SOUTH 2025
February 6-9, 2025
at
St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
Houston, TX
If you are interested in helping with the 2025 conference, please email us at office@saintemmelia.com
Read the FAQ
Registration Now Open!
Single adult: $95
Adult couple: $175
Youth (4-18): $28
Toddler (1-3): $15
These costs include meals and registration. Families are responsible for providing their own accommodations as necessary.
We are providing meals. You may find that it is helpful to bring additional snacks for your family.
Financial aid is available for families in need. Email programs@saintemmelia.com to learn more.
Accommodations
While families are responsible for finding their own accommodations, we do have a discount at the Courtyard Houston Medical Center/NRG Park. Please use this link when reserving a room to receive the discount: Courtyard Houson
You might also be interested in sharing an airbnb/vrbo or hotel suite with another family to save money. Feel free to post in our Facebook group or reach out to us via email to connect with other families.
Speakers & Talks
Fr. Jason Foster (Keynote lectures)
Fr. Jason Foster, alongside his wife, Presvytera Ashley, and their six daughters, is committed to serving the Orthodox mission in Shreveport. A native of the area, Fr. Jason holds degrees in accounting, finance, and Biblical studies. After years in finance, he pursued theology at Dallas Theological Seminary and Cranmer Theological House, then completed a Master of Theology at Oxford University. His PhD research at Durham University focused on liturgical theology. Following their conversion to Orthodoxy, the Fosters began the Holy Nativity of the Lord Orthodox Mission, now a vibrant community. Fr. Jason is also involved with St. Basil's Homeschool Co-op and All Saints Summer Camp, creating an environment of spiritual growth and community for families.
Tatiana Merry (Cyber Security)
Tatiana is a mother, wife, and cybersecurity professional with over 10 years of experience in the field. Passionate about reducing cyber risks, she focuses on changing human behavior to enhance digital security. In recent years, she has applied her expertise to help parents protect their children from online dangers, while also promoting a healthy relationship with technology. Tatiana, her two children, and husband attend St. Mary Orthodox Church in Cedar Park, TX.
Dr. Dunia Carralero Haddad, M.D. (Physical health)
Dr. Dunia Carralero Haddad, M.D. is a physician/scientist residing in Texas and working as a scientific consultant, lecturer and editor.
With her own peer-reviewed publications in the field of Tumor Lectins (MD Anderson Cancer Institute, Lotan, NIH) and a very diverse educational background in Chemistry, Mathematics, Early Christian Art History, and Latin American Culture and Theology, Dr. Haddad has addressed a vast array of audiences from Sunday school classes to international science congresses.
Dr. Haddad and her family attend Holy Protection Orthodox Church in Houston, TX.
For our conference she will share her thoughts on “The Discipline of the Human Body.”
Fr. Iulian Anitei (Ask Abouna)
Fr. Iulian Anitei is the parish priest of Holy Protection of the Mother of God Orthodox Church in Houston, TX and dean to the Southern Deanery of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas. Father is the pastoral guide to St. Paraskeva Charity, participates in the local Pan-Orthodox Clergy association and most recently started a parish homeschool co-op. He is a father of 7 homeschooled children and a grandfather of two and has supported SEM throughout the years in various roles. This year, he will help us with Ask Abouna.
Pres. Dorothea Anitei (Raising Disciples)
Pres. Dorothea Anitei is the wife of Fr. Iulian Anitei and serves the Holy Protection of the Mother of God Orthodox Church in Houston, TX. She is a mother of seven and a grandmother of two. In raising the children on the Christian path, Dorothea has not only homeschooled all her children, but often supports youth as well as parenting activities. Over the years, she has supported Saint Emmelia Ministries with interviews, lectures, and panels. This year, she will lead our group discussion, offering a word of encouragement on raising disciples.
Gina Macovei (Children’s Theatre)
Gina has over 30 years of experience in theatre acting and Theatre and Art Education. As a professional actress, she performed more than 5000 shows, performing main and supporting characters in comedies, dramas, tragedies, or puppet and marionette performances. As of now, Gina is a Theatre teacher at Northbrook High School, and she loves working with her students in creating original theatre productions. She is grateful for her family and friends’ support. Gina is the mother of daughter Antonia and stepson David. They are members of St Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church in Houston, TX, where David was recently baptized.
Rima Zod (Iconography)
Rima was born in North Lebanon. She studied Christian education at Balamand University. After graduating, she received a scholarship to study in Greece at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, studying the Greek language and learning Iconography. After finishing her studies in Greece, she went back to Lebanon to work under the Archdiocese of Akkar as a fine arts teacher for eight years. In 1999, she moved to the US and she continued her career as an iconographer. By then, she had already participated in more than 16 art exhibitions between Lebanon and the U.S.A. In total, she has written more than 300 icons and her works exist all over the world, in countries and cities such as London, Australia, Greece, Lebanon, Syria, and the U.S.A. She is also a specialist in restoration of old icons and frames. Her latest work was a mural at the Holy Protection Romanian Orthodox Church in Houston, where she also teacher Greek at the homeschool co-op. She is married and has four kids.
Flashback to SOUTH 2024!
