On Sunday, August 16, 2009 Deacon Ian Burgess, a recent graduate of St. Tikhon Seminary, was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop Benjamin at Holy Trinity Cathedral.

Following the celebrations of Pentecost in San Francisco, His Beatitude and Bishop Benjamin traveled to Manton, CA where the Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco is located. During this visit, they consecrated the newly reconstructed chapel dedicated to Saints Sergius and Eugene.

The clergy of the greater Bay Area gathered together on Saturday 9 May 2009 at Saint Nicholas Orthodox church in Saratoga CA to celebrate the saint’s “summer feast” with the faithful in the community there.

The small Episcopal Church in Susanville, CA, was the setting for the patronal feast of St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Mission on Saturday, April 4, 2009. Some 15 Orthodox Christians and one inquirer were present as Fr Michael Spainhoward, who will be caring for the mission, served the Divine Liturgy.

The Rocky Mountain deanery clergy and laity gathered for the annual “blessing of the Divide” atop Monarch Pass. 60 persons made the pilgrimage on a beautiful, sunny, “warm” (for 11,000ft.) Colorado day for the service of Blessing the Waters. Archpriest Joseph Hirsch spoke on the honor and responsibility to ever pray for our country as these waters melt to the east and west upon our lands.

The Great Blessing of Waters at the Pacific Ocean, St. Juvenaly Orthodox Mission, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

The Great Blessing of Waters at Lake Mead, Nevada on Theophany 2009

Converts to the Eastern Orthodox Church are drawn to the religion because when it comes to ritual, little has changed in a thousand years, says Father Christopher Swanson, who leads St. Elizabeth Orthodox Mission in Poulsbo.

For those of you who watched the Fox Network reality show Secret Millionaire on December 11, you got to see this year’s Diocesan designated charity in action.

Photos of His Beatitude Jonah visiting St. Nicholas parish in San Anselmo, CA on its Altar Feast, December 2008 are available here.