Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. (Ephesians 4:31-2)

Protection of the Holy Virgin Mary Church is an Orthodox Church community serving the Clarksville, Tennessee and Fort Campbell, Kentucky region. Weekly services include Great Vespers, Saturday at 6:00 pm and Divine Liturgy, Sunday at 10:00 am. As the only Orthodox Church in the Clarksville/Fort Campbell area, Protection of the Holy Virgin Mary has dedicated herself to serve all Orthodox faithful in the area and to reach out to those seeking the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church. As Christ’s vineyard in Clarksville, we also seek to be leaven in the greater community, extending our Lord’s compassion and mercy to all we meet. Please join our growing community or visit us if you are in the area. 

As of 11/19/2021

(This site is managed by Fr. Peter M. Dubinin. Use of first person singular personal pronouns refer to Fr. Peter)

Annual Parish Meeting - Sunday, January 16, 2022, following our fellowship meal. Familiarize yourselves with the who and the what of the parish meeting by referring to the Uniform Parish By-Laws for the Diocese of the South by clicking on the hyperlink. Though we are still a Mission, we will implement more and more the requirements which govern a parish with full Church status.

Church School Suspended - for reevaluation. Given our fellowship meal following the Divine Liturgy is an essential continuation of our worship as a community, trying to conduct Church School during this time seems forced. In short, before, during or after our fellowship meal does not present as the best time for Church School. Ideally, parents teach their children about God, Jesus Christ, the Theotokos, the Saints, the Church, etc., and the Church educates and resources the parents. Unfortunately, with exceptions of course, our youth most likely will not receive intentional Christian instruction in this venue. This is not an indictment, but an acknowledgement of how incredibly busy we are from day to day. So, I charge the faithful to prayerfully consider when and in what manner Christian Education/Church School will occur. Church School could occur before Sunday Divine Liturgy, or Saturday morning, or Saturday afternoon - before or during choir practice. Church School will appear on the agenda for the Annual Parish Meeting on January 16. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and recommendations at that time.

Church Calendars - I submitted an order for 50 Church Lectionary Wall Calendars. When they arrive, the calendars may be purchased at $5/ calendar with maximum purchase per person of three.  

Readers - At the Divine Liturgy some weeks ago a number of folk expressed a willingness and desire to read the epistle at the Divine Liturgy. Those interested received instruction on how to put the reading together with direction to coordinate with me for a "run" through of the dialogue and reading. I'm still waiting.

Response of the Orthodox Church on Contemporary Issues - Encyclicals of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America are consolidated under a separate tab - Synodal Affirmations. These affirmations and documents are those generated over the years by the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America.

COVID - As the corona virus continues to move about, and receipt of the Pfizer and Moderna innoculations are no guarantee against contracting COVID-19, that our worship space is small and we do have folk who are immuno-challenged, attendees may want to mask as a precaution. As always, please follow this rule - if you are sick and or not feeling well, please stay home. If you test positive for COVID-19, please refrain from attending church for at least 10 days. If you have any questions, please speak with me.

Epistle Reader Schedule - November 21: Alan Harper, Sr.; November 28: Alan Harper, Jr.; December 5: Daniel Cantey

Altar Servers - Schedule - November 20-21: Evan & Basil Parhas (Ethan Cantey); November 27-28: Alan Harper, Jr., Austin Woods; December 4-5: Philip Radon & Will Ryerson. Schedule subject to change due to availability. 

For a number of years, the Russian Orthodox Church has observed with maternal love and concern the development of the Orthodox Church which she planted on the American continent. In the last few decades she has sorrowfully witnessed the unfortunate appearance there of a pluralism of ecclesiastical jurisdictions, a temporary phenomenon, and by no means a permanent norm of the canonical organization of the Orthodox Church in America, since it is contrary to the nature of Orthodox canonical ecclesiastical unity.

The Holy Russian Orthodox Church, striving for the good of the Church, has directed her efforts toward the normalization of relations among the various ecclesiastical jurisdictions in America, particularly by negotiating with the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America, concerning the possibility of granting autocephaly to this Church in the hope that this might serve the good of the Orthodox Church in America and the glory of God.

The newly-established local Orthodox Autocephalous Church in America should abide in brotherly relations with all the Orthodox Churches and their Primates as well as with their bishops, clergy and pious flock, who are in America and who for the time being preserve their de facto existing canonical and jurisdictional dependence on their national Churches and their Primates. For more on the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in America.

Loaves & Fishes