JOHNSTOWN, PA [National ACRY] - Holy Ghost Orthodox Church and ACRY Chapter #30 will be the host of the 74th National Senior and 35th National Junior ACRY which will take place Labor Day weekend, August 31st through September 3rd, 2018 at Crowne Plaza Philadelphia - King of Prussia, 260 Mall Boulevard, King of Prussia, PA 19406. This is the same venue that hosted the 2014 ACRY Convention.

A rate of $109 (+ tax) for a double occupancy room has been secured for the weekend. These room rates are also secured for the day before the convention (Aug 30th) to allow everyone the opportunity to visit the area.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [National Junior ACRY] - If you’ve ever been to Camp Nazareth, chances are you can’t wait to go back. Wouldn’t it be great if you were able to go for free?

Each year, the National Jr. ACRY holds a Camp Essay Contest that anyone across the diocese can enter. If your essay is chosen as the winner, the National Jr. ACRY will pay for one full Diocesan week of camp if you are a National Jr. ACRY member. If you are not a member of the National Jr. ACRY, half of your camping week will be paid for.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that Mildred Paproski, the mother of Very Rev. Protopresbyter Peter Paproski, reposed in the Lord on Tuesday, June 5, 2018.

Mildred Summers Paproski the wife of the late Henry Paproski, was born on August 28, 1930 in Danbury, CT to the late George and Harriett (Case) Summers and has been a life long Newtown, CT resident. She was a bookkeeper for Nutmeg Cleaners, and previously worked for Lovell’s Farm Equipment, and the Paproski family farm, Castle Hill Farm in Newtown.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that Pani Magdalene Blaschak, the wife of Fr. Thomas Blaschak, reposed in the Lord on Sunday, May 20, 2018.

Funeral arrangements for Pani Magdalene are as follow: Wednesday, May 23rd - 6:00 PM - Panachida at St. John’s Church, Hermitage with viewing and visitation at the Church until 8:00 PM. Thursday, May 24th - 11:00 AM - Funeral Service, St. John’s Church, Hermitage, PA with Interment in the Parish Cemetery, followed by a Memorial Meal in the Parish Hall.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] -- Our Diocese is pleased to announce its sixth annual Family Camp at Camp Nazareth this year in conjunction with Family Day. The event is exactly what it sounds like. Families “camping” together in the Camp cabins and participating in a weekend of services, games, discussions, activities and challenges that are all designed to help families deepen their relationship with God and with one another.

This year’s theme – “Being Grateful for Your Family”. Come join His Grace Bishop Gregory in the beautiful environment of Camp Nazareth. Come and learn what it means to be a grateful family.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for May 2018 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- [Diocesan Chancery] we are pleased to announce the Inaugural Camp Nazareth Classic Golf Tournament. It will take place at the 4-Star 18 hole Championship Course at Traditions at the Glen Resort, Johnson City, NY on Sunday, June 10. A 1 PM shotgun start is scheduled for the Captain and Crew event. A delicious Awards Banquet will follow at St. Michael's Recreation Center catered by Orlando's with sides of St. Michal's renown holubki. Please mark the date on your calendar for a day of golf, fun and fellowship. Mixed and ladies teams are welcome. Golfers from our Diocesan parishes are invited and encouraged to participate. Advertising support is also being sought from our parishes as well.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- For the past six years, a weekly on-line scripture study has been broadcast live from St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Warren, Ohio. Taught by the Very Rev. Protopresbyter Kenneth Bachofsky, Professor of Scripture at Christ the Saviour Seminary, the participants have studied the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. John, the Book of Revelation and the Acts of the Apostles. These weekly lectures, which are delivered in a clear and concise manner, drawing on the patristic voice of the Fathers of the Church

Today I greet you with great love and joy in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ following His glorious Resurrection. On Great and Holy Pascha, we behold the triumph of Christ, as He rose from death to life, from darkness of the tomb into the Light. With the Resurrection of Christ, all Creation is filled with a new Light of life and joy. On this Feast of Feasts, this Holy Day of Holy Days, we all proclaim the only truth that matters, the Truth that Christ is Risen!

Through this Truth, we are liberated from the power of sin and death, to receive God’s promise to live in eternity. We feel the inexpressible joy of being united with real life in Christ. During the beautiful service of the Resurrection, waiting in a darkened church, anticipating the Light, we should be mindful of what we are about to experience and its significance. The Resurrection is a real event. It is happening right now for all of us.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that Pauline Palumbo, the mother of Pani Paula Kossey, reposed in the Lord on Wednesday, April 4, 2018.

Funeral Services will held at Sts Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Windber, PA on Bright Wednesday, April 11, 2018. Calling hours will take place on Bright Tuesday, April 10th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM and 6- 8:00 PM at Kisiel Funeral Home (1015 Graham Avenue in Windber, PA, with the singing of the Funeral Service of Resurrection Matins at 7 PM. Divine Liturgy is on Bright Wednesday at 10 AM in SS. Peter and Paul’s Church in Windber.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for April 2018 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- Diocesan Parishes are cordially invited to submit via email up to 3 photos of this year's Holy week and Paschal services for inclusion in a special photo gallery, "Pascha throughout the Diocese".

It is asked that parishes avoid sending low resolution cell phone camera quality photos as they may also be included in The Church Messenger

Please email photos to media@acrod.org Please put in the body of the e-mail the name of the parish, and a brief captions describing the photos. Please do not send captions as attached document files.

JOHNSTOWN, PA ---The Very Rev. Protopresbyter Robert Buczak has announced today that scheduled Divine Services for Holy Week at Christ the Saviour Cathedral will be live streamed. Holy Friday Vespers, Resurrection Matins and the Paschal Divine Liturgy will be archived for on-demand viewing.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- [Diocesan Chancery] - Plans are now in place for the FIFTH Annual Diocesan Young Women's Encounter which will take place from Sunday, July 1st to Wednesday, July 4th, 2018 at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Windber, PA. We encourage our young women, ages 12 to 18 to attend.

This engaging experience will highlight how young women can live our Orthodox Faith and serve the Church with their own unique gifts. This year we will particularly be focusing on prayer, with the Mother of God as a model for all Orthodox Christians, and the verse Romans 12:12,... rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation and continuing steadfastly in prayer...

Registration will be primarily online like last year and will be open soon. A link will be placed on the the home page at www.acrod.org when registration opens. Space will be limited to the first thirty respondents, so participants are urged to register in a timely manner. Registration Deadline is Friday, June 8, 2018.

All parishes of the Diocese are urged to underwrite the $100.00 participation fee for their young women in recognition of all the ways that these young women serve their parishes.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Gregory, the National Junior ACRY, as in previous years, calls upon all to aid in the Mission of our Diocesan Apostolate of Saint John the Compassionate, in the inner city of Toronto, Ontario. The National Junior ACRY hears the call from the words of Saint John and invites everyone to help fulfill the command to love in action.

Members of the Junior ACRY visited the Mission this past summer and witness Christ’s love, which labors through the Mission ministering to the needs of others. Last year’s donation from the National ACRY together with a matching grant from the John C. Kulis Charitable Foundation was hand delivered by President Alexa Fitzgerald to Paul Tadros, Prior of the Mission, on behalf of all who donated to the Lenten Youth Project. The Project with the aid of a matching grant from the John C. Kulis Foundation raised $22,365.00 for the Mission last year.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for March 2018 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] -- Our Diocese is pleased to offer its first annual Seniors’ Retreat this year from April 23-25, 2018 at Camp Nazareth in Mercer, PA. I am calling upon all our Seniors, age 65 and older, to join me at the Camp for 3 days of fellowship and prayer in order to be spiritually rejuvenated. The Retreat is being offered with our Seniors specifically in mind.

The central theme of the Retreat comes from Psalm 77:5, “I consider the days of old, I remember the years long ago…I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord…”

The Retreat will focus on gratitude for God’s many blessings in our lives and the hope that His mercy creates in us. The schedule will include worship, fellowship, learning, fun, time for reflection and relaxation, and time spent together.

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

As we begin Holy and Great Lent this year on February 19th, I wanted to share with you a few thoughts so that we may journey through the season and arrive safely at the Great Feast of Feasts, Holy Pascha with the proper frame of mind.

Holy and Great Lent is a truly beautiful period of time filled with moments in which we can focus our hearts and our minds on the grace of God. Through daily prayer, fasting, worship, and giving to others, and by the grace of God our lives will continue to be transformed by Him and our souls will be drawn closer and closer to our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the hymns and services of the Triodion period and at the entrance of this holy season of Great Lent, we are called to repentance.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With profound sadness the Diocesan Chancery announces that Lawrence Beck, the father of Pani Carol Paproski, reposed in the Lord on Monday, February 12, 2018.

Funeral Services will held at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 305 Washington St., New Britain on Thursday, February 14, 2018. Burial will follow at the Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cemetery. Calling hours will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 14th, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Newington Memorial Funeral Home, 20 Bonair Ave., Newington followed by a Panikhida service at 7:00 p.m.

[DIOCESAN CHANCERY] --- With the blessing of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America the 17th Annual Orthodox Christian Camp and Youth Workers Conference will take place in Atlanta, GA from Thursday, February 1 – Saturday, February 3rd, 2018. Co-sponsored by our Diocese and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, Camp and Youth Workers from across North America will gather together for two full days of enriching and uplifting presentations and discussions, as well as opportunities to connect with other Youth Ministry professionals. This year’s theme “The Place of Gratitude in Youth Ministry”, will help our Camp and Youth Workers discover a key element of ministry that often eludes us: the “gratitude of St. Paul”, who while struggling to establish and maintain churches, was in fact thankful for everyone and everything. Come and learn what it means to “abound in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7) in the midst of the beautiful, but often difficult field of Youth Work.