While all of God’s People are called to proclaim the Good News, our clergy have been given the special task of “equipping the saints for ministry” by planting the seeds of faith and nurturing spiritual growth.

For nearly eight decades, our seminaries have devoted themselves to imparting information about our faith while pursuing the formation of those called to the ordained ministry.

Our growing number of diocesan seminarians have chosen a truly selfless path, especially in terms of funding their studies and related living expenses.

September 2017 has been designated “Support Our Seminarians Month” in the Diocese of the Midwest, culminating in “SOS Sunday” on September 24. Please be generous as we join together to help lighten our seminarians’ financial burdens.

All funds will be given directly to our seminarians!

This year we have eight students enrolled in seminary study. They are:

Saint Tikhon’s Seminary

• Deacon John Segvich (1 yr. special student)
• Reader Ephrem Tauck (M.Div.)

Saint Vladimir’s Seminary

• Mark Chenoweth (MTh)
• Brian Crivella (M.Div.)
• Brittany Lauber (MA)
• Aaron Rutz (M.Div.)
• Deacon Christopher Moore (M.Div.)
• Daniel VanderKolk (M.Div.)

Last year four people graduated from Saint Tikhon’s:

• Father John Kennerk (M.Div.) and his family have been assigned to Holy Assumption Church in Canton, OH.
• Father Basil Ferguson (M.Div.) and his family have been assigned to Saint Raphael of Brooklyn Mission in Quincy, IL.
• Father Stephan Gresh (1 yr. study) is serving now in the Diocese of Western Pennsylvania under Archbishop Melchizedek.
• Deacon Jonathan & Megan (Haak) Lincoln (both M.Div.) have been assigned to Saint Innocent Church in Olmsted Falls, OH.

Two people graduated from Saint Vladimir’s:

• Mark Chenoweth (M.Div.) was class valedictorian; he is now in the Th.M. program
• Christopher Stoops (M.Div.) and his family moved to Springfield, MO, where he will be working as a hospital chaplain.

Holy Assumption Orthodox Church is a parish of the Orthodox Church in America. Founded in 1898 it is the second oldest Orthodox Church in the State of Ohio, and was founded by immigrants from the modern European nations of Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

The parish originally met in the old church building of the Marblehead Congregational Church which had been purchased from them and Fr. Jason Kappanadze served as its first Supply Priest.

Construction of the current temple began when the founding men of the parish dug, by hand, its foundation. In 1906 the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church instructed Bishop Tikhon to bless the cornerstone, consecrate the temple and conduct the first services in this new church. You can still see today the four main icons of the iconostas, which were donated to the parish by Czar Nicholas II.

Pride in their new church inspired its members to new sacrifices and in spite of many hardships and challenges, the parish continued to grow. In 1929, the first formal choir was organized and the youth of the parish formed an "R" Club becoming Chapter #14 of the Federated Russian Orthodox Clubs. In 1942, the Mothers & Daughters Club was formed. In 1944 the first formal Church School Program established.

The 1940's and 50's saw many improvements to the temple - two new icons for the altar were completed by M. Rozdilsky, electricity was installed, carpeting laid, pews installed and a new oil furnace purchased.

In 1953 Fr. Daniel Hubiak was appointed as the first full time Rector of Holy Assumption. By November of 1953 the new rectory was completed and furnished for Fr. Hubiak and his family.

1966 saw the interior of the temple graced with the artistry of Nicholas and Peter Roadway who adorned the walls of the temple with muruals depicting the Nativity of the Theotokos, the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Annunciation to the Theotokos, the Sermon on the Mount, and our Lord's visit to the home of Martha and Mary. In addition icons of St. Helena, St. Sava of Zvenigorodsk, and of the Protection of the Theotokos were added, along with an icon of the Holy Spirit attended by angels, which was installed over the sanctuary. The ceiling of the nave was decorated with the "sign of victory" ICXC, NIKA at the center and stars symbolizing the heavens filled the rest of the ceiling.

1969 saw the renovation of the parish hall below the temple.

In 2006, after repairs to the ceiling of the temple were completed, the installation of new iconography both in the altar and in the nave of the temple took place. The icon of the Panagia flanked by two cherubim was placed over the altar, the icon of the Pantokrator placed in the center of the ceiling of the nave, and the icon of the Holy Napkin over the doors to the vestibule. These icons were written by Fr. Paul Albert of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America. In addition the icon of St. Sophia and her three daughters, wirtten by Mr. Dennis Bell, was installed on the eastern wall of the nave.

Today, Holy Assumption continues to bears witness to the Orthodox Faith of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church as it proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ. Our parish continues to welcome new members and converts and we play an active role in the community life of the Marblehad Peninsula.

We invite you to join us in this Great Work!