JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for August 1 - September 5, 2016 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- For the past four 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 and the Book of Revelation. These weekly lectures, which are delivered in a clear and concise manner, drawing on the patristic voice of the Fathers of the Church

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] It is with great pleasure that His Grace, Bishop Gregory and the members of the Diocesan Stewardship Commission announces that the first ACROD stewardship coordinator retreat will be held at Camp Nazareth, from Friday September 16th to Sunday September 18th, 2016. The theme of the retreat is “Parish Application of Stewardship.”

Many of the Diocesan parish stewardship coordinators and parish council members have expressed concern about how to implement a stewardship program into their parishes and this retreat will focus on those concerns.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] --- Today, (Saturday July 9th) the 2016 Orthodox Youth Mission Team (OYMT) left for West Virginia. The team will be participating in a week long mission trip with the Appalachian Service Project (ASP) in the town of Huff Creek, WV in Wyoming County. The goal of ASP is to make homes “warmer, safer and drier.” The team of 34—24 high school youth and 10 adult leaders from 7 parishes of the Carpatho- Russian, Orthodox Church in American and the Greek Orthodox Dioceses in CT, NY and NJ are excited for this opportunity to serve the Lord and put their faith to work helping families in this very impoverished area of the country. Recent floods in the area have made families lives even more difficult.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [National ACRY] - The Potomac A.C.R.Y. Chapter #25 is proud to be the hosts for the upcoming National A.C.R.Y. Convention, which will take place Labor Day weekend, September 2nd through the 5th, 2016 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center located in Bethesda, MD. The hotel is conveniently located on the Red Line of the DC Metro Area Subway System. The entrance to the subway (Metro) is literally at the corner of the hotel parking lot! A room rate of rate $109 (+ tax) has been obtained which is an incredible rate for the Washington D.C. Metro Area!!!! These room rates are also secured for the day before/after the convention

JOHNSTOWN, PA [National Sr. ACRY]-- With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Gregory, the National Senior ACRY is pleased to announce the first Sr. ACRY mission trip to Saint Herman’s House in Cleveland, Ohio in an ongoing effort in the ACRY to provide opportunities for hands-on mission work. With the success of ACRY Ambassador Daniel Coffman’s Real Break Trip to Saint Herman’s, the national board has decided to spend a weekend helping at the house.

Saint Herman’s House was founded in 1977 with the purpose to provide shelter, clothing and food to the homeless men of the greater Cleveland area. At any given time, they can house up to 28 men and provide more than 73,000 meals a year.

PITTSBURGH, PA -- [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette] The leaders of their global churches may have some difficulty in getting together after a 1,200-year gap. But in the basement of a South Side Flats church on a recent Thursday afternoon, members of Western Pennsylvania’s diverse array of Orthodox churches put aside religious labels for a humbler cause. As they do each week, volunteers laid out breads, pastries, cereals, canned goods and other foods on shelves and folding tables, setting up for the food-pantry distribution at Holy Assumption of St. Mary Orthodox Church. Colorful icons of saints, along with black-and-white photos of past parishioners, filled the walls behind them. Before opening the doors, the pastor led them in an ancient Easter chant known as the “Paschal Troparion”: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in tombs bestowing life.”

JOHNSTOWN, PA [National Senior ACRY] --- Each year the ACRY offers the following scholarship to ACRY members: Freshman, Sophmore, Junior, Senior/Metropolitan Orestes, Graduate, Trade/Technical, Seminarian and Mary Kay Wanchak Memorial. The deadline for ACRY Scholarship applications and recommendations is June 15th, which is fast approaching. Applicants are kindly asked to please check with those from whom they have requested recommendations that they were written and sent to the Scholarship Committee.

It is with great sadness and prayer that the Diocesan Chancery announces that the servant of God Peter Tatsis, the father of His Grace Bishop Gregory, reposed in the Lord on Monday June 6, 2016.

Peter was born in Asimohori, Epirus, Greece on August 15, 1931. He immigrated to the U.S. at age 19 following the Greek Civil War and settled in New York City for 5 years. He married his wife of 58 years, Antonia, on February 9, 1958. They then settled in Charlotte, NC. Along with his wife, Peter operated many restaurants including the Hutchinson Avenue Grill, Tatsis Restaurant, the Patriot Restaurant, Tasos Restaurant and the Crimson House Restaurant. When he semi retired, he became a courier for First Union Bank in Charlotte. Peter was a member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Charlotte, NC

JOHNSTOWN, PA --- His Grace, Bishop Gregory has been informed that he has been invited to serve as a member the Ecumenical Patriarchate's official delegation at the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, to be held from June 16-27 in Crete. For the first time in 1200 years, the primates of all 14 Orthodox autocephalous (or self-governed) Churches, along with more than 300 bishops and others, will meet to pray and discuss issues of common concern. According to the official press release issued by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the composition of the delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is as follows:

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, President of the Holy and Great Council
His Eminence Archbishop Leo of Karelia and all Finland
His Eminence Metropolitan Stephanos of Tallinn and all Estonia

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

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] -- The Spring meeting of the Diocesan Board of Trustees convened at the Diocesan Chancery on May 20th and was conducted by His Grace, Bishop Gregory. Reports were heard from each institution and apostolate of the Diocese. An extensive summary was given for the 1.1 million dollar renovation program at Camp Nazareth that was just completed in time for the summer programs. The XXIII Diocesan Council-Sobor to be held in Johnstown from October 9-12 was reviewed.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Christ The Saviour Seminary] -- On Wednesday, May 25th, Seminarian Andrew Wythe was honored at Seminary Commencement at Christ the Saviour Cathedral. A Moleben of Thanksgiving was celebrated by Very Rev. Protopresbyter Frank P. Miloro, Seminary Dean, with Protopresbyter Robert Buczak con-celebrating. His Grace, Bishop Gregory, presided. At the conclusion of the Service, Father Frank spoke, commending Seminarian Andrew for his diligent dedication to his studies in the three-year formation program. Bishop Gregory conferred the Diploma of Bachelor of Theology.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - Plans are underway for the Annual Altar Boy Retreat which will take place from Sunday evening, June 26th (Registration is from 6pm till 8 p.m.) until Wednesday, June 29th. The Retreat will once again take place at Christ the Savior Seminary, Cathedral and Education Center in Johnstown. This year's outing will be to Teen Quest Ranch in Somerset, PA where they will enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities. This is the time and place for our faithful Altar Servers to join other Altar Boys from all over our Diocese.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- As previously announced, Diocesan Parishes who have not already done so 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".

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

On this great and glorious Feast of Pascha – the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, our hearts are filled with tremendous joy, our souls are transformed and we bask in the Light of Truth. This year I want to share with you some Paschal thoughts from St. Gregory the Theologian.

It is the Day of the Resurrection! Let us then keep the Festival with splendor, and let us embrace one another. Let us say Brethen, even to those who hate us, Let us forgive all offenses for the Resurrection’s sake; let us give one another pardon.

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.

PHOENIXVILLE, PA ---On Saturday April 16, 2016, National Sr. ACRY President Kevin Coffman, at the Eastern Regional Diocesan Lenten Retreat, made a presentation on behalf of the National Sr. ACRY to Fr. Michael Chendorain, Pastor of St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church of Perth Amboy, NJ. for the benefit of the Fr. Michael Rosco Memorial, Habitat for Humanity Building Project.

Fr Michael received, on behalf of the parish, a check for $16,133.00 which represented the proceeds of the Diocesan Advent Mission Project that was spearheaded by the National ACRY.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- [Diocesan Chancery] - Registration is now open for the Third Annual Diocesan Young Women's Encounter which will take place from Sunday, June 26th to Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Windber, PA.

This engaging experience, which is open to young women in our Diocese ages 12-18, will highlight how young women can live our Orthodox Faith and serve the Church with their own unique gifts. This year we are really looking forward to having Katrina Bitar with us. She is the YES North America Program Director (Youth Equipped to Serve) for FOCUS North America (Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve.)