Archpriest Economos Father Constantine and Sharon Nasr
On August 14, 2007, Fr. Constantine completed twenty-five years as the pastor of this beloved parish.
After graduating from St. Vladimir’s Seminary Fr. Constantine served the church of St. George in Cedar Rapids, Iowa from 1973-1982. While there he was the Dean and Spiritual Advisor to the Order of St. Ignatius, and assisted in reopening St. Elias in La Crosse, Wisconsin and St. George in Kearney, Nebraska, and planted a seed for a mission on the campus of Iowa City, Iowa.
On August 14, 1982, Fr. Constantine moved to Oklahoma City. For twenty-five years Fr. Constantine has worked not only to preserve the Faith but to spread this Faith that was “once for all, delivered to the saints.” Fr. Constantine inherited a parish that was struggling financially and a community that was divided over issues related to his predecessor. Today the family of St. Elijah is united. By the grace of God in 1997 the new edifice of St. Elijah was consecrated as the Spiritual Center of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America. Since then we have built the new addition of the gymnasium and other facilities sitting on 20 acres of land with total assets of $10 million. We have a vision of starting an Orthodox School in the future. Dreams have become reality. And we continue to dream. Twenty-five years ago we could not imagine that such dreams could come true.
The Shrine of All American Saints was established in January 2007 in the St. Elijah courtyard. With the blessing of retired Metropolitan Theodosius, formerly of the OCA, and the assistance of V. Rev. Michael Dahulich, Ph. D., Dean of St. Tikon’s seminary, the Shrine originated with the relics of ten North American Orthodox Saints.
Fr. Constantine is a pioneer in American Orthodoxy in terms of Missions and Evangelism. It started when he was a student and Metropolitan PHILIP Saliba sent him to Jacksonville, Florida to establish the mission of St. George and he held Inquirer’s Classes. During the past twenty-five years, because of his efforts and the efforts of those he recruited to assist him, St. Elijah has had the joy of welcoming hundreds of people who have embraced the Holy Orthodox Faith. The fruit of these efforts has led to the creation of our Wednesday night program known as St. Andrew Family Night that has become an example of pan-Orthodox unity on the local level.
By God’s grace Fr. Constantine helped establish the Mission of Holy Ascension in Norman, OK and the Mission of St. James in Stillwater, OK. Fr. Constantine assisted in chrismating a former Episcopalian parish that embraced the Holy Orthodox Faith and became St. Benedict Orthodox Church in Wichita Falls, Texas, and assisted in establishing missions in Kansas City and in Denver, Colorado.
For many years he was Dean of the Southwest Region clergy and Spiritual Advisor of the Order of St. Ignatius in the Southwest Region, and he served as the Spiritual Advisor to the Antiochian Women of our Diocese. Now that we are a Diocese, Fr. Constantine has been chosen by his brothers the clergy to be the president of the Presbytery of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America.
During his twenty-five years at St. Elijah Fr. Constantine has helped train men who have become priests, deacons, sub-deacons, and readers. This includes those who came from other Orthodox parishes to serve and train here at St. Elijah: Fr. John Salem, Fr. Christopher Salamy, Fr. John Mefrige, Sbdn. Charles Baz, Karim Azar, and three students from Nazareth: Sleeman, Shadi, and Elias; and one student from Bethlehem, Iyad, and most recently our new youth director, Erin Learned. Those coming out of St. Elijah include Archpriest Basil McMurry, Fr. Antony Bahou, Fr. James Shadid, Fr. George Al-Dehneh, Fr. George Shawareb, Khouria Bertha McMurry, Khouria Valerie Salem, Khouria Raghad Shawareb, Khouria Mageda Al-Dehneh, Sbdn. David Rotramel, Sbdn. Ezra (Herb) Ham, Sbdn. John Dutcher, Sbdn. Larry Jefferson, Sbdn. Noel Spoonmore, Sbdn. David Tait, Rdr. Philip Nasr, Rdr. George Ghata, and Rdr. Kory Warr. Finally, he has encouraged Janet Jaime to pursue her passion as an iconographer.
Fr. Constantine is a founding member of the Jerusalem Task Force that seeks to restore indigenous leadership to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Fr. Constantine published five books to assist his brothers the clergy: The Bible in the Liturgy; Journey through the Divine Liturgy; Resource Book for Mission and Evangelism; Memory Eternal: Selected Eulogies; and A Practical Guide for Priests & Pastors. he has just completed the first draft of his life-long project Antony Bashir: Founding Father of the American Orthodox Church. He hopes to write a book on marriage. He has lectured at our Orthodox seminaries and parishes in the United States and Canada. He is one of the few chosen clergy in the Archdiocese to serve on the committee selected to update the Priest’s Guide.
Fr. Constantine is quick to acknowledge the many priests and laymen who have been influential in his life. He is especially indebted to his late father and mother Economos Zacharia and Khouria Nasra who also dedicated their lives to serve the church. May their memory be eternal. Likewise he is indebted to his father-in-law Charles Slemon and his late mother-in-law Anna Slemon for their love and encouragement.
Standing beside him, helping him to carry the weight of the ministry, has been his wife Sharon, his children Constantine and Philip who have borne the weight of the ministry with him.
For twenty-five years Fr. Constantine has been our spiritual father. He has shared our joys and sorrows. He has buried our loved ones, baptized our children, married our sons and daughters, and now baptizes our grandbabies.
Fr. Constantine has not only shared the Gospel with us; he and his family have also shared their lives with us. And we are better for it. May God grant them many years.
Saying goodbye: St. Elijah priest set to retire – (NewsOK.com – 2011)
Celebrating Twenty-five Years of Ministry at St. Elijah (Oklahoma City, OK) – 2007