Source: Orthodox Church in America
WAYMART, PA [OCA]
Three parishes from the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania are joining together to minister in Appalachia June 25-July 1st, with the blessing of His Eminence, Archbishop Tikhon.
The Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve (FOCUS) is sponsoring the trip, which will include clergy and lay participants from St. Mary Church in Coaldale, Holy Trinity Church in Stroudsburg, and Holy Annunciation Church in Berwick.
Throughout the week, Orthodox youth and adults from around the Diocese will use their talents to help serve the poor and witness to the Orthodox faith in the community of Spruce Pine, North Carolina, a town especially hit hard by economic difficulties.
The scope of the work will be determined by the training and experiences of the volunteers; at present three experienced building contractors are going on the trip, along with over twenty others with various practical skills. Teams will be participating in hands-on renovation projects in several locations of Spruce Pine. Meals for seven days, travel costs and supply costs for the various projects are included in the $300.00 trip fee.
In addition to the hands-on daily work sessions, the FOCUS trip will also include spiritual outreach to the community. Clergy will conduct a Vespers service and a short introduction to Orthodoxy one evening, and will also lead a spiritual retreat for those in attendance, with evening prayer and teaching sessions. Participants will stay in a local inn with separate quarters for men and women, and will join together for communal meals prepared in the spacious kitchen and dining area.
For more information, contact:
Fr. Daniel Mathewson from St. Mary’s in Coaldale (570-645-2772), fr.danielm@gmail.com
Fr. Nicholas Solak from Holy Trinity in Stroudsburg (570-350-1482), hteoc@ptd.net
Fr. Michael Demko at Holy Annunciation in Berwick (570-752-3184), frmichaeldemko@hotmail.com