The start of a new mission parish of the Eastern American Diocese in an area previously without an Orthodox church is a real blessing to faithful families and those interested in Orthodoxy in Central Pennsylvania. The new Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God Mission Parish in Lewisburg, PA began services with a Divine Liturgy on Sunday, September 13, as the first Orthodox church ever founded in Union County.

Seven families are involved in forming the English-language mission parish, many of them converts to Orthodoxy. They first gathered at the Nativity Liturgy last January in Christ the Savior Church in Sugar Notch, PA, and after discussions in the spring with Archpriest John Sorochka (Dean of Pennsylvania) and Archpriest Claude Vinyard (then cleric of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Mayfield, PA), they received Metropolitan Hilarion’s blessing to establish the parish on July 9 at St. John’s Cathedral.

Fr. Claude was named acting rector by His Eminence, and Fr. John served the first Liturgy at the parish last month. Currently services are being held at St. John Lutheran Church in the rural hamlet of Dry Valley, just outside Lewisburg. The includes strong connections to the Orthodox Christian Fellowship at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, and group that is a cross-section of diverse backgrounds from the area.

Deacon Nathaniel Sorochka (cleric of the cathedral) and Reader Matthew Romanchak have also been providing support with the start of the parish’s services.

When the parish was looking for a temporary home, they approached Reverend Phillips, the Lutheran pastor at St. John’s, who was very supportive in providing space for Orthodox services. It turned out that he had had a strong interest in Orthodoxy for years, and already had an Orthodox icon in his church sanctuary.

Divine Liturgy is being held twice a month, and dates and further details can be found at the parish website: www.holyprotectionchurch.net. The recently blessed parish council includes warden Alf Kentigern Siewers, assistant warden Michael Mitchell, treasurer Camilla Mazeski, and secretary Andre Wagner.