Dear Friends,
I am happy to be in touch with you again. June was filled with diverse events that make life at seminary so interesting. It began with a wedding of one our students and ended with the annual Summer Institute. Let me give you a synopsis.
STUDENTS WED
Kirill Sokolov, a second year student, and Sophia Sanders, a first year student, were wed in the seminary chapel on June 1, 2003. You may recognize Kirill's last name. He is the son of SVS alumnus Fr Victor Sokolov ('85), who is Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco. Kirill was a young lad of 5 years old when his father was studying at the seminary. Besides being a student, Kirill works for the seminary in the area of information technology.
LUTHERAN-ORTHODOX DIALOGUE
The 2003 meeting of the official Lutheran-Orthodox Dialogue was held on the seminary campus June 2-4 under the leadership of Metropolitan Maximus of Pittsburgh of the Greek Archdiocese, representing SCOBA, and Bishop Donald J. McCoid of Evangelic Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Following a round of talks that resulted in a joint statement on the Trinity, this round of talks focused on the relationship between the Trinity and the Church. Fr John Behr, Associate Professor of Patristics at St Vladimir's, along with Fr Gregory Wingenbach, Fr James Jorgenson, Fr John Morris, Dr Bradley Nassif, Dr David Yeago, Dr Mark Swanson, and Dr Bruce Marshall presented papers.
TRUSTEE VISITS SEMINARY CAMPUS WITH FAMILY
Anne van den Berg, SVS trustee, her husband Edgerton, and their family visited the seminary campus on the June 8 during a trip to NYC. Edgerton, who hadn't been on the campus since the completion of the Rangos Building, toured the new library accompanied by Business Manager, Ted Bazil and Dean Erickson.
FRS LAZOR AND BELONICK ATTEND CONFERENCE
Fr Paul Lazor and Fr Steven Belonick, in their capacity as Three Hierarchs Chapel pastors, attended a conference on "Sexual Misconduct in the Workplace" on June 11 hosted by Longview, an Employee Assistance Program in White Plains, NY with which the seminary has had a long standing relationship. The conference addressed proper procedures for handling complaints of sexual misconduct.
SEMINARY INTERNS ARE ASSIGNED TO PARISHES
Four seminarians are currently involved in the Seminary Internship Program developed by the OCA. Seminarians spend the full summer in parish ministry under the mentorship of experienced parish priests. The current students participating in the program are: Richard Rene at St Herman Church, Edmonton, Canada; Deacon Justin Hewlitt at St Mark Church, Yorkton, Canada; Sergius Nauman at Holy Resurrection Church, Wayne, NJ; and John Strickland at Holy Ghost Church, Bridgeport, CT.
SUMMER INSTITUTE
From June 22-28, 65 priests and laity from across the country attended the annual Summer Institute. This year's theme was "Living Tradition." Professor Jaroslav Pelikan, Sterling Professor of History Emeritus at Yale and a member of the seminary chapel, was the keynote speaker. The seminary faculty and a few outside speakers presented paper from a multitude of perspectives. Please visit our website, www.svots.edu, for further insights into the week's discussion. Tapes of all the talks are available from the seminary bookstore. The bookstore can be contacted by telephone (1-800-204-2665) or by email at
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YOUTH INSTITUTE
Running concurrently with the Summer Institute, the annual Youth Institute brought six high school juniors to the seminary campus. The six represented the Orthodox Church in America, the Greek Orthodox Church in North America, and the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese. The juniors were given full scholarships to attend. Their program included lectures, discussions, field trips, and community service trips. In addition, they used resources at the seminary library to compose a short, topical paper as regards the Orthodox Faith.
DIPTYCHS OF THE DECEASED
As reported in the last issue of E-News and as part of the ever-growing work of the Alumni Association, a "Diptychs of the Deceased" has been published, which remembers all the departed faculty, hierarchs, and alumni/ae of the seminary. The diptychs will be included in a special mailing to all our alumni, which also will feature a new SVS Press publication entitled "God With Us" authored by Fr John Breck. The book is a gift from the seminary to alumni/ae and is made possible by a grant from Lilly Endowment.
RECENT GRADUATE IS FIRST RECIPIENT OF MISSION SCHOLARSHIP
Catherine Wason ('03) was recently selected as the first recipient of a scholarship for short-term mission work from the newly established Louis and Helen Nicozisis Endowment Fund. The fund is part of the Capital Campaign of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC). Catherine, graduating with a Master of Arts degree in General Theology, will begin her work in Romania assisting OCMC missionaries Craig and Victoria Goodwin at the newly established Protection of the Theotokos Family Center.
SEMINARIAN'S WIFE ENDORSED AS FIRST LAY INSTITUTIONAL CHAPLAIN
Elaine Mayol, wife of first-year student, Carlos Mayol, became the first Orthodox layperson to receive formal endorsement for institutional chaplaincy from His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman (OCA). The training included over 1600 hours of supervised ministry. The endorsement from one's faith community is essential for job placement and certification. SVS alumnus, Fr Steven Voytovich ('90), was instrumental in initiating the OCA program. Elaine will be working at a Portchester, NY hospital.
CRESTWOOD HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETS ON CAMPUS
The seminary hosted a meeting of the Crestwood Historical Society on Saturday, June 21. Dean Erickson has developed a close relationship with the group, which studies the history of the area and seeks to protect the neighborhood. The Society has a particular interest and love for the seminary campus. The group presented Dean Erickson with a plaque honoring the seminary's participation in the Society's work.
ORDINATIONS
Deacon Noah Bushelli ('04) was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Joseph (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America) at Ss Peter and Paul Church in Ben Lomond, CA on Sunday, June 29. Fr Noah will return to the seminary for his final year. Fr Noah has two children, Julian and Sophia, and his wife, Elizabeth, is the daughter of our alumnus, Fr Dennis Hendershot ('77).
Matti Wallgren ('03) was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Ambrosius on May 29, Ascension Day in Finland.
FACULTY NEWS
Dr Albert Rossi participated in the Orthodox Peace Fellowship conference June 14, 2003 at St Tikhon's Seminary and presented a talk entitled "Blessed Are the Pure in Heart."
Dr Albert Rossi traveled to Antiochian Village the week of June 16-20 to provide daily talks to the counselors attending their orientation week in preparation for the camping season.
FUTURE EVENTS
September 3 New Student Orientation
September 4 Fall Semester begins
September 14 Fr John McGuckin will be lecturing on "Orthodoxy and Western Christianity: The Original European Culture War?" The lecture is part of a nationwide series entitled Orthodoxy and Western Culture, honoring the 80th birthday of seminary trustee, Dr Jaroslav Pelikan.
October 4 Orthodox Education Day
