Alumni E-News from St Vladimir's Seminary
Issue #16, September 2003
Dear Friends,
Today marks the start of the fall semester. Students are registering for and beginning their classes. New students, who at this time number about 40, already underwent the annual orientation sessions led by Dean Erickson and Fr Paul Lazor, and will take their entrance exams. They look both excited and apprehensive. This year, like all the others, will bring with it the joys and challenges, ordinations, and graduations. We ask you to keep us in your prayers. The seminary has an awesome responsibility to train these students for future leadership positions in the Church.
The chapel�s rector and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Fr Paul Lazor, served the Matins this morning and took the opportunity to comment on the Gospel assigned for the day, which described our Lord going off by himself to pray. Fr Paul reminded each of us how essential and foundational it is to have and to maintain a rule of prayer by which we go into the closet of the heart and to pray - important words for the beginning of the school year.
August was a very busy month with a number of changes in seminary personnel and in facilities. Let me outline these for you.
PERSONNEL CHANGES
Kenneth Johnson:
After many years of dedicated service to the seminary, Ken, the Director of Advancement, has decided to take a position in development at a private school in New York City. Ken had been employed at the seminary since 1988, first as a part-time student worker and then full-time in 1991. He worked in the library, bookstore, Dean�s Office (as secretary to the Dean) and in the Office of Advancement where he began as Director of Annual Giving and then, in 2002, as the Chief Advancement Officer. The faculty, staff, students, and the thousands of seminary benefactors with whom he had personal contact will sorely miss his untiring labors and personal warmth. We wish him the very best.
Jerry Solak:
As of August 30, Jerry, an SVS alumnus and the seminary's bookstore manager for more than 10 years has decided to leave his position. During those many years, he has been a dedicated, competent and loyal employee. He was very active in the Press/Bookstore operations and will surely be missed. We also wish him the very best.
Jeanette Hernandez:
Jeanette has been appointed to the newly created position of Operations Manager for order fulfillment and customer service for SVS Press and Bookstore. She will be responsible for order processing, inventory, book ordering, supervision of employees responsible for order processing and book distribution, hours of operation, and events. The development of the bookstore and acquisitions shall be passed to the editorial department of the Press.
NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
In August, new updates included:
- New acoustical drop ceilings and energy-efficient lighting were installed in all the classrooms and hallways of the Metropolitan Leonty Education Building.
- A white board and a video projector were installed in the Bashir Auditorium for classroom presentations.
- Wiring to computerize the women's dorm rooms was completed. (Now every student residence on campus is wired for computer use.)
- The seminary filed appropriate applications with the City of Yonkers for a zoning change and site plan approval for the new "Lakeside Married Student Housing Project."
- Preparations, including new carpets, lighting, and air conditioning, are nearly completed for the planned move of the seminary bookstore and inventory into the old library.
STRATEGIC PLAN AND ATS VISIT
The seminary has been working diligently over the last few months to complete its Strategic Plan and to prepare for the visit of the accreditation committee from the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). The Strategic Plan�s executive committee has received the final reports and will present them to the Board of Trustees at their November meeting. Likewise, the seminary is in the final stages to provide reports concerning every aspect of seminary life, which will be sent to the ATS in preparation for their visit November 9-12.
ALUMNI GATHERINGS
We wish to keep you abreast of alumni gatherings around the country as they happen. The Alumni Association Board is taking this initiative with hopes of bringing us all a little closer. If you would like to host a gathering in your area, please email:
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| Date | Location | Host | Visiting Faculty |
| Oct 6 | Columbus OH Diocesan Assembly (details will be given at assemply) | Fr Daniel Rentel | Fr Alexander Rentel |
| Oct 12 | San Francisco Holy Trinity Cathedral 415-673-8565 | Fr Victor Sokolov | Dr Paul Meyendorff |
OCMC MISSION TEAM MEMBERS
In our last issue we mentioned that two of our seminarians, David Arnold and Mark Barber, participated in the Kodiak OCMC Mission Team during the first two weeks of August. Recently, we were informed that our alumna, Presbytera Irene Rallis, also took part in this trip along with her husband, Fr John Rallis. We are glad that the mission was very successful and that our students and alumna returned home safely.
TRAVELS OF FACULTY AND STAFF
Dean John Erickson represented the seminary at the annual convention of the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America (FOCA) held in Williamsburg, VA. The convention's theme was 'Support Our Seminaries.'
Fr John Behr visited the United Kingdom for three weeks. He served at the funeral of Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom). He delivered a paper entitled "Athanasius' Works Against the Pagans and On the Incarnation as an Apology for the Cross" at the International Conference on Patristic Studies at Oxford University. He attended the first meeting of the Orthodox Theological Research Forum held at Cuddeston College near Oxford, and gave the main paper entitled "Theology and Exegesis." Finally, he attended the meeting of the Fellowship of Ss Alban and Sergius at Ushaw College near Durham and delivered a paper entitled "Virgin Mother - Virgin Church."
Peter Bouteneff traveled to the United Kingdom and delivered a paper entitled 'Providence in John of Damascus' at the International Conference on Patristic Studies at Oxford University.
Fr Steven Belonick traveled to Antiochian Village to speak to counselors and campers about 'Vocations' and the seminary, and also to the New England Youth Rally in Contookook, NH.
Veselin and Lydia Kesich traveled to Russia in June. Please visit the seminary website at www.svots.edu to view photos and to read a short travelogue about their trip.
David and Barbara Drillock traveled to Russia from August 7-20 and visited Moscow, Yaroslav, and St Petersburg. They traveled with SVS Board of Trustees member Mitch Zunich and his wife Violet. There, they met SVS alumnus Fr Nicholas Ozolin, and in Moscow met unexpectedly Fr John and Eugenia Nehrebecki from Christ the Savior Church in Paramus, NJ.
ALUMNI NEWS
Deacon Matti Wallgren ('03) was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Leo of Karelia and all Finland on September 1.
Sloan Rolando ('03) and his wife, Gina, are parents to a new infant girl, Lucia Colleen, who was born September 2. Our congratulations to Sloan, Gina, and Lucia�s sibblings, Kira and Gregory.
Fr Lawrence Gaudreau ('00) and his wife Katherine are new parents to a son, Michael Kingsland, who was born August 19. Our congratulations to all.
Fr William Mills' (MDiv '97, MTh '00) mother, Sonia, fell asleep in the Lord on September 1. Memory Eternal.
Fr William Mills (MDiv '97, MTh '00) and his wife, Taisia, announce the birth of their first daughter, Hannah Mills on Sept. 4, 2003. Hannah is 8 lbs 9oz. Fr. Mills is currently the priest at the Nativity of the Holy Theotokos Orthodox Church in Charlotte, NC and is also completing his PhD in Pastoral Theology. Fr Mills recently had book reviews published in the current issue of Cistercian Studies Quarterly as well as forthcoming reviews in the American Benedictine Review and an article in a new Orthodox publication called Ekklesia.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, September 14 SVS will host the National Lecture Series celebrating the 80th Birthday of Jaroslav Pelikan. Fr John McGuckin of Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University will deliver a lecture entitled 'Orthodoxy and Western Christianity: The Original European Culture War?'
Saturday, October 4 Orthodox Education Day. Frederica Mathewes-Green, National Public Radio commentator, will be the keynote speaker. Special youth activities will include a concert featuring Peter John Gillquist.
