By early 2002 this interest from Edenton had come to the attention of Dr. Thomas Kehayes, an Edenton native and recently retired distinguished Episcopal priest who, with his wife, had converted to Orthodoxy and was living in Georgia.
Enthusiastically accepting his offer to teach, the Edenton group arranged publicity and reserved the Barker House for the four evenings of March 18th through the 21st; and Dr. Kehayes presented a series of talks there introducing the Orthodox Church.
The response to the talks inspired the leaders to seek to establish a mission station in Edenton. After a thorough study of the Orthodox jurisdictions during the rest of the year, it was decided to seek affiliation with the Orthodox Church of America.
On December 14 and 15 of 2002, a representative of the Edenton group met at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church in Raleigh with its rector Fr. Edward Rommen and with the Most Reverend Dmitri, Archbishop of the Diocese of the South, during his visit there. With Archbishop Dmitri’s blessing, Fr. Edward agreed to begin teaching an inquirers’ class in Edenton.
Archbishop Dimitri
On February 2, 2003, Fr. Edward began his visits to Edenton on alternate Sunday evenings, to the Chowan Life Center, to lead Vespers and to teach the class. Under the leadership of Fr. Edward and Mo. Ainee, his wife, the group began to learn to sing the services.
As Fr. Edward’s responsibilities in Raleigh gradually increased, on March 21, 2004, Fr. Andrew Davis, a semi-retired priest attached to Holy Transfiguration, agreed to take responsibility for the Edenton Mission Station and the biweekly Sunday visits.
Under the leadership of Fr. Andrew and Mo. Katrina and their daughter, Jennifer, the group continued its growth in Orthodox worship until it was able on August 29, 2004, to progress from a biweekly Sunday evening Vespers to a biweekly Sunday morning Divine Liturgy instead.
Great progress came on July 23, 2006, through the initiative of Julian Miller, the generosity of St. Anne’s Catholic Church, and the encouragement of Fr. Andrew. On that Sunday the services at the Chowan Life Center on the priest’s biweekly visits to Edenton were replaced by services in St. Anne’s Hall every week, with the Typica, or reader’s service, being initiated for the Sundays when the priest was not present.
The next advance began with the generous offer on May 7, 2007, by Tom and Peggy DiMartino to allow the Mission Station to rent and adapt for a church their historic railway depot, located on East King Street near its original site. Through much hard work securing a zoning permit and through great generosity of many friends, the Edenton Mission Station was able to take possession of the building on October 2, 2007.
The interior work will restore the original walls and original high ceilings, both with beaded-board surfaces in various designs. Upon its completion, the east half of the depot will house the temple, including the nave and at the east end the sanctuary with its altar, along with a small office. The west half of the depot will be contain the narthex, refectory, kitchen, and bathroom; and the original exterior clapboard siding of the building will be restored. Saint George’s Orthodox Church is blessed with the vision and witness of members and friends who provide the stewardship of time, talent, and treasure to the building of the Kingdom of God in Edenton.
Under the leadership of Fr. Andrew and Mo. Katrina and their daughter, Jennifer, the group continued its growth in Orthodox worship until it was able on August 29, 2004, to progress from a biweekly Sunday evening Vespers to a biweekly Sunday morning Divine Liturgy instead.
Great progress came on July 23, 2006, through the initiative of Julian Miller, the generosity of St. Anne’s Catholic Church, and the encouragement of Fr. Andrew. On that Sunday the services at the Chowan Life Center on the priest’s biweekly visits to Edenton were replaced by services in St. Anne’s Hall every week, with the Typica, or reader’s service, being initiated for the Sundays when the priest was not present.
The next advance began with the generous offer on May 7, 2007, by Tom and Peggy DiMartino to allow the Mission Station to rent and adapt for a church their historic railway depot, located on East King Street near its original site. Through much hard work securing a zoning permit and through great generosity of many friends, the Edenton Mission Station was able to take possession of the building on October 2, 2007.
The interior work will restore the original walls and original high ceilings, both with beaded-board surfaces in various designs. Upon its completion, the east half of the depot will house the temple, including the nave and at the east end the sanctuary with its altar, along with a small office. The west half of the depot will be contain the narthex, refectory, kitchen, and bathroom; and the original exterior clapboard siding of the building will be restored. Saint George’s Orthodox Church is blessed with the vision and witness of members and friends who provide the stewardship of time, talent, and treasure to the building of the Kingdom of God in Edenton.
