Memory eternal – Archpriest Dr. Michael Herrick

A longtime Episcopalian priest, Archpriest Dr. Michael Herrick converted to Orthodoxy, and, after his ordination as an Orthodox priest, became the first resident priest at St. Matthew Orthodox Church in Green Bay, where he served for over a decade. In addition to his pastoral ministry, he worked as a prison psychologist.

Fr. Herrick fell asleep in the Lord on 29 March 2015. He was 85 years old. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Father Michael’s name and may be sent to Saint Matthew Church, 607 Ravenswood Drive, Green Bay, WI 54302.

With the saints give rest, O Lord – Fr. Matthew Baker

Last night – March 1st – an Orthodox priest, Fr. Matthew Baker, was travelling home from a Vespers service when he was involved in a serious car accident where he was thrown from his vehicle and killed. He was 37 and leaves behind a wife and six children. He had been ordained to the priesthood in January of 2014 and was only very recently assigned to the parish in Norwich, Connecticut.

A page has been set up by a family friend to help collect donations for the family. That page is here: http://www.gofundme.com/nizf2g. According to that page, there is also an email address help4thebakers@gmail.com for inquiries or correspondence. An Amazon wish list is said to be forthcoming. Please keep the whole family in your prayers.

Greek Metropolis of Boston announcement
Reflections on Fr. Baker’s life by Fr. Andrew Damick
NBC news story (includes accident scene photo)

Update More testimonials to the life of Fr. Matthew
Seraphim Danckaert
Hierodeacon Herman Majkrzak

Parish updates (closures)

A couple of updates on the status of parishes in Wisconsin. From information available online, it looks as though the St. Andrew mission in Minocqua was closed mid-2014, and that the Holy Cross Community which was originally in St. Croix Falls, then moved to Chisago City, Minnesota was officially closed in late 2014.

Press Release – Enthronement of Metropolitan Joseph

The second largest Orthodox Christian Church in North America has a new leader, enthroned by the head of one of the oldest churches on earth.

On Saturday, December 6, the Patriarch of Antioch and All of the East, Patriarch John X of Damascus, Syria, enthroned Metropolitan Joseph as new head of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in North America at that Church’s national Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York.

Click here for entire press release

A new ramp at St. Nicholas Church in Kenosha

St. Nicholas Church in Kenosha was recently the beneficiary of a work team from Nativity of the Holy Virgin Orthodox Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, who built a ramp up to the main entrance of the church.  This ramp makes the church much more accessible for parishoners who may have trouble walking or otherwise negotiating stairs.

“At the invitation of Charlotte’s Father Bill Mills, Sam Salloum and I started a conversation in March 2014 about a project that would make Saint Nicholas Church handicapped accessible,” said Kenosha’s Father Stephen Hrycyniak. “A team of five agreed to come to Kenosha and offer a week of their time to build a 100 foot ramp if our parishioners could come up with the cost of materials. I approached our council and parishioners; everyone was largely supportive and generously donated toward the project.”

The “Charlotte Five” arrived in Kenosha on Sunday, June 29, and within a week, the parish boasted a beautifully constructed ramp.

Read the entire article at the Midwest Diocese site

 

This ramp is the beginning of a larger project to improve the accessibility of St. Nicholas.  The next phases will include building off-street parking spaces and a sidewalk that lead directly to the ramp in order to further facilitate those who may have mobility problems.

To donate to this project, please contact St. Nicholas Church in Kenosha.