Dear Friends,
Christ is Risen!
We greet each of you in the Lord. The school year has come to an end. Some students have parish assignments, others have yet to be assigned; some will begin ministry in missions, in music, or in establishing non-profit organizations; some will go on for further study; while some will get a rest before another semester. Whatever their future, we extend our prayers and best wishes to all of them. Most of us can still remember the bittersweet day of our departure from the seminary campus.
Let me try to recap for you the flurry of activity that took place in May.
ALUMNI BOARD MEETING
A gift from a seminary's trustee has once again made possible another meeting of the Alumni Board, held May 14-15. Nine members of the Board met on the seminary campus for two days of meetings. The meeting took place in conjunction with the meeting of the Board of Trustees and the seminary's commencement exercises. This provided the opportunity for the Alumni Board to meet with seminary trustees, students, and members of the graduating class.
At the meeting, Dean Erickson along with members of the Advancement and Recruitment Offices gave short reports on the work of the school and future activities. The Board discussed the following agenda topics:
1) Geographical hubs around the U.S. and Canada, which correspond to the location of the Board members and members of the trustees, were established so that alumni gatherings beginning in the fall could be scheduled. Whenever possible, the Board will coordinate these alumni gatherings with the travel of the seminary's faculty and staff.
2) It was decided that alumni news and information would be disseminated by means of the newly formatted SVS News instead of a separate alumni newsletter.
3) The Alumni Board will seek the help of the seminary to make sensitive areas of the SVS Alumni Web Page password sensitive.
4) An Alumni Conference on the seminary campus is in the planning stages for spring of 2004. The proposed topic is "Church Leadership in the 21st Century."
5) An Alumni Diptychs will be published and distributed to all our alumni.
6) A discussion on class reunions held in conjunction with commencement exercises was enthusiastic. The seminary alumni liaison office will make proposals for the Board's discussion and approval.
7) The Board will meet again in November 20-21 once again in conjunction with the seminary's Board of Trustees meeting.
In addition to these decisions, the Board asked Fr Peter Smith and Valerie Zahirsky to act as its representatives at the commencement exercises where they made a short presentation and displayed a beautiful diploma frame that was gifted to each graduate from the Alumni funds in the seminary budget. The frame will be annual gift to all graduates.
METROPOLITAN PHILIP AUDITORIUM DEDICATED
On May 16, over 100 invited guests attended the banquet honoring Metropolitan Philip and the auditorium dedicated in his honor. Fr Michael Ellias ('85) acted as the Master of Ceremonies introducing such dignitaries as Metropolitan Herman (OCA), Archbishop Peter (OCA), Bishop Antoun (AOCA), Dean Erickson, Very Rev. Robert Kondratick, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, Brian Gerich and Albert Foundos, and seminary trustees and co-chairs of capital campaign for the Rangos Building. Members of Sayedna Philip's family were also present.
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
The Metropolitan Philip auditorium was filled to capacity to witness the seminary commencement exercises at which 26 students graduated. Seminary president Metropolitan Herman began the day concelebrating Liturgy with Bishop Nikon (OCA). A short prayer service in the chapel was followed by a solemn procession to the auditorium. Sloan Rolando was named valedictorian of the class, while Vitaly Permiakov was named salutatorian. Commencement speaker, Protopresybter Boris Bobrinskoy, Dean of St Sergius Institute in Paris, highlighted the exercises. Metropolitan Herman conferred on Fr Boris the degree of Doctor of Theology honoris causa.
CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
David Briggs, a religion reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, visited the seminary campus for three days in conjunction with the meeting of the Board of Trustees, the Alumni Board, and the commencement exercises. His interview with students, faculty, board members, and alumni in the northeast section of Ohio can be viewed by visiting the Plain Dealer's web site: www.cleveland.com
ORTHODOX-CATHOLIC CONSULTATION
Orthodox and Catholic clergy and lay theologians representing the National Council of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in Americas (SCOBA) descended on the seminary campus May 27-29 for ongoing dialogue regarding the Filioque clause.
ORTHODOX THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
Coming off the heel of the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue, the Orthodox Theological Society of America (OTSA) held its own meeting May 29-31. The theme of this year's conference was "Authority and the Church." Annually, the meeting concludes with the Fr Georges Florovsky Lecture. This year, Madame Elisabeth Behr-Sigel from Paris will deliver a paper entitled "Women and Authority in the Church."
ST NINA'S QUARTERLY WOMEN'S EVENT
For the first time, a woman's conference sponsored by St Nina's Quarterly was held on the seminary campus. Participants were on hand to hear lecture delivered by Madame Elisabeth Behr-Sigel entitled "Women in the Life of the Church."
FACULTY NOTES
Fr Paul Tarazi and Dean John Erickson spoke at the Saskatoon Institute, May 17-21 and May 21-25 respectively, on "The Church in Early Christian Experience and Reflection."
Dr Al Rossi and Fr Timothy Blumentritt spoke on May 31 at First Church of Christ in Old Wethersfield, CT on the topic "Revitalizing Your Marriage Relationship."
Dr Peter Bouteneff participated in an international symposium on "Orthodox Theology and Ecumenical Dialogue: Problems and
Perspectives," sponsored by the theology faculty of Aristotle University, in Thessaloniki, Greece.
ALUMNI NEWS
Dr Antonios (Tony) Kireopoulos ('91) has joined the National Council of Churches U.S.A. staff as Associate General Secretary for International Affairs and Peace. His responsibilities will include helping the NCC formulate its position on issues of peace, international issues and U.S. foreign policy, especially in conflict and post-conflict situations. Dr Kireopoulos is the former Executive Director of the U.S. Conference of Religions for Peace.
Very Rev. Michael Oleksa ('73), dean of St Innocent Orthodox Church in Anchorage, received the Meritorious Service Award at the commencement exercises of the University of Alaska in Anchorage May 4. Fr Michael was honored for his service to Alaska including membership on the Governor's Subsistence Summit and the Governor's Commission on Tolerance.
FUTURE EVENTS
June 2-4 - Orthodox-Lutheran Dialogue
June 22-27 - SVS Summer Institute
June 21-27 - SVS Youth Institute
