St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary - Events SVS Hosts Luncheon for Field Education Supervisors February 10, 2005

On February 10, 2005, the seminary hosted a luncheon to honor the individuals who supervise SVS seminarians in their Field Education Program—an important component of the Master of Divinity Program. Students in this program must complete two Field Education projects, one in their middler year, and one in their senior year. Field work assignments range from hospice and hospital care, Christian education, prison ministry, campus ministry, substance abuse counseling, to ministry to those with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. In their senior year, Master of Divinity students are assigned to a nearby parish where they work with a parish priest, helping with parish education, administration, and pastoral activities. In this way students receive valuable mentoring as they prepare for pastoral leadership.

The supervisors who attended the luncheon were:

• Fr Michael Westerberg, rector of Holy Transfiguration Church, New Haven, Connecticut
• Fr Paul Kucynda, rector of Holy Resurrection Church, Wayne, New Jersey
• Fr Michael Koblosh, rector of St Nicholas Church, Whitestone, New York
• Fr Elias G. Villis, rector of Church Of Our Saviour, Rye, New York
• Rev. Dr Sarah Fogg, chaplain, Lawrence Hospital Center, Bronxville, New York
• Elaine Mayol, chaplain, White Plains Hospital, White Plains, New York

These were the supervisors who are currently supervising seminarians during the 2004-2005 academic year. The seminary hopes to expand the number of parish priests involved in years to come.Dr Albert Rossi, who organized this event, was present at the luncheon, as well as Dean John Erickson, Fr Paul Lazor, Dr Paul Meyendorff, and Fr Steven Belonick. Two students—Fr Andrew Lukashonok, a senior, and Dn Joshua Mosher, a middler—were there to represent the students who participate in the Field Education Program and say a few words about what the program has meant to them.

As a small token of thanks, each Field Education supervisor was given a copy of Fr Thomas Hopko's The Word of the Cross, a spoken word recording recently released on compact disc by SVS Press.

It is the hope of St Vladimir's Seminary that Field Education supervisors will know how much their help is valued, and will deepen their relationship with the seminary in the coming years. By inviting Field Education supervisors to campus, the seminary is acting upon a sincere desire to reach out to off-campus mentors in order to enhance their involvement and increase their presence here at the seminary. This goal is one of many established by SVS2010, the seminary's ten-year strategic plan. It is also an integral part of "The Good Pastor Project," an offshoot of the strategic plan, through which the faculty is working toward a renewed vision of how it trains seminarians for pastoral leadership in the Church.