Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On this glorious Feast of the Nativity of Christ we celebrate a truly a wondrous event in which God, in His infinite and marvelous grace, became man bringing us enduring hope, newness of life, and eternal salvation. The Son of God, the Lord of Glory and King of kings who upholds the universe by His word of power, became man so that we human beings might be redeemed, renewed, united with Him, and become fellow citizens with the Saints and members of God’s kingdom.

The magnitude and depth of the event of the Nativity of Christ are impossible to grasp, but the message is clear and true. It is a message of grace, hope, and salvation to all humanity and to all the created order.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- [Diocesan Chancery] -- Christ is born, glorify Him. Christ is from heaven, go to meet Him. Christ is on earth, be ye lifted up. Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing out with gladness, all ye people. For He is glorified (First Ode of the Christmas Canon).

His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa, the Diocesan Chancery Staff, and the Faculty and Staff of Christ the Saviour Seminary extend their heartfelt greetings to the faithful and friends of the Diocese for a blessed Feast of The Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

JOHNSTOWN [Christ the Saviour Cathedral] -- The Divine Services of Nativity and Theophany of our Lord at Christ the Saviour Cathedral will be live-streamed on the internet.

The broadcast schedule is as follows:

Nativity Eve: Great Compline - Friday January 6, 2017 - 8:00 pm

Hierarchical Divine Liturgy - Friday January 6, 2017 - 9:00 pm

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Diocesan Chancery has been informed that Pani Martha Zeleniak, the widow of Very Rev. Protopresbyter John Zeleniak, reposed in the Lord on Sunday, December 25, 2016.

Pani Martha was born Dec. 10, 1923, to the late John and Martha Bodrucki in Elizabeth, N.J. She was married for 57 years to the late Protopresbyter John Zeleniak, who died in 1999. Together they served parishes in Ambridge and Nesquehoning, before accepting the pastorship at St. George's Orthodox Church in Taylor in 1952. They served Taylor and the greater Scranton community for over 40 years.She was a beloved and respected member of the St. George's Orthodox Church community. Throughout her 74 years of service, she was recognized as the longest-serving pani (priest's wife) in the American Carpatho Russian Orthodox Diocese.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The Chancery has been informed of the repose in the Lord of Margaret Yawkey (State College, PA), wife of Deacon Thomas Yawkey assigned to St. John’s Church in Hawk Run, PA on Sunday, December 18th.
Her funeral will be sung in St. Nicholas Church of Homestead on Thursday of this week at 10 AM. St. Nicholas is the home parish of the Yawkey’s, and burial will be in the parish cemetery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for December 2016 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The Diocese and an anonymous donor are teaming up to send two Diocesan 11th and/or 12th graders to the Crossroad Institute held each summer at Holy Cross/Hellenic College in Brookline, MA. Crossroad is a ten day academic summer institute that prepares high school juniors and seniors to make big life decisions and connect with the Orthodox Christian theological and spiritual tradition. Hosted on the scenic Hellenic College Holy Cross campus, overlooking the beautiful Boston skyline, participants experience daily worship, visit local parishes, tour Boston, and spend a day at the beach.

My beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity of our God-Protected Diocese:

It is hard to believe that this month marks the fourth anniversary of my Consecration and Enthronement as your Bishop. During my visits to the parishes you have heard me preaching on the state of affairs, locally and globally. Conflicts, wars and senseless violence continue to inflict pain and suffering and spill blood everywhere. I am deeply saddened that peace continues to elude us. This lack of peace is the direct result of increased selfishness and hatred throughout the world. Whatever we as inhabitants of this planet are doing it is not working, somehow it is not enough. Obviously we as humans can not achieve peace on our own. We need the help of the Lord.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [National ACRY] With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Gregory, the National Senior ACRY is pleased to announce the 2016 Advent Mission Project. This year the National ACRY Board and Convention delegates voted to support ZOE for Life!™. ZOE for Life!™is a pan-Orthodox ,non-profit Christ-centered support organization with three major goals: to help women who need confidential emotional and spiritual support during crisis pregnancies; to assist Orthodox Christians seeking to adopt; and to provide an education for Pure Living and other resources. Zoe for Life through the Zoe House provides necessary baby supplies to mothers and babies in need.

We offer praise and glory to the Triune God, who deemed us worthy to reach the twenty-fifth anniversary since the day when, by the mandate of our Holy and Sacred Synod, we ascended the martyred Apostolic Throne of the Church of Constantinople. With God’s grace, having gladly run this long course of service in the First-Throne among the Orthodox Churches, we look back the experiences, events, prayers, journeys and activities, while at the same time looking forward with a spirit of optimism and steadfast hope to the future, even as today we exclaim the words of our saintly predecessor, St. John Chrysostom: “Glory be to God for all things.”

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for November 2016 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [National Jr ACRY] - The Annual Fall Youth Encounter will take place from Friday Nov 11 - Sunday Nov 13, 2016 at Camp Nazareth in Mercer, PA. The Encounter is sponsored by the National JR. ACRY and is open to youth ages 8-18. All Diocesan youth are invited and do not have to be a member of the JR. ACRY to attend.

The weekend will be full of fun and fellowship and will include Divine Liturgy, a religious talk with clergy, sports and a special event that is sure to be a highlight of the weekend The encounter will begin with arrival and registration on Friday, Nov 11th from 7:00 to 9:00pm and will conclude on Sunday Nov 13, 2016 at Noon following the celebration of Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am and Brunch.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- [Diocesan Chancery] -- The XXIII Diocesan Council-Sobor, hosted by the Johnstown, Deanery and presided over by His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa, will take place from Sunday October 9 thru Wednesday October 12, 2016 at Christ the Saviour Cathedral and Educational Center and The Holiday Inn Downtown in Johnstown, PA. Centered on the Theme: "Whatever He says to you, do it!” (John 2:5), the clergy and faithful will review the progress of the Diocese over the past three years and chart the course for the future. While registration takes place on Sunday evening from 3:00 pm - 8:00 pm, the Sobor will officially open on Monday morning with the celebration of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Christ the Saviour Cathedral at 8:00 am which will be broadcast live .

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for October 2016 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- As a result of feedback provided from both on-site and on-line participants, the next topic for our Diocesan on-line Orthodox Scripture Study will be the Book of Acts, (The Acts of the Holy Apostles). The study is scheduled to begin on Saturday October 8, 2016 at 5:00 pm. This weekly on-line scripture study will be led by the Very Rev. Protopresbyter Kenneth Bachofsky, Professor of Sacred Scripture at Christ the Saviour Seminary and broadcast live from St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Warren, Ohio. This study will draw on the patristic voice of the Fathers of the Church and will provide the participants with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of this Scriptural text from the Orthodox Christian perspective.

BROOKLINE, MA [Orthodox Christian Fellowship] - The following encyclical about College Student Sunday 2016, to be observed in all Orthodox parishes in North America on Sunday October 2, 2016, has been issued by His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa, the Episcopal Liaison to the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America:

We greet you with joy as we announce the date for College Student Sunday, benefiting Orthodox Christian Fellowship. To support the incredible efforts of our students, College Student Sunday will be the first Sunday of October, running in conjunction with OCF’s Orthodox Awareness Month. This year, the date falls on OCTOBER 2.

Orthodox Christian Fellowship continues to provide students with opportunities to encounter Christ and grow in their Orthodox faith through their growing network of on campus OCF chapters led by talented students, clergy, and lay advisors as well as through programs such as regional retreats, College Conference, Real Break, and the Summer Leadership Institute.

PERTH AMBOY, NJ [St John The Baptist Orthodox Church] -- St. John’s Church is pleased to announce the dedication and blessing of the Habitat for Humanity Memorial Building Project as set for Wednesday, December 07, 2016! This is an exciting moment as the project is nearing completion through the labors and contributions of so many Diocesan Faithful. A highlight of the dedication ceremony will be the presence of Pani Susan Rosco, and it is desired that as many Diocesan faithful as possible also be in attendance.

In keeping with the spirit of service, a final work week in association with this dedication will take place from December 05 - 10. I OCC has graciously agreed to co-ordinate this aspect of the trip.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With great sorrow, the Diocesan Chancery announces the falling asleep in the Lord of Very Rev. Protopresbyter Paul Herbert, age 83, on Sunday, August 21, 2016. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Pani Eleanor Jean (Blaschak) Herbert; daughters Ruth Ann Herbert of Lansford and Claudia (Ernest) Pido of Mount Vernon, OH; grandchildren EJ, Kaitlin and Jacob of OH; brother John Herbert of Nesquehoning; brother-in-law Very Rev. Fr. Thomas (Magdelyn) Blaschak of Greenville, PA; sister-in-law Carolyn Duranko of Tewksbury, MA; also several nieces and nephews and many friends. He is preceded in death by his parents John and Helen Herbert; brother George and sister Mary.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - Christ the Saviour Seminary is pleased to announce that it will be offering to the public an Introduction to Church Slavonic Class (3 credit hours) for the upcoming Fall Semester at the Seminary. Classes are offered on Fridays from 1:00pm-3:30pm. Fee is $200. The semester runs from September 12 through December 19.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] -- Following in the footsteps of Sts Cyril and Methodios, and demonstrating in concrete action their renewed committment to hands on missionary work, the National Senior ACRY has organized a small weekend mission and service weekend at St. Herman's House of Hospitality in Cleveland, Ohio, taking place from today, Friday Aug 12- Sun Aug 14. The team is comprised of officers and members of the ACRY, Priests and other Diocesan faithful who are committed to assisting as they are able the work of this phenomenal Orthodox Christian Outreach to the disadvantaged of the greater Cleaveland Ohio area. The team will be in place throughout the weekend and will conclude with their participation in Divine Liturgy at our nearby Diocesan Christ the Saviour Parish in North Royalton, Ohio.