Links
Assembly of Bishops Endorses Alternatives to Women in Crisis Pregnancies
Orthodox Christians Helping Save Babies throughout America
ZOE for Life!® podcast on Detroit’s Own Orthodox Radio
ZOE for Life!® podcast on Ancient Faith Radio
Sexual Identity podcast on Orthodox Christian Network
Blessing of ZOE Women’s Center™
December 8, 2018
Saturday, December 8, 2018, was an auspicious day in the history of ZOE for Life!® On that day, His Eminence Metropolitan Savas of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Pittsburgh, together with His Grace Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America, came together with local clergy to bless the newly created ZOE Women’s Center™.
The facility at 5454 State Road in Parma, Ohio, has been leased by ZOE for Life!®, and used for three years to host ZOE House, where single parents and families in distress are cared for and lifted up by Christ filled volunteers. Under the guidance of Board Member and Executive Director Kathleen Kovalak, through the generosity of many across the country, parents are provided with many of the material goods necessary to create safe and healthy homes for their children. More than 600 clients visit ZOE House each year to receive much needed support at absolutely no cost to them.
Architect Michael Tabeling provided the design to subdivide the location to include ZOE Women’s Center™, pro bono. Thanks in large part to the generosity of Jason and Angelique Berry, ZOE Women’s Center™ became a reality. A state of the art ultrasound machine was purchased through the generous support of The Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
George Thomas, D.O., has volunteered to serve as Medical Director. Radiologist, Craig George, M.D., has volunteered to read the ultrasound scans. Under the direction of Dr. Thomas, abortion minded and abortion vulnerable women will receive reliable medical information regarding their pregnancy, and when indicated, an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy and its viability.
His Eminence Metropolitan Savas and His Grace Irinej concelebrated the blessing of the new ZOE Women’s Center™, sprinkled it with Holy Water brought from the River Jordan, and anointed its walls with Holy Oil from the Monastery of the Holy Ascension outside of Jerusalem. Following homilies delivered by both hierarchs on the meaning of the blessing and of the good work of ZOE for Life!® itself, His Grace, Bishop Irinej also blessed everyone present with the Holy Oil as well. An Open House with Lenten refreshments followed the ceremony.
Our beloved Hierarchs, together with our reverend clergy, joined together to bless this new ministry of ZOE for Life!®, so that through His Guidance, we may broaden the scope of support offered to our sisters and brothers in Christ, sharing His love in a tangible way, thereby empowering them to make decisions everyone can live with by sustaining life itself.
New Location for ZOE House – House Blessing
March 4, 2016
The new location of Zoe House located at 5454 State Road in Parma, OH had an Open House and House Blessing on March 4, 2016. The House Blessing was given by five Orthodox Hierarchs: Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh, of the Greek Orthodox Church; Archbishop Nathaniel of the Romanian Episcopate; His Grace, Bishop Daniel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church; BishopGregory of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese; and Bishop Paul of the Orthodox Church in America. The new ZOE House was overflowing with guests attending the service and the open house. ZOE for Life!® board members and volunteers welcomed everyone and thanked them for their support. ZOE for Life!® was particularly blessed and appreciative to have the bishops come to bless the new house and the ministry.
Paula Kappos, President of ZOE for Life!®’s board, stated that “We are incredibly excited about what God is doing with ZOE for Life! and are looking forward to whatever else He might have in store.” She added that ZOE Women’s Center™ is on the horizon.
So far, everything ZOE for Life!® has accomplished, has been done through the dedication and endless hours of service offered by selfless volunteers. The ZOE Women’s Center™will allow us to reach more women in distress, to offer them an oasis of time, of truth, and the opportunity to consider what is in their best interest. Only through serious consideration of her circumstances, and the consequences of all the options she may be considering, can she make a responsible decision for herself and her unborn child.
To help her in this process, we will provide limited obstetrical ultrasounds, medical information and pre-natal support, offered by qualified health care professionals. We will also offer peer counseling and post abortion recovery. All this, again, at no cost to them.
As you can imagine, the anticipated costs for this program are enormous, but we know in our hearts, lives will be forever changed.
We thank all of our supporters for partnering with ZOE for Life!®, to have a positive impact on the world around us, and the lives of so many.
