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January 2012

2012 Missions and Evangelism Conference Podcasts

January 28, 2012

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Listen To Talks Online at:

http://ancientfaith.com/specials/2012_missions_and_evangelism_conference

This year, the Missions and Evangelism Department of the Antiochian Archdiocese teamed with North Texas Orthodox Missions for a joint conference held in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. The speakers were Fr. Joseph Huneycutt, Fr. Evan Armatas, and Fr. Peter Gillquist. The dates were January 20-21, 2012. The conference was dedicated to the memory of His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri.

Lecture on Parish Development and Growth

January 25, 2012

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Father Alexander Atty, a St. Vlads graduate and Dean of St. Tikhon's Seminary will be speaking at St. Raphael in Inverness on Saturday, February 11th at 9 am.  The topic of this pre-Lenten retreat will be "The Prodigal Son: Repentance and Forgiveness".  The afternoon session will focus on parish dynamics and growth.  Father Alexander is an expert on this subject.  As the Rector of St. Michael in Louisville, KY ( http://www.stmichaelorthodoxchurch.org/ ) he witnessed 30 years of continuous parish growth.  Today, St. Michael's has hundreds of parish members.  The opportunity to meet and speak with Fr. Alexander will most likely be well worth the drive for yourself and members of your parish.

Details are on the 
attached handout in pdf format.

So that we can get a better idea for donuts in the morning and how many to plan for lunch in our hall, please RSVP if you can attend

In Christ's enduring love,

Fr. David

New Orthodox Book on the Gospels Available

January 24, 2012

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I would like to announce that my new book, Encountering Jesus in the Gospels, is being released today for publication. The book is a series of easy to read pastoral reflections on basic Gospel images of Jesus: Jesus the Bread, Jesus the Vine, Jesus the King, and so forth. Each chapter has a series of questions for personal reflection, for spiritual journaling, or for small group discussion. The book is a great resource for personal and group Bible study and sermon preparation. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933275618?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1

Wishing everyone a good 2012. 

Fr. Bill Mills 

(For a discount on bulk copies for parish bible studies or bookstores please contact the publisher at 
info@orthodoxresearchinstitute.org)

Advanced Praise for Encountering Jesus in the Gospels:

In this welcome and wonderfully accessible book, Father William Mills very skillfully cuts through the fog of the current Jesus wars and helps readers discover for themselves the richly diverse answers provided in the gospels to Jesus' own question: "Who do you say that I am?"" 

Adam DeVille, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Theology
University of Saint Francis

"At first glance this book is a study of the names and titles of Jesus, proves to be far more, as each name proves, in the author's related experience to be a point of meeting with the Lord. Surely people will have a deeper intimacy with Christ from this brief, but life touching, book." 

Bishop Seraphim Sigrist

Dr. Margaret Barker to Deliver Schmemann Lecture at St. Vladimir's Seminary

January 18, 2012

On Sunday, January 29, 2012, Dr. Margaret Barker, the independent scholar who developed what is now known as “Temple Theology”—a unique approach for studying ancient Christianity—will be presenting afree and public lecture at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Yonkers, NY. Her presentation, titled “Our Great High Priest: The Church as the New Temple” will begin at 4 p.m., in the John G. Rangos Family Building on the seminary campus.

Dr. Barker, a British scholar who studied at the University of Cambridge, is the former President of the Society for Old Testament Study and a Research Fellow of the University of Wales. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 2008 by the Archbishop of Canterbury. She is also a Methodist preacher, and author of 15 books and numerous papers.

Her works focus upon the premise that early Christians preserved the ancient tradition of the first Temple, destroyed in the time of King Josiah at the end of the seventh century BCE. In her writings, she reconstructs the worldview of the first Christians and restores to their original settings such key concepts as the Messiah, divine Sonship, covenant, atonement, resurrection, incarnation, the Second Coming, and the kingdom of God.

Her biblical research has been of interest to a diverse number of religious bodies—from Orthodox Christians, to Reformed Protestants, to Latter Day Saints—and her perspectives have challenged traditional scholarly viewpoints. To get a sampling of Dr. Barker's research, and to hear her on YouTube, visit her website
www.margaretbarker.com.
 
For more information and directions to St. Vladimir’s Seminary, visit:
http://www.svots.edu/events/schmemann-lecturer-2012-professor-margaret-barker. 

St. Athanasius Bread Ministry

January 15, 2012

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Please see this article about this wonderful ministry being done at St Athanasius in Nicholasville, KY.  

DFW Orthodox Evangelism Conference

January 10, 2012

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Local Dallas and Ft. Worth Orthodox Christian Churches are pleased to announce an area first:  the convocation of a Regional Orthodox Conference on Missions & Evangelism, Friday evening, January 20, and Saturday, January 21.  The overall theme for the Conference will be:  Communicating the Good News of Jesus Christ.  It will examine how the Church of the past evangelized the world, and how ancient models of evangelism are employed in the 21st century.

The Friday session will be held 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm at St. Barbara Orthodox Church in southwest Ft. Worth.  Saturday events will take place from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Dallas.  More information may be obtained at the Churches' respective websites:  saintbarbarafw.org and holytrinity.info, and by calling (817) 294-0325 and (972) 991-1166.  Conference admission is free, but seating is limited.  Online registration is strongly encouraged by Wednesday, January 18 at ntom.org.  Refreshments will be offered, but no child care will be provided.  Attendees may take part in all, or part, of the weekend's activities. 

Jointly sponsored by the Department of Missions and Evangelism of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese and the NTOM (North Texas Orthodox Missions), the Conference will include noted authors, pastors and evangelists:  Fr. Peter Gillquist, Fr. Joseph Huneycutt, and Fr. Evan Armatas.

Fr. Peter Gillquist is known to many for his powerful, inspirational, yet down to earth style of preaching.  He is the author of several books including:  Love is Now;  The Physical Side of Being Spiritual; Designed for Holiness; Becoming Orthodox, and he was the Project Director for the Orthodox Study Bible.  No stranger to the area, Fr. Peter did graduate studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, as well as at Wheaton College Graduate School.  Gillquist, a highly sought after speaker, was a friend of the late Archbishop Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas, a local missionary and beloved pastor to whom this Conference is dedicated.

Fr. Joseph Huneycutt brings, as well, an accomplished and varied background to this year's event.  He is graduate of Nashotah House Episcopal Seminary in Wisconsin, and received a Doctor of Ministry in the Eastern Christian Context from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.  Reared a Southern Baptist, and after more than ten years as an Episcopalian, Fr. Joseph converted to Orthodoxy in 1993.  Fr. Huneycutt brings a note of humor to the weekend's sessions.  He hosts an award winning blog, "Orthodixie," and his works include:  One Flew Over the Onion Dome:  American Orthodox Converts, Retreads and Reverts as well as, We Came, We Saw, We Converted;  The Lighter Side of Orthodoxy in America.  He also authored:  Defeating Sin:  Overcoming our Passions and Changing Forever.

Fr. Evan Armatas is the priest of St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Loveland, CO.  He received a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Boston College and earned a Master of Divinity Degree from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary.  Fr. Evan founded the St. Nektarios Education Fund, a non-profit student education program that has helped to establish three Orthodox Schools in Africa, provided over 430 student scholarships, and has delivered over $330,000 in student aide.    Fr. Evan is also the director of Camp Emmanuel for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver, its summer youth camping program.

Local Orthodox Christians invite Ft. Worth and Dallas residents to attend this unique conference.  Again, registration is being sought for what promises to be a most rewarding experience.  For more information see the 
flyer for this event.

Theophany 2012: Great Blessing of Water

Theophany 2012 - 01/06/12

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Photos from The Great Blessing of Waters from the around the DOS!

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