Source: St. Phoebe Center
St. Phoebe Center Anniversary Year Events
We educate and prayerfully advocate for the revival of the
ordained female diaconate to help serve the ministerial needs
of the Orthodox Church and the world today.
IN THIS ISSUE
- Legacy of Rhodes Online Event May 9
- Additional Anniversary Year Events
- Anniversary Year In-Person Symposium: November 10-12
REGISTER NOW FOR THIS ANNIVERSARY ZOOM EVENT
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
7-8:30 PM Eastern on Zoom
Moderated by St. Phoebe Center Chair Dr. Carrie Frederick Frost
Co-hosted with Holy Cross Orthodox Press, Very Rev. Dr. Anton C. Vrame
Panelists:
Dr. Patricia Fann Bouteneff, Axia Women
Rev. Dr. Alkiviadis Calivas, Emeritus Professor of Holy Cross Hellenic College
Dr. Valerie Karras, Orthodox Christian Historian
Dr. Petros Vassiliadis, Center for Ecumenical, Missiological, and Environmental Studies
Attend this thought-provoking event with distinguished panelists who will discuss how far we have come since the Rhodes, Greece conference held thirty-five years ago on the place of women in the Church.
Special attention will be given to the newly-released book Deaconesses: a Tradition for Today and Tomorrow from Holy Cross Orthodox Press.
Reading the book in advance is not necessary or required, but Holy Cross Orthodox Press offers registrants free shipping and 15% off of the book between the dates of May 2- May 30.
ANNIVERSARY YEAR EVENTS—JOIN US FOR UPCOMING EVENTS IN HONOR OF OUR FIRST DECADE!
In 2013, the St. Phoebe Center for the Deaconess was born out of a conversation at a coffee shop about the hope for deaconesses in the Orthodox Church today. In the last decade we lifted up the history of deaconesses and the need for the revival of this ordained order. In our second decade, we will build on this foundation and turn our attention to how the Orthodox Church can restore this venerable order.
In addition to the Legacy of Rhodes event, we will also hold other anniversary year events (see below). Stay tuned for further announcements about other events and celebrations.
Watch for updates in these newsletters and on our website: https://orthodoxdeaconess.org/
SAVE THE DATE! IN-PERSON ANNIVERSARY SYMPOSIUM NOVEMBER 10-12, 2023
The St. Phoebe Center board is pleased to announce its ten-year anniversary in-person symposium will be held at Holy Cross Hellenic College in Boston November 10-12, 2023.
Mark your calendars and make plans to attend this special event. Watch our website and these newsletters for updates which will be shared as soon as they become available.
GIRLS’ & WOMEN’S LITURGICAL SERVICE ZOOM EVENT
Sunday, June 25, 2023
7 PM-8:30 PM Eastern on Zoom
Moderated by St. Phoebe Center Board Member Dr. Teva Regule
Co-sponsored with Axia Women President Dr. Patricia Fann Boutneff
Greater participation of girls and women in the liturgical assembly of the Orthodox Church benefits the entire community.
This event, co-sponsored with Axia Women, will offer the perspective of Orthodox women who have experienced these ministries as girl altar servers and tonsured readers or chanters. Topics explored will be how to encourage the expansion of these ministries and how they do, and do not, connect with the revival of the ordained order of deaconesses.
MYTH-BUSTING: ADDRESSING THE MYTHS AROUND ORDAINING DEACONESSES ZOOM EVENT
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Noon to 1 pm Eastern on Zoom
Moderated by St. Phoebe Board Secretary Dr. Helen Creticos Theodoropoulos
This Zoom session will directly engage with concerns and incorrect teachings about the revival of the ordained order of deaconesses in the Orthodox Church, addressing such issues as:
- the unfounded but wide-spread belief that women are not allowed in the altar
- lingering and theologically indefensible connections between women’s bodies and impurity, and
- “slippery slope” concerns about deaconesses leading to women priests.
Panelists:
Rev. Fr. Peter Baktis, Mother of God Joy of All Who Sorrow Church
Sister Vassa Larin, PhD, Coffee with Sister Vassa
Carrie Frederick Frost, PhD, St. Phoebe Center Board Chair, Western Washington University
CHURCH OF OUR GRANDDAUGHTERS BY CARRIE FREDERICK FROST: AN EVENING WITH THE AUTHOR
Sunday, September 3, 2023
7 PM-8:30 PM Eastern on Zoom
Moderated by St. Phoebe Board Advisory Board Member Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou
St. Phoebe Center welcomes one of our own, Carrie Frederick Frost, to speak and converse about her new book Church of Our Granddaughters.
From the publisher: Church of Our Granddaughters is a visionary work of theology and ethics that looks hopefully and lovingly two generations into the future, imagining the Orthodox Church’s practices and realities rightfully aligned with its core theological teachings and truths regarding women. This reverent but bold work offers the necessary insight and inspiration to create a community that welcomes all its members, our granddaughters, as well as our grandsons, thus allowing the Orthodox Church to better incarnate its mission of service and transfiguration.
Reading the book in advance is not necessary or required, but Wipf and Stock Publishers will offer registrants 40% off of the book.
PRAYER TO ST. PHOEBE
Most holy Phoebe, who was found to be worthy of the diaconate; who was Paul’s helper and carried his words to the people of Rome; who is called the lamp of Cenchrea; we now humbly ask that you intercede for us, and pray to Christ our God for us as we discern His will for revival of the ordained female diaconate for the upbuilding of the entire Church today. Pray that we will be blessed and fruitful in our works this day and always, to God’s glory. Amen