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Building Update
As you can see from the new pictures, many exciting things have been happening with our building. We are now entirely under roof, and have windows in the building. The pictures show how the building looks on the inside, looking both east toward where the altar will be, and west to where the nave and fellowship hall will be. We also have our first icon up in the building, and Fr. Matthew and a few others have been doing the hours in the new building as they can. Also, even though one of the latest pictures shows only the hole where the doors will be, we have within the past few days had our doors installed! All of this recent activity affords us the opportunity to do inside work, away from the snow, if not the cold, of a Northern Indiana winter. Also, we hope to have the septic system dug this week.
Even with the progress on the building, we still are in need of much money to complete the work. Please continue to ask the Mother of God to beseech her Son to provide the finances necessary to finish the construction on this facility dedicated to her Dormition. In anticipation of all this activity on the building, we had a groundbreaking service for our new building. On Saturday, August 22nd, we were blessed with the presence of Frs. Nabil Hanna (Dean of our Indiana parishes) and George Smith (who was our interim priest in 2006-2007, and is one of the founding members of St. Mary's). Our own Fr. Matthew Wade lead the service, which happened on a cloudy and cool (for August) day. Besides taking a few spades of dirt, we erected a cross at one of the highest points on the property, so that all can see that the new St. Mary's building is on the way. PHOTOS
The History of St. Mary's Church
In 1993 a group of Episcopalians lead by Reverend Father Antony Bell were chrismated in Toledo and soon formed St. Mary's of the Dormition in Goshen, Indiana. For years the young group of Orthodox converts met in various places, including homes, the upper room of a local funeral home, and store-front rental facilities. The parish grew with their beloved priest Father Antony. Eventually they were able to purchase property in Topeka, Indiana, where they stayed for several years. Many of the faithful drove many miles to attend services out in the country area surrounding the small town of Topeka. The beloved people remained faithful and believed.
Unfortunately, their beloved leader and priest became ill with an aggressive form of cancer. After a long but gracious battle with cancer, the beloved Father Antony reposed in June of 2006. His wife Kh. Melanie moved on to Pennsylvania and settled there with family. Soon after, Father George Smith and his wife Kh. Anna (Charlotte) faithfully pastored the church until His Grace Bishop MARK would appoint another priest. In February of 2007, Father Matthew Wade was ordained to be the new priest of St. Mary's. He and his wife, Kh. Kelly, and family moved to Goshen with the direction from His Grace Bishop MARK to possibly move the parish back into the Goshen area. In the fall of 2007 the parish decided to return to its roots in Goshen. After a year the building finally sold, and soon after six acres of land were purchased just outside of Goshen proper, three miles from Goshen College, home of the Mennonite Conference. Lacking funds in an economically hard-hit area and wondering how the parish might build, rent a facility for a short time, plus support its priest, an offer came from Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church to come and worship with them until the building project became a reality. St. Mary's accepted the gracious offer and entered the liturgical life of their brothers and sisters in Christ. During these months St. Mary's was exposed to a broader and deeper understanding of the Orthodox heritage and struggle of the Ukrainian people. St. Mary's was the recipient of a wonderful and generous gift of space, time, and love. It was even suggested that the two small parishes might join and merge together, but it was not meant to be. After many conversations at the local level, both Bishops, His Grace Bishop DANIEL and our own Bishop MARK blessed us with the directive to move on with our building plans. Now that St. Mary's has returned to its roots, it once again takes up the task of "making" disciples here in the Goshen area. The former Archpriest Antony and his wife Kh. Melanie knew well that to be in Goshen is to be like a missionary. For in this area, heavily influenced to an Anabaptist movement - the Mennonites and Amish - meant that there were truly few Orthodox people to draw from. St. Mary's is one of five Orthodox parishes in the general area. However, it is the only parish that offers its services entirely in English. St. Mary's, with all its struggles, believes that its mission to the greater Northern Indiana-Southern Michigan area is to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to all who might receive. Over the past several years St. Mary's has brought in many new converts to the Faith. Last year alone the parish saw ten people baptized or chrismated. This year St. Mary's has two catechumens who are new to Orthodoxy. The good and faithful people of St. Mary's believe more are coming! Soon St. Mary's will have a new facility just outside of Goshen proper. As it looks East it sees the beauty of extended farmland. Just to the West and South, it is only a few miles from new development and newer schools. Please pray for this community as it continues to grow and struggle together, and as it receives grace and beauty from the Blessed Holy Trinity.
St. Mary's has left its home in Topeka, and is moving back to Goshen, Indiana
We are in the process of purchasing land in the Goshen area on which to build a new church building. We have sold our building in Topeka, and until we can build our new building we will be worshiping with Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Goshen. Please come and join us at Holy Trinity as we display the oneness of the Orthodox faith with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. And pray for us that we might have God's blessings in the purchase of land, and construction of our new building.
On January 20, 2009 "The PAPER" of Elkhart County published a nice article on this subject. The following links open in a NEW browser:
St. Mary's Endorses Ministry of Compassion Pregnancy Centers
Perhaps the most significant event in the history of the cosmos, even greater than its creation, was the incarnation of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ. The entrance of the immortal God incarnate into time and space and history to save us from sin and death culminated the greatest "unplanned pregnancy" of all time. And the actions of His mother, the most holy virgin Mary, the Theotokos (literally the God bearer), instruct us to this day. Her faithful submission to the will of God (Luke 1:26-38) and her valor in so doing (Deut. 22:13-21) demonstrate for us the heights of virtue - how it is to be most truly human. In His name and in her honor, St. Mary's endorses the ministry of Compassion Pregnancy Centers (CPC) of Northeast Indiana in serving the needs of women with crisis pregnancies and their unborn children, the "least of these" our brethren (Matt. 25:40). Compassion Pregnancy Centers of Northeast Indiana
909 West Maumee Street, Suite A Angola, IN 46703 (260) 668-7773 - Angola Office (260) 463-8377 - Howe Office
FR. PETER GILLQUIST TAPES AVAILABLE
Author, editor, publisher, former Campus Crusade for Christ Director and current Director of the Department of Missions and Evangelism for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, Father Peter Gillquist presented three inspiring talks at St. Mary's Orthodox Church on November 7 & 8, 2003. Audio tapes are available. Please Click HERE to learn more.
FREDERICA MATHEWES-GREEN TAPES AVAILABLE
Author, National Public Radio commentator, and Christianity Today contributor Frederica Mathewes-Green spoke to attentive audiences at St. Mary's Orthodox Church on November 8 & 9, 2002. Audio tapes are available. Please Click HERE to learn more.
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