Wives

Published by the Orthodox Church in America, March 2, 2005

Workshop for Wives of Seminarians, New Clergy to be held at St. Tikhon's

SOUTH CANAAN, PA [OCA Communications] — With the blessing of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, a workshop, titled “Clergy Wife Boot Camp,” for wives of seminarians and recently ordained clergy will be held at Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery and Seminary here April 8-10, 2005.

“As much as seminaries train and prepare the men to be able to serve and minister to the needs of a parish, very often the wives of those who enter parish life often come in ill-prepared,” said Mrs. Stephanie Subu, whose husband is rector of Holy Cross Church, Hermitage, PA. “The goal of this workshop is to provide important and practical information about what to possibly expect in the first parish, what not to do, what you should do, and how to handle difficult situations with diplomacy and grace.”

The workshop also will provide advice and tools on balancing clergy life and personal life.

Keynote speakers include Mrs. Ann Hester, whose husband is a priest of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. Based on her 15 years of experience, she will explore ways to manage self care and find the balance between being a wife, mother, working professional, woman, and clergy wife.

Megan Brightwell, LPC, will offer her counseling experience to teach tools and techniques for effective communication and listening skills to help handle parish situations. She will also discuss healthy and unhealthy boundary issues relating to parishioner relationships and family life and related issues.

Mrs. Subu will share lessons she has learned in her five years as a clergy wife and offer suggestions for handling embarrassing moments, difficult situations, and hyper-active “priest’s kids”. The workshop will open with the celebration of Vespers on Friday, April 8, at 4:00 p.m. Registration, the opening session and icebreakers, and the first keynote presentation follow at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday’s program opens with the Divine Liturgy at 8:00 a.m. After the 4:00 p.m. Vigil, participants will join the speakers for dinner and fellowship.

The workshop will close after the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, April 10, after which a luncheon and closing presentation will be held.

Registration fee, which includes meals and all materials, is only $20.00. Checks made payable to Psa. Stephanie Subu should be sent no later than March 25 to 950 Maple Drive, Hermitage, PA 16148.



Volume 7 Number 10 - Tuesday, March 8th, 2005	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY