In August 2019, the idea of starting an Orthodox mission in Clovis was born. It all happened rather unexpectedly.

First of all, allow me to introduce ourselves, the founding members of Orthodox Church Fellowship of Clovis. Brian Pickard (Peter), Sabrina Pickard (Ruth), and myself, Michael Hailey (Sava).

After having spent most of our lives in the Protestant tradition, we began feeling as though something was missing from our spiritual lives. We couldn’t quite put our finger on it, but we knew we were searching for something more. There was no Orthodox church in Clovis; the nearest being at least 100 miles away. We each grew up in Southern Baptist churches, where we each served in ministerial positions after becoming adults. In 2014, Brian (Peter) joined the Episcopal Church, and in 2015 became a seminarian on the road to priesthood. Sava joined the EC in 2017, and Ruth shortly thereafter. The liturgical service appealed to us in ways which was totally unexpected. The reverence and tradition we all found refreshing. It seemed as if we had finally found that for which we had been searching.

Brian (Peter) had a best friend from his high school days who went on to join the Orthodox Church after graduating college. Over the years he shared some of his experience with Orthodoxy with Brian (Peter), who then shared them with Sabrina (Ruth) and me (Sava). We now believe that God was preparing our hearts for the new adventure in becoming Orthodox Christians and to bring an Orthodox Church to Clovis, NM, God willing.

After leaving the Episcopal church Peter met Father John Peck, who baptized me (Sava), Ruth, and Peter into the Orthodox Church. Shortly after this step, Peter began working with Father Paul Abernathy in Pittsburgh, P.A. to create an Orthodox Church in Clovis, NM. It is a long road and of course, Peter is in Seminary at the Antiochian House of Studies (Home – Antiochian House of Studies | AHOS), which allows Peter to take classes in hopes to build a foundation for the Orthodox Church in Clovis, NM (God willing).