Archpriest Anthony S, Mother Irene (born Kuz) Estabroooks
Archpriest Anthony Spencer Estabrooks (1945-2024)
and
Mother Irene Estabroooks (born Kuz) (1945-20__)
Early life of Spencer D Estabrooks
On 9 July, 1945, Spencer Donald Estabrooks was born at Peterborough, Ontario, to William Lloyd and Jean M E (born Todd) Estabrooks.
Their ancestors had emigrated to England from Belgium as Protestants in exile. Yandell-Estamgrugge This produced the form of the family name. Thence, they moved to the USA as puritans, and then as UEL United Empire Loyalists, to New Brunswick (where the family became known for tea and coffee sales). Spencer was the second of 6 children. Freda, Sandra,
Spencer and his siblings were raised as a Christian and baptised in the Presbyterian Church. He completed his primary and secondary education in Peterborough.
Spencer was intelligent and widely talented, and he had thought at first to become a journalist. When he was in Grade 13 (as existed in Ontario at that time), he experienced a profound spiritual awakening.
Higher education
Because he had been promoted over 1 grade during his education, he began university a year earlier than usual.
In1963, he entered the University of Toronto Faculty of Arts at University Co’lege. He lived in residence at Knox College, where his interest broadened from journalism towards theology. He graduated in 1966.
In 1966, he enrolled in Knox Theological College, from which he graduated in in 1969 with a Bachelor of Divinity Degree (later converted to Mastery of Divinity).
Meanwhile, he had met his future wife, Iren Kuz.
Marriage
On 18 May, 1968, Spencer Estabrooks was married to Irene Kuz at Berean Baptist Church in Sudbury, Ontario.
In time, they received from the Lord 4 children, and in addition 3 children whom they continued to foster into adulthood.
Early life of Irene Kuz
On 13 November, 1945, Irene Kuz was born in Sudbury, Ontario, to James (Dmytro) and Genevieve (born Latiplo) Kuz (Dmytro immigrated from Basarab, Ternopil, Ukraine, and Genevieve immigrated from the USA, of Polish-born parents). She was born the fifth of 7 children : Victoria, Estelle, Raymond, Herbert, Dennis, Deborah.
Irene was raised as a Christin in the Berean Baptist Church in Sudbury, and her family were frequent and full participants.
Irene received her primary and secondary education in Sudbury, and she was baptised at the age of 16.
Higher education
In 1964, Irene entered the Faculty of Food Science at the University of Toronto. However, having met her future husband, she left the studies early and returned to Sudbury to work temporarily in view of the pending marriage.
Continuing life
While Spencer continued to complete his degree, Irene worked in a bank for a time, and then in a security company.
At the end of the school year of 1969, they moved to Ottawa.
Spencer began to serve as the Youth Pastor at Saint Paul’s Presbyterian Church, and Irene entered Teachers College.
In 1971, they established a community house, in which they shared their home with 6 other single persons at a time. Bible studies were offered, people dropped in, and they helped many in various ways.
After her graduation from Teachers College, Irene did teaching as required to receive a permanent certificate.
In 1972, their first child was Jana born.
In 1973, Spencer began to work with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship in Ottawa, and they moved to a house shared with another couple. Co-incidentally, they lived very near Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church on Clarey Avenue. At this time, a “house church” was established in their home for a time.
By this time, because of family, Irene was doing substitute teaching.
In 1975, their second child, Joy, was born. By this time, they were living there on their own, and they shared their home with some students. Their family life was beneficial for the students they hosted
In 1977, Spencer began to study in the Department of Religion at Carlton University in Ottawa towards a Master of Arts Degree in Religion. His thesis, entitled “The Relationship Between Prophecy and Apocalyptic in the Book of Revelation”, was completed in 1978, when he received the Masters Degree.
In 1978, their third child Peterjohn was born.
Later in 1978, Spencer, Irene, and their children moved to Hamilton. Spencer entered McMaster University to work towards a doctoral degree, for which he completed all the course work. With great difficulty, they found a Providentially provided house in which to live for a year. Living on a grant, they then had to move, and they were again Providentially able to acquire a different house which had space that was rentable to students. He was preparing to write a thesis on Thomas Hobbes.
Throughout the course of his study and service, he was very concerned with the meaning of “church” and its implication and importance in our life.
Joseph was born in 1980 in Hamilton.
In 1981, Spencer, Irene, and their 3 children moved to Winnipeg after having visited many family members in Ontario.
The Sawatsky family also moved to Winnipeg, since the 2 families were preparing to establish a Christian community there. Together with others, they were keen to live near each other and to try to live out the way of the Gospel. Other couples from various places (including the USA) had similarly moved to Winnipeg for this reason.
By the time they went to Winnipeg, and instead of working away from home, Irene was supplementing her children’s education they received in school.
Irene began working with CFS (Child and Family Service) and counselling clients.
Besides their children, there were many persons besides foster children who became part of the extended-extensive family.
Ultimately, the community became known as “Grain of Wheat”. It became a well-integrated and harmonious community. During the subsequent years, Spencer was concerned about a seriously integrated church life in harmony with the Gospels and the teaching of the Apostle Paul, and then various Early Church Fathers.
It was significant throughout their life together that they always had “enough”, but not an excess in their life. They were certain that the Lord was providing for them in the life and service. After having received their own children, Irene had begun working as a parent supporter in the “Pregnancy Distress Service”. Under their understanding of the guidance of the Lord, this led to their beginning to foster children. Amongst them, these children tended to maintain their relationship with the Estabrooks family even after they left. In the case of 3, these returns in the context of their particular and special needs led to a permanent relationship and quasi-parental responsibility (even though it was not required of them by law) because of the love of the Lord. Others would return to visit frequently in a similarly filial manner.
Finding the Orthodox Church, 1991
It was in 1991 that Spencer encountered the book “The Philokalia”. Moreover, it was at about the same time that he met Father Bernard Funk during a visit to Winnipeg. This led to meeting with Archpriest Mirone Klysh of Saint George’s Romanian Orthodox Church.
This development, which was very much in harmony with Spencer’s study, was not that easy for Irene to accept (because of their different personal histories and formations). Irene was very much attached and integrated with the existing community, and the manner of worship and personal behaviour was quite different at Saint George’s Church.
Father Anthony (Spencer) Estabrooks came to Orthodox Christianity from a Protestant Christian background in 1992, when he was formally received by Father Mirone Klysh at Saint George’s Romanian Orthodox Church. Although he was elated in his having found the Orthodox Christian Faith, it took Irene a longer time to come to the same end, primarily because she wanted to be sure that when it did come to pass, it was because of her own authentic experience and path, rather than simply following her husband’s path. It was a very honest process for each of them.
Moreover, during these years, there were many serious responsibilities and challenges regarding the development of their foster-children.
From 1992 to 2006, Irene was working for the Winnipeg School Division as a parent-mentor. She was supervising the “infant lab” with respect to young mothers who were still in school. One of the classes involved learning how to care for infants.
In the context of family life, there were 4 marriages celebrated between 1999 and 2001. It cannot be negelected to mention that for Irene in particular, there were many challenges in the preparations, in the context of being fully employed at the time.
It was in January, 2010, that Irene was received into the Orthodox Christian Church.
Orthodox study, 2001
In 2001, following the advice of Father Mirone Klysh, Spencer began a compressed course of study at Saint Andrew’s College at the University of Manitoba. He took all the necessary courses for priestly formation and for the reception of a graduate theological degree.
On Sunday, 22 September, 2002, Spencer graduated formally from Saint Andrew’s College with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Degree. He received this degree “Summa Cum Laude”. (He now had the B.A., B.C., M.A., and M.Div. degrees.) This graduating class consisted of 7 who received degrees. The graduation was reported in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s periodical “The Herald” (1 November, 2002, p. 15).
Saint Arseny Orthodox Christian Theological Institute, 2002
Spencer’s desire to share Orthodoxy with those outside the Faith was perhaps paralleled by his desire to offer his academic talents to the building up of the Church through theological education. With the blessing of then Archbishop Seraphim of the Canadian Archdiocese, the “Saint Arseny Orthodox Christian Theological Institute” was established in 2002—with Spencer as its director, in order to address the long-standing need to provide affordable and accessible Orthodox theological education in Canada. The education was to be provided completely in the English language (and eventually French), for members of the Archdiocese of Canada (as well as other Orthodox Christians and interested non-Orthodox people), adapted to the unique situations, cultural circumstances, needs and opportunities of the scattered Orthodox population in a huge country.
The mission of the Institute was to provide leadership in developing comprehensive Orthodox theological education for the Archdiocese of Canada, covering a spectrum beginning with catechesis for those inquiring into the Orthodox Christian Faith, and continuing with education of the Faithful in the churches, training for various ministries within the Church, including lay ministries and clergy (readers, deacons, and priests), and culminating in on-going education and renewal for clergy, thus filling in the usual large gap existing in North America between parish programmes of education on the one hand, and seminary training on the other.
In addition to these responsibilities, he was teaching courses for the Saint Arseny Institute, and he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Institute’s on-line academic journal, the “Canadian Journal of Orthodox Christianity”.
Ordinations, 2010
Spencer was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on 30 January, 2010, in Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, Narol, Manitoba, and to the Holy Priesthood on 31 January, January, 2010, in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Winnipeg, Manitoba, by Bishop Irenee (Rochon).
Pastoral service
Spencer’s first encounter with the Orthodox Church came in the early 1990s, when browsing through a local bookstore he happened upon a volume of the Philokalia. After reading just a few paragraphs, astounded to learn that such an exalted spirituality existed, he set out to learn if the Orthodox Church of today was in fact the same Church he encountered in this wonderful book. His search led him to St. George Orthodox Church in Winnipeg, the first Orthodox parish in Canada to offer the full cycle of Orthodox Christian worship services in the English language. Discovering with delight that the very same Church of the Philokalia was alive and well today, he was received into Holy Orthodoxy by Chrismation in 1992 under the name “Anthony”—for Saint Anthony the Great, because of St. Anthony's great example of humility.
Desiring to apply his talents to presenting the Orthodox Faith in an accessible manner to non-Orthodox Canadians, Spencer laboured to promote and expand the witness of the newly established “Mission of All Saints of North America”. The Mission was established as an entity within the Archdiocese of Canada (OCA), for the purpose of providing Orthodox worship services in the English language in the central part of Winnipeg. Its existence covered many years, during which various priests served the community in different places.
Mission of the Life-giving Spring, 2006/2010
Despite all the efforts of Spencer and others to establish an English Mission, it did not seem to gain the momentum necessary to sustain itself. In any case, through their labours, groundwork was laid for the eventual establishment of the “Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring Mission”, for which Spencer would later be ordained to serve as parish priest.
In 2006, the Mission of All Saints was re-formed within the Archdiocese of Canada under the new name of the “Theotokos of the Life-giving Spring”. Then the Mission’s first priest (Father Andrew Jarmus) was transferred to the central office of the OCA in New York State USA.
Ordinations
Spencer was ordained to the Holy Priesthood in order to serve the Mission and continue the work begun earlier. He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop Irénée (Rochon), then Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese, on Saturday, January 30th, 2010, at Holy Trinity Sobor in Winnipeg.
Deacon Anthony was ordained to the Holy Priesthood the following morning of Sunday, January 31st, at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Narol, Manitoba.
==Pastoral service
Father Anthony served the Mission faithfully for the next several years, in the lower hall of Saint Philip's Anglican Church (Norwood) in Saint Boniface—a portion of Winnipeg on the east side of the Red River. During this time, Father continued to serve as director and as an instructor of the Saint Arseny Institute.
When, by the blessing of Archbishop Irénée, the Mission was incorporated into Holy Trinity Sobor in North Winnipeg in 2017, the stabilizing influence of Father's pastoral love supported his flock through the transition and integration into the larger parish community.
By this time, Father Matthew Beynon had been serving together with Father Anthony since 2013. It was by 2017 that Father Anthony was beginning to feel the effects of mild cognitive impairment that accompanied the onset of a form of dementia. The context of the change in the status of the parish added to certain personal pressures that he did not feel he could sustain. He stepped down from the very active part of the leadership of the community in favour of Father Matthew.
Nevertheless, he remained active as a mentor and guide, and he continued in his teaching and other responsibilities. Although his teaching ended eventually, he remained as a mentor, guide, and example until the end.
His priestly service at Christ’s holy altar, his constant example of self-emptying love, his ability to reflect with profound depth upon the theological dimensions of current events, and his great desire that all would come to have intimate knowledge of the love of God, will surely have a lasting impact upon the many people who have been nourished by his life—family members, parishioners, and neighbours. His was truly a life poured out for Christ.
40 years
In May, 2008, Father Anthony S and Mother Irene Estabrooks marked the 40th anniversary of their marriage.
The occasion was marked on the front veranda and the front lawn of their home on Canora Street. It included music by a string quartet, and various presentations.
He served at the Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring Mission until 2017, and then at Holy Trinity Sobor in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
50 years
On Saturday afternoon, 13 May, 2018, Father Anthony S and Mother Irene Estabrooks marked the 50th anniversary of their marriage at Holy Trinity Sobor in Winnipeg.
The proceedings began with a Moleben of Thanksgiving in the Temple. This was followed by a reception with a meal in the parish hall. The theme of the occasion was (in harmony with their life since the beginning) Lamentations 3:22-23 : “It is because of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning : great is Thy faithfulness.
Following the meal, the programme began with words from Mother Irene, and the singing of the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. This was followed by words from Father Anthon, and the singing of the hymn “The Church’s One Foundation”. Then followed words by members of the family, by Father Matthew Beynon, and by others. The occasion concluded with a toast, a blessing, the sharing of cake, the taking of photographs.
Repose
On Wednesday, 4 September, 2004, Priest Anthony S D Estabrooks fell asleep in the Lord in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the Health Sciences Centre, He had suffered a major stroke on Monday, 2 September, 2024.
Funeral Service of the Burial of a Priest will be held on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 2255 Grant Ave. at 6:00 p.m. followed by a reception. Father Phillip Eriksson, Father Rodion Luciuk, Father Gregory Scratch, Father Roman Pavlov, Father Matthew Beynon, Father Nicholas Tombakis, Father Serhii Kashyrets, Father Raphael (Vereshack), Father Stephen Sharman, and Deacon Gregory Wiebe. Mitred Archpriest Phillip Eriksson read a letter from Archbishop Irenee (Rochon), and he added further words of eulogy.
A Funeral Liturgy will be held on Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Demetrios with Father Phillip Eriksson, Father Rodion Luciuk, Father Gregory Scratch, Father Roman Pavlov, Father Matthew Beynon, Father Nicholas Tombakis, Father Victor Malanca, (Father Michael Ungrin, Father Taras Udod, Father Charles Baxter were present but not serving.) Father Mirone Klysh was unable to be present because of his age. Deacon Gegory Wiebe. Mitred Archpriest Phillip Eriksson gave a homily.
Following the Funeral Divine Liturgy, a Memorial Mercy Meal was served in the parish hall.
Interment will follow at St. Nicholas Narol Cemetery, 5635 Henderson Hwy.
If friends so desire donations may be made to: Heavenly King Orthodox Academy admin@heavenlykingacademy.ca or Manitoba Pioneer Camp PMB 321-360 Main Street Unit 138, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3Z8 or Harvest Manitoba, 1085 Winnipeg Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0S2.
Father Anthony Estabrooks was predeceased by his parents and parents-in-law, sisters, Freda and Sandra, two brothers-in-law, and one sister-in-law.
He was lovingly remembered by his wife Irene of 56 years (born Kuz), children, Jana Gerbrandt (Scott), Joy Perrott (Jeremy), Peterjohn (Nancy), Josef (Stephanie), Michelle Pahpasay, Karen Pahpasay, Robert Estabrooks (all of Winnipeg) and grandchildren, Sam (Fiona), Reuben, Kira, Tim (Sarah), Kyle, Sean, Rebecca, Julian, Christian, James, Margaret, Eleanor and Devon.
He also left his brothers, Stephen (Jayne), Stan (Allison) of Ottawa, Ontario, and his sister Brenda Moriarity of Bowmanville, Ontario, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.
Wednesday live link: https://youtube.com/live/tBy5D2d7-Jo?feature=share
Thursday live link: https://youtube.com/live/z3iYGdDADvE?feature=share
Reflections
Reflection by Archpriest Gregory Scratch
“One thing is needful…” reflection on the newly departed Priest Anthony Estabrooks.
The last few days have been full of introspection for me, with the falling asleep in the Lord of Fr. Anthony (Spencer) Estabrooks; and as I have been sifting through my time and interactions with him (which was admittedly limited and sporadic), I have come to realise just how much of a positive example of the priesthood he has been for me. If I am being honest, the youthful enthusiasm that enlivened my priesthood, was always an easy target for hubris and conceit. This stood in stark contrast with the quiet and reflective presence that Fr. Anthony provided. Regrettably this contrast skewed my understanding of this vocation (beyond its fundamental sacramental characteristics). Ironically, the priesthood’s validation was more formed by what “I” was doing, or what “I “thought a priest should do.
This understanding of what I thought validated the priesthood was tempered by those elements that Fr. Anthony demonstrated. What I came to realise was that the fundamental context or validation of the priesthood, was that of faithfulness as demonstrated in being a servant; for the Lord came “to serve, and not be served and give His life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). Simply put, the Priesthood is Christ’s; the sacrifice and salvific work was Christ’s – in which He had shared with Fr. Anthony (and by extension all those called to the priesthood like myself). This of course didn’t happen the moment he was ordained. In fact, for many years, Fr. Anthony (or Spencer as he was known then) was engaged as a layman, in the promotion and proclamation of Orthodox Christianity in English. By God’s grace, this is something that many of us take for granted nowadays; yet only a few decades ago, this was something of an oddity and even a betrayal. Even before his ordination, every moment presented the opportunity for him to bear witness to what the Lord was doing, and every person he met presented him the opportunity to invite them to participate with Lord in this work.
Working closely with the Protopresbyter Mirone Kylsh, the Archpriest Anatoliy Melnyk, and our own Fr. Bob Kennaugh, he sought to offer our faith in a way that everyone could either encounter the Lord’s saving love, and or, deepen their relationship with Him. This all came together with the founding of the Saint Arseny’s Institute (SAI) in 2002, which provided an alternative option for theological education in Canada. This is something in itself, yet his work was certainly not limited to that – I would go so far as to say that it far exceeded this.
Although Fr. Anthony never intended to become a priest, (in fact he once told me at an Archdiocesan council meeting in 2006 that this was furthest from his desire – as he thought his talents were better served as a layman). Nonetheless, he was ordained to the Diaconate (at St. Nicholas) and then Priesthood in 2010, with the responsibility for serving the Life Giving Springs Mission in Winnipeg. His priesthood in many ways reconciled his many years of work, with the sacramental life of the Church – manifesting the Lord’s mystical presence and blessings as the context and application for his teachings and work.
What I have now come to see as being amazing, is that on the surface, his witness was subtle and unnoticeable – indeed one could say that it was unquantifiable. Yet the same way that love, as an expression of selflessness and sacrifice can seem quiet, subtle and hard to quantify – it is nonetheless verifiable. In like manner, Fr. Anthony’s humble love of God and neighbour alike, might not have been quantifiable, but was certainly verifiable in his priesthood, as many people can attest – including me.
Although he never had proper liturgical training and his service was very limited – he nonetheless served out of his love for God and neighbour alike. Although he never really had administrative and dynamic skills or time to expand his community – he nonetheless was a father in every respect, in of his love of God and neighbour alike. Although he never had the structure or forum to expound about his teaching and writings- he nonetheless inspired those around him, out of his love of God and neighbour alike.
Although Fr. Anthony never manifested those elements or qualities that I initially considered as being maybe the only quantifiably important elements of the priesthood (proper liturgics, expansion of mission, and exposition of work, etc.) I came to realise in time, that what he offered was the very foundation of all those elements, and even more ! Nothing less than faithfulness to the Lord as offered in humility and thanksgiving, was more important to Fr. Anthony, regardless of whether he was in front of the Altar, or at home with his wife Matushka Irene, children and grand children. Like Mary (the sister of Lazarus) Fr. Anthony saw the exceeding value of sitting at the feet of the Lord, and hearing His words, rather than fussing around and being “distracted with much serving” like Martha (Luke 10:38-42). In many respects, this aspect of his ministry is somewhat reflective of the kind of work a good farmer employs.
As most farmers might know, the hardest part of growing anything is not necessarily the toiling of the soil, or planting of the seeds, or even the harvesting of the fruits. Those things indeed take a lot of work to do; yet it is being patient and faithful that maybe the most difficult challenge to navigate. A farmer can hope that it will rain (and not rain too much), care for the young sprouts, and have faith that there will be a bountiful harvest; but beyond this, nothing really can make a crop grow faster, no matter how much fussing around and being “distracted with much serving” happens. This is something that Fr. Anthony understood as a principle in which he applied to his priesthood. For as the Lord says. “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 26:4-9)
We now find ourselves at a place where our churches are full and growing, indeed “the harvest has come” – wrought not by our own work, but by the grace of God. What I have been called to do, is like Fr. Anthony be faithful and patient with all that the Lord is doing. – for this harvest is of the Kingdom of heaven – and not of me or any other priest.
Yet often I wanted to see and have the fruits of my work as if it the Lord wanted “results”. So often I have wanted to validate my priesthood by rushing or managing things beyond my control, because things had to be done – Alas, I have more often than not ended up being more frustrated than anything else. Yet the example of faithfulness, patience, and humility offered by Fr. Anthony was a witness to me what can happen when what is offered is of Christ, rather than just for Christ. Indeed Fr. Anthony has compelled me to attend to the “one thing that is needful” in my life as a priest and Christian. For this I offer my profound thanksgiving to God for such a servant and priest, for he had“chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from him”. May his memory be eternal!
Writings
“A Continuing Pentecost : The Experience of the Holy Spirit in Orthodox Christianity” (The Canadian Journal of Orthodox Christianity, Vol. 1 No. 1, Winter, 2006) ISSN : 1715-9199.
“Acquisition of the Holy Spirit as the Goal of the Christian Life” (The Canadian Journal of Orthodox Christianity Vol. 2 No. 1, Winter, 2007) ISSN : 1715-9199.
“On Trinity, Church and the Eucharist” (The Canadian Journal of Orthodox Christianity Vol. 3 No.1, Winter, 2008) ISSN : 1715-9199.
“Orthodox Worship and the Book of Revelation” (The Canadian Journal of Orthodox Christianity Vol. 3 No.1, Winter, (The Canadian Journal of Orthodox Christianity Vol. 7 No.3, Fall, 2012) ISSN : 1715-9199.
“Source of Unity in the Church” (The Canadian Journal of Orthodox Christianity Vol. 3 No. 3, Fall, 2012) ISSN : 1715-9199.
Reflection by Archpriest Gregory Scratch
References
Additional information :
Saint Arseny Orthodox Christian Theological Institute web-site
Archdiocese of Canada former reference
Klysh, Protopresbyter Mirone, “History of the Saint Arseny Orthodox Christian Theological Institute 2003-2013” (The Canadian Journal of Orthodox Christianity Vol. 8 No. 3, Fall, 2013) ISSN : 1715-9199.
The obituary of Archpriest Anthony S D Estabrooks was published in the “Winnipeg Free Press” on Saturday, 7 September, 2024, p. C5.
https://cropo.com/tribute/details/9825/SPENCER-ESTABROOKS/obituary.html