St. Raphael of Brooklyn Orthodox Church
Orthodox Church in America - Diocese of the South
1277 N. Paul Dr., Inverness, FL 34453
/ Our Parish / Clergy
Clergy & Administration
Clergy
Fr. Sergious Gerken
Fr. Sergious Gerken
Fr. Sergious Gerken

Father Sergious Gerken joined St. Raphael of Brooklyn Orthodox Churh on Sunday, July 6, 2014.

After graduating from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York, Father Sergious spent 6 years as a monk living on Mount Athos (“The Holy Mountain”) in Greece, one of the most sacred places in Orthodoxy and the home to around 1400 monks. He was ordained a priest in Old Harbor, Alaska, at one of the oldest Orthodox churches in North America, dating back to 1784.

He has been an abbot at the oldest Orthodox women’s monastery in North America, in Calistoga, California. When he was originally assigned there, the monastery had fallen into disrepair, the nuns were gone, and the buildings were dilapidated. With no regular income, Father Sergious, through his vision, hard work, and the generosity of many, was able to renovate the buildings and transform the grounds into a beautiful garden oasis and reopen the monastery.

In addition to Alaska and California, he has also served as a parish priest in New York and Pennsylvania, and as a chaplain at West Point. He is coming to Inverness from a parish in Berlin, New Hampshire.

He was born in Caracas, Venezuela to Russian parents. He speaks English, Greek, Russian and Spanish.

 

Administration

2023-24 Parish Council

 

Barbara Aldunate

(Warden)

 

 

Linda Evans

(Secretary)

 

 

Curtis Fisher

(Treasurer)

 

 

Lilia Denisova

 

 

Mona Fisher

 

 

2023 Auditors

 

Nancy Kinley

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orthodox Church in America - Diocese of the South
Metropolitan Tikhon
Metropolitan Tikhon
Metropolitan Tikhon
Metropolitan Tikhon

 

Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America & Canada
Orthodox Church in America

Biography

Archbishop Alexander
Archbishop Alexander
Archbishop Alexander
Archbishop Alexander

 

The Right Reverend Alexander

Archbishop of Dallas, the South and the Bulgarian Diocese

 

Biography

 

 

 

Archpriest Pisarchuk
ArchpriestTheodore Pisarchuk
ArchpriestTheodore Pisarchuk
ArchpriestTheodore Pisarchuk

 

Archpriest Theodore Pisarchuk

Central Florida Deanery

 

Biography

Orthodox Church in America: Diocese of the South
Orthodox Church in America: Diocese of the South
St Raphael Former Priests

From 1985 to 2006, St. Raphael's had guest priests serve our parish.  Thank you V. Rev. Fr. Philip Reese;  V. Rev. Fr. Raphael Rozdilski (Blessed Memory);  V. Rev. Fr. Mark Stevens and V. Rev. Fr. George Breyan (Blessed Memory)

2006-2014:   Fr. David Balmer was our first resident priest.  He with Matushka Mary blessed us with an enriched service schedule, choir direction, bible classes and hospital visits.  Many converts to Orthodoxy were attracted to the church. 

During their tenure a twice-a-month mission called "Vespers in The Villages" was arranged to be held at St. George Episcopal Church in The Villages, FL.  Fr. David co-sponored "The Blessing of the Golf Cartrs" in the The Villages, and Epiphany throwing of the cross at Lake Hernando.  

Fr. David and Mat. Mary retired to Arizona in 2014 to improve her health and to be near their son,  We thank you both for your many years of wonderful service.

Fr. David Balmer & Mat. Mary
Fr. David Balmer & Mat. Mary
Fr. David Balmer & Mat. Mary
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The Misson of the Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to "Go into all the world and make disciples of nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. . . ."

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St. Raphael Orthodox Church is part of the Diocese of the South. Our Diocese spans 14 states and has over 100 faithful clergy and monastics serving in 78 parishes, missions, and three monastic communities. We invite you to come worship with us from Alburquerque, New Mexico to Wilmington, North Carolina! Please see our Parish Listings for more details and to find a parish near you, or click on a story above to see the latest news from from the Diocese!

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