Our Clergy
His Eminence, The Most Reverend Metropolitan Demetrius of America
His Eminence, Metropolitan Demetrius of America, was born Victor Kiriacou on November 15/28, 1974, in Toronto, Canada, to pious parents Constantine (who was tonsured a monk with the name Naoum prior to his repose) and Chrysoula Kiriacou from Vevi, Florina, Greece. He is the third of three children.
After spending time in the Holy Land and on Mount Athos, he entered the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration in 1994 and was tonsured, receiving the name Demetrius (named after his ancestor, the priest Demetrius) in honor of St Demetrius of Thessaloniki. He was ordained to the diaconate in 1999, the priesthood in 2005, and the episcopacy in 2006. In September 2012, he was received into the canonical Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece together with a number of clergy, monastics, and parishes throughout the United States, and elected Bishop of Boston, concelebrating with His Beatitude, Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens and all Greece, and those hierarchs with him on September 8/21, 2012. On September 20/October 3, 2012, the feast of St. Eustathios, he was elected Abbot of Holy Ascension Monastery in Bearsville, NY, in the presence of His Beatitude, Archbishop Kallinikos, and five other hierarchs of the Synod from Greece and America. On February 6/19, 2014, he was elected Metropolitan of America.
On Sunday, April 28/May 11, 2014, His Eminence was enthroned as Metropolitan of America at the Cathedral of Saint Markella in Astoria, New York by His Eminence, Metropolitan Gerontios of Piraeus and Salamis, representing Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens and All Greece and the Holy Synod.
On Tuesday, September 30/October 13th, 2015, the feast of the uncovering of the relics of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco, His Eminence founded the monastery in honor of the same saint, a staunch defender of traditional Orthodoxy. The name of the monastery was chosen by lots, during the Divine Liturgy. The monastery treasures relics, clothing, vestments, personal items, and correspondence of St John, as well as many other holy relics (around 200). It is the residence of His Eminence, who is also functioning as the abbot of the holy monastery.
His Eminence speaks English, Greek, various Slavic languages and some Spanish and French.
Our Priest, The Reverend Father Methodius
Fr. Methodius was Born March 15th, 1975 and given the name Nikolii Petrovitch Chwastek. His parents, who were then attached to the United States Navy, moved the family from Tennessee to California before ending up in the Midwest and eventually settling in Michigan.
After graduating High school in 1993, Nikolii entered the skilled trades. He spent several years working in machine shops while taking classes at small colleges and seminaries. During this time, Nikolii met and married his wife Jamie (Matushka Justina), of 25 years. The two started to build a family of their own. Raising his children caused Nikolii to ask questions about what he would teach them concerning life, death and, most importantly, what happens after death. These questions drove him to seek wisdom. When human philosophy proved unable to penetrate the mystery of life, he turned to Holy Scripture and gradually came to embrace the truth of Orthodoxy and sought entrance into the Holy Church.
In the year 2006 Nikolii brought his young family to the local Russian Orthodox Church near their home in Virginia. By the year 2007 they had been catechized and brought into the Church through Holy Baptism, at which time Nikolii was given the name Methodius in honor of his patron Saint. Since that time, the family has grown and now includes six sons and one daughter.
Father Methodius was Tonsured a Reader in the year 2010, ordained a Sub-deacon in spring of 2014. He entered the Holy Diaconate February 2nd of 2020 and was received into the GOC through the Laying on of hands by his eminence Demetrius, Metropolitan of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of America in December of 2020. December 8th of 2021, on the feast of St. Clement of Ochrid, Metropolitan Demetrius ordained him a priest at the Monastery of St. John the wonderworker, in Cobleskill, NY.
For the past 18 years he has been self-employed working as a remodeling contractor. During this time, he has studied at two pastoral schools offering programs for those without time for a full study schedule. Currently, with the blessing of his eminence, Metropolitan Demetrius, he has been offering catechism, preaching, teaching and services in the newly established mission in Pinckney, which is dedicated to the Birth of the Baptist and Forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ.
What is the Eastern Orthodox Church?
The Eastern Orthodox Church is…
Historical: The Christian Church established by the Lord Jesus over 2,000 years ago
Cosmological: The Body of Christ which is enlivened by the Holy Spirit and within which, the Salvation of the world is realized
Traditional: The author of all Sacred Scripture, the keeper and defender of the True Faith against Heresy and division
Liturgical: The authentic context and form of worship, which is pleasing to God, the Trinity
Sacramental: The only living Organism wherein true, God graced sacraments are available
Ascetical: The spiritual hospital which offers the only therapeutic method capable of healing the whole man, body, and soul
Categorical: The true faith, once for all, received by the apostles
Eschatological: The genuine bride for which the Lord will return at the conclusion of human history
At the Birth of the Baptist Church, we are a small, serious group of Orthodox believers. We are open to all genuine seekers of God. We welcome your questions about faith, life, the soul, and the world we live in.
Tithes and Offerings in this local parish
This letter responds to those who, while closely attached to us, have questions regarding giving.
How can I contribute to the maintenance and growth of this local parish? This is a very responsible question to ask. In fact, the question of money is no less a matter of faith than the other questions that have brought us to this Holy place. Being Orthodox Christians, we believe that piety has to do with rightly worshipping and knowing God. We believe that we can know that our sacrifice is acceptable to the Lord because He has made His way known unto us. When it comes to what we call spiritual issues we rightly hasten to the scriptures and the works of the Holy Fathers. We believe that our experience as the Body of Christ is relatively uniform. At least when it comes to what we call “theological” or spiritual issues. Somehow, when it comes to the issue of financial support, many believe they are free to give or not as they see proper. But isn’t this a strange and seemingly arbitrary distinction? Is it correct or even safe? Is not how we use our money a spiritual issue?
Consider how many times in the Scripture alone we are taught lessons which have money and its proper use at heart. You might say that money and our relationship to it is a central teaching of our Savior. So why, when it comes to what we do with our possessions and especially our money are we reluctant to allow the scriptures and teachings of the Church to inform our thinking?
It’s probably safe to assume that you want a Church to go to regularly. A place to worship, receive the Sacraments, and raise your family in. Most of all, you want it to be available for you whenever you need it. Presumably, you want it to reflect the highest level of beauty, order, and quality so that it speaks truthfully about the God worshipped there. None of these things are available without someone funding them. However, the Church is not a human organization, and She does not operate according to terms of worldly businesses.
The maintenance and growth of the Church are the result and outworking of the Worship of the Church! One of the ways the Orthodox Christian worships is with money, tithes, and offerings. This means the maintenance and operation of the Church is an act of worship. And the growth of a parish demonstrates and reflects the dynamic of self-sacrificial giving of tithes and offerings. In the same way, there is a relationship between the spiritual life of each giver exemplified either by freedom from attachment or a miserly clinging to one’s money.
What is a tithe and how is it different from an offering? A tithe is the giving of 10 percent of one’s income. The tithe was given in the Old Testament (as a matter of fact there were tithes), its practice is ratified in the New Testament and confirmed by the Holy Fathers. All Christians are obliged to give the tenth or tithe, as a minimum requirement, to the Church. This makes possible the above-mentioned place of worship, clergy required to celebrate the services, not to mention books and all the other things necessary for Orthodox worship. The tithe is obligatory. This is what differentiates a tithe from an offering. An offering is not required per say but is above and beyond the tithe. An offering is what someone gives who has satisfied the requirement to tithe and because of gratitude or some other motivation desires to give more. While the tithe is dependent on the income of the giver (10 %) the offering is not (as much as desired or possible).
Who should tithe? Anyone with an income. In our parish we simply lay this teaching down and expect that people will embrace it. We try to make it easy to begin by stating that your tithe may come out after your taxes. This is a condescension to our weakness, but we feel that it is necessary given the inflated gouge taken out by our inflated federal, state and sales taxes. If your household has one income, that income is the basis for your tithe. If more than one, each income forms the basis of a tithe. Everyone from the priest to the teenager with a summer job is required to tithe. From experience, we can assure you that God will not, because of your giving, cause you to suffer. Also, because this is how we operate as a parish, you will know that your sacrifice is acceptable. As we say often, what is most important is that we act with one mind and heart.
The offering, on the other hand, is a way for the thankful heart to express itself! That means that the amount is unregulated. The offering can be included with the tithe, but it does not replace it. Where the tithe is required for regular operations and maintenance, offerings represent our acknowledgment of God’s kind providence and the blessings He pours out on us!
When, or how often should I tithe? The frequency of giving the tithe is not as important as the faithful giving of it. It is quite common for the faithful to give on Sundays. This is a good discipline because it establishes good habits. It happens that someone will miss a Sunday or a service where they intended to give. This is not a problem because the tithe is based upon one’s income and not the frequency of their visits to the Church. In other words, you don’t tithe only if you attend a service, or, maybe more clearly, you still tithe when you are absent. It is a simple math equation. If I make $40,000. after taxes in a year, I owe (it is a spiritual obligation) $4,000.
There are lots of articles one could read that would improve upon what is said here. I am only trying to answer one question: How can I contribute to the maintenance and growth of this local parish? Some, who came from countries where there was a State funded church, as in the former Soviet Union, may never have heard of these things. They may believe that this is an American or a protestant teaching. They should be reminded of the famous Church “of the tithes.” This famous Church, known throughout the former Soviet Union, was built by moneys given by the great St. Vladimir. It was built through tithes! Others, who come from protestant or other backgrounds may be surprised to learn some of the theology behind these practices.
The bottom line is this, we do not live in a society where the Churches are supported by the state. Often, they are supported by the Clergy who serve in them! In our GOC, many of our clergy work full time jobs in addition to serving without pay. The tithes they collect include their own. Let us be inspired by their faithfulness, by the faithfulness of those who consider everything they have as belonging to the Lord! We should ask God to help us become Orthodox with our finances.
What about ROCOR? They are Traditional...aren't they?
What happened to the official Church?
Lenin's decree on the separation of church and state in early 1918 deprived the formerly official church of its status of legal personhood, the right to own property, or to teach religion in both state and private schools or to any group of minors.
Ecumenism In Action/Apostasy Manifests
Francis told his Orthodox brothers, “We need to help one another not to yield to the seductions of an individualistic ‘culture of hate’ that, perhaps no longer ideological as...the atheist persecution, is nonetheless more persuasive and no less materialist.” He said there is a need for Catholics and Orthodox to collaborate together... “in many cases, a relationship of reciprocal trust and friends
They may not be in communion with each other but they have a form of unity that is bigger than the Church in the World Council of churches.
"While some may question the motivation, the timing or the purpose of this event, we, in the Orthodox Church in America, should give thanks to God that we are witnesses to such a historic meeting between two important Christian world leaders." Letter from Metropolitan Tikhon
"After forty years of an intense ecumenical experience, we can look back with gratitude for the progress made in the journey towards full visible unity." World Council of churches (Anti-Christ organization) celebrates the work of John Paul.
“Beloved brother in Christ, along the path towards full communion between our Churches, we are sustained by the intercession of the holy brothers Peter and Andrew, our patron saints,” Pope Francis said on Nov. 30.
"The official participation of the Roman Catholic Church in the ecumenical movement was strengthened by the promulgation in November 1964 of the Second Vatican Council’s decree on ecumenism called Unitatis Redintegratio (Latin for "Restoration of unity"). This decree described the ecumenical movement as being "fostered by the grace of the Holy Spirit" for "the restoration of unity among all Chris
Join us for our 4th Annual Patronal Feast!
Vigil Service for Nativity of St. John July 6th
Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity July 7th
Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity July 7th
Come prepare for the Divine Liturgy by attending the Vigil for the Feast. Your Ascetical efforts condition your Liturgical experience.
Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity July 7th
Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity July 7th
Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity July 7th
Come celebrate the birth of the Greatest man ever born among women! Call ahead for details about confession and preparation.
Support our Missionary activity
Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity July 7th
Join us for food and refreshment after Liturgy.
Make financial contributions through paypal @ fellowheirs@hotmail.com
There is no other Orthodox Church in Livingston county and we are funded exclusively by the Tithes and gifts of this community.
Join us for food and refreshment after Liturgy.
Follow our Preaching and Teaching Ministries Online!
Join us for food and refreshment after Liturgy.
Our Patronal Feast is observed during the Apostles' fast. This being a Great Feast of the Church though, fish will be served at our home. Call ahead for directions! Trapeza is served every Sunday.
Follow our Preaching and Teaching Ministries Online!
Follow our Preaching and Teaching Ministries Online!
Follow our Preaching and Teaching Ministries Online!
Plan your visit
Follow our Preaching and Teaching Ministries Online!
Follow our Preaching and Teaching Ministries Online!
We would love to have you join us for a Sunday service or one of our events. Call ahead to plan your visit or click the links above to learn more about what to expect when you come to Birth of the Baptist Orthodox Church Church.