The St. Nicholas of South Canaan
Church has been in Billings for at least 10 years, but its new parish priest
arrived just last winter. In fact, Fr. John Mancantelli moved from Regina,
Saskatchewan, last December and he and his wife had to time their move
between snowstorms. His first service in Billings was Jan. 1.
"Our four children live in the States, and being
located here ourselves makes it much easier to visit them," he said.
The couple has found Billings to be a friendly
place, "starting first with our own parish, our neighbors around the church
and the rectory and others we've met in the hospitals, stores and on the
street," he said. "We are happy to be here."
St. Nicholas is located at 401 Lewis Avenue. Here's
what else Mancantelli said about his new assignment and his active parish:
What is the history of the Orthodox Church?
The Orthodox Church traces its roots to the Day of
Pentecost and the apostolic community in Jerusalem. For its first 1,000
years, the Christian Church was one, centered mostly around the
Mediterranean basin. Then about 1054 there was a rupture between the
Patriarchate of Rome and the four Patriarchates of the East (Constantinople,
Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem). The issues included differences in
belief of the Holy Trinity and the role of the Bishop of Rome in the
universal church. Most Western Christians today trace their roots ultimately
to Rome, most Orthodox to the Holy Land, the Balkans and Russia.
Orthodoxy arrived in North America in 1794 when
missionaries were sent to Russian Alaska. After the purchase of Alaska by
the United States, Orthodoxy spread to the lower 48 as well. St. Nicholas
parish is a child and heir of this original Russian Orthodox mission. About
half of our 90 members trace their roots to traditional Orthodox countries:
Greece, Serbia, Syria and Russia; the other half are American converts.
What are some of the characteristics of your
Church?
Orthodoxy has shown a remarkable fidelity to the teachings of
the Apostolic era. We are hierarchical in structure - our church is overseen
by bishops, all of whom are equal to one another. Most of our parish priests
are married; bishops must always be drawn from the ranks of the monastics.
We are a sacramental Church. Each Sunday we
celebrate the Eucharist (Holy Communion) and serve the other sacraments as
needed (baptism, chrismation, reconciliation. marriage, ordination and
unction).
We are a liturgical church. If we have a belief,
then somewhere there is a hymn, prayer or service incorporating that belief.
Are there other Orthodox parishes in Montana?
This summer the oldest Orthodox church in Montana, Holy Trinity Serbian
Orthodox Church in Butte, celebrates its 100th anniversary. There is also a
Greek Orthodox parish in Missoula, an Orthodox Church in America mission in
Bozeman and St. Nicholas Orthodox Church here in Billings.
How long has the parish been here?
St.
Nicholas has been here for 10 years as an English-language mission of the
Orthodox Church in America. We met in borrowed quarters initially, then in
July of 1999 we purchased our own building, a church on the corner of Lewis
and Fourth.
Service Days and Times
Our regular schedule
of services is Vespers at 5 p.m. on Saturdays. On Sundays, Matins at 8:30
a.m., church school at 9 a.m. and divine liturgy at 10 a.m., followed by a
coffee hour. We also have a regular cycle of feast days, saints' days and
Lenten celebrations.
Size of Congregation
Sunday attendance runs
about 90 to 100 each Sunday, including babies and small children.
Other Regular Gatherings
When I first
arrived here, I was immediately thrust into house blessings (associated with
the feast of the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan on Jan. 6) and then Great
Lent, with two to three extra services per week. After Mother's Day, we'll
announce a regular Bible study and Inquirers' Classes.
Church's mission in the community and how the
church is involved in the community
The most significant contribution a
church can make to the community is to produce men, women and children who
not only profess love of God and their neighbors but show it through their
words and deeds. We see the church not so much as a place to do charity work
for us, but as the source to inspire us in our individual acts of kindness.
Nevertheless, our parish has been involved in such outside activities as
helping the HUB, redoing a room at the Women and Family Shelter, the Crisis
Pregnancy Center and the Read and Eat program at Head Start as well as
monthly collections for the Food Bank and visitations at nursing homes. We
also do charity within our parish and diocese.
How is your church funded?
What is the church's
annual budget?
The parish is funded through the pledges of our members
and a small monthly stipend (which ends in December) from our diocesan
mission board. Our annual budget is about $75,000.
Is there something unusual about your church
that would interest those outside your congregation?
The goal of the
Orthodox Church is becoming united to God by the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit, so one can say with St. Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but
Christ who lives in me." This one does through prayer, reception of the holy
Sacraments, reading of holy scripture and good works so the groundwork is
laid to cooperate with the grace of God.
What is the biggest challenge you or your parish
faces?
Without a doubt, it's preparing for the Parousia, the Second
Coming of Christ. The "success" of a church is not measured by its income,
buildings, membership or programs, but will be revealed on the Day of
Judgment. Everything else is secondary.
What is a piece of advice that has helped you as
a pastor?
When I graduated from seminary 30 years ago, I was filled with
zeal and loved to talk about the holy fathers and the mystical theology of
the church. Then, an experienced priest took me aside and said, "The most
important thing
a priest can do is to love his flock." I have remembered
that advice and tried to live by it since.
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