weak, - but they come
and suffering rather than comfort and honor for the sake of from strong reliance on the all powerful and all mighty grace
spiritual consolation and the salvation of those of my fellow of God, “healing infirmities and relighting fires”, by
countrymen who by the incomprehensible will of God are laying your hands, Holy Hierarchs, on my head, it mystically
now scattered in a foreign land, especially those within the comes in and dwells and acts in me for my salvation and the
borders of North America who are like sheep without a salvation of all my loving children of God’s chosen flock.
Shepherd.
It is very cheerful for me that I begin my high service under
But when this same high episcopate service was proposed your high guidance, Enlightener of the Aleut and North Ameri-
to me here in America and among my spiritual children for can Diocese. In spite of my shortcomings and weaknesses
the sake of their spiritual betterment I accepted this service you deigned to accept me as a member of your service.
with a feeling of wholehearted appreciation to you my dear That’s why I hope that you as before and as in the future will
hierarchs, with a son’s gratitude toward the Holy Orthodox not leave me without your wise precepts and fatherly for-
All-Russian Synod and the All-Blessed Meleti, Patriarch of bearance. In these thoughts and hopes I am with readiness
Antioch, with the deepest devotion to His Righteous Em- and meekness repeat what I started my speech with “O,
peror of All Russia Nicholas the Second the only Protector Lord, may Your will be done.”
and Defender of the Church in the Whole World and with
reverent obedience to the all wise and all blessed God’s will This document was translated from Russian by Olga Maev of St.
about me. Nicholas of South Canaan Mission in Billings, Montana
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