For four days in July, two young men from our parish, Bailey Combs and Jonathan Wolf gave of their time and energy to help those in need by volunteering with Project Mexico, an Orthodox outreach based in the Tijuana area, dedicated to serving the poor in Mexico through home construction, as well as through St. Innocent Orphanage. Bailey and Jonathan joined a team that also included several friends of St. Stephens: Sharon and Hanna Zimmerman, Dan Clevenger, Kurt (Rdr. Joshua) Bringerud, Anthony Moretti (from St. George in Terre Haute) and Jenny Zimmerman, who is serving as an intern at Project Mexico.
The boys described their work days as generally beginning at 9am and ending at 4:30pm. In just four days, a piece of land, described by Bailey as “basically a slope the size of St. Stephen’s back meeting room,” was leveled, foundation poured, framed, roofed, and walled (using chicken wire and stucco). In the end, a two bedroom house was presented to the Rodriguez family, whom Bailey, Jonathan, and the team got to know during the week.
The trip provided many opportunities to reflect upon the conditions in which the “least among us” live, and to see the real need, as followers of Christ, to serve them, and to take stock of our own lifestyles. One of the most profound differences, according to Bailey, involved the difference in access to clean water. He described that water had to be shipped in, and most of it was not drinkable, but was for washing, etc. Water was a valued and scarce commodity for them, while for us, it can often be so accessible that it is taken for granted.
We welcome Jonathan and Bailey back, and extend our gratitude and encouragement to them, for “Stepping Out” this summer, and serving in Christ’s vineyard. Many years!
In mid-June, His Beatitude Metopolitan JONAH appointed Fr. Joel Weir as Associate Priest at St. Stephens. Father Joel is a “native son” of St. Stephen’s, having converted to Orthodoxy with his family, Presbytera Maria, Ophelia, and Liam, in 2003. Father Joel and his family spent the past four years at St. Tikhon’s Seminary, where Fr. Joel earned a B.A. in Theology and M.Div with distinction in Scripture. Father Joel was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on June 6, 2009 at St. Stephen’s by His Eminence, Archbishop JOB (of blessed memory). Fr. Joel is also the resident priest at St. John’s Camp, an outreach of St. Stephens parish.
Christ is Risen!
This year St. Stephen’s had a wonderful midnight Paschal service. In the Orthodox Church the Paschal service begins late Saturday night (11:30 PM at St. Stephen’s) and ends early Sunday morning (around 2 AM at St. Stephen’s). After which there is a feast with lots of meats cheeses and some good wine or beer. Traditionally Orthodox Christians partake in a Lenten fast, abstaining from all meat and dairy as well as alcohol and oils; the early morning feast marks the breaking of that fast and a week long celebration of our risen Lord and Savior (called Bright Week).
Pascha 2010 - After circling three times around the church, the congregation does a small part of the service on the church steps by candle-light