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North American Office Spotlight:

Christina Andresen:
OCF Chapter Relations
Coordinator

Christina Andresen currently serves OCF as the North American Chapter Relations Coordinator and has since August 2011, but her OCF journey began in 2005 at Camp Emmanuel in New Mexico where a camp counselor told her about OCF and how he had started his chapter. Inspired, she went on to help revive the chapter at Texas A&M University, serving as chapter president all four years. She also served OCF as a Regional Student Leader for two years, co-hosted the OCF podcast for two years, attended three college conferences, and went on two Real Break trips.

Today, she is happily married to her OCF sweetheart (they met on Real Break), and they have a lovely two-year-old daughter. Christina also just finished her Master’s of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology where she graduated as Valedictorian of her class, an accomplishment that would not have happened if it weren’t for her experiences in OCF as an undergraduate.

It is with joy and pride that Christina works for OCF, helping strengthen the voice of Orthodoxy on campuses across the continent and building up students as leaders in our Church today. You can always email her with questions, thoughts, concerns, and ideas about North American OCF, your local chapter, and high school to college transition programs.

Q&A with Kennesaw State OCF Chaplain, Fr. Frederick Watson!

Name, location, Diocese, Parish?
Fr. Frederick Watson, St. Elizabeth Orthodox Church, Woodstock, GA. American Carpatho-Russian Diocese.


OCF Chapter you minister to?
Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA.

Why do you think OCF ministry is so important? Why should students get involved?
In a setting where Orthodox (and other) students are away from home and locally resident, the opportunity to meet, pray with, and study with other Orthodox students can be of great help in assisting the Holy Spirit to keep the faith alive and well in each student's life. The temptations are many in the world today -- but even more so on campus. When away from the circle of family and parish that has helped to maintain and nourish the faith and practice of Orthodoxy -- those temptations loom even larger. As in the traditional practice of the Orthodox faith, discipline and regular prayer with the reception of the Holy Mysteries while on campus must be maintained.

*The corresponding photo was taken from last summer's outdoor orientation for incoming students. Kennesaw State University had a display in the Student Organization area and met twice a week during June and July to meet and greet new students. The OCF chapter students are Rachel Philips and Michael Gavalas.

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 Program Highlights:

Pan- Orthodox Sports Tourney

On May 17-19, with OCF's endorsement, Orthodox Christian young adults from all over North America gathered in Akron, OH for a Pan Orthodox Sports Tournament & Fellowship weekend hosted by Pan Orthodox United and Presentation of Our Lord Orthodox Church. The event was a huge success, with 200 participants involved and close to 1000 attending, counting spectators. Activities included a soccer tournament, inter-cultural dance competition, corn hole games, and a bonfire. This will be a yearly event, and there may even be a Pan Orthodox fellowship weekend planned soon for the West Coast as well! For more information, please check out http://panorthodoxunited.org/.

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The Official OCF Blog:

 Join The Conversation

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 Campus Happenings:

"The 'Trap' of Summer - Staying Faithful"

This year I had the most spiritually rewarding Pascha of my life!  Honestly, I felt ready to experience the Resurrection of Christ in a way I never have before.  I attribute this readiness to OCF’s College Conference, the people I met there, joining my Church choir, fasting, and taking more time to pray.  I still have lots to work on, and I always will, but I never want to have Pascha without this feeling again.  

The day after Easter, I completed my finals and the school year is now over.  I am worried that my feeling of pure joy from Pascha may soon fade.  Now that summer has started, there are no more services five minutes away, someone won’t be picking me up for Church, there isn’t summer choir practice, College Conference is a long way off, and fasting at home is hard because I am not just cooking for myself.  It’s as if Pascha came and said, “Here is the Joy of God,” but now I am home not carrying on with any of the things I did at school!  What is going to happen to me this summer – will I be able to stay faithful?

As college students, it is so easy to fall into the “trap” of summer.  There is no OCF group to remind us of services and feasts and no service-based clubs to be involved with. And while summer jobs may take up 30-40 hours of our weeks, we still have more time left to our own devices.  I find myself with little motivation to get up early for Church anymore. Now that I am on break, it seems like I cannot possibly get enough sleep!

We must remind ourselves that summer is not a break from God.  It is a break from school, stress, nagging professors, and the impending doom of paying off debt. Part of being in college is coming home during break and part of being Orthodox is maintaining the knowledge that the Church is also our home.  Summer does not mean we get a break from needing God in our lives.

So for those of us, like me, who lose our Faith motivation in the summer, here are some important things to remember:

•    Church does indeed go on in the summer, and it is important to be there.  

•    If you want something fun and free to do with friends, volunteer!  

•    Find small quiet moments throughout the day to say a prayer.

•    Take your excuses of laziness and spin them into a way of showing love for God.

•    Listen to God and follow the path that leads to Him.  Even though it’s summer, the love of Christ should still shine through your works.

Keep God in your hearts, don’t lose motivation, and have a blessed summer. Christ is Risen! 
 

Submitted by Rachel Contos, President, Orthodox Christian Fellowship at Marquette University

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