September 12, 2014
"Thoughts on Bidding Farewell to my Flock:" Retirement Address of Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov

Your Eminence, Right Reverent Archpastors and pastors, servants of the Church, brothers and sisters!

The Holy Apostle Paul counsels us to constantly walk the path of ascension to the heavenly by three struggles: Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks.

Following this call, we consider ourselves obligated to recall with sincere gratitude the almost 50-year path we have walked in St. Alexander Nevsky parish.

Like all people who live in the Church, throughout the years we have rejoiced in the presence of God’s grace, and prayed to the Lord to grant us His bountiful mercies. And so, now the concluding day of my rectorship in the parish and the time for my retirement has come. And namely today it is natural and needful to offer praise to the Lord for all of the blessings He has bestowed upon us.

Our family came to Lakewood in 1968, 46 years ago. After the repose of the previous rector, I was called upon to assume leadership in the parish. I remember the small, wooden church, the same hall, humble apartments for serving clergy, and four school classes. All of this was spread over five acres. A small, nearby house was rented for our four-children family.

Photographs of today’s parish show a picturesque church village, containing seven large buildings on 12 acres of wooden property, with its own creek. There is no need to describe all that we have: we have grown accustomed to our luxurious cathedral, to the old, prayer-filled church of the Mother of God, to the capacious parish hall, to the two-story parish school building. We live in separate parish houses, pray to God, and thank Him for the bountiful mercies that He has poured out on this holy place.

How were we able to accomplish such significant construction and adornment over the past 50 years? Where did we find the means? First and foremost, this took place by God’s mercy, as a response to the earnest, 80-year endeavors of many, many zealous laborers and donors. None of them asked how much they would be paid by the hour. Instead, rolling up their sleeves, as they say, they prayerfully strove to build and create, accepting it as God’s work. God’s blessing shone forth without delay on this growing appanage of Christ. Today, we celebrate those same zealous laborers and donors, as well as all those who currently labor in the church and parish of the Holy Right-Believing Prince Alexander Nevsky.

Let us not forget, that to labor in this parish, the first founded in America by the ever-memorable Archbishop Vitaly, is not only our sacred duty, but also a privilege. It is no coincidence that this place has now been chosen as the Center of the Eastern American Diocese, and that our church has been granted the status of the Ruling Bishop’s cathedral.

To all of the builders, benefactors, and adorners, as well as the clergy, singers, sisterhood, church warden, and parish council, members of the St. Alexander’s Fund, teachers in the parish school, service staff, and all of the faithful parishioners and worshippers – many years! Accept our sincere gratitude for your exceptional and long-time responsiveness, for your kindness, love, and support, which gave us the joy to peacefully and amicably labor on the great task of the salvation of the souls of men.

Matushka and I would like to express the warmest gratitude to our children – five sons and their families. Without their faithful service and tireless labors and care, we would not have been able to fulfill all of our responsibilities in the church and parish.

We are touched to the core of our being by the presence of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, and the Right Reverend Hierarchs, our brother-pastors and clergymen, as well as the multitude of our friends, coworkers, and kind guests, who honor our parish’s feast day with their presence.

We very much hope that the centuries-old traditions of our Church Abroad, both liturgical and day-to-day, which we have carefully preserved over the course of half a century, will continue unaltered, for the glory of God and the instruction of coming generations of the faithful. And do not let your concern for finding material means rise higher than your spiritual care, for, truly, where the work of God is done selflessly and sacrificially, in peace, humility, and love, the grace of the Holy Spirit will follow.

In fulfillment of our love for you and our pastoral duties, we will forever remember you in our prayers to God, the Mother of God, and the holy saints, and in turn ask you never to forget us in your prayers.

Glory to God for all things!

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese