St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary - Press Releases Press Release St Vladimir's Hosts Spring 2004 OISM Meeting

Crestwood, NY—For many years now, students enrolled in Orthodox seminaries in North America—whether St Vladimir's, St Tikhon's, Holy Cross, St Herman's, or Holy Trinity—have passed through their seminary years with little or no interaction with the students of other Orthodox seminaries. In recent months, this has changed thanks to OISM—the Orthodox Inter-Seminary Movement—recently reestablished after years of inactivity.

On March 12-14, 2004, thirty students gathered on campus at SVS from the five aforementioned seminaries for worship, various lectures and presentations, as well as official business. The first meeting of OISM, which took place last September at St Tikhon's in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, was able to establish an interim Board of Administration to draft a constitution. This was presented at last weekend's meeting and unanimously adopted by the General Assembly. Additionally, a permanent Board of Administration was established with the election of Paul Gabriel Erickson of St Tikhon's as president, and delegates from each member school appointed to the board. Of these delegates, Tikhon Thurman of Holy Cross was appointed secretary and Joseph Matusiak of St Vladimir's was appointed Treasurer.

Also present at the meetings were Fr Chad Hatfield, dean of St Herman's, John Erickson, dean of St Vladimir's, and Fr Gerasimos Makris, director of student life at Holy Cross.

The meeting officially opened with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy served by His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada. On Saturday Fr Paul Tarazi, professor of Old Testament at St Vladimir's and adjunct professor at Holy Cross, delivered a lecture entitled "The Place of Scripture in Parish Life." Saturday evening Fr Chad Hatfield, together with some students from St Herman's, gave a presentation on Orthodoxy in Alaska and the need for missionary work within that diocese. St Herman's students also gave participants a taste of Upik Indian Culture by performing a traditional dance ceremony.

OISM has scheduled its next activity for May 24-28, when they will help the students of St Tikhon's Seminary prepare for the 100th Anniversary of the Memorial Day Pilgrimage to St Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania. St Herman's has offered to host the fall 2004 meeting.