Very Rev. Protopresbyter Joseph Fester

Interim Pastor

Email:  Protopresbyterjoseph@gmail.com
Phone:  (570) 669-6623

The Very Reverend Protopresbyter JOSEPH FESTER 

Clerical Assignments and Responsibilities 

June 2023 - Present - Asked by Metropolitan Gregory of the American Carpatho-Russian Diocese to act as the Interim Pastor for St. John the Baptist Church, Nesquehoning, PA, and St. Nicholas Church, Lansford, PA.

June 2022 - Retired from active Ministry and moved to Middletown, PA.

August 2018-Assigned as Rector of St John the Baptist Orthodox Church, East Pittsburgh, PA. Appointed dean of the Pittsburgh Deanery.

September 2016 - Moved to Bangkok, Thailand, and attached to St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral and served the English-speaking community.

September 2014 - Blessed by His Holiness Patriarch Ilia of the Georgian Orthodox Church to serve in the Georgian Orthodox Church and to explore the possibility of offering an English Language Divine Liturgy twice monthly at St. Andrew Church (Blue Monastery Church) in Tbilisi. 

August 2014 - Blessed by Bishop Gregory of the American Carpatho-Russian Diocese in the USA to live in Tbilisi, Georgia, and to be of service to His Holiness, Patriarch Ilia of the Georgian Orthodox Church. 

July 2011 - Accepted into the American Carpatho-Russian Diocese USA by His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Archdiocese of America and Locum Tenens of the ACROD and assigned as Pastor of St. Gregory Nyssa Church, Seaford, NY. Given the dignity and rank of Protopresbyter. 

March - May 2011 / Dean, St Nicholas Cathedral, Washington, DC, Archdiocese of Washington, Orthodox Church in America. Released by Metropolitan Jonah from the Orthodox Church in America June 2011. 

August 2006 - February 2011 / Dean, St Seraphim Cathedral, Dallas, TX, Chancellor, Diocese of the South, Orthodox Church in America, Dean, Dallas Deanery, Diocese of the South. 

June 1995 - July 2006 / Attached, St. Sergius Chapel, Oyster Bay Cove, NY. Director of Development, Executive Director of the Fellowship of Orthodox Stewards, Director of the Office of Church Growth and Missions, Member of the Executive Board Member of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, Member of the OCA Pre-Conciliar Commission for the 11-13th All American Councils, Secretary for the OCA Department of External Affairs, Assistant to the Chancellor, Orthodox Church in America, Syosset, NY 

June 1986 - May 1995 / Rector, Nativity of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church, Desloge, MO, OCA Director of the Office of Church Growth and Evangelization 

August 1989 - Local Clergy Chairman of the OCA 9th All-American Council, St. Louis MO. 

June 1982 - May 1985 - Rector, Holy Resurrection Church, Palatine, IL. Dean, Chicago Deanery, Orthodox Church in America 

September 1981- May 1982 - Orthodox Chaplain, United States Military Academy at West Point. 

Ordination Information 

September 1981 - Ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Crestwood, NY 

January 1981 - Ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop Basil (Rodizanko) at St. Herman Orthodox Church, Oxnard CA. 

Education 

1995 Graduate of the College of William and Mary Planned Giving Institute 

May 1982 - Graduate of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary with Masters of Divinity. Graduate thesis on “The Dialogue between the Orthodox Church in America and the Evangelical Orthodox Church” (Honorable Mention). 

June 1979 Graduate of California State University, Northridge, with BA in Political Science. 

Personal 

Born 1/19/1953 in Hollywood, CA. Baptized Orthodox Christian in March 1953 by Archpriest John Bresingham, Ukrainian Orthodox Church. 

Married to Kathy Ann (Kuzemka) Fester - August 31, 1975. Two children, Aleksandr (2/24/85), Basel, Switzerland and Jonas (7/18/86), Middletown, PA

Parents (both deceased) Joseph H. Fester (born in Pittsburgh, PA) and Rose (Rusinak) Fester (born in Conemaugh, PA)