The St. Paisius Missionary School

The St. Paisius Missionary School began in the early 1990's as an effort to help awaken in newly converted American Orthodox Christians a zeal to live the traditional Orthodox way of life. Being formed in a pluralistic and secular society, the American soul needed exposure to a more direct and intense experience of Orthodox ascesis and piety than was readily available in today's culture. The Missionary School addressed this need by developing events, in a monastic setting, through which Orthodox Christians could immerse themselves in the atmosphere of a traditional Orthodox way of life. By leaving behind the secular world for a weekend, a week, or even a month, Orthodox Christians were offered a variety of programs which engaged the whole person, body, mind, and soul, towards Orthodox piety.

In 1995, a parish priest asked the Missionary School to bring the experience of traditional Orthodox Christian life to his local area. As a result of this request, the Missionary School began developing its Family Conferences. The goal was to structure a six-day event where every member of the family, young or old, married or single, could be engaged in the life of piety of the Orthodox Church. Through liturgical prayer, inspiring lectures, children's activities and heartwarming Christian fellowship, the conference would be a time of spiritual renewal for the whole family.

Today's Family Conference attempts to recreate the traditional spirit of the early apostolic church as stated in Acts 2:42 "And they continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers".

Bios

The Very Rev. Fr. Michael Oyer is the rector of Holy Dormition Orthodox Church in Santa Rosa, California under the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia - Bulgarian Patriarchate. He and his wife, Popadia Christina, have served Holy Dormition Orthodox Church since 1991. He is a co-founder and teacher of the St. Paisius Missionary School. Together with the Very Rev. Fr. Phillip Tolbert, they set the direction and vision for the Missionary School.  Popadia Christina, along with Popadia Junia Tolbert, has been instrumental in the development of the children's programs for our Family Conferences and one of the primary children instructors.

The Very Rev. Fr. Philip Tolbert is Director of the Bulgarian Orthodox Youth Apostolate of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia – Bulgarian Patriarchate, and co-founder of the St. Paisius Missionary School. His wife, Popadia Junia, has been one of the principal instructors for the children's program at our Family Conferences since 1997.