- 1520 GREEN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123
- 415-567-WEST(9378)
- webmaster@dowoca.org
Orthodox Liturgical singing workshop with Benedict & Maria Sheehan will take place on March 7th, Saturday, 2020.
Location: Church of the Annunciation, Milwaukie Oregon
www.annunciationorthodoxchurch.org, 503-659-3646
Registration form will be posted on www.annunciationorthodoxchurch.org in a few days.
Benedict & Maria Sheehan bring their uniquely complementary skill sets to a weekend workshop tailored to your choir’s needs and integrated into your church’s liturgical schedule. In intensive sessions they help church musicians of all abilities reach new levels of mastery, with emphasis on how to retain these skills and employ them in an everyday setting. They particularly emphasize the spiritual work of the sacred choral musician, and its connections to ensemble blend, musicianship, expressiveness, attentiveness, and a prayerful ethos.
FOR THE SINGER
Develop and strengthen your individual voice
Maintain healthy technique in a choral setting
Increase your endurance and prevent vocal damage
Learn to warm-up and practice more effectively
FOR THE CONDUCTOR
Improve your conducting technique
Lead rehearsals in a more effective and engaging way
Deepen your knowledge of liturgical music
Diagnose and solve problems in your ensemble
FOR THE CHOIR
Convey sacred text with clarity and depth
Unify and develop your ensemble sound
Sing longer and stronger with less fatigue
Enhance ensemble “community” and connection
Saturday:
8:30 am - Registration, coffee/refreshments
9:30-12:00—Group Vocal Technique
12:00-1:00 - Lunch
1:00-2:30— Repertoire with full ensemble
3:00-4:30— Ensemble technique/Conducting lessons
4:30-5:30 - Dinner
5:30-6:45 - Rehearsal
7:00-7:45pm - Vespers
For more info contact: irena.burkett@gmail.com
San Francisco, CA: His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin reports the community of the Holy Assumption Monastery in Calistoga, CA remains under an evacuation advisory. So far, the monastery has not been given notice to evacuate and it is expected the advisory will be lifted some time on Thursday. Several families from the St. Seraphim Cathedral parish in Santa Rosa, CA have been evacuated as the fires have threatened communities to the north and west of Santa Rosa. You may remember Santa Rosa itself experienced devastating fires two years ago and the area is still recovering from that blaze. No word has reached His Eminence that anyone has lost their home so far.
We ask your prayers for all those who have been evacuated and lost their homes be they members of our flock or not.
On the weekend of October 12th - 13th Archbishop Benjamin traveled to Spokane, Washington, where he visited St. Luke Orthodox Church https://spokaneorthodoxchurch. com/, a new mission of the Diocese of the West, and gave a lecture at Whitworth University. Events began on Saturday when Vladyka joined 20 people for an OCF brunch at the home of Fr. Timothy and Mka. Marie Wilkinson, where he spent an extended period answering questions posed by the students and guests. Saturday Vespers at St Luke’s was well attended and was followed by a dinner at the Wilkinson home. On Sunday, Thomas Schaeffer was ordained a subdeacon by Archbishop Benjamin in the presence of over 60 people, including several first-time visitors. Before becoming Orthodox in 2015, Subdeacon Thomas spent 30 years as an Assemblies of God minister.
The Burial Service for Non Orthodox for priests and choirs is now available on our website. Please download here.
In the company of His Eminence Benjamin, Archbishop of San Francisco and the West, this is an absolute trip of a lifetime - First Class all the way! Tour highlights that include; The Oberammergau Passion Play performed only every ten years, truly a world-class spiritual experience., day long cruise through the most scenic area of the Rhine River. See Germany's largest opera house, visit castles, fantastic museums, with city walking tours uncovering history, activities to experience the culture, food (and spectacular Cathedrals!) of this beautiful region. Download the flyer here.
by Cynthia Sweeney
Reprinted with permission by the Napa Valley Register
The date, Oct. 22 will mark 10 years that the Sisters of Holy Assumption Monastery have been an active part of the Calistoga community. Now, the sisters are looking for a little help from the community as they plan to replace The St. Nicholas House that “has seen better times.” The house was built on the Washington Street property in the 1970s, and was originally intended to be a handicap-accessible residence for elderly and infirm sisters. After adding an accessible bathroom several years ago, contractors found that the house was not built to high-quality standards, and replacing it is a better use of resources than continuing to renovate, or attempting to expand, said Mother Melania. “We have to think ahead. We’re stewards and caretakers of this property for the next generations, and to provide what the community will need,” said Mother Macrina.
Plans are already underway. Local general contractor Paul Coates, a generous friend of the monastery, and architect Thomas Stimpert, have committed to the project, donating planning input and guidance.
The sisters have begun a fundraising campaign with a goal of $1 million for the new St. Nicholas House. About $20,000 has been raised so far. Neither demolition nor construction can begin until the bulk of the money has been raised. Several factors contribute to the cost of the new building including elevation of the building due to the proximity to the Napa River, and the addition of a sprinkler system. (See details at https://www.holyassumptionmonastery.com/newsnhdetails.)
(View original article here)
Whitworth University is honored to host Archbishop Benjamin of the Orthodox Church in America. He will hold a discussion on Eastern Orthodox liturgy and liturgical books on Monday, Oct. 14, from 7-8:30 p.m. in Weyerhaeuser Hall, Room 111. The event is free and open to the public.
Archbishop Benjamin’s visit coincides with the “People of the Book” exhibit in the Whitworth library. It features rare liturgical books and historic items, including the prayer rope of Pyotr Stolypin, the third prime minister of Russia, who was assassinated in 1911. This exhibit will be featured in the library until the end of January 2020.
“Archbishop Benjamin’s ministry provides our students with a wonderful example of ministry and service,” says the Rev. Timothy Wilkinson, dean of Whitworth’s School of Business. “With his informal and personable style, he has used his musical and intellectual gifts to create and develop churches throughout the western U.S. He reminds us that that human beings should not be reduced to thinking of themselves as mere producers and consumers, but that we are meant to be liturgical beings, offering glory to God.”
An icon with particles of the relics of the Russian New Martyrs Sts. Nikolai Chernishev and his daughter Barbara from Votkinsk was ceremoniously gifted to a parish of the Orthodox Church in America in California on Sunday.The solemn event took place following the Divine Liturgy at the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Izhevsk. The relics were given to Fr. Edward Henderson, rector of the Church of St. John the Baptist in Berkeley, California (OCA Western American Diocese), who was visiting the area for several days, by Izhevsk Dean Archpriest Roman Voskresensky, reports the press service of the Izhevsk and Udmurtia Diocese.
Handing him the icon with the relics, Fr. Roman asked Fr. Edward to tell about the life of his parish in Berkeley, where there are many parishioners from Votkinsk, who preserved the memory of Sts. Nikolai and Barbara throughout the past century.
St. Eugene’s Orthodox Youth Camp is a place where you meet new people and leave with a strong bond and connection, knowing they are going to be in your life forever. You can find St. Eugene’s at Sugar Pine Christian Camps at Timber Mountain, nestled high up in the trees in Oakhurst, California. The location is beautiful. The campsite is surrounded by woods, and the temperatures rest in the high 80s during the day, coming down to the 50s at night. It is the perfect weather in which to learn, play, and pray.
From July 7th through July 13th, over fifty campers, nine clergy members, and thirty volunteers from across the diocese and even across the country, gathered to spend time together dwelling in the beauty of God’s creation. The theme for this year’s camp was “Life in Christ Today” where we spent the week reflecting on how we can all give our talents and time to our communities and be present to see how Christ comes into our lives in the twenty-first century.
by Father Stephen Osburn
What an amazing time we all had this year at the Rocky Mountain Orthodox Youth Camp! By far one of the best camp experiences one could have. Now myself, I had the pleasure of being the speaker for this year’s camp and as such, my topic was on how to become a good Athlete in Christ. For those who don’t know, I am a huge sports fan (“Go Knights Go!”) and when I was asked to give the talks, I knew exactly what topic to pick for a couple reasons: One, in our faith, especially through Parables, relating to things within the world helps expand our understanding of what we believe. It makes us better Christians. It makes us better Orthodox. It helps us spread the Gospel. Two, St. Paul when first preaching the Gospel used sports as his allegory both from a deep admiration for sports but also because sports and faith are interconnected. They both come from the same model. You see, when someone wants to be a good athlete they have to train. They have to practice. They have to hone their craft. If they don’t, they won’t win, they won’t be very good. They will struggle. Same goes with our faith. If we don’t learn to pray - if we don’t practice praying - if we don’t come to church - if we don’t fast - we won’t be much of a Christian. So St. Paul uses the imagery of sports because of its deep rooted connection with our daily struggles as Christians.
The Diocese of the West is the geographical district of the Orthodox Church in America consisting of the Western United States. The diocese has active parishes in Montana, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii. San Francisco is home to the diocese’s cathedral, Holy Trinity, as well as the Chancery offices. The diocese is led by His Grace Vasily, Bishop of San Francisco and the West.
