The Very Reverend Father Stefan Zencuch was born on 27 June 1949 in former republic of Czechoslovakia.
On June 1972, he graduates on Orthodox Theological Faculty in Presov, Czechoslovakia. In 1974 Fr. Stefan married Dr. Katarina Cernakova and in August 1980 they escaped communist Czechoslovakia together with their two children. After nine months spent in the refugee camp in Austria, whole family arrived safely to J.F. Kennedy airport in New York in May 21, 1981. On the Fathers Day of 1981, the late Patriarch Mstyslav, the prime Hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA ordained Fr. Stefan in South Bound Brook, New Jersey. While holding a number of pastorates in the metropolitan areas as Chicago, Minneapolis, Washington D.C., Fr. Stefan earned his additional academic degree at St Andrew College, Winnipeg, Wheaton College Graduate School and the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN.
Fr. Stefan lectured Pastoral, Practical and Comparative Theology at St. Sophia Seminary in So. Bound Brook, NJ. His academic focus was primarily dedicated to the phenomenon of the Lay Ministry, and a Theology of the “Fire of Heaven” originated by the Saint Symeon the New Theologian, 10th century Constantinople. Fr. Stefan’s numerous written articles and the book of “The Ethnic Orthodox Congregation and the Parish Council” published by Light and Life Publishing Company in Minneapolis, strive to call attention to the leaders of the church, both Ordained and Laity, that in Christ Holy Church, the balance between the Ordain Priesthood and Royal Priesthood must be in divine harmony as it was practice in the communities of faith at the beginning of the Christian era.
In 2004, while serving parishes in Lyndora and Arnold, PA, Fr Stefan originated an “Institute for Christian Orthodox Studies” of which objective is to share and introduce to the people of God a better understanding of the role of the Christ in the Christian community of faith.
On June 27, 2006, after 25 years of parochial service, Fr. Stefan and Pani Katarina moved to Panama City, Florida for a new Christ and Bible base mission in Christian Orthodox fasion.
On the Feast Day of Transfiguration of Our Lord - in August 6, 2006 they open a family Chapel at their residence. After 9 months of dinamic liturgical activity, an Episcopal Church of St. Andrew in Panama City, Florida offered to our Chapel a new home for worship at 907 Fairland Avenue, Panama City, FL 32401
Father Stefan and Pani Katarina can be reached by Email at: FrZencuch@hotmail.com, or by phone: 850-249-0098 (Rectory) or 850-375-4848 (Cell)
