Messenger - St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral

Messenger
The Cathedral
Volume 25, Number 9
October 2016
A Publication of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Our Last Stand
On Monday, September 19, the Wichita Chapter of
In Defense of Christians hosted a public screening
of “Our Last Stand”, a Jordan Allott film produced in
conjunction with IDC and a likeminded organization, A
Demand for Action. IDC Director of Media Communications Ninar Keyrouz, who is a friend of the Wichita
community, was associate producer of the film.
The screening was hosted by the Warren Theatre
East, a prominent location of Wichita’s largest theater
chain. Owner Bill Warren and his staff were extremely
gracious and helpful in providing the theater free of
charge and in organizing the screening.
The Wichita Chapter worked hard to publicize the
event to local churches and other outlets. Over 200
people responded and attended the screening. Most
were not of Middle Eastern heritage and were new to
the cause and to the mission of IDC. Regardless of
background, all the viewers were deeply moved by
wichita premiere
exposure to the plight of suffering Christians and their
hopes for revival in their homelands.
Panel discussion followed the screening, featuring Producer Jordan Allot, Assyrian Christian Activist
Nahren Anweya, and IDC-Wichita Spiritual Advisor Fr.
Paul O’Callaghan. IDC Wichita Chapter Chair Nassim
Nabbout introduced the panel. After introductory questions to Jordan and Nahren from Fr. Paul, the floor was
opened to audience questions. The Q & A session lasted over an hour and could have kept going beyond that!
The membership of IDC-Wichita is deeply grateful
to Producer Jordan Allott for his fine work, to Activist
Nahren Anweya for her passionate testimony, and to
Bill Warren and his staff for their generosity and helpfulness. Together they made for a memorable and moving
experience that hopefully will cause many to become
active in support of our persecuted fellow Christians.
Dean, V. Rev. Paul O’Callaghan • St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
7515 East Thirteenth Street • Wichita, KS 67206-1223 • (316) 636-4676 • http://www.stgeorgecathedral.net
Memory Eternal
Evelyne Nasir, 9/25 in Lebanon
grandmother of Janane Zayat
Alice Zakharia, 9/11 in Lebanon
(mother of George Zakharia)
Many Years!
Bulletin Board
Mabrook! Blessings !
Spencer Christian and Jennifer Regan, 9/17
Adult Education Series
A Series Exploring the Holy
Sites of the Orthodox World
Orthodox Pilgrimage
2016 Women’s Retreat
Envisioning the Kingdom:
the Why and How of Beauty in the Orthodox Church
Featuring
Kh. Krista West
November 11-13
All Saints Orrthodox Church
— Salina, KS
More info email: (Katherine) kcearles@gmail.com or
(Rebekah) organizerbekah@yahoo.com
October Fasting
During this period, the normal fasting traditions
are observed: abstain from meat, poultry and
dairy products on Wednesdays and Fridays.
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Vol. 25 • No. 9
Oct 5 Constantinople & Mount Athos
(Jon de Jong, Warren Farha, Dn. David Sebits)
Oct 12 Greece (Athanasius & Basiliki Sherry)
Oct 19 Jerusalem (Glenn & Nancy Kubina)
Oct 26 TBA
All presentations will take place on Wednesday
evenings following Vespers at 7:15p
Women’s Faith & Growth
Join us in the Teen Room
as we study
“Thirty Steps To
Heaven”
Thursday, October 20 at 7:15p
OCT 2016
Article
April Fools for Christ: A Church Reborn
On April 1 (“April Fools Day”),
2016, I received an email. It
was from the new owner of
the rental property that had
become “home” to the Three
Hierarchs Orthodox Mission
community for six years. “This
is purely a business decision,”
it read. “You will need to vacate the property in 30 days,
by April 30.”
I was stunned. Was it an April
Fools joke? We had sent the
proposed rental agreement
back to the new owner weeks
ago but had not heard back. In
his initial phone call the owner
had expressed his desire for the church to continue its tenancy.
April 30 was the eve of Pascha, the night of the glorious
celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ! It proved to be our last at this store front property. This
was the “church” my son, now eight, grew up in. After several
phone calls and some pleading, the company extended the vacate date for a period of one week to May 6, but no longer.
Once the reality set in we began a fast and furious search for a
new church rental property. Easier said than done. Property is
at a premium in Wenatchee, WA…and pricey. Even if we found
an appropriate property, the City requires a “conditional use permit,” a process that takes two to three months. And the requirements for a church assembly would likely require improvements
or additions to current properties. Even so, we scoured the city
looking for a potential home, but every door seemed to close.
Perhaps we could share space with another Christian community for a while? Several good intended congregations responded. “You can use our space between 8:30 and 9:30am
on Sunday mornings!” These kindly people had no idea that
Orthodox worship takes place
outside of earthly time…
which means longer than one
hour! We Orthodox Christians love to share our faith,
but space…that’s a little more
difficult.
After some prayer and reflection, it became clear to us
that the Lord was giving us a
gentle “push” to speed up our
plans for building on the property that we had purchased
two years prior. But the final
product, which was in the early stages of planning, would
take at least several years.
How could we move onto our
property quickly and affordVol. 25 • No. 9
3
ably, establishing a permanent
Orthodox Christian presence
in our community?
A plan was conceived…what
has become known as Three
Hierarchs interim church plan.
We have purchased a spacious
modular building (1,700 sq. ft.)
that will become our temporary church temple. The small
rental house, with kitchen and
bathroom, will become our
fellowship hall of sorts along
with the sturdy detached garage next door. A pleasant
courtyard will sit in the center
of the three buildings. These
will become our little “Orthodox village” until such time plans can be made and funds
raised for a traditional Orthodox church temple and hall.
Unfortunately, a $75,000 project quickly becomes a
$150,000 project once the City gets involved! But we believe with God all things are possible. God willing, most of
the work will be done by members of our congregation. We
have already replaced the antiquated irrigation system, uprooted trees, and begun leveling the appropriate areas.
Our property is beautifully situated across from the
Wenatchee City Cemetery where our new facilities will be
seen by many passer-bys at all hours of the day. What began with about twelve Orthodox Christians has flowered
into a congregation of seventy-five members and catechumens (that with more than 20 members moving to different
locations over the years). Almost none of these came to us
as Orthodox Christians, but have found the true faith since
our ministry began here.
With God’s help we expect to make our vision a reality and
to have many more seekers knock on the doors of God’s Holy
Church. In the meantime –
to complete the story – we
worship in a funeral home
on the weekends and in my
home on weekdays.
Please keep us in your
holy prayers and visit us
from time to time on our
website at www.wenorthodox.com. Any assistance you can offer is deeply appreciated!”
With love in Christ,
A Son of St. George
Cathedral,
Fr. Michael Shanbour
OCT 2016
Kenya Travels
A Week with the Children of Kenya
by Sandy Sipp
Upon entering Kenya, the
first thing that strikes you
will be the fact that not
one single clock works.
They’re hanging everywhere and ready to be
used, but none have fresh
batteries and can’t be
called upon for their one
sole use. I’m sure there
were many outside the
airport that were ready
for us, but we didn’t find
them. We were trained
at OCMC to be flexible
and prepare for this, but
until you’re there you
can’t possibly understand
that time doesn’t exist in
Kenya. But therein lies
the beauty of this experience; the joy of living
in the moment with our
Kenyan Orthodox family.
Our first day there was
spent in an attempt
to get over our jet lag
and get to Nyeri, where
the Makarios Children’s
Home is located. That
evening, we were invited
to dinner with Bp Neofitos. During dinner, he made us aware of several issues
Kenya faces. Transportation (which OCMC is tackling with
help from many churches through a motorcycle donation), Orthodox education for the priests AND for the parish, and funding for the building of new churches, etc. are
just a few of these struggles. He told us of the children
at the home who were anticipating our lessons on solid
Orthodox teaching, and the teachers who were looking
for fresh ideas on how to educate the kids. The bishop
clearly cares deeply for his people and was eager for our
help. Our minds full and our bodies weary, we finally fell
asleep while listening to the imam from a local mosque
call his brethren to prayer.
After the rooster’s first crow (literally) the next morning,
we were off to liturgy at the school for the feast of the Dormition. Our first liturgy in Nyeri was quite the experience.
We were surrounded by
the Orthodox faithful, including many of the children we would be working with during the week
who watched us with
inquisitive eyes. And for
the record, they do in fact
play drums and dance in
(at least this part of) Africa while receiving communion! We spoke with
Samuel the choir director
at the church who said,
“As Africans, we are born
with rhythm and music
in our spine. If we didn’t
allow dancing and singing in church, the people wouldn’t come.” It’s
so hard not to smile and
move while the church
in Kenya celebrates the
Eucharist. What a beautiful expression of faith
and Orthodoxy!
After liturgy the Bishop
blessed the motor bikes
given by OCMC for the
priests who live in the farthest reaches of Kenya.
While liturgy was going
on, we noticed priests streaming in during every part of
the service. The bishop later said this was due to the lack
of transportation and how far away they must come from
to see the bishop or their parish members. Thank God for
these donations!
The rest of the week we were blessed to teach the kids
about Orthodoxy and to form and build relationships with
them in small groups. Ella was such a novelty for these
kids who couldn’t believe that an American kid would
come to spend time with them. The kids fought to hold
her hand and could often be found petting her hair and
examining how different her blonde locks appeared from
their own! Ella befriended many, but bonded with two
girls with troubling stories during the week. Damaris, a
beautiful and intelligent girl with severe scoliosis, and
Valerie who is left forever changed thanks to untreated
continues next page
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OCT 2016
Kenya
attempt to burn her alive simply because he didn’t want her
anymore, to Rachel whose body stopped growing thanks to
HIV, it’s obvious that he cares deeply and hurts alongside
the kids who need his influence (they call him “dad”). He is
desperately trying to think of ways to make the school selfsustaining and gave us each a bracelet made by the kids
that he hopes to maybe one day sell in America.
malaria, would hold Ella’s hand to and from our different
classes and breaks. Damaris wrote Ella an eloquent letter
thanking her for her friendship and love and gave her a
plaque reused from her middle school graduation. Both
girls were unwanted due to their ailments but are strong
and love God. The relationship Ella formed with these two
girls was precious and left Ella sad to leave them.
My most treasured relationship was made with a little
guy named Gabriel. During most of the week he made it
known that he did not want to be present, and absolutely
would not participate in the crafts or lessons we were
giving. I spoke with a staff member who said that Gabriel
was recently pulled from the streets and wasn’t happy
about losing his freedom and being forced to do school.
One day I was reading to the kids about the saints when
I felt my hair suddenly being braided by many hands.
I kept reading and let what I thought were many girls
continued to braid. After the story I turned around and
was surprised to find that it was a group of boys braiding
with Gabriel in the lead! I let them finish while laughing
with the kids about this. After this point, Gabriel was my
friend. He would often sit by me or quietly walk with me
to lunch and breaks. At one point he even jumped in
while I was struggling to drag a suitcase full of craft items
and threw the suitcase over his shoulder to help me out.
I told the bishop who said that sometimes, all these kids
need is the touch from another person on THEIR terms to
feel validated and respected. Letting Gabriel braid my hair
made him feel loved and gained me a new friend.
David, a devout man from the Congo who came to Orthodoxy on his own from reading and studying books on
church history, is in charge of the children’s home. He is a
mighty advocate for the kids and will often spend his free
time trying to find the extended family of the kids who
live at the home currently, or searching the streets for
children who need a home now. David told us many tales
about the children residing at the home that were troubling. From Milka, who bears the scars of her stepfather’s
Our last day was spent at the Nyeri cathedral with Bishop
Neofitos. We were in church for five hours with at least
three hundred Kenyans for a service that contained the
bishop’s first ordination, and some Masai women who were
recently reunited with the church. Samuel, the choir director, said that when Masai convert, there is much rejoicing.
Masai are a tribe in Africa who have fought to maintain
their traditional way of life and are very stubborn. When
the Orthodox clergy visit the Masai, they are very conscious
of being respectful of their traditions which include drinking
blood when it’s offered. Winning them to Orthodoxy is a
cause for celebration!
When it was time for us to depart, we were given a royal
send off! All the papadias (priest’s wives) were lined up and
greeted us with the gift of a blanket for each OCMC team
member. They sang and danced and wrapped us in their
love and blankets as we said goodbye; truly a farewell we
will never forget and a perfect example of the Kenyan’s love
for people and their kind hospitality.
We are so thankful for this trip and for the donations that
made it happen! The kids absolutely loved spending time
with Ella and were touched by her visit, and were also quite
excited that their American Orthodox brothers and sisters
were there to spend time with them and to share liturgy
together with them as a family. Consider a trip like this in
the future! Your presence does make a difference in their
lives and will in yours as well. We have learned what the
church should be;
an unencumbered
love for fellow man
where liturgy and
the Eucharist are
celebrated with joy
and enthusiasm! The
Kenyans
embrace
Orthodoxy with a
fervor that made us
realize how much we
take our own church
for granted. Pray for
them! And pray that
we as Americans
can be just as thankful for what we are
blessed with.
Youth
We started out the YES Trip with a
Prayer Tour. We went around to five
different sites in Oklahoma City and
prayer for a certain group of people
in the city. This is a picture of our
group in front of the Oklahoma City
National Memorial. 9:01 is the time
before the bomb; on the other side is
9:03, the time after the bomb.
We prayed for all who were
affected by the bombing in 1995.
On Saturday, we went to
Sister BJ’s Pantry where they
“feed the hungry, clothe the
naked, give shelter to the
homeless and visit the sick.”
Our teens hosted a
barbecue for all of their patrons. We served the food and
also got a chance to visit with
the homeless who came to
eat. We also helped to restock
their food pantry and organize the clothing room.
Saturday afternoon we had an
amazing World Party at the park in
the Myriad Garden. Balloons, face
painting, bubbles, snacks, inspirational signs, and lots of love shared
with families who were overjoyed
at the surprise party they found
in the park on a regular Saturday
afternoon.
Our teens are excited to host our
very own World Party in Wichita on
October 29!
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Vol. 25 • No. 9
OCT 2016
Community Corner
Community Support
by Traci Spencer
we’d love to have you join us!
“for I was hungry and you gave Me drink; I was a
stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you
clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in
prison and you came to Me”
— Matthew 25: 35-36
Completed Projects
The Lord’s Diner
On Sunday, September 18th, St. George volunteers
helped serve meals to the homeless in our community at
the Broadway location.
ST. IGNATIUS The Archdiocese Board of Trustees
will be meeting in Wichita October 28, 29 & 30th.
We ask all St. Ignatius Members to please wear
their crosses to the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on
Sunday, October 30th. If anyone would like to be
inducted in the Order by Metropolitan JOSEPH,
please contact Jacque Kouri – 683-8249, Nancy
Cohlmia, 634-3999 or Brenda Farha, 684-0059.
What’s Coming Up ???
Young At Heart Bingo!
On Tuesday, October 25th, from 11:30-1:00 in the St.
George Fellowship Hall. Come enjoy a good meal catered by Michael Farha, fellowship, and Bingo with
members from St. George, St. Mary, and St. Michael.
Next Meeting Tuesday,
October 11th
12:00 noon in the conference room.
We would love to have you join us!!
Fellowship Hall Excavation and Dirt Work
Perhaps you’ve noticed – cracks have appeared on the
walls in the hallway and the Fellowship Hall. For several
months the Parish Council Facilities Committee has been
investigating this phenomenon. An engineering firm was
hired to drill through the slab and take core samples. One
of the cores produced unusually wet soil. Somehow water has been collecting under the slab and affecting the
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Vol. 25 • No. 9
stability of the soil.
To correct this problem the Parish Council authorized a
major intervention involving re-sloping the turf, adding
new drains, and sealing the slab. Total project cost will
be close to $20,000. Drainage away from the building has
been drastically improved. Time will tell if this will be a
complete solution to the problem.
OCT 2016
83rd
St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
The
Annual
Lebanese Dinner
& Food Sale 2016
Saturday, October 8 t h , 4 - 8 p.m.
Sunday, October 9 t h , 12 - 7 p.m.
• Dine-In or Drive Thru
• Cathedral Tours throughout the day
• Country Kitchen with Ethnic Specialties
& Homemade Goodies
Adults - $16 • Children - $8
(age 10 & under)
Tickets & Information • 316-636-4676
7515 East 13th St • www.stgeorgecathedral.net
Messenger
The Cathedral
St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
7515 East 13th Street North
Wichita, KS 67206-1223
www.stgeorgecathedral.net
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