Ukrainian Baptists to ‘invade’ North Port

The Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Convention in the USA will hold its 70th annual conference during Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-6, in North Port.

The theme of the conference is “Strong Family — Strong Church.” The host is the Ukrainian Baptist Church in North Port, 3950 Wall Lane (off Salford Boulevard), whose pastor is Vitaliy Bernatskiy.

This is the first time that the UEBC is holding its annual conference in Florida.

The conference will begin Sept. 4 with a service from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the church, and will include readings, sermons by Pastor Bernatskiy and Pastor Stan Gruntkovski of Ukraine, and singing (solos and choir). The moderator will be Anatoly Moshkovsky of Trinity United Methodist Church, 4285 Wesley Lane, North Port.

Sept. 5 will consist of prayer and a business session at the church starting at 9 a.m. (elections of commissions, reports of officers, etc., as well as prayers, singing of hymns and seminar, “Wisdom of Parenthood,” moderated by Pavlo Demyanyk of Vancouver, Canada). Another seminar will take place at 2:30 p.m., moderated by Dr. Yaroslav Pyzh, president of L’viv Theological Seminary, Ukraine.

An evening youth program (from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.) will take place at the North Port Performing Arts Center at North Port High School, 6400 W. Price Blvd. In addition to Victor Pilipchuk, pastor of a Cleveland, Ohio, church and secretary of the UEBC, who will moderate the session, there will be singing (choir and soloists) and two sermons by pastor Sergio Savchuk in English, and pastor Stan Gruntkovski in Ukrainian. Sept. 6 at the Performing Arts Center, there will be a solemn divine service at 10 a.m., including the sermon “Fathers’ Authority” by Vasyl Rudnytsky, pastor of the church New Hope in Charlotte, and singing of hymns. It will end with the readings of the conference’s resolutions, other reports and a concluding sermon by Pastor Gruntkovski.

All are invited to attend all sessions of the conference at the church and at the Performing Arts Center. The singing of the United Choir of Philadelphia, Pa., area churches and the music group of Cleveland, as well as soloists, are close to professional level.
•••
The observance of the 24th anniversary of the restoration of Ukraine’s independence (Aug. 24, 1991) by the Southwest Florida Ukrainian American community, included special “Molebens” (novena-like services) in the local Ukrainian churches last Sunday, and the traditional raising of American and Ukrainian national flags Monday morning in front of North Port City Hall by veterans of the local Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans.

The raising of the flags was accompanied by the playing and singing of the American and Ukrainian national anthems, with all veterans rendering hand salutes. The invocation by the Rt. Rev. John Fatenko of North Port, pastor of the Southwest Florida Ukrainian Orthodox congregation, was followed by the reading of the North Port City Commission proclamation designating Aug. 24 “Ukrainian Independence Commemoration Day in North Port” by Commissioner Linda Yates. The Rev.

Vasyl Petriv, pastor of St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, the Rev. Michael Jakubovich, pastor-emeritus of the Ukrainian Baptist Church, and retired Col.

Roman Rondiak, USA, post commander of UAV Post 40, spoke briefly.

Then, the attendees, more numerous than in all previous years and most attired in traditional embroidered shirts, blouses and dresses, sang a historic patriotic song in Ukrainian.

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
By Atanas Kobryn 

40th anniversary of ‘Oseredok,’ part II

As envisioned by pioneers, the “Oseredok” became the center of the Ukrainian American community of Southwest Florida and it continues proudly in its role to this day. Many civic, cultural and entertainment activities have taken place there over the years, including fundraising bazaars, concerts of world-renowned performers, lectures and dances, just to mention some. As mentioned previously, Branch 56 of “Soyuz Ukrayinok” (Union of Ukrainian Ladies) and Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans have their offices and hold their meetings there. Other organizations, including the Coordinating Committee of the Ukrainian American Clubs and Organizations, currently headed by Roma Guran of Venice, hold their meetings there also. The leaders and members of the Oseredok felt very strongly that the North Port community needed a church, which historically is the mainstay of Ukrainian civic and spiritual life. The initial group of pioneers was not large enough to build two churches to accommodate the two major groups of the faithful, Greek Catholics and Orthodox. It was decided to build one church as part of the Oseredok’s complex at 4100 S.

Biscayne Drive, named St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Church, to serve both Greek Catholics and Orthodox. The historic idea was blessed by two metropolitans, Mstyslav Skrypnyk of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Myroslav Lubachivsky of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox priests did the actual blessing of the building, and served the liturgies and “molebens” (special prayer services) for a long time.

Due to an influx of more permanent settlers in our area, the church building became too small to adequately accommodate the worshipers, and in the early 1990s, the Ukrainian Greek Catholics built their own church at the corner of Biscayne Drive and West Price Boulevard.

The first presidents of the executive board of St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center was Volodymyr Riznyk, retired entrepreneur from New York state, who resided with his wife Paulina in the Warm Mineral Springs community.

Canadian Senator Paul Yuzyk, who visited Warm Mineral Springs Day Spa quite frequently due to his wife Maria’s ailments, was elected the Oseredok’s vice president and public relations officer. It should be noted that Riznyk and Yuzyk were natives of the United States and Canada, respectively; neither ever visited their ancestral country of Ukraine, and both were active in the Ukrainian American and Ukrainian Canadian communities’ organizations throughout their lives.

Riznyk was succeeded by Roman Shramenko of Venice, and Shramenko, by Dr. Wolodymyr Korol of Warm Mineral Springs. The current president is professor Victor Lisnyczyj of North Port.

                                                                                  ••• 

 To commemorate the 24th anniversary of the restoration of Ukraine’s independence (Aug. 24, 1991), molebens services will take place at both St.

Andrew’s and St. Mary’s churches after the divine liturgies on Aug. 23.

At 8 a.m. Aug. 24 at City Hall, there will be the raising of the American and Ukrainian national flags by our veterans and a reading of the proclamation honoring Ukraine’s independence by the mayor of North Port. All (except the veterans) are asked to come wearing their traditional embroidered shirts and blouses.

Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

by Atanas Kobryn

 

Mnohaya Leeta,’ Father Vasyl

The new pastor of the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God (St. Mary’s) Ukrainian Catholic Church in North Port, Vasyl Petriv, will observe his 52nd birthday on Saturday.

My wife Katrusia and I wish our pastor and spiritual father the best of everything, especially health, success in revitalizing our parish, numerous God’s graces, and “Mnohaya Leeta” (many, many years).

 

Unfortunately, the Rev. Vasyl will not be able to celebrate and really enjoy his birthday because his pastoral duties mandate that he officiates at the funeral service for a recently departed, longtime parishioner and active worker for our church, Ostap Dykyj. The services, commencing at Farley Funeral Home, and followed by the divine liturgy (Mass) and “panakhyda” (requiem service) at St. Mary’s Church, will end late in the afternoon with burial service at Venice Memorial Gardens, where the late Ostap’s wife, Anna, who died several years ago, is waiting for him to join her.

 

A group of parishioners headed by Olya Hron and Roxolana Yarymovych is planning to hold a reception in Father Vasyl’s honor this Sunday after the divine liturgy in the Parish Center located next to the church. The details are unavailable at the time of this writing.

All are invited to attend.

 

Traditionally in Ukraine, birthdays were not celebrated nor recognized. The Patron Saint’s Days were the occasions for celebration, well wishes and presentation of gifts at festive dinners, often including music and dancing.

I am mentioning this tradition, because on July 28, the Rt. Rev.

Mitrate Archpriest Wolodymyr Woloszczuk, pastor-emeritus, will observe his Patron Saint’s Day of St. Volodymyr of Kyiv, ruler of the mighty Kievan Rus’ Empire, who made Christianity a state religion in his empire 11 centuries ago.

Katrusia and I, as well as many other parishioners and friends of Rev. Woloszczuk, want to express our sincere best wishes and “Mnohaya Leeta!” Our best wishes also to all individuals named Volodymyr, Wolodymyr and Walter.

                                                                ••• 

 Ukrainian American Veterans National Commander Ihor W. Hron, and UAV Post 40 Commander Col. Roman Rondiak, USA (Ret.), remind all veterans and interested non-veterans that the formal blessing and dedication of the UAV National Monument, honoring all members of the U.S.Armed Services at St.

Andrew’s Cemetery in South Bound Brook, N.J., will take place Oct. 3. It is necessary to make hotel reservations now, as well as travel arrangements.

 

The dedication of the memorial will be in conjunction with the 68th UAV National Convention, which will be held Oct. 1-3 in Somerset, N.J. The traditional convention banquet, with the introduction and installation of new UAV national officers will take place at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Somerset.

Banquet reservations must be submitted as soon as possible.

                                                                  •••

  Katrusia and I wish to welcome home our youngest son, Lt. Col.

Ihor Kobryn, who has been serving our country overseas over the past six weeks. We, his wife Angelita and 5-year-old son Bohdan are very happy with his return.

Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

by Atanas Kobryn

St. Mary’s welcomes new pastor

Thanks to the eparch of the Ukrainian Catholic Diocese of St. Josaphat in Parma, Bishop Bohdan J. Danylo, the North Port and Southwest Florida Ukrainian Catholic congregation worshiping at the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God (St. Mary’s) Church in North Port has a new pastor.

The Rev. Vasyl Petriv of Parma, Ohio, concelebrated last Sunday’s divine liturgy (Mass) with the Rt. Rev. Mitred Archpriest Wolodymyr Woloszczuk, pastor-emeritus, and later met with parishioners in the Parish Center next to the church.

 It was a pleasure to welcome Rev. Vasyl and his wife Lyubov (“Luba”) to North Port.

The Rev. Vasyl Petriv replaces the Rev. Dr. Severyn Kovalyshin, who was pastor of St. Mary’s for the past 13 years.

Parishioners and regular visitors are relieved, to say the least, and are ready and willing to give their new pastor their full cooperation and support.
                                                            •••
Patriotic Ukrainians in Ukraine and in other countries, including Canada and the United States, will commemorate this month the 71st anniversary of “Battle of Brody,” a battle in Western Ukraine fought July 13-22, 1944, by the Ukrainian military unit Halychyna (Galician) Division in an attempt to stop the advance of the several-times-stronger Soviet Russian forces moving toward L’viv, the cultural capital of western Ukraine.

The Soviet forces eventually surrounded the Ukrainian unit. On July 21-22, some 3,000 survivors broke out and eventually regrouped, but the rest of the 11,000 members of the division were killed or taken prisoner. Many prisoners were summarily executed by SMERSH, the Soviet Army counterintelligence unit. The survivors were charged with treason, even if they were not Soviet citizens, and sentenced to 25 years of hard labor in the Gulag camps. Those who survived the 25-year sentence were not permitted to return to the areas of their birth or previous residence.

An unknown number of battle survivors had joined the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), where some attained high positions due to their superb training in the Halychyna Division.

One of them was my cousin Vasyl Kulyniak, UPA company commander “Dubovyi,” who died as a hero in a battle with a Soviet KGB unit in 1947.
                                                            •••
 Having recently observed our 63rd wedding anniversary, I have to express my heartfelt thanks to my wife Katrusia for not only putting up with me all these years, but for being a faithful wife, dependable companion, excellent mother and housekeeper who had managed to raise four children with only token help from me, and supporter in all my endeavors. Without her support, understanding and encouragement, I am certain that I would not have been able to achieve all that I did.

She also managed to find time to work to help with our finances, and to be active in the community.

Our anniversary observance was not a celebration, but a lovely home affair with just the two of us.

                                                            •••

With sadness in my heart I am sharing with our friends and neighbors the sad news of the unexpected departure from this valley of sorrows of our friend Martin (Marty) Murphy, past president of the North Port Kiwanis Club and a dedicated community activist. My wife Katrusia and I wish to convey our sincere expression of sympathy to his wife, Eileen.

May he rest in peace and his memory be eternal — “Veechnaya Pamyat”!

Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.

 

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

By Atanas Kobryn

Ukrainian community thanks City Commission

     Roma Guran,  president of the  Coordinating Committee of Ukrainian American Clubs and Organizations of North Port and vicinity spoke on behalf of the entire local Ukrainian American  community when she thanked North Port Mayor Rhonda DiFranco and all the city commissioners  for their understanding  and support of the Ukrainian American community by issuing a proclamation designating  Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, as “Ukrainian Independence Day” in North Port.

      The ceremony took place during the City Commission’s special meeting July 2 in chambers  at North Port City Hall. The proclamation was read by North Port Vice Mayor Jacqueline Moore who, after reading  it, handed it to Mrs.

Guran.

     Several representatives  of the Ukrainian American community clubs and organizations were in attendance, most of them wearing the traditional Ukrainian embroidered  attire. A group of members of North Port Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans, including yours truly, led by Post Commander and UAV National Adjutant Col. Roman Rondiak, USA (Ret.), donned their summer uniforms, many proudly displaying their service ribbons. A special guest was UAV National Commander Ihor W. Hron of Osprey, Post 40 member and past post commander, who brought with him his wife Olya and two grandchildren, Adriana and Natalia Nichols, who wore traditional Ukrainian embroidered costumes.

      This year, Ukraine will observe its 24th anniversary  of the restoration of its independence.

On Aug. 24, 1991, the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of the Ukrainian Soviet Social Republic declared Ukraine to be free and independent, and the name of the state to be simply “Ukraine.” This act was eventually confirmed by nationwide referendum on Dec. 1, 1991, and approved by over 90 percent of voters. Even the regions with a large ethnic Russian population, like Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea, approved the independence with well over a 50 percent majority.

                                                                    ••• 

     Walter Shipka, 91, of Port Charlotte, one of the founders of the Ukrainian American Veterans, its second national commander (1949-1950), and active member of North Port Post 40, died June 28.

     Prior to moving to Southwest Florida, Walter resided in the Cleveland, Ohio, area, where he ran the very successful Shipka Travel Agency and was an active member of the Cleveland UAV Post 24.  His final resting place will be in a cemetery in the Cleveland area. Additional information about services is not currently available.

      My wife Katrusia and I express our sympathies for Walter’s widow, Helen, and other relatives.

                                                                    ••• 

     Tuesday was a religious  holiday, St. John the Baptizer’s birthday, which is observed in Ukraine with special ceremonies called “Ivana Kupala,” dating back to the pre-Christian period. One of the components of this tradition is the search for the elusive “flower of eternal life,” which blooms only that night. Other ceremonies involve bonfires and girls placing flower wreaths in the river.

     It is too bad that these traditional customs are less and less popular in this mass communication era.

     Personally, July 7 is a sad 71st anniversary of seeing my father, mother, siblings and other relatives and neighbors for the last time in my native village, Volya Yakubova (Jacob’s Freedom), in Ukraine.  My fate prevented me from seeing my relatives for nearly half a century, after the fall of the “evil empire.” In the meantime, my father perished in Stalin’s Gulags, and his resting place is known only to God.

 

Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.

 

 

 

 

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

by Atanas Kobryn

Constitution Day observances

     Constitution Day is  a public holiday in  Ukraine celebrated  every year since the adoption of the current Constitution on June 28, 1996. Prior to this historic  act, Ukraine was using the Constitution of Ukrainian Soviet Socialist  Republic, with some modifications adopted after the restoration of Ukraine’s Independence on Dec. 1, 1991. The Constitution was amended  in 2004 and 2010, and in 2014 was restored to the 2004 version.

 

    The first document, which some consider to be “the first constitution,”  was the Magna Carta of King John 1215.

      

    On June 12, 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee of 13 men to prepare a constitution for a union of the states. On Nov. 15, 1777, the draft was approved to be distributed. In the summer of 1788, the delegates convened in Philadelphia with intent to create “a more perfect union,” and signed the final draft of the Constitution on Sept. 17, 1788.

      Sept. 17 was officially recognized as “Constitution Day,” and since 2004 it became “Constitution and Citizenship Day.” The day is not a national holiday, however.

      Poland has a national holiday “Constitution Day” celebrating the Constitution adopted May 3, 1791, even though there is a new Constitution in presentday  Poland.

      One constitution has been and continues to be overlooked and/ or ignored — that written by Hetman Pylyp Orlyk, a Cossack of Ukraine, then within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The document, titled “Pacts and Constitutions of Rights and Freedoms of the Zapororizhian Host,” established a democratic  standard for the separation of powers in government between the legislative, executive and judiciary branches.

This constitution was not adopted in Ukraine because Ukraine was absorbed into the new Russian empire of Tsar Peter (who changed the name of the Muscovite state to give his empire an artificial link to Kyivan Rus), following the defeat of the allied Swedish Army of King Karl XII and the Ukrainian Army of Hetman Ivan Mazepa at the Battle of Poltava in 1709.

      The document was well-known in Western Europe where Pylyp Orlyk eventually sought refuge, and his son Hryhor (Gregoire) Orlyk became a high-ranking general in France, giving his name to the Paris Orly Airport. There are, thus far unconfirmed, rumors that American diplomats, including Benjamin Franklin, might have been familiar with the “Orlyk Constitution” and used their knowledge in drafting the U.S.

Constitution.

                                                                                 ••• 

     The anxiety of members  and friends of the Southwest Florida Ukrainian Catholic congregation was relieved  by the visit of the Most Reverend Bishop Bohdan J. Danylo, eparch of St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Diocese in Parma, after the removal of the former pastor of St.

Mary’s Church, the Rev.Dr. Severyn Kovalyshin.

     The Rev. Bohdan Barytsky of Parma was concelebrating the divine liturgy (Mass) last Sunday with the Rt. Rev. Mitrat Archpriest Wolodymyr Woloszczuk, pastor-emeritus.

      The congregation is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Rev.Severyn’s permanent replacement.

                                                                                •••

      This is a repeat reminder  of the 4 p.m. July 2 meeting of the North Port City Commission, during which the Proclamation of Ukrainian Independence will be read and presented to representatives of the local Ukrainian American Community.

      Members of the Ukrainian American community are encouraged  to attend this ceremony  wearing traditional Ukrainian embroidered attire.

Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

by Atanas Kobryn

 

Memories of my father

Being a father, grandfather, great-grandfather and godfather, it is normal to expect greetings and well-wishes from some, if not from all, descendants for Father’s Day on Sunday.
Some wishes will be very sincere, others very likely only formal, but both will be welcome.
I want to wish all fathers, grandfathers, godfathers and fathersto- be a happy and healthy Father’s Day.
                                                                            •••
Having been separated from my father (also my mother and other family members) at the age of 16 during World War II, thinking and praying for my father and other family members daily was natural for me. For many years I had no idea if my parents and siblings were dead or alive, and eventually I found out they thought the same of me. Only during the “perestroika” in the Soviet Union was I able to establish contact with my mother and siblings who were deported years earlier to northern Russia, in the Ural Mountains. By that time, my father was dead, and his final resting place in the snow-bound Ural Mountains is known only to God.

I will never forget July 7, 1944, the St. John the Baptist holiday, spent with my family and with one of my cousins, Paulina Blazhkevych, in my native village of Volya Yakubova.

My father Oleksa (Alexander) was the oldest son of his parents, one of eight siblings, who was unable to continue his secondary education because of family responsibilities.

Nevertheless, upon being drafted into the Austro-Hungarian Imperial Army, he managed to quickly master German language and rose to the highest non-commissioned rank in an elite mountain brigade.

Upon discharge, he was offered a position in the equivalent of the state police in his home province of Halychyna, at that time known as “Crown land of Galizien und Lodomeria.” He was an active participant of the Ukrainian War of Liberation following World War I, and after its collapse he returned to his village, occupied by Poland. In addition to helping his father-in-law with farming, he became active in the village’s civic and cultural organizations. He was one of the organizers of a credit union and became its secretary-treasurer until the “liberation” by the Red Army in 1939 and the closing of the credit union by the “liberators.”

He was always willing to help his neighbors, and was often called to draft a last will and testimony, or write a petition. He was especially helpful during the Nazi occupation because of his mastery of the German language, even though his health was failing — the result of typhus acquired during the War of Liberation.

Upon the return of Soviet Russian occupiers in 1944, he and the rest of the family (my mother, brother and two sisters, the youngest being only 9 years old) were deported to the Ural Mountains area. His crime? Being a community activist and the first cousin of Col.
Andriy Melnyk, leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists.
                                                                           •••
 Mrs. Roma Guran, president of the Coordinating Committee of the Ukrainian American Clubs and Organizations of North Port and vicinity would like our community to know that at 4 p.m. July 2 at North Port City Hall, off Sumter Boulevard, the Proclamation of Ukrainian Independence will be read by the mayor of North Port.

The proclamation will then be handed over to representatives of our community.
Members of the Ukrainian community are encouraged to attend this ceremony. Kindly wear your embroidered attire.

Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn