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October 28, 2009
Atlanta, GA: Voices of Participants of the Pastoral Conference

On the last day of the pastoral conference, diocesan media office correspondent Reader Gregory Levitsky spoke with some of the participants of the pastoral conference. Participants were ask one question: What did this pastoral conference mean for you?" We offer their answers below:

Rt. Rev. George, Bishop of Mayfield

I am very pleased with this conference. The organization was excellent with the local parishioners all helping out. I also enjoyed the talks and workshops which were informative and helpful for all of us. It was also nice to be able to speak with all the clergy and their wives in a relaxed atmosphere such as we had here in Atlanta. I just feel sorry for all the clergy and matushkas who could not, or decided not to come. I hope the Lenten clergy conference will be better attended.

Archpriest Stephan Romanchak
Rector of Holy Trinity Church
California, Pennsylvania

The conference was a great experience and very enjoyable. It gave me an opportunity to interact with the hierarchs and my fellow clergy. We had very wonderful speakers who presented us with great motivational ideas on things that we can do for our parishes and the diocese as a whole. The discussions were incredible, giving us an opportunity to share ideas with the Diocesan Council and they had an opportunity to listen to us. A lot of times we only look at what the Church can do for us, instead of finding ways in which we can help the Church. It is so critical for us to support our monasteries, not only spiritually through our prayers, but financially, because they depend on that support to continue their sacred work. Our monasteries are the foundation of our diocese and without that foundation it would be very difficult for us to function. I would like to see if we can find ways to better support our monasteries together as a diocese. I leave here feeling very uplifted and spiritually rewarded, especially with today’s hierarchal Divine Liturgy, and I look forward to the next conference.

Archpriest Chad Williams
Rector of St. Alexander Nevsky Church
Richmond, Maine

In the Diaspora of the Orthodox Church, this not being a homeland of Orthodoxy, I think it’s critical that we as Orthodox Christians draw together and support each other, spread as we are from Maine to Key West and from California to Alaska. These conferences bring us together and remind us that as members of the diocese, we are members of the Holy Church and the one Body of Christ.

Priest Nikolai Manduke
Rector of St. Nicholas Church
Millville, New Jersey
Member of the Diocesan Council

This conference gave us a unique opportunity to come together and unite around our hierarchs. It was also an excellent time for members of the Diocesan Council to mingle and interact with the clergymen and wives that we represent, so that we can better understand their needs. It was a great opportunity for clergy to gain confidence in the administration and the renewed Diocesan Council.

Priest Alexander Logunov
Rector of the “Reigning” Mother of God Church
Charlotte, North Carolina

This conference was extremely important for my matushka. Our matushkas work very hard behind the scenes and even though they are often thanked publicly in church, this conference made them feel appreciated and wanted. I’m sure all matushkas will leave this conference feeling that they are an integral part of the diocese.

Priest Peter Jackson
Rector of Sts. Theodore Church
Buffalo, New York

This conference gave the diocese a sense of unity, because when we get together we feel uplifted. It is very encouraging for us clergy to see the progress that the administration has made in reviving our diocese. We are moving forward with a sense purpose and direction as a united diocese.

Priest John Johnson
Cleric of St. John the Baptist Cathedral
Washington, D.C.

The thing that I am taking from this conference is that we were reminded tangibly today that where the bishop is, there is the fullness of the Church. It was wonderful for me to present with so many of my brother clergy and so many faithful who came today not only to be with the bishop but to pray for the newly tonsured and ordained clerics of the church. It was a great blessing for us to come together and pray together and I hope we have more opportunities in the future for these conferences.

Priest Alexander Resnikoff
Cleric of St. John the Baptist Cathedral
Washington, D.C.

My fondest recollection of the conference is the Divine Liturgy. Even though many of us come from different backgrounds such as Russian, American and Australian, we were able to come together as brothers in Christ and unite around the Body and Blood of Christ. After the Liturgy I was struck with a feeling similar to that which the apostles felt on Mt. Tabor when they said “Lord it is good for us to be here.” I feel that is truly good for us to be together here at this conference.

Priest Seraphim Wing
Temporarily assigned to St. Nicholas Church (MP) Edinboro, Pennsylvania

It was very important for me to see other priests and have the opportunity to discuss issues pertaining to pastoral life. It was also nice to get a sense of what the diocesan administration has been working on and to find out how we can become more active participants in diocesan life.

Deacon Zachary Rose
Cleric of St. Mary of Egypt Church
Atlanta, Georgia

These conferences give us such an incredible opportunity to get together with our brother priests and deacons, as well as our hierarchs. In many cases, we are separated by great distances and we do not have a chance to interact with each other. These conferences reenergize us and give us a sense of our shared struggle, so that we might go back to our parishes feeling reinvigorated by our common goals.

Matushka Anna Mancuso
St. Elizabeth the New Martyr Church
Columbia, South Carolina

I enjoyed the fact that the matushkas were included in the pastoral conference. I had a chance to get to know other more experienced matushkas and get advice from them.

Matushka Natalia Logunov
“Reigning” Mother of God Church
Charlotte, North Carolina

This has been an absolutely wonderful conference. It is very important for those of us who come from small parishes that are far from others to come together and meet our brothers and sisters in Christ. Many of us do not have other matushkas nearby, and that’s why it is so important for us to bond with other matushkas, learn together, pray together, and commune together. It was wonderful to have the holy icon of the Optina Elders, along with the relics of all the elders, here at the conference. Most of us are familiar with the prayer of the Optina Elders and it is hard to describe how powerful it was for us to pray with our brothers and sisters in Christ in the presence of this holy icon.

Matushka Tatiana Weller
All Saints of America Russian Orthodox Church
Middlebrook, Virginia

It was important for me to meet other more experienced matushkas and get advice on the struggles that we share on a daily basis. I was able to forge new lifetime friendships with many women who understand what it means to be matushka.

Matushka Solomonia Wing
Edinboro, Pennsylvania

I have been a matushka for only a year, so I was able to receive a lot of good advice from more experienced matushkas, which will help me in my parish life, as well as in my family life.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese