This Fall 2026, our family is moving to Pennsylvania where Ben will attend Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in the Master of Divinity degree program. The seminary will prepare him spiritually and academically to serve as an Orthodox priest in parish ministry.
When we were received into the Orthodox Church in 2019 there were just three of us—Ben, Valerie, and Shepherd—and we have since been blessed with two more sons, Leo and Timothy. We found an immediate home in the parish community of Holy Cross—the soil in which we have learned and lived out the Orthodox faith, worshiping, baptizing our children, confessing our sins, fasting, praying, and working out our salvation. Here, we have walked alongside everyday saints who brought us meals when we were sick, cared for our children, celebrated with us, befriended us, prayed for us, provided material needs, shared warm conversation, encouraged us, invited us into their homes, and in all things bore witness to the life in Christ. Being formed in Ben throughout these years was a love for the beauty and life of the Church, the divine services, holy scripture, parish life, and a desire for the spread of Orthodoxy and the gospel in the United States. With much guidance and support from our parish priest, matushka, and many of our dear fellow parishioners, along with the blessing of our bishop, this love eventually blossomed into the decision to apply for admission to seminary. We hope that, at the end of this journey, Ben will be found worthy of ordination to serve as a priest in the Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of the South.
The Orthodox Church in the United States has experienced a tremendous surge of converts in recent years, demonstrated by the 16,000-18,000 people reported to have been received into parishes during the 2026 Pascha season! This is an exciting time as more and more Americans come into the Church’s arms to experience salvation and transformation through the life and tradition of the ancient faith. Yet with this growth comes certain challenges, like the need to construct new churches and the significant shortage of Orthodox priests. Currently, the Orthodox Church in the US requires approximately 115 new priests per year, while the yearly number of men eligible for ordination is just 30. Response to this dramatic deficit requires that many more Orthodox men and their families prayerfully consider priestly vocation. By taking this step toward seminary we are humbled to offer ourselves as a small contribution to the service of the Holy Church and to the mission of Orthodoxy in the United States.
What will Ben be doing in seminary? The Master of Divinity degree at Saint Tikhon’s is a three-year formational program designed for men seeking ordination to the holy priesthood. The program aims to form students personally, spiritually, academically, and pastorally. It enables them to “personally appropriate those qualities of character — depth of soul, discipline of mind and thought, courage of heart and breadth of spirit — which will be required of them in a lifetime of ministry.” The seminary’s goal for graduates is that they be prepared as preachers of the gospel of Christ, teachers of Orthodox theology, celebrants of the divine mysteries, facilitators of sacramental preparation, and leaders of ecclesial communities.
These three years in seminary promise to be a crucible for our family. Ben, as the sole earner, will be leaving his career in industrial sales as we relocate to Pennsylvania. We will sell our home and say goodbye to dear family, friends, and our parish community. Valerie will continue to support our family-life, educate the children, and serve our seminary community. Our income will be very limited during this time, consisting of modest personal savings, part-time work (if possible), and the generous and loving donations of those who are willing and able to support us. Our expenses for the first year will be approximately $50,000. This includes rent ($18k), tuition ($10k), food ($10k), and other expenses like utilities, gas, car insurance, medical, internet and phone. We humbly and graciously ask for your support. Here are some ways to help:
- Prayer
- Monthly financial support
- One-time monetary gift
- Practical support
- Sharing this fundraiser
To those who are able to offer their support, no matter the amount, we are sincerely thankful. We promise to stay connected with you through our prayers and with regular updates on our journey through seminary.
Truly, this is a formidable task. “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
Our prayer is that God will grant us strength and perseverance in faith, the supply of all our material needs, love and unity within our family, and the formation needed for parish ministry.
And in all things, may our God and Father, together with His Son our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and His All-Holy, Good, and Life-Giving Spirit be given glory, now and forever.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
The Waegerle’s
Ben, Valerie, Shepherd, Leo, and Timothy
P.S. If you would like to learn more about Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary, you can find them online at https://www.stots.edu/
