Holy Trinity Orthodox Church

We took a remarkable step this past Sunday, voting with no dissent (and one abstention) to purchase property for our Snyder County Outreach, the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. It was an affirmation of a core value we have had since our inception: we do not exist merely to minister to ourselves and the immediate community: Our church exists to build up the Church beyond our parish.

Fr. John trains Chapel members at “Boot Camp,” a church planting workshop currently being resurrected in the Orthodox Church of America.

Your overwhelming vote of confidence for our Beavertown brethren allows the Chapel to close on a 0.55-acre tract of land that will become an active base of ministry in due time. Strategic planning is already underway to expand outreach opportunities in order to facilitate construction of a permanent building. In fact, earlier this week, on the very day a team from the Chapel completed an intensive two-day church planting workshop, Holy Trinity surpassed its $9,000 fundraising goal. When added to offerings from the Chapel proper, these generous donations ensure that enough money is available for both the land and closing costs (approximately $42,000 in all), while keep-ing funds in reserve for future expenses.

The Chapel forms an integral part of Holy Trinity’s life, providing sacramental ministry for the over ten percent of our parish that lives as far away as Lewisburg and Selinsgrove. In England, such an arrangement would be known as a chapel-of-ease, providing pastoral care and service to people living at some distance from the parish church.

Currently, the Chapel meets in the home of Dave and Brenda Smith in Beavertown, but space has become a problem attempting to accommodate more worshippers. Attendance averages between 25 and 30 on the Sundays when the Divine Liturgy is held.

Since 2009, Fr. Basil has been serving the Chapel as priest-in-charge, increasing services from only one vespers per month to two liturgies and two vespers per month. Additional services are forecast for the not distant future.

Special thanks to everyone who have contributed so sacrificially to this effort, as well as to those State College residents who take turns traveling to help the Chapel learn all the “ins-and-outs” of Orthodox liturgical life, especially Dr. Bob Roberts and members of the Holy Trinity Choir.

— Fr. John

by Maria Roeber

Farah na amani! (Joy and Peace!)

This is the traditional Christian greeting here in Tanzania, and it’s one of the first phrases I’ve learned since arriving here about a week ago! Greetings from Bukoba!

My journey here started in State College, Pennsylvania where I’d been staying with my parents for the month of May, having moved out of my apartment in the DC area. While Mom headed to California to visit my brother, Dad drove me down to Washington, where I boarded a plane for London. My next flight took me to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Next I flew to Mwanza, a smaller city on the Eastern side of Lake Victoria. My fellow OCMC Missionary, Michael Pagedas, welcomed me to town and we spent a couple of days resting there before taking an overnight ferry across Lake Victoria to Bukoba!

I’m living in a house belonging to the Orthodox Church, right next to Twelve Apostles Orthodox Church, quite a fitting name since my first Sunday Liturgy here fell on the Feast of Pentecost! Between Matins and Liturgy, Kneeling Vespers and the Churching of a mother and child, the service lasted about four hours! Quite a welcome! I now know a few more phrases in Kiswahili: “Bwana hurumia,” means “Lord, have mercy,” and “Amina” means “Amen!” I’ve also learned that “Karibu!” means, “Welcome!” and everyone here says it to me! “Asante” means, “Thank you!” and I say that word more than anything else!

The weather here is a balmy 75 degrees, with blue skies and sunshine all day, every day. We’re officially in the “dry season,” so I’m being diligent about sunscreen and hats, as we’re very close to the equator . Outside the house are palm trees and roses in the front garden, as well as an avocado tree in the back yard! We’ ve had guacamole for dinner a couple of times already!

Speaking of food, the diet here consists mostly of carbohydrate staples like beans and rice, and potatoes. We eat those every day for our main meal, and usually have some type of fried bread for breakfast. I’ve eaten pineapple and guava so far, and vegetables are usually green peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant. Dairy is fairly non-existent, although you can buy eggs here. Meat is rare in our household diet. We do have access to bottled water, which I am drinking almost to the exclusion of anything else!

Each morning the church bells awaken us for Matins, which is served at 7 a.m., and every evening we hear Father ring the bell for Vespers at 6 p.m. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, we go to Liturgy. I’m blessed to have a copy of the Divine Liturgy with Kiswahili on one page and English on the next, so I am able to participate a little. I’ve been made most welcome in the congregation by many people, but especially by Simeon, our priest’s 16 month-old son. Simeon toddles up to me any time I enter church and either grabs my fingers to hold my hand or throws both of his arms around my knees until I pick him up. He’s been a delightful companion, as he’s in about the same language-development stage as I!

I have so much more to tell you, but I’ll save it for another update. Overall, I am well and am almost adjusted to the time change, I’m making small journeys into town to learn my way around and accomplish chores and errands, and I am blessed to live with dear friends and missionaries from the United States, so I am well supported by people who’ve been here for nearly a year.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support over the past year! I wouldn’t be here without you, and I am so excited to begin my ministry as a nurse and more importantly as a loving witness for Christ! You are in my prayers and I ask for yours! Glory to God for all things!

In Christ,
Maria

On Holy Saturday, April 23, Holy Trinity officially welcomed into our community seven new parishioners through Holy Baptism and Chrismation. May God grant many years to the newly-illuminated servants of God, Benjamin, Dimitri, Joelle, Julia, Laura, Mary, and Virginia!

In the Orthodox tradition, baptism is the participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For this reason, baptisms are commonly held in connection with Pascha (Easter). Imitating their Lord and Savior, the baptized person dies to this world and is born again in the resurrection of Christ into eternal life. In the service that follows–Chrismation–the candidate receives “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 8, 1 Cor. 6, 2 Cor. 1:21-22). This is the “new birth by water and the Holy Spirit” into the Kingdom of God as described in the Gospel of St. John (3:5).