[Wayne, NJ] - 21 priests, 21 singers and over 160 faithful joined His Eminence, Archbishop MICHAEL for the celebration of Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers at Holy Resurrection Church in Wayne, NJ on March 9, 2025. The celebration began with a procession of the clergy and servers from the parish center to the church.

This newsletter, titled KOINONIA (Volume 7, Issue 1, March 10, 2025), is a diocesan publication from the Diocese of New York and New Jersey produced by the Commission on Missions and Evangelism. It opens with a powerful biblical passage from Ezekiel 37, using the imagery of dry bones and resurrection to set the tone for its exploration of church renewal. The newsletter brings together theological reflection and practical insights, addressing the challenges modern Orthodox parishes face in an evolving social climate while reaffirming the timeless message of the Gospel.

On the first Sunday of Great Lent, St. Basil's Orthodox Church in Watervliet, NY celebrated a pan‑Orthodox vespers service with a procession and the rite of Orthodoxy. Serving were Archpriest Peter Olsen, the rector of St. Basil's Church; Protopresbyter Emmanuel Mantzouris (Greek Archdiocese); Priestmonk Christopher Savage, Prior (New Skete Monastery, OCA); Presbyter Gregory Potter (Antiochian Archdiocese); Presbyter Neofitos Sargiannis (Greek Archdiocese); Presbyter John Vazquez (Antiochian Archdiocese); and Deacon Jason Gagnon of St. Basil's Church in Watervliet.

By God’s grace and the fervent prayers of many, Matushka Mary Shafran reached the incredible milestone of her 100th birthday on March 3rd. The celebration began the day before with a heartfelt visit from her niece and two great-grandchildren, and it continued on her birthday with Father Paul, daughters Nina and Paula, and son-in-law Ludwig.

Building upon the remarkable success of our 2024 Distinguished Diocesan Benefactors (DDB) Campaign, which raised an incredible $252,167—121% of our goal, we are excited to launch the 2025 DDB Campaign!

The faithful of Saint Mary Magdalen Orthodox Church on the Upper West Side of Manhattan will have the great blessing of hosting the visitation of the miracle-working icon of Saint Anna on the first weekend of Great Lent. This special event will be further enriched by the presence of the Saint Tikhon's Seminary Choir, whose sacred hymns will accompany the services throughout the weekend.

As we begin our journey to Pascha, I encourage you to take this time to not only reflect on how you might draw nearer to Christ over the course of the Great Fast — but how you you might also draw nearer to your family and community. After all, as Christian Gonzalez writes in this month's ministry reflection, "Lent is not just about individual repentance. It’s about the community. It’s about commending our whole life to Christ."

We are pleased to announce that the Alaska Initiative has now reached its conclusion with a final total of $103,060.00 raised. This milestone marks the successful completion of the campaign, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed.

As we close this chapter, please note that any future donations should be made directly to the Diocese of Alaska.

We are deeply grateful for your generous support and commitment throughout this initiative.

The parish of Saint Mary Magdalen in Manhattan is organizing a pilgrimage to the Holy Land at the end of June in collaboration with Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky's Orthodox Tours. This spiritual journey is open to participants from outside the parish.

The OCA Diocese of New York and New Jersey’s Department of Youth Ministry invites all teens and young adults to a Lenten Retreat Weekend full of faith, fellowship, and fun! This retreat is open to all dioceses and jurisdictions and is completely free to attend!