Archived Announcements from Prior Years
2007 Announcements
 | ORTHODOX
HIERARCHS MEET (posted 11/15/07) His
Grace Bishop BENJAMIN has announced that a meeting was held on
November 12 and 13, 2007, among Orthodox Hierarchs. The Greek
Orthodox, Antiochian Orthodox, and Serbian Orthodox hierarchs, and
Bishop BENJAMIN, met together in Los Angeles with area deans to
discuss the upcoming celebration of the Divine Liturgy at St. Sophia
Cathedral, Los Angeles, on the Sunday of Orthodoxy. The hierarchs
encourage parishioners from the local parishes to join them for the
Liturgy that morning. They are not asking the area parishes to close
on that day, but those clergy who are able to attend are encouraged
to do so.
The hierarchs also were present for a celebration
of the Divine Liturgy at St. Sophia Cathedral commemorating the
1600th anniversary of the death of St. John Chrysostom. The Liturgy
was served by Archpriest Michael Senyo of Holy Virgin Mary
Cathedral, Archpriest Nicholas Ceko of St. Stephen Serbian Orthodox
Cathedral, Archpriest Michel Najim of St. Nicholas Antiochian
Cathedral and Archpriest John Bakas of St. Sophia Cathedral. The
Liturgy was followed by a luncheon and lecture on St. John given by
Priest Josiah Trenham of the St. Andrew Church in Riverside. It was
estimated the cathedral was filled with over 700 faithful and
clergy. |
| RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION CONFERENCE COMING (posted 11/14/07)
A Christian education mini-conference will be held
at Saint Nicholas Orthodox
Church in Portland, OR, on Saturday, December 8, 2007. The
conference will begin at noon. Mtka. Valerie Zahirsky,
co-chair of the Orthodox Church in America's Department of Christian
Education, will be the featured speaker. The theme of the
mini-conference is "Helping Young People Develop an Orthodox
Worldview." more
|
| AKATHIST ~
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FIRES (posted 10/28/07) |
CLICK
HERE for a copy of the
service, "Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos Honored in Her Icon
of 'The Unburnt Bush'".
| THE DIOCESE OF
THE WEST'S CALIFORNIA FIRE FUND (posted
10/25/07) CLICK
HERE for information
on how to help the Orthodox faithful who have suffered loss because
of the wildfires in southern California. |
| SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA FIRES - UPDATE (posted 10/24/07)
A letter from His Grace Bishop BENJAMIN:
I just got off the phone with Archpriest Alexander
Federoff of St. John of Damascus Church in Poway. He and his family
are safe but not able to return to their home so far. We do know Kon
and Birdie Worth have lost their home and everything in it. We
believe at least one other person from the parish community has
suffered the loss of their dwelling. At this point, since many have
been evacuated, it is difficult to know the extent of personal
losses in the parish. The good news is the church itself seems to be
fine. But the fire is still moving and people are still evacuating.
Fr. Lawrence Russell will have a flyer for you
later today which you may print out. I ask each parish to have a
special collection on the remaining Sundays of the month for Fire
Relief. You may send it to the Diocesan Treasurer and folks may make
their checks out to the Diocese of the West and then earmark them
for Fire Relief. I am asking the Treasurer to release funds already
in the budget for charity to help with the immediate needs of those
whose lives have been touched by this disaster.
Thank you all for your prayerful support and
concern;
+Bishop Benjamin |
| SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA FIRES (posted 10/23/07)
I have heard from several sources at least one
family has lost their home in the terrible fires in San Diego
County. Kon and Birdie Worth, founding parishioners of St. John of
Damascus Church, have lost their home. There may be others. I am
asking Archpriest Lawrence Russell who is the chairman of our
Charities Department to organize a special collection in all our
parishes beginning this Sunday and continuing for the remainder of
the month. We will notify you as to where to send any donations -
most likely to our treasurer, Mary Caetta - for distribution at a
later time. I am sure there will be those who will need immediate
help. Again, please keep the Worths and all the faithful in the San
Diego area in your prayers.
With love,
+Bishop Benjamin
|
| BISHOP
BENJAMIN'S INSTALLATION (posted 10/4/07)
Click
here to read His Grace's Salutatory Address
|
| FT. ROSS
CELEBRATION (posted 8/16/07) Pictures
of the 2007 Ft. Ross celebration are available. click
here |
| ST BARBARA
NEWSLETTER (posted 8/11/07) click
here for a copy of the
August newsletter of St. Barbara monastery for women. |
| 2007 DIOCESAN
ASSEMBLY & INSTALLATION OF BISHOP BENJAMIN (posted
8/6/07) |
click
here to go to the Diocesan Assembly page & on-line registration
October 1, 2007
Registration and Vespers at Holy Trinity Cathedral, San Francisco
(in the evening)
Diocesan Council Dinner Meeting October
2, 2007
Divine Liturgy and Installation of Bishop BENJAMIN
Banquet
Diocesan Assembly convenes at Holy Trinity Cathedral (in the evening) October
3, 2007
Assembly continues at Holy Trinity Cathedral (plan to finish at
about 2 pm)
| SUMMER
SEMINARIAN INTERNSHIP (posted 5/28/07) |
A parish of the Diocese
of the West will host a summer intern this year as part of the OCA
Seminarian Internship Program (SIP). Fr. Lawrence Margitich,
Protection of the Holy Virgin Church, Santa Rosa, CA, will serve as
mentor for the seminarian, John Deamantis (St. Tikhon's Seminary). Other
seminarians have placements in the Dioceses of the Midwest, the South,
Eastern Pennsylvania, and Washington, and New York. Under
the auspices of the Department of Pastoral Life and Ministry, the
church-wide 10-week SIP is designed to provide seminarians with
invaluable hands-on experience of pastoral ministry under the
direction of experienced clergy. During the summer months,
seminarians will be participating in all aspects of parish life in the
context of ongoing theological and pastoral reflection with their
mentors. Fr.
Steven Voytovich is SIP Committee Chair and Program Coordinator.
| ABBOT JONAH (posted
5/27/07) |
His Grace Bishop
BENJAMIN announces that Abbot Jonah, who has been serving as the
superior of the St. John Monastery, was formally elected abbot by the
brotherhood on May 20, 2007. He will be raised to the rank of
Igumen and installed as abbot on July 2, the patronal feast of the
monastery. May God bless the Abbot Jonah and the brothers of St.
John Monastery.
| YOUTH BBQ
(posted 5/7/07) St.
Christina's will host a Youth BBQ for all Orthodox youth in the Bay
Area. The Youth BBQ will take place on Saturday, June 2, 2007,
from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Quarry Lakes Park (a regional park near
Fremont). more
info registration/waiver
form |
| ORTHODOX YOUTH
CAMP (posted 5/2/07) |
St. Eugene's Orthodox Youth Camp will
take place July 1-7, 2007, at St. Nicholas Ranch in Dunlap,
California. With the blessing of His Grace Bishop BENJAMIN, all
parishes in California are encouraged to send campers and staff for an
incredible week of Christian fun, fellowship, education and
worship. Information about the camp as well as registration and
other forms can be found at the camp
website. click here for more info
| BISHOP BENJAMIN
ELECTED (posted 3/20/07) |
The Holy Synod of Bishops, in
their spring session, has elected His Grace Bishop BENJAMIN, to be the
reigning hierarch of The Diocese of the West.
|
ONE YEAR
ANNIVERSARY OF FR. SOKOLOV'S FALLING ASLEEP (posted
2/28/07) |
His Grace Bishop BENJAMIN will serve a
Panikhida on the first anniversary of the falling asleep of Archpriest
Victor Sokolov at Oak Mound Cemetery, 601 Piper Street, Healdsburg, CA
at 12:00 noon on Monday, March 12, 2007. A simple Lenten lunch
will follow at the Sokolov home. Clergy and faithful are invited
to attend.
| SPECIAL ASSEMBLY UPDATE (posted
1/17/07) |
There has been some confusion about who may attend
and vote at the upcoming Special Assembly. His Grace Bishop
BENJAMIN has posted a letter on the Assembly
page to respond to this question. click
here for info
| MEMORY ETERNAL! FR. BORIS
SYMEONOFF (posted
1/5/07)
|
Dear Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers:
The services for Fr. Boris Symeonoff are scheduled
as follows:
Monday, Jan. 8, 7:00 p.m., Funeral - San Anselmo
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 10:00 a.m., Divine Liturgy, Litiya - San Anselmo,
followed by Burial at Serbian Cemetery.
+Bishop BENJAMIN
____________________
| 2007 ORTHODOX MARRIAGE RETREAT (posted
12/29/06)
One Flesh: The Formation of Spiritual Marriages in
the Orthodox Tradition, a weekend retreat for single and married
Orthodox Christians is scheduled for March 9-11, 2007 at Life-Giving
Spring Retreat Center. click
for more information |
| 2007 SPECIAL DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY (posted
12/23/06) |
The 2007
Mission Deanery Retreat will be held Jan. 29 - 31, 2007, at Live-Giving
Spring Retreat Center. Register
on-line.
| 2007 SPECIAL DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY (posted
12/20/06) |
A Special
Diocesan Assembly will be convened on January 31, 2007, for the sole purpose of nominating a candidate for the office of Diocesan
Bishop. more
| MEMORY ETERNAL! DEACON
JOSEPH KERNS (posted
11/29/06)
The beloved Deacon Joseph Kerns was taken from us
on Friday morning, Nov. 24, when a tree fell on his truck near
Snoqualmie Pass as he was traveling on I-90 with his son, Abraham,
and two other young men who worked for him (and who recently helped
him paint our historic Holy Trinity Temple in Wilkeson, Washington),
Alex Minneman and Jonathan Burell. Alex was also killed in the
accident. Abraham and Jonathan were not injured.
Our prayers are offered for Matushka Elizabeth and
for Deacon Joseph's children: Jeremy, Susana and her husband Wesley
Roberts, Abraham, Clara and Katherine, and his grandson, Anthony.
Deacon Joseph served Holy
Resurrection Church in Tacoma Washington, for ten years. He
fulfilled the meaning of the word deacon, "servant," not
only in the Altar, but through his diaconal ministry worked among
the Holy Resurrection Parish and in the Diocese of the
West.
With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN, a
fund has been established in Holy Resurrection Parish to assist
Deacon Joseph's family in their time of need. Contributions to
the Deacon Joseph Kerns Fund may be made to Holy Resurrection
Orthodox Church, P.O. Box 1332, Puyallup, WA 98371.
May the Lord God remember Deacon Joseph's
diaconate in His Kingdom, always, now and ever, and unto ages of
ages. |
| BISHOP
TIKHON RETIRES (posted
11/14/06)
His Grace, the Rt. Rev. TIKHON,
Bishop of San Francisco, Los Angeles and the West, has retired. Eis
Polla Eti Despota. His
Beatitude Metropolitan HERMAN is the locum tenens of the
Diocese of the West, as of November 14, 2006. His Grace, the Rt.
Rev. BENJAMIN, Bishop of Berkeley, is the temporary
Administrator of the Diocese, as of this date.
NOTE: There will
also be a Diocesan Assembly Episcopal Election of a Bishop on
Wednesday, January 31, 2007, at 1:00 - 3:00 PM.
The Annual
Mission Deanery Retreat is scheduled for Monday January 29 -
Wednesday January 31, 2007. Official delegates for the Retreat
should be ones to vote at the convocation. All clergy and
delegates should plan on evening flights home on Wednesday, January
31, 2007, in order to be able to attend the Diocesan Assembly
Episcopal Election. |
| DELEGATE
REPORT BOOKS (posted
9/19/06)
Delegate Report Books (3 volumes) for the Assembly
are available on-line
here. Delegates are responsible for downloading and
reading the reports prior to the Assembly. |
| 2006
DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY (posted
7/20/06)
The 2006 Diocesan Assembly will be held at St.
Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, from
Monday, October 2 through Wednesday, October 4, 2006. Registration
is now open. For assembly information, registration and more, click
here.
|
| V. REV. PROTOPRIEST VICTOR
SOKOLOV (posted 3/13/06)
V. Rev. Protopriest Victor Sokolov
fell asleep in the Lord at home during the night of
March 12, 2006, after a long bout with small-cell lung cancer, a
bout the length of which astonished his doctors and everyone else.
He stayed at his post as the Dean and Rector of the Holy Trinity
Cathedral, San Francisco, until the last, doing everything that he
had done before he had been struck with the cancer until the end;
reading/studying, writing, archiving, teaching, and enlivening all
with whom he came in contact with his Faith, Love, and
Hope.
The Funeral/Burial Service will be
at Holy Trinity Cathedral on Thursday morning, March 16. More
details are listed below. The ways of the Lord are indeed
incomprehensible and marvelous. From Moscow, as a dissident
journalist, to America and, finally, to Holy Trinity Cathedral, to
lead a renascence in the Life of that historic parish, Father
Victor's way was clearly marked out by the Holy Spirit and he never
diverged from it.
Memory eternal!
Commending all to Christ's love,
+Tikhon, The Bishop of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and the
West;
The Orthodox Church in America
The
funeral arrangements
for Fr. Victor Sokolov will be as follows:
Panikhida - March 13 at 7:00 p.m., Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Parking available at St. Brigid's on Van Ness beginning at
6:00 p.m.
Presanctified Liturgy followed by Panikhida
- Wednesday, 5:40 p.m. Parking at St. Brigid's beginning at
5:00 p.m. A meal will follow in the parish hall after the
Panikhida.
Funeral - Thursday 9:00 a.m. at Holy
Trinity followed by burial near Healdsburg. No parking is
available at St. Brigid's that morning.
If there are any changes, I will let you know immediately.
Love;
+Bishop Benjamin |
| 2006 LENTEN GIVING OPPORTUNITIES
(posted 3/15/06)
Opportunities for giving
to help others, especially during Great Lent, are now listed on this
website. Click here for more
information. |
| 2006 DEACONS' WORKSHOP (posted
1/8/06)
Information and on-line registration for the
Diocese of the West's 2006 Deacons' Workshop is now
available. The retreat will be held February 17-19 in Boulder
City, Nevada at the Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center. more |
________________________
| 2006 MISSION DEANERY RETREAT
(posted 12/31/05)
Information and on-line registration for the
Diocese of the West's 2006 Mission Deanery Retreat is now
available. The retreat will be held February 14-16 in Boulder
City, Nevada at the Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center. more |
| LENTEN
CHARITABLE PROJECTS (posted
12/30/05)
To the Reverend Clergy of the Diocese of the West:
With the blessing of Bishop Tikhon, there are two charitable
projects your parish or mission is encouraged to adopt during the
coming lenten period.
1) St. Petersburg Children's Hospice - Priest Michael
Anderson and I will be sending you information and several
suggestions for helping the children and youth of your parish or
mission raise funds for a hospice for children in St. Petersburg,
Russia. While we realize we can only offer modest assistance,
it is my hope the children of our diocese will make real contact
with children in Russia through letters and photographs and learn
the joy of giving.
2) The Gobezie Goshu Home of Ethiopia - We will also be
sending you information on the Gobezie Goshu home in Ethiopia which
offers shelter to homeless elderly in Tigre, Ethiopia. The
home was founded by a member of our diocese, Tsige-Roman Gobezie,
and provides food and shelter to the elderly poor.
+Bishop Benjamin |
| NATIVITY
SERVICES - ERROR IN OCA LITURGICAL SERVICE GUIDE (posted
12/23/05)
Dear Very
Reverend and Reverend Clergy:
There is an error in the OCA liturgical calendar/service guide.
Please note, because the Feast of the Nativity falls on a
Sunday, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is to be served on the
Forefeast, 24 December. On the day of the Nativity, 25
December (this is the error), the Liturgy of St. Basil is to be
served and not the Liturgy of St. John as the calendar indicates.
(See Festal Manaion, K. Ware, p. 252).
+Bishop Benjamin |
| UPCOMING RETREATS &
WORKSHOPS (posted
12/2/05) |
Mission Deanery Retreat: February 14-15,
2006, at Life-Giving Spring Retreat
Center in Boulder City, Nevada. All diocesan clergy are
welcome to attend. Contact Fr. Matthew Tate
for details.
Orientation for New Clergy: An orientation for all new clergy
to the Diocese of the West will be held at Life-Giving Spring Retreat
Center following the Mission Deanery Retreat, February 16-17,
2006. Topics to be discussed are: Diocesan Guidelines,
Assessments, Diocesan Departments, Role of the Dean and His Visits,
Mentors, Clergy Taxes, Liturgical Matters. All new clergy are
expected to attend. Further details will be sent out shortly.
Deacon/Subdeacon Workshop: February 18-19, 2006, at Life-Giving
Spring Retreat Center. Review of Hierarchical Liturgy, The Vigil, as
well as a discussion of diaconal ministry in the parish. Further
details will be sent out soon.
| ST. BARBARA MONASTERY FEAST DAY
CELEBRATION (posted 11/16/05) |
St. Barbara Monastery will be celebrating its feast
day for the first time at its new location with a Vigil Service on
Saturday, December 3, at 4 p.m. and a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on
Sunday, December 4, at 10 a.m., with His Grace Bishop Benjamin
officiating. Driving directions: the monastery is located
on Highway 150 six miles north of Santa Paula, California, which can
be reached by going west on Highway 126 from Highway 5 in Santa
Clarita or by going east on 126 from Highway 101 in Ventura.
Once you get to Santa Paula, take the 10th Street exit and go north
toward Ojai. When the road divides take the right fork; this will be
Ojai Rd. Look for the mailbox (15799) 1/4 mile after the
entrance to St. Thomas Aquinas College. Take the next driveway and
cross the narrow bridge going across the creek.
| FINAL VERSION! 2005 DIOCESAN
ASSEMBLY DELEGATE REPORT BOOK (posted
10/2/05)
|
COMPLETED, FINAL VERSION! The Delegate Report Book
has been revised and a final version is now available, as of Oct. 2, 2005. Please download this
updated version of the Report
Book and discard the prior version. Delegates will be responsible for
downloading the final version, which now includes the Minutes of the 2004 Diocesan
Assembly, as well as additional parish reports, an updated delegate
list, and the list of Stewards of the West. Delegates should
read this Report Book prior to the Assembly.
| 2005 DIOCESAN
ASSEMBLY (posted 9/10/05)
Deadline for on-line registration for the Assembly has
passed. Glen Eyrie is full. Late registrants must make
their own lodging arrangements. The deadline for submission of
reports has passed; the Delegate Report Book will be posted on this
website soon. |
| 2005 MATUSHKA RETREAT (posted
8/30/05)
The annual retreat for clergy wives will take place October
20-23, 2005, at the Life
Giving Spring Retreat Center in
Boulder City, NV. Notices have been sent to parishes. If you did not
receive information, you may contact Matushka Susanne Senyo at Holy
Virgin Mary Cathedral in Los Angeles.
His Grace Bishop BENJAMIN encourages clergy wives to attend this
event. Parishes are encouraged to cover some, if not all, of the
associated expenses. The retreat is for both priests' wives
and deacons' wives. His Grace says, "It is my firm
conviction your wives need to develop systems of mutual support and
this is the best medium we have to encourage it."
|
| 2005 DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY - CALL FOR REPORTS (posted
7/30/05)
Reports for the
2005 Diocesan Assembly were due in the Office of the Treasurer by
August 30, 2005.
|
| 2005 DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY - REGISTER NOW
The 2005 Diocesan Assembly will be
held at the Glen
Eyrie Retreat Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on
Wednesday, October 5, 2005 and Thursday, October 6, 2005. click
here for information
|
| LODGING FOR THE ALL-AMERICAN
COUNCIL (posted
6/6/05)
Two additional sites have been booked
to house delegates to the 14th
All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America in
Toronto July 17-22, 2005, according to the Very Rev. Myron D. Manzuk,
council manager. click
here for details
|
| ARCHPRIEST
VICTOR SOKOLOV (posted 4/9/05)
Hierarchs recently expressed their love and respect for Very Reverend
Archpriest Victor Sokolov, Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral, in his
time of sickness and infirmity, and confirmed that prayers are being
offered always for the Lord's mercy towards him. In addition, on the
request of His Grace Bishop TIKHON, the Holy Synod awarded Father Victor the privilege of
wearing the pectoral cross with decorations ("Jeweled
Cross") in recognition of his vigorous, intelligent, and
Orthodox stewardship of the Priesthood as Dean of Holy Trinity
Cathedral, and in The Diocese of the West and in The Orthodox Church
in America.
|
|
DIACONAL WORKSHOP REPORT (posted
3/8/05)
His Grace Bishop BENJAMIN reports,
"Our diocese recently held a workshop and retreat for deacons
and subdeacons at the Life Giving Spring Retreat Center in Boulder
City, Nevada. We were blessed to have two very excellent
speakers and instructors with us: Archdeacon Vsevolod
Borzokovsky and Deacon Kirill Sokolov. Separate and joint sessions were held for deacons and subdeacons at the center and at
St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church in Las Vegas. The
attendees were schooled in the All-Night Vigil and the Hierarchical
Liturgy. We were also very grateful for the labors of Deacon
Averky Davis of Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, Denver, who provided
the deacons with the manual for serving the Hierarchical Liturgy
that was our basic text. It is our hope and intent that an
annual workshop and retreat can be a regular part of our diocesan
life."
|
| MISSION DEANERY RETREAT (posted
2/25/05)
The 2005 Mission Deanery Retreat met
at the Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center in Boulder City, Nevada,
Feb. 21-23. click
for retreat pictures
|
| DIOCESAN COUNCIL MEETING (posted
2/14/05)
The Diocesan Council met
for its quarterly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at Christ the Savior
Church in San Francisco. click
for report
|
| COMMEMORATION FOR VICTIMS OF AUSCHWITZ
Thursday, January 27, 2005, marked
the 60th Anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz
concentration camp by the Soviet 60th Army of the First Ukrainian
Front. During its years of death, a total of 1,000,000 Jews, 150,000
non-Jewish Poles, 23,000 Gypsies, 15,000 Soviet prisoners of war and
10,000 war prisoners of other nationalities were killed or starved
to death at this monument to madness.
_________________________
|
| 2005 MISSION DEANERY RETREAT (posted
12/23/04)
The 2005 Mission Deanery
Retreat will be held Feb. 21-23 at the Life-Giving Spring Retreat
Center in Boulder City, Nevada. Speakers will be Fr. Paul Lazor,
Hieromonk Jonah and His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN. Clergy and laity from ALL
deaneries are invited to attend. Click here for official
announcement, agenda
and printable
registration form. (Acrobat
Reader needed to view these files.)
|
| ORTHODOX BOOKSTORE FORUM (posted
11/25/04)
A newly formed Yahoo! group has been
formed - an Orthodox bookstore forum. The group welcomes all
people involved with the operations of an Orthodox Christian
Bookstore, however large or small, or those wanting advice on how to
start one. Book reviews, vendor information, and practical
advice are welcome. Small publishers are also welcome to the
group. (The forum is moderated by a member of the Elevation of
the Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Sacramento).
|
| 2005 ASSEMBLY LOCATION (posted
11/25/04)
The 2005 Diocesan Assembly will take
place at the Glen Eyrie Conference Center in Colorado Springs,
Colorado, on October 5 and 6. Check-in will begin at 3:00 pm
on October 4. There will be a buffet supper at 6:00 pm.
|
| APPOINTMENT OF VICE-CHANCELLOR (posted
11/22/04)
(November 20, 2004 - Prefeast of the
Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple)
His Grace Bishop TIKHON has appointed the
Very Reverend Archpriest IAN MACKINNON,
Rector of the Holy
Cross parish of Sacramento, California, is appointed, in
addition to any and all other previous appointments in effect,
Vice-Chancellor of the Diocese of the West. This appointment is indefinite
and is effective November 15, 2004.
|
| WORKSHOP FOR DEACONS AND SUB-DEACONS (posted
10/28/04)
The Registration
Form and Retreat Schedule for the 2005 Retreat for Deacons and
Sub-Deacons is now available. The retreat will be held on
February 18-20 at Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center in Boulder City,
Nevada. Instructions on how to serve in hierarchical services
will be given. click
here for a printable copy of the Registration Form and Retreat
Schedule
|
| MEMORY ETERNAL (posted
10/21/04)
Mtka. Isabel Anderson fell asleep in
the Lord on October 13, 2004, in Billings, Montana. She is
survived by Fr. John Anderson, their children and grandchildren.
Memory eternal! A
tribute of Mtka. Isabel's life.
|
| RETREAT FOR DEACONS AND SUB-DEACONS (posted
10-7-04)
Bishop BENJAMIN will host
a retreat at the Live-Giving Retreat Center, in Boulder City, Nevada,
February 18-20, 2005, for deacons and sub-deacons. His
Grace will offer instructions on how to serve in a hierarchical
service. More details to follow.
|
| 2005 MISSION DEANERY RETREAT (posted
10/7/04)
The 2005 Mission Deanery
Retreat will be held Feb. 21-23 at the Life-Giving Spring Retreat
Center in Boulder City, Nevada. Speakers will be Fr. Paul Lazor
and His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN. Clergy and laity from ALL
deaneries are invited to attend. Fr. Jonah will also give a talk
at the retreat. Bishop
BENJAMIN will offer instruction to the clergy on how to serve the
All-night Vigil using Bishop DIMITRI’s new priest’s service book
as a guide. Fr. Matthew Tate is ordering copies of this book for
the clergy in the Mission Deanery who do not have a copy.
|
| 2004 DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY ~ DELEGATE REPORT BOOK
ADDENDUM (posted
9/17/04)
Addendum
#1 to the Report Book has been posted and is available for
download. click
here
Addendum #2
to the Report Book has been posted and is available for
download. click
here
All Delegates to the 2004 Assembly should download and read this
material, as well as the Report
Book itself.
|
| 2004 DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY ~ DELEGATE REPORT BOOK (posted
9/15/04)
The Delegates'
Report Book has been updated. New version available: click
here for the updated Delegate Report Book (revised 9/14/04).
Report books will not be
mailed. Please download
and print the on-line Report Book for your reference. Delegates
are responsible for reading this material prior to the Assembly.
(Note: Acrobat
Reader is required for reading this book.)
|
| FR. PAUL SCHELLBACH - NEWS (posted
7/27/04)
Fr. Paul Schellbach, currently stationed in Iraq
serving our service men and women as a Chaplain in the Army, will be
coming home on August 18 for two weeks rest and recreation. He
returns to Iraq on September 2. Lord willing, He will finish his
tour in January 2005.
|
| 2004 MATUSHKI RETREAT (posted
7/24/04)
The 2004 Matushki Retreat will be held October 21 -
24, 2004 at the Life-Giving Spring
Retreat Center in Boulder City, Nevada. The cost of $175
includes everything except transportation. Thursday
is reserved for check in, and visiting time. Friday and Saturday
are a full schedule of teaching and other activities. Retreatants
will attend the Divine Liturgy at St Paul's in Las Vegas.
Invitation/registration forms will be mailed or are
available here: registration
form. Retreat coordinators this year are Matushka
Debra Tomasi (310-821-8121) and Matushka Janet Fabula (970-874-0214).
Please contact either one with questions about the
retreat.
|
| CALL FOR REPORTS ~ 2004 DIOCESAN
ASSEMBLY (posted 7/24/04)
To all Diocesan Officers, Diocesan Institutions,
Monastic Institutions, Area Deans, Department Chairs, and
Parishes: Reports
for the 2004 Diocesan Assembly are due in the Office
of the Treasurer by August
30, 2004. The
preferred methods of delivery are email and fax. All reports
will be posted on this website at
in September. click
here for full instructions
2004
Parish Reporting Form - click here for copy
|
| IT'S A BOY! (posted
7/24/04)
Serge Anthony Tobias, infant son of Priest Peter and
Mtka.
Maria, was born Friday, May 16, 2004. Serge weighed in at 7 lbs.
10 oz. Fr. Peter serves at St.
Anthony the Great Mission in Bozeman, MT.
|
| 2004 DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY (posted
7/5/04)
The 2004 Diocesan
Assembly will be held at Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral in Los Angeles,
California from Tuesday, October 5, 2004, through Wednesday, October
6, 2004. Registration information will be mailed to parishes on
July 6, 2004. information
& registration
|
| FORT ROSS RETREAT (posted
6/1/04)
 This year's celebration at historic
Fort Ross
has been set for Monday, July 5. Divine Liturgy at 10
a.m. His Grace Bishop BENJAMIN will be serving.
Historic Fort Ross houses one of the oldest Orthodox
chapels in the country. Originally built as a trading post for the
Russian American Company in the 1830s, a small chapel was built in the
fort to service the Orthodox in the region. St. Innocent, the first
bishop in America served there in 1836 while on a trip to California.
Since then there has been a continuous Orthodox presence and each year
the Diocese of the West of the Orthodox Church in America celebrates a
Liturgy which gathers the faithful from the region. Directions
to Fort Ross are easy. It is located about two hours north of San
Francisco along Highway 1. Exit at Fort Ross State Park.
|
| ARCHIMANDRITE
BENJAMIN TO BE CONSECRATED BISHOP OF BERKELEY (posted
4/2/04)
SAN FRANCISCO -- His Grace, Bishop TIKHON of San
Francisco and the Diocese of the West, Orthodox 
Church in America
announces that Archimandrite Benjamin's Episcopal Consecration will be
celebrated at Holy Trinity Cathedral, San Francisco, California, on
Friday, April 30, 2004, and Saturday, May 1, 2004 . The canonical
election will be held at 6:00 PM on Friday, April 30, 2004, followed
by Great Vespers.
Divine Liturgy and the Consecration of Archimandrite Benjamin as
Bishop of Berkeley and Auxiliary to His Grace, Bishop TIKHON will be
celebrated on Saturday, May 1, 2004 . His Beatitude HERMAN, Archbishop
of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, primate of the
Orthodox Church in America, will preside at the service which will be
begin at 9:30 AM.
A banquet in honor of the newly consecrated Bishop of Berkeley
Benjamin will be held at 1:30 PM at the renowned McCormick and
Kuleto's Seafood Restaurant, located in historic Ghirardelli Square.
Reservations for the Consecration Banquet and other details related to
the festive weekend are available on the Cathedral's web site: www.holy-trinity.org.
Archimandrite Benjamin was born Vincent Peterson in Pasadena,
California, on
June 1, 1954 and was baptized and chrismated at Holy Virgin Mary
Cathedral, Los Angeles, California, on April 27, 1972. In 1978 he was
awarded a Master of Divinity degree and Certificate in Liturgical
Music from Saint Vladimir Seminary.
A prolific musician, he served as choirmaster at parishes in Detroit,
Michigan, and Los Angeles and as chairman of the Orthodox Church in America's
Department of Liturgical Music. He was ordained to the Holy
Diaconate on November 15, 1987 by Bishop Tikhon at his home parish,
which he served for 10 years as deacon and youth and education
director. The following year he was tonsured a riasophore monk
by Bishop Tikhon and further tonsured to the lesser schema by His
Eminence, Archbishop [now Metropolitan] Herman at Saint Tikhon
Monastery, South Canaan, Pennsylvania. In 1991 he was elevated to the rank
of archdeacon.
On July 19, 1997, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop
Tikhon. In 1999, Igumen Benjamin was transferred to the Diocese of
Alaska. In addition to other responsibilities, he served as dean of
Saint Innocent Cathedral and later as administrative dean of Saint
Herman Seminary, Kodiak, Alaska. He was elevated to the rank of
archimandrite in 2002. In January 2004 he was reassigned to Holy
Virgin Mary Cathedral, Los Angeles, and appointed Chancellor of the
Diocese of the West.
Upon his consecration to the episcopacy, Bishop-Elect Benjamin will
serve as Auxiliary to His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of San Francisco, and
as such will continue to be Diocesan Chancellor.
Holy Trinity Cathedral, the site of the consecration, is the oldest
Orthodox community in the contiguous United States. The Cathedral,
established in 1857, is the seat of the Bishop Tikhon of San Francisco
and the Diocese of the West, Orthodox Church in America. For further
information, please visit www.holy-trinity.org
or contact the event chairman, V. Rev. Victor Sokolov, Cathedral Dean.
Phone: 415-673-8565 or e-mail: consecration@holy-trinity.org.
|
| ARCHIMANDRITE BENJAMIN ELECTED TO THE EPISCOPACY
(posted 3/21/04)
Matters
related to the episcopacy of the Orthodox Church in America were among
the numerous issues discussed by members of the Holy Synod of Bishops
during their annual spring session in Syosset, New York, March 15-18,
2004.
At the spring session,
Archimandrite Benjamin [Peterson] was elected to the episcopacy to
serve as Bishop of Berkeley and Auxiliary to His Grace, Bishop Tikhon
of San Francisco and the West.
A native son of the
Diocese of the West and former dean of Saint Herman Orthodox
Theological Seminary, Kodiak, Alaska, Archimandrite Benjamin will
be consecrated to the episcopacy at Holy Trinity Cathedral, San
Francisco, California, on Saturday, May 1, 2004, with his
canonical election taking place on the preceding evening.
|
| CLERGY RETREAT NEWS (posted
3/8/04)
Brothers:
His Grace, Bishop TIKHON has asked me to inform you all our that the
clergy retreat, originally scheduled for May 3-5, 2004, at the
Life-Giving Spring Retreat Center will have to be postponed due to
some schedule conflicts. I sincerely hope this will not cause
too much difficulty for you.
- Archimandrite Benjamin, Chancellor
|
| NEW CHANCERY PHONE NUMBER (posted
2/26/04)
Archimandrite Benjamin announces that
the new phone number for the diocesan chancery is: (702)
293-7092.
|
| WELCOME TO ARCHIMANDRITE BENJAMIN (posted
1/19/04)
It is a pleasure to welcome Archimandrite Benjamin
back into the Diocese of the West! Father Benjamin arrived in
the Diocese on Jan. 9, 2004, and is settling in at his new residence
at Life Giving Spring Retreat Center in Boulder City. As
directed by Bishop TIKHON, Fr. Benjamin will
take over duties as Chancellor of the Diocese, beginning Jan. 20,
2004.&nbs | |
