Welcome to the Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black Website
We want to extend our thanks to all those who have found us on their spiritual journey and welcome you. The purpose of this site is to provide information about our brotherhood and also to provide information about ancient Christianity and its deep roots in Africa.
Over two thousand years ago, a young Virgin and her Child found refuge in Africa from threatening forces. Since that time, Christianity has developed extensive roots in Africa. St. Anthony and the Desert Fathers kept the Church from worldliness and preserved the mystical gifts. St. Athanasius helped write the Creed. St. Cyril kept the Church from dishonoring Christ and His Mother. The African Martyrs gave the Church courage. The African Mothers gave the Church philosophers like St. Katherine. The hermitesses like St. Mary of Egypt and St. Sarah of the Nile showed the path of contrition, redemptive suffering and repentance.
In modern times, there is a renewed fountain of ancient Orthodox Christianity. It is flowing throughout the entire world. This flow of spiritual life does not negate the rich tradition already developed in the crucible of suffering and the triumphs of character in America. Rather, it beckons all Americans to row into deeper waters – the waters of the ancient Christian movement. This has been kept alive in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Thank you for supporting our 2012 Annual Conference in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at Antiochian Village!
A letter from our Vice President:
Greetings in Christ,
Dear Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah and Grace Bishop Thomas,
How refreshing it is to have the Lord's shepards to be so supportive of the Brotherhood of St Moses the Black.
The 2012 BSMB Annual Ancient Christianity Conference was held at the Antiochian Village 5/25-5/27. The conference is supported by a grant from Christ the Saviour Brotherhood. 75 men, women and children attended the conference. The lectures are available on Ancient Faith Radio. The Friday night session panel was composed of Fr Maximos Cabey, Subdeacon Paul Abernathy, Turbo Qualls, Carla Thomas and John Norman. They entertained questions from the group about Orthodoxy. The questions ranged from why a black cassock is worn, to how can one love Jesus Christ and love your enemy, to how one can enter Orthodoxy. The panelists shared their journeys to Orthodoxy. They talked about how to acquire the Holy Spirit.
The Saturday sessions were composed of a series of lectures by Abbot Gerasim Eliel, Fr Jerome Sanderson, Fr Moses Berry, Subdeacon Paul Abernathy, His Grace Bishop Thomas, Fr Paisius Altschul and Mother Katherine Weston. We mourned and celebrated the life of Matushka Michaila Altschul, who recently died. We recited stories and sayings by Abba Moses.
On Sunday, we celebrated hierarchical Divine Liturgy with His Grace, Bishop Thomas. Then, we departed in peace. We shall meet again in Kansas City, MO, 10/2013.
The first 14 pictures were taken at St. Moses House in the Hill, FOCUS, NA - Pittsburgh. The remaining were taken at Antiochian Village, and then a few at the end of Pittsburgh Downtown.
I know I am a shy person and I often don't say much, but it was on my heart to thank everyone!
I hope everyone enjoyed their stay at the Antiochian Village. I really enjoyed watching the video of Matushka Michaila Thelma Altshcul (memory Eternal) and her sister talking about their childhood memories and personal experiences of life. I only spoke to her a few times, and so I never really knew her personally, and so I am thankful for getting to know much more about her through the eyes of those who knew her best.
Thank you Fr. Moses for talking to the children that we brought with us from the Hill District about it's local history in regards to the underground railroad. This was an experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives. Thank you Dr. Carla for carrying the boat load of planning this conference, and for helping Sophia's stomach pain. You are truly a blessing!
Thank you Sub-deacon Robert for your help and advice. Thank you Sharon for your help and advice, it was greatly appreciated and the children on the Hill will now know of the African influence on Christianity because of you! Thank you!
Thank you Mother Katherine for the long talk we had on Friday night, and thank you even more for talking to Robert about nutrition and healthy eating!
Thank you Father Jerome for talking to Chris and his family(they bought your all Saints of Africa Icon). They are catechumens that came all the way from southern California. And thank you for talking with our people from the Hill District! I hope you enjoyed your stay at the Antiochian Village.
I would like to thank Fr. Paisius for sharing the memories of Matushka with us. Sophia and many others from the Hill District really enjoyed your videos! Thank you!
I would like to thank Sub-deacon Paul Abernathy for picking up Robert(from Columbus) from the Grey Hound bus station and for allowing him and Turbo to stay with you for the night. This conference wouldn't of been a success without you! And just know that even though we may bump heads from time to time I will always have your back in your time of need. Know that!
What a blessing it is to have a ministry like Ancient Faith Radio. They have been enriching the lives of Orthodox Christians and other listners, since they went online.
Speakers: His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah, Deacon Nathaniel Johnson of Felton, CA, Fr Moses, Fr Jerome, Fr Paisius, and Mother Katherine.
Friday, May 14 - Sunday, May 16, 2010 - Anniston, Alabama
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Our thanks to all who made this conference a great success, especailly Dr. Carla, Reader Nicholas, Marina Jameson and Linda Dubois and all our speakers.
Due to the fact that America has the highest per capita rate of imprisonment in the world at 2.3 million, we strive to bring Orthodoxy to the prisons.
We also recognize that a half million American adolescents are in juvenile detention centers. By exercising our spiritual muscles, we reach out to this often forgotten segment of the population by pen pal letters.
Due to the fact that high school dropout rates often reach 50% and 82 % of prisoners are high school drop outs, we are developing a spiritual locksmith program. In this program, high school students shadow the nurse and doctor in the Abba Moses Free Medical Clinic. In this manner, the students get short term rewards and acheive long term goals.
For short term rewards, they earn income by learning the healing arts. For the long term spiritual goals, they learn how to incorporate prayer in to the process of healing through Jesus Christ. They also attend Orthodox healing prayer services.
