His Grace, the Right Reverend '''David (Mahaffey) of Sitka''' is archpriest the current [[Bishop]] of [[Diocese of Alaska (OCA)|Sitka and Alaska]] for the [[Orthodox Church in America]].
Born ==Life==Sterry David Mahaffey, Jr., was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania on [[May 25]], 1952 , and baptised at Mahaffey Methodist Church on [[December 14]] the same year. He grew up active in Altoonathe United Methodist Church, including being president of the Youth Fellowship in high school, serving as Sunday School Superintendent, PAand filling in for the pastor during his summer vacation from 15 years of age. David On graduation from high school, he was received into offered a Lay Pastor's License, but did not accept it. In 1968, he began serving as a lay minister in the Orthodox Christian faith United Methodist Church, conducting services and delivering homilies for UMC parishes. He also studied at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Punxsutawney Campus) between 1970-72. In his secular work, he worked in 1975maintenance, two years after his marriage to the former Karen Meterkoheavy equipment operator, and other roles between 1970-89, before working in car sales between 1989-91.
He While dating Karen Meterko, she invited him to attend her church - Sts Peter & Paul Orthodox Church, Urey - at a time when he was intent on seeking God. While the service was different to what he had experienced, he was ordained drawn back to ponder the meaning and Divine Majesty he encountered there. On [[deaconMay 5]]ate , 1973, he married the former Karen Meterko at Sts Peter & Paul Orthodox Church, Urey, with whom he had four children (Nikolas in 1980, Sterry Michael in 1982, Seth in 1981 1985, and Kyra in 1987). Early in their marriage, the Mahaffey's would both attend services at both Mahaffey Methodist and at Sts Peter & Paul. Fr Raphael Rozdilski answered the many questions posed to him, and took him to the 1975 Memorial Day Pilgrimage at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St Tikhon's Monastery]], where he decided to convert to Orthodoxy - to the hesitancy of his wife, who knew that his parents would blame her for his choice. In 1975, he ceased to be a UMC lay minister, and served throughout was chrismated into the Orthodox Christian faith on [[November 16]], 1975, at the Diocese same church he was married. He also began the Late Vocations Program of the [[Archdiocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania]] in the same year, graduating in 1980. He was also ordained a Reader, then a Subdeacon, by Bp [[Theodosius (Lazor) of Washington|Theodosius of Pittsburgh]].
He received his Master was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] on [[April 12]], 1981, and served at various [[parish]]es of Divinity degree from the [[Saint Tikhon’s SeminaryDiocese of Western Pennsylvania (OCA)|Diocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania]]- assisting the bishop, South Canaanassisting the priest, and serving Typika at the bishop's direction. Dcn David also served as the Parish Education Coordinator at those parishes - including speaking on teen and adult education at retreats and lecture series' in Eastern and Western Pennsylvania Dioceses, PA and developing educational software in 1997game format for use at parish and regional levels. He had anticipated serving as a deacon until the end of his secular working life, before serving as priest at a small parish. In the midst of feeling somehow unfulfilled, Karen asked if he had considered seminary and the priesthood. Dcn David felt God's calling to go to seminary, and they immediately began plans to attend St Tikhon's Seminary in 1992 - he would move to the seminary, while Karen and their four children lived with her parents for the first year.
In 2003After his first year, he was ordained a [[priest]] on [[July 31]], 1993, and was assigned as rector of St Michael's Church in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, which allowed him to continue his studies and reunite his family. Fr David graduated ''cum laude'' from St Tikhon's in 1997, before starting further studies at the University of Scranton in 1999 with Bachelors degrees of Arts majoring in Theology and in Philosophy and graduating ''magna cum laude'' in 2003 (with awards for Academic Excellence and Excellence in Philosophy. Two years later, he received his and giving Presidential Honors in 2000, 2001 and 2003 from the University President), and graduating from a Master of Arts in Theology degree (also from the University of Scranton). He continued to serve at St Michael's until January 2006, when he was transferred to the pastorate of Holy Trinity Church in theology Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and was then transferred from there to be Acting Rector of St Nicholas Orthodox Church, Bethlehem, PA. He also served as [[dean]] of the Philadelphia Deanery, as Treasurer of St Tikhon's Alumni Association, Secretary of the NEPA Chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu Alumni, Secretary of the Clergy Brotherhood of NEPA, Staff of ''Your Diocese Alive in Christ'' magazine, auditor of the [[OCA]] and the same schoolDiocese of Eastern Pennsylvania, and on the Bishop's Task Force on Missions and Evangelism for the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania. He was elevated to [[Archpriest]] in 2002 and awarded the [[palitsa]] in 2006.[http://holytrinity-oca.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/HTOC-Trisagion-2008-10.pdf]
After his ordination to the priesthood in 1993Between 2003-04, he Fr. David served as rector a graduate assistant in the Theology Department of Saint Michael the University of Scranton, before serving from 2005-11 as Adjunct Lecturer in Philosophy, Doctrine, ChurchHistory, Old ForgeComparative Theology and Modern Belief at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary|St. Tikhon’s Seminary]], PA until 2006, when he assumed and from March 2009 as Adjunct Lecturer in theology and philosophy at the pastorate Melrose Park Campus of Holy Trinity Church, PottstownAlvernia University in Philadelphia, PAPennsylvania.
He and his Tragically, on [[August 8]], 2007, Fr. David's wife, who Matushka Karen, fell asleep in the Lord in 2007, raised four children.<ref>[http://doepa.org/news_070809_1.html] In Memoriam: Matushka Karen Mahaffey</ref>
In subsequent years, Fr David became nominated for a series of sees - to the Diocese of Western Pennsylvania in November 2008, to the Diocese of New York and New Jersey in August 2009, he was assigned rector to the Diocese of Saint Nicholas Churchthe Midwest in October 2010. On [[September 15]], Bethlehem2012, which he continues was nominated by the delegates to servethe Assembly of the [[Diocese of Alaska (OCA)|Diocese of Alaska]] as the candidate for election as Bishop of Sitka and Alaska by the [[Holy Synod]]. He was tonsured a [[riassaphore]] on September 23 by Abp [[Tikhon (Mollard) of Washington|Tikhon]] at St Tikhon's Seminary.[http://doepa.org/news_120924_6.html]
Father On October 9-11, 2012 the Holy Synod of OCA accepted Archbishop [[Benjamin (Peterson) of San Francisco|Benjamin’s]] presentation of Hieromonk David served (Mahaffey) as the nominee for the Episcopal See of Alaska<ref>[http://oca.org/news/headline-news/holy-synod-of-bishops-concludes-fall-session Holy Synod of Bishops concludes fall session]</ref>. On Friday, February 21, 2014, Archimandrite David was consecrated Bishop of Alaska during a graduate assistant in the Theology Department Hierarchical Liturgy by [[Metropolitan]] [[Tikhon (Mollard) of Washington|Tikhon of Moscow]], Archbishop [[Benjamin (Peterson) of San Francisco|Benjamin of San Francisco]], Bishop [[Michael (Dahulich) of the University New York|Michael of ScrantonNew York]], adjunct lecturer at Saint Tikhon’s SeminaryBishop [[Irineu (Duvlea) of Dearborn Heights|Irineu of Dearborn Heights]], and adjunct lecturer Bishop [[Irénée (Rochon) of Quebec City|Irénée of Quebec City]] at St Innocent Cathedral in theology and philosophy at Alvernia University, Melrose Park Campus, PhiladelphiaAnchorage, PAAlaska. He has served Co-serving the bishops were [[Chancery office of the Orthodox Church in America|Chancellor for the Orthodox Church in a wide variety America]] [[Archpriest]] [[John A. Jillions]], Archpriest Victor Nick ([[Chancellor]] of capacities in the Diocese of Philadelphia Alaska), and Eastern Pennsylvania, including dean 40 other priests from around the diocese. A banquet was held in his honor that evening at the University of the Philadelphia DeaneryAlaska’s Lucy Cuddy Center in Anchorage<ref>[http://oca.org/news/headline-news/banquet-honoring-bishop-david-held-at-university Banquet honoring Bishop David held at University]</ref>.
Delegates to the Assembly of the {{Start box}}{{succession|before=[[Diocese Nikolai (Soraich) of AlaskaSitka|Nikolai (Soraich)]], which met in Anchorage on September 15, 2012, voted to present the name of Archpriest David Mahaffey in nomination to fill the vacant Episcopal See |title=Bishop of Sitka and Alaska of the Orthodox Church in America.<br>([[OCA]])|years=2014-present|after=—}}{{end box}}
Father David’s name will be presented by His Eminence, Archbishop [[Benjamin (Peterson) of San Francisco|Benjamin]], Locum Tenens of the Diocese of Alaska, at a future meeting of the Holy Synod of Bishops for consideration and canonical election.
==SoursesSee also==* [[David (disambiguation)]] ==References==<references/> ==Source==
* [http://oca.org/news/headline-news/diocese-of-alaska-nominates-archprist-david-mahaffey-to-vacant-see-of-sitka Diocese of Alaska nominates Archpriest David Mahaffey to vacant See of Sitka and Alaska]
* [http://www.stnicholasoca.org/administration.html Hieromonk S. David Mahaffey, Jr. - Hieromonk]
* [http://oca.org/news/headline-news/the-episcopal-consecration-of-bishop-david-of-sitka-and-alaska The Episcopal Consecration of Bishop David of Sitka and Alaska]
* [http://www.nynjoca.org/files/2009/08-17/Mahaffey_bio.pdf Curriculum Vitae: V. Rev. S. David Mahaffey, Jr.] (for the Episcopal Search Committee of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey)
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity]]
[[Category:Bishops of Sitka]]
[[Category:21st-century bishops]]
