Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we celebrate this joyous Feast of the Nativity in the flesh of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, I wish to share with you one of my favorite Christmas homilies from the Church Fathers concerning this day. St. John Chrysostom spoke on the Incarnation with these words:

“I behold a new and wondrous mystery!

My ears resound to the shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but loudly chanting a heavenly hymn!

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 - Sat January 6, 2018 - 8:00 pm

Hierarchical Divine Liturgy - Sat January 6, 2018 - 9:00 pm

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for December 2017 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

On Monday November 27, 2017, our Diocesan Family gathered around our Archpastor, His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa to celebrate his fifth anniversary of Consecration to the Episcopacy.

The day began with a quiet celebration of Divine Liturgy at Christ the Saviour Cathedral where His Grace, assisted by the Cathedral Clergy, Seminarians and other clerics of the Diocese offered prayers of thanksgiving for the blessings of the past five years.

In the evening additional prayers of thanksgiving were offered, followed by a banquet at the Holiday Inn in Johnstown. A beautiful evening of thanksgiving and fellowship was enjoyed by His Grace and scores of Clergy and faithful from the Diocese. Special guests included His Grace's mother Antonia, sister Alexandra and nephew Nathan.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] -- With the Thanksgiving and Nativity Fast Season upon us, the Diocesan Chancery is pleased to provide you information regarding the Orthodox Christian Fellowship’s (“OCF”) Student Leadership Board’s 2017 Giving Tuesday Challenge. Giving Tuesday is November 28, 2017, which is less than a week away. As most of you know, OCF is our Orthodox Church’s campus ministry. You can visit OCF’s website at www.ocf.net to learn more about all of OCF’s programs and events.

Recently in 2017, I agreed to join OCF’s Board of Directors, the governing body of OCF. In addition to OCF’s Board of Directors, OCF has a Student Leadership Board. OCF’s student leaders comprise the Student Leadership Board and develop and plan leadership training, programs, regional and district retreats for our Orthodox college students. All across the United States and Canada, OCF, through its Student Leadership Board, hosts retreats for college students.

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

It is hard to believe that this month marks the fifth 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. Recent events continue to reveal that demonic forces are fighting us, that evil continues to exist in the world. So many innocent people killed and wounded at a concert in Las Vegas. So many innocent killed and wounded in a small church in Texas. Everyday people are dying needlessly in our towns and cities. For what? Can someone please explain it to me? 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 cannot achieve peace on our own. We need the help of someone and that someone is the Lord.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] -- The Diocesan Chancery is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2018 CrossRoad program.

CrossRoad is a ten-day academic summer institute that prepares high school juniors and seniors to make big life decisions and invites them to connect with the Orthodox Christian theological and spiritual tradition. Participants from all over the country come together to experience daily worship, take theology classes from some of the best professors in the country, visit local parishes, serve their neighbor, tour the city, and even spend a day at the beach.

Historically, CrossRoad has been hosted solely on the campus of Hellenic College Holy Cross. This year, we are excited to announce that CrossRoad is expanding to Chicago!

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for November 2017 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With great sorrow, the Diocesan Chancery announces the falling asleep in the Lord of Pani Anna Kozar, the wife of the late, Very Rev. Protopresbyter Elias Kozar, Pastor Emeritus of St. Mary's Orthodox Church of Yonkers, NY. on Friday, October 27th.

Pani Anna was born in New York City, on December 8, 1925, to the late Konstantine and Anna (Herko) Yanoscik and was educated in New York City schools. After graduation, she worked for the Morgan Guaranty Trust Company in Manhattan. During the 1980's she worked for Martinelli Publications in Yonkers.

JOHNSTOWN, PA - With great sorrow, the Diocesan Chancery announces the falling asleep in the Lord of Very Rev. Fr. Charles Sunderland, on Sunday, October 22.

Father Charles.served our Diocese for many years, after embracing Orthodoxy in 1975. He served several parishes in Indiana until founding our Diocesan St. Alexis Parish in Lafayette He served there until he retired in 2001 when he moved to Grand Junction, Colorado.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [National Jr. ACRY] – The Annual Fall Youth Encounter will take place from Friday Nov 10 – Sunday Nov 12, 2017 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.

Join us for a weekend of fun and fellowship that will include Divine Liturgy, a religious talk with clergy, sports, and some special events that we hope will make this Jr. Encounter one of a kind.

The encounter will begin with arrival and registration on Friday, Nov 10th from 7:00 to 9:00pm and will conclude on Sunday Nov 12 at Noon following the celebration of Divine Liturgy at 9:00 AM and Brunch. Parents are invited to join us for Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning!

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- [Diocesan Chancery] -- The Diocesan Chancery has learned that His Grace, Bishop Antoun of The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America fell asleep in the Lord on Monday, October 2, 2017. On the passing of His Grace, His Eminence, Metropolitan Joseph, primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America issued the following statement:

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” Is 40:8

Dear Brother Hierarchs, Reverend Clergy, Esteemed members of the Archdiocese Board of Trustees, and Christ-loving Faithful,

Blessing and greetings to you in the Name of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus!

With profound sadness, yet hope in the Resurrection, I announce the passing into eternal life of my beloved brother, Bishop ANTOUN. Words cannot begin to describe our debt of gratitude to His Grace nor our sense of loss at his falling asleep.

MERCER, PA -- The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh and the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese are pleased to announce their second co-sponsored Young Adult Retreat entitled “Trusting the Process”. The Retreat, crafted for young adults ages 18-35, will take place Friday, October 27 – Sunday, October 29, 2017 at Camp Nazareth located in Mercer, PA.

The weekend event will feature Keynote addresses given by Mr. Jacob Saylor, the Pastoral Assistant at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Scottsdale, AZ. Mr. Saylor has worked extensively in the field of Orthodox Youth and Young Adult Ministry and will offer a unique perspective on the cosmic process of salvation. The weekend event will be filled with learning, fun, fellowship, worship, and time for reflection and rejuvenation!

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for October 2017 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.

On Saturday, September 16th faithful gathered together at Camp Nazareth with His Grace Bishop Gregory and our Diocesan priests to celebrate the Camp’s 40th Anniversary. It was a beautiful celebration that began with the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy which was followed by a Luncheon, a dance performance by Slavjane Folk Ensemble from Pittsburgh, a speaking program, as well as a picture display and slideshow. Fifteen priests celebrated the Divine Liturgy together with His Grace Bishop Gregory. We had a couple pleasant surprises among the priests who attended, among them Fr. Tom Kadlec who came down from Buffalo/Cheektowaga, NY to join the festivities. Faithful, mostly from Western PA and Eastern Ohio, gathered as well to celebrate and sing the responses led by a trio of cantors who included Reader Samuel Loposky, Subdeacon and Seminarian Nathaniel Choma and Seminarian Vince Dranginis.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The Diocesan Chancery has been informed that registration for the Orthodox Christian Fellowship 2018 Real Break trips opens on Friday, September 15, 2017. Diocesan College students are urged to make plans now to take part in this exciting service learning opportunity. Click Here To Learn More and Register. Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, the Diocese will be offering twelve scholarships to Diocesan College Students: four $1,500 scholarships for the Real Break Jerusalem trip, four $1,250 scholarships for the Mount Athos trip and an additional 4 $1,250 scholarships for any of the remaining 2018 Real Break trips.

Spaces are limited on the Real Break Trips

JOHNSTOWN, PA [National ACRY] --- With the blessing and enthusiastic support of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa, the National Senior ACRY has taken on the coordination of a Diocesan-wide outreach initiative to assist the International Orthodox Christian Charities in responding to the catestrophic devastation wrought by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

In times of natural disaster, the IOCC has boots on the ground distributing Emergency Kits to those who are impacted. These kits help volunteers clean up property and provide basic hygiene supplies that more than likely were washed away in the torrential downpour. Due to the multiple, intense storms that have hit the US during the peak of this hurricane season, IOCC’s supply of Emergency Kits have been depleted.

JOHNSTOWN, PA [Diocesan Chancery] --- In an archpastoral letter issued on September 7, 2017, His Grace Bishop Gregory has called upon the parishes of the Diocese to support the hurricane relief efforts of the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC). All parishes of the Diocese have been directed to take a special collection for IOCC at their earliest possible opportunity, giving whatever they are able to help those in need.

In addition, His Grace has called upon the faithful of the Diocese to support a special Diocesan outreach project which is being coordinated by the National Sr. ACRY. Parishes are being asked to assemble Emergency Clean-up Kits for IOCC.

MERCER, PA [Camp Nazareth] -- Our Diocese is pleased to announce its Camp Nazareth 40th Anniversary Divine Liturgy to be held on Saturday, September 16, 2017 at 10am at Camp Nazareth – Sts. Cyril & Methodios Church. The Divine Liturgy will be followed by Lunch in the Camp Lodge. Come celebrate with your CN Family and Friends! The schedule will include the Divine Liturgy with Lunch to follow, a dancing performance, talks and more!

The event is free of charge. Donations will be accepted “at the door”.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The schedule of His Grace, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa for September 2017 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery.