August
16, 2009
Fletcher, North Carolina: Priestly ordination takes place in St.
Nicholas Church
On
Saturday, August 15, His Grace, Bishop George, arrived from Holy Cross
Monastery to St. Nicholas Church in Fletcher, NC, to lead the divine
services and perform the priestly ordination of Deacon Jonah Campbell.
During the All-Night Vigil, His Grace was co-served by diocesan
secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Priest Onouphry Keith (rector of
the church), Hieromonk Alexander (Frizzell, Holy Cross Monastery),
Hierodeacon Sergius (Wilson, Holy Cross Monastery), Deacon Jonah
Campbell (cleric of St. Nicholas Church), and Deacon Leonid Roschko
(cleric of St. George's Church, Howell, NJ).
On Sunday,
August 16, Bishop George officiated at the Divine Liturgy, co-served
by the above-mentioned clergy and Priest Dimitry Harper. Vladyka
performed the tonsure of three readers - Matthew Hollands, Seraphim
Picard, and Simeon Osborne. His Grace also performed the priestly
ordination of Deacon Jonah Campbell. In accordance with Metropolitan
Hilarion's directive, Priest Jonah is assigned as second priest to St.
Nicholas Church (Red Bank, NJ) and St. George's Church (Howell, NJ),
and is also assigned to the post of diocesan treasurer. Upon
completion of the Liturgy, Bishop George greeted the newly ordained
Priest Jonah and wished him great spiritual and physical strength in
his priestly duties, as well as in his new post in the administrative
center of the Eastern American Diocese. A bountiful luncheon in honor
of Bishop George and Fr. Jonah was prepared in a local hall. During
the luncheon, Fr. Serge addressed the rector and parishioners of St.
Nicholas Church, thanking them for their hospitality and extremely
warm greeting of their Northern brothers.
