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On Friday, February 3rd through Sunday, February 5th the Orthodox Inter-Seminary Movement (OISM) held a gathering at Holy Trinity Seminary. OISM is a movement founded to promote greater fellowship between Orthodox seminaries in America, and to give seminarians the opportunity to experience life at their sister schools. Seminarians representing multiple Orthodox jurisdictions travelled to Jordanville from St. Tikhon’s Seminary in South Canaan, PA and St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Crestwood, NY to join in the event. Throughout the weekend all of the participants took part in the full liturgical cycle of the monastery, thus providing a prayerful context for fellowship. On Saturday morning, after a tour of the Monastery and St. Elizabeth’s Skete, a talk was given by Igumen Seraphim Bell, cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery. He spoke at length of his recent missionary efforts in Nepal, giving many insights into the spiritual and cultural life of the Nepali people. As the first and only Orthodox missionary to Nepal, he said that the time is ripe for Orthodoxy there, and issued a challenge for another missionary to continue the work he began. After lunch another talk was given by Protopresyter Peter Heers about the differences between Orthodox and heterodox approaches to missionary activity. He used the life of Fr. Cosmas of Gregoriou to show the ascetic aspect of mission work which is essential in the Orthodox context. Following the talks an OISM business meeting was held in which the future of OISM was discussed. Christian Watts of Holy Trinity was elected president of OISM, Joseph Clark of St. Tikhon’s appointed secretary, and George Luimes of Holy Trinity appointed treasurer. Later in the evening the seminarians enjoyed an informal pizza dinner followed by a lengthy vigil in honor of the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee and the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia. On Sunday morning after receiving the Mysteries at the Liturgy and one final visit to the bookstore, the guests returned to their respective seminaries.
