Sunday, April 21, 2024

5th Sunday of Great Lent: St Mary of Egypt

...click here for more

                                                                                                                                          

Very Reverand Father Mikel Bock

My name is Fr. Mikel Bock, son of the late Reader Stephen Bock and Monya Bock. I was born and raised as an Orthodox Christian in SS Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, a large parish in Endicott, NY. My parents both worked at IBM. In 1979, IBM had a mass transfer of employees to Charlotte, NC. My parents, my brother and I, moved there. I subsequently met my wife, Lisa. I worked for Piedmont Natural Gas, and later moved on to additional jobs in the construction industry.

After being married for 14 years, we decided to move to Alaska in 1998 so I could attend St. Herman’s Orthodox Seminary on Kodiak Island, Alaska. I graduated from the seminary in 2001, was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in June of 2002, and then to the Holy Priesthood in December of 2002.

Over the years, I served as a priest in Alaska in many different capacities. I was attached to St. Innocent Cathedral in Anchorage where I often served, but I was also a supply priest to many of the villages such as King Cove, Cordova, Valdez, Tyonek, Homer, Nikolai, and others. While attached to the Cathedral, Fr. Daniel Andrejuk and I ran a church store for the Diocese called The Russian Alaskan Liturgical Supply. We made several trips to Sofrino, Russia and bought items for the churches in Alaska, such as chalices, vestments, crosses, and more.

Part of my duties was to oversee the construction and remodeling teams that came to Alaska—whether it was OCMC, OCF’s Real Break Team*, or the several churches who came on their own. Among the projects that were undertaken were the remodeling of St Herman’s Seminary, a remodel of the chapel on Spruce Island and  the addition of its large deck.

In 2006, I was assigned to St Herman Orthodox Church in Fairbanks, AK, serving that parish for 3 years. While there, we had many new people come to the church—both Orthodox and Catechumens. We made many improvements to the physical building and the Altar area.

We moved back to Anchorage in 2009, where I re-opened a vacated church, St Nicholas Orthodox Church, in Eklutna, AK. While there, we were able to offer a full round of services at St Nicholas. I also was in charge of the tourism at that church, where we hosted several thousand tourists every year. Several of the people who attended services there were from the Wasilla area, and expressed their desire to build a church in Wasilla. Through God’s grace we were able to buy and pay off land and subsequently build St. Juvenaly Orthodox Church. I served there until 2019.

While I was in the Wasilla area, I also held Bible studies in the Palmer Correctional Facility until it was temporarily closed in 2016. I also held Bible studies in the Goose Creek Prison for 5 years until 2019.

In July of 2019, Matushka Lisa and I moved to Rock Hill, SC to serve at St Anthony the Great Orthodox Church. No one could have foreseen the pandemic, but nonetheless we seem to have made it through by following the directives that were given to us. During the pandemic, we were able to remodel the church and the house next door. The house next door now serves as the hall for coffee hour and meetings, as well as classrooms for Sunday school. Since we have fully opened up, we have seen a steady stream of new inquirers.

Matushka Lisa and I are looking forward to serving the faithful of SS. Peter and Paul in Phoenix.

Today's Saints >

 

Regular Services

Saturday: Vespers, 5:00 pm

Sunday: Divine Liturgy, 9:00 am

 

Address

1614 E. Monte Vista Rd.

Phoenix, Az 85006

 

Phone / Email

Fr. Mikel: 907-444-8545

Church: 602-253-9515

 

Directions To Saints Peter & Paul

 

Schedule of Upcoming Services

Weds April 17th 540pm 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Fri April 19th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Sat April 20th 10am Baptisms 5pm Vespers
Sun April 21st 840am Hours/Divine Liturgy

Pan-Orthodox Vespers

April 21 - 6pm Sts. Peter & Paul, Orthodox Church

Weds April 24th 540pm 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Fri April 26th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy 6pm Matins
Sat April 27th 840am Hours/Divine Liturgy 5pm Vespers Blessing of Palms
Sun April 28th 840am Hours/Divine Liturgy Noon or so Bridegroom Matins

Mon April 29th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy 6pm Bridegroom Matins
Tues April 30th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy 6pm Bridegroom Matins
Weds May 1st 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy 6pm Matins
Thurs May 2nd 840am 9th Hour/Vesperal Liturgy 6pm Matins w/12 Gospels
Fri May 3rd 8am Royal Hours 4pm Vespers 6pm Matins w/Lamentations
Sat May 4th 840am 9th Hour/Vesperal Liturgy 11:30pm Nocturns/
Sun May 5th 12:01am Procession/Matins /Hours /Divine Liturgy/Blessing of
Baskets in the Hall 1pm Vespers
Mon May 6th 850am Hours/Divine Liturgy

Donations
Photos

Visit of Metropolitan Tikhon - 11/03/2019

(110 images)


Parish News
 
Announcements
 

This Week...

April 13, 2024

Bible Study/Class will be on Mon and Tues evenings at 6, in April class will be 15th & 16th, 22nd & 23rd. And then back to Weds on May 15th. 

On Saturday April 20th there will be  Baptisms of 10 people at 10am.

If you would like to donate to the Pascha Card please see Stephanie Homiak,all proceeds go to St John the Baptist Monastery Building Fund. 

When parking please be courteous and do not block anyone in.  If the church lot is full you may park on the street or across the street at Bamboo Bakery.

On April 21st St Peter and Paul will host the Pan-Orthodox Vespers at 6pm.  Please check with Mat Elizabeth (Heather) to help with either set up, clean-up and food.

Fry’s has a reward program in which you can make St Peter and Paul the recipient of the rewards. You can access the program through the app, go to rewards then enroll and choose St P&P. 

On May 5th, Pascha Vespers will be at 1pm and there will be a potluck afterwards, everyone is invited to attend.  If you wish to bring a dish, please see Pat Starkey to coordinate what you will bring.

April 20th at 6:30 pm at Pollack Cinema in Tempe for a viewing of "Sacred Alaska" and "Amphilochios Saint of Patmos." Here is the link for ticket purchases: Sacred Alaska and Amphilochios Saint of Patmos

Please read in the narthex of the hall, or use the link below, about the monks and nuns' financial problems with the contractor.  https://www.gofundme.com/f/monasteries-construction-projects-robbed?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer&utm_term=undefined

There will be a cleaning Saturday on May 11th beginning at 8am. Please mark this on your calendars and plan on attending, with all the services of Holy Week and Pascha the church gets dirty and is in need of a deep cleaning.

Please remember to tithe, this is very important. The tithe goes into the operating budget to keep the church running, and in this way we are able to bring Christ to the community.    

Whoever you may be, always have God before your eyes; whatever you do, do it according to the testimony of the holy Scriptures; in whatever place you live, do not easily leave it. Keep these three precepts and you will be saved. St. Anthoy the Great

The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

Learn More >

The Holy Scripture is a collection of books written over multiple centuries by those inspired by God to do so. It is the primary witness to the Orthodox Christian faith, within Holy Tradition and often described as its highest point. It was written by the prophets and apostles in human language, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and collected, edited, and canonized by the Church.

Daily Readings >

Holiness or sainthood is a gift (charisma) given by God to man, through the Holy Spirit. Man's effort to become a participant in the life of divine holiness is indispensable, but sanctification itself is the work of the Holy Trinity, especially through the sanctifying power of Jesus Christ, who was incarnate, suffered crucifixion, and rose from the dead, in order to lead us to the life of holiness, through the communion with the Holy Spirit.

Today's Saints >

Saints Peter & Paul Orthodox Church
1614 E Monte Vista Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85006