Sts. Constantine & Helen
Our Church History
Saints Constantine and Helen Orthodox church was founded in 1978, under the direction of Metropolitan PHILIP of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America. Our mission is to serve the Orthodox in the Dallas area, and to invite the non-Orthodox to discover the historic Christian faith. The parish includes faithful Orthodox of all age groups, from many different backgrounds.
Saints Constantine and Helen Today
Sts. Constantine and Helen is a community of Orthodox Christians under the direction of Metropolitan SABA of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America. Pastored by Fr. David Lewis, the parish serves the Orthodox in the Dallas area, and invites all non-Orthodox faiths to discover the historic Christian faith.
Our church embraces all people from various cultures and religious backgrounds. Our services represent an authentic expression of the ancient Christian Faith. Our services are celebrated in English. Clergy and parishioners of our church are always available to answer questions and provide an overview of services to visitors.
Classes are offered throughout the year for those who are interested in knowing more about the Orthodox Christian Faith. We provide Church School classes for adults, teens and children. Many ministries are offered to keep our parishioners active in their faith and participating members of the church.
Worship is the heart of any Orthodox community. Within the prayers of the Church, scripture, theology and liturgical art our faith is fully alive. Orthodox Christians in America are fond of repeating the words of the Apostle Philip to Nathanael, “Come and See,” to any person wanting to know more about Orthodox Christianity. For it is only by experiencing the liturgical services that Orthodox Christianity can be appreciated.
Our Clergy and Staff
Fr. David Lewis, Parish Priest of Sts. Constantine and Helen
The Reverend Fr. David Lewis has been our pastor since August of 2013. Fr. David previously served as Assistant Pastor at St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church in Austin, Texas.
Fr. David grew up in a Christian home attending Baptist and non-denominational churches. As an adult, he was seeking the reliability of apostolic authority and authenticity of Christian worship centered on Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. He found those and more, but was surprised by God’s grace and mercy in the Orthodox Church.
Fr. David graduated from St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary in 2008. He and Khouria Shannon were married in 2003 and have four children: Irene, Isabel, Johnny and Phoebe.
Fr. Gregory Farman, Assistant Priest of Sts. Constantine and Helen
Father Gregory and Khouria Priscilla were received into the Orthodox faith at Saint Elias Church in Austin, in 2005. After completing the Saint Stephen’s program, Gregory became Deacon Gregory at Theophany of 2011. He was ordained to the priesthood at Saints Constantine and Helen in February, 2022.
Father Gregory and Khouria Priscilla have been blessed with four grown children and six grandchildren. Now in their 51st year of marriage, they shared a career in publishing before retiring, moving to Grapevine, and joining the parish of Saints Constantine and Helen. Father Gregory now chairs the Outreach Committee. He received his education from Oberlin College (B.A. in Economics), The University of Texas at Austin (M. Ed in Social Studies), and Stanford University (Ph.D. in Social Psychology and Education). He recently published Sinaites: the Journeys of Gregory of Sinai, a fictional account of the life and travels of his name saint.
Dn. George Mekhel, Deacon of Sts. Constantine and Helen
Deacon George Bio coming soon!
Melinda Bentz, Choir Director
It is both with joy and humility that I serve as the choir director for our parish, Sts. Constantine and Helen. It is also with a great sense of responsibility to our church family that I approach this ministry. The service of the choir is to lift the prayers of the people through song. The choir is not to be a distraction to the prayers of the people (or our beloved clergy) but to uplift us together in prayer. Prior to moving to the DFW area in 2019, I served as the choir director and chanter at my former parish for nearly 10 years. While I am not a trained professional musician, I have grown up serving through singing and am blessed to serve here at Sts. Constantine and Helen.
This quote from His Grace Bishop BASIL serves as my anchor on why I both serve and sing: “Being a choir director is not something one does for personal fulfillment. It is first and foremost a duty, a duty of those to whom God has given musical talents. It is sinful, in my opinion, for someone not to sing who has been given the gift to sing. Sinful! You join the angels and do that which the angels do perpetually. That’s not an interest, a vocation, or a hobby; it is a duty. Angels were created to serve and to praise, and you have been given voices for that same purpose.”
Benefactors
We are so thankful to all of our benefactors who have made the new building possible. Because of your generosity, we have a beautiful new church!
We are Growing
Sts. Constantine and Helen broke ground on its new temple on November 16th, 2020 to add 7,400 square feet to complement the existing parish. The new temple now provides seating for 408 parishioners, increasing its place of worship by 45% over the current sanctuary which seats approximately 280.
Construction updates will be provided. First stage of Iconography to be completed early 2023. Keep visiting us to see how it’s going!
Building Updates
Our new church has been completed ! See the story through pictures below.
Iconography
The life of Jesus Christ is presented in icons or Iconography that shares stories and historical accounts of the Orthodox Church and Christ’s teachings, saints, and liturgy which provide pictorial representation of Biblical scenes. Icons are venerated, not worshiped. Veneration is a way to show respect, reverence and deep honor.
Icons tell the story of Christ and his disciples, but did you know they were once removed from the Church? In 727, Emperor Leo III removed icons from churches banning religious representation. The removal was reversed and celebrated during the Sunday of Orthodoxy, which is the first Sunday in Great Lent and recognizes the victory of the iconodules over the iconoclasts; a decision of the Seventh Ecumenical Council.
The Iconographer for Sts. Constantine & Helen’s New Temple
Dmitry Shkolnik was born in Moscow, Russia in 1960. While studying in high school, he developed a keen interest in Russian religious art. Upon graduation, he pursued a higher education in the field of architecture. Concurrently, he cultivated a knowledge of Russian craft art in the form of laquer miniatures and Icon restoration.
In 1979-80, Dmitry Shkolnik began to work for the Russian Patriarchal Workshops (now known as SOFRINO).In 1981 he immigrated to the United States with his family. He enrolled in the Theological Seminary at The Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY in 1983. In his time there, he apprenticed under the well-known iconographer Archimandrite Ciprian (Pyzhov) for many years. In 1988 Dmitry Shkolnik completed the Seminary with a Bachelors in Theology.
Since 1981 Dmitry Shkolnik has written over 3,000 icons, completed more than 20 iconostasis, and painted numerous church frescos, murals and wall ornamentations. He is an active member of the International Union of Artists, and has collaborated with some of the most noted Russian iconographers including; Alexander Lavdansky, Alexy Vronsky, Anton Yarzhombeck, Constantine Bokarev and others. You can see his work in churches and private collections all over the United States from Florida to Alaska, Canada, Central and South America, France, Australia, Japan, Russia, Greece, and many other countries.
