Right Reverend Alexander

Archbishop Alexander (Golitzin) was born in Burbank, CA in 1948 and raised attending Saint Innocent Church, Tarzana, CA. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vladimir’s Seminary. He spent seven years pursuing doctoral studies at Oxford University in England under His Eminence, Metropolitan Kallistos [Ware]. During this time, he also spent two years in Greece, including one year at Simonos Petras Monastery on Mount Athos.

Fr. Marcus Burch

Rector
Frmarcusburch@stjohnoftheladder.org

Father Marcus Burch has served as the Rector (the head pastor) of St John of the Ladder for over 20 years. He has been blessed to oversee the growth of Saint John of the Ladder from a small mission with a handful of families in a “mill house” in the Dunean Mill Neighborhood of Greenville to the beautiful temple with a vibrant community of over 250 that sits on Roper Mountain Road Extension today. As the rector, Father Marcus oversees the community’s liturgical and pastoral needs as they journey toward fullness in Christ, as well as guides the vision for future parish health and growth. In addition to his pastoral responsibilities at St John of the Ladder, he also serves as the Chancellor of the Diocese of the South, assisting His Eminence, Archbishop Alexander (Golitzin), with the administration of the far-flung diocese. Father Marcus has been married to his wife, Matushka Barbara, for over 30 years. They have two children, a daughter-in-law, and two vivacious German Shepherds, Edelweiss and Wolfie.

Fr. Alexander Earl

Assistant Priest
Fralexanderearl@stjohnoftheladder.org

Father Alexander Earl holds a MDiv from St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and a Master of Arts in Religion and Philosophical Theology from Yale Divinity School. Alongside his liturgical and pastoral responsibilities, he is currently overseeing St John’s education programs, including inquirers and catechism. His academic interests focus primarily on the Church Fathers and Platonic philosophy. He has appeared in magazines like the Marginalia Review of Books, written for popular blogs like Eclectic Orthodoxy, and published in peer-reviewed journals such as the International Philosophical Quarterly and Christian Bioethics. He has also presented papers at national and international conferences, including the North American Patristics Society and the International Orthodox Theological Association. He is a contributor to the book Orthodox Christianity and Classical Education, forthcoming from St Vladimir’s Seminary Press. In his spare time, he serves as the Director of the Center for Philosophy + Theology at Pacifica Christian High School (Santa Monica, CA), which hosts community events and offers courses for the school’s wider community. Fr Alexander is married to his wife, Matushka Danielle, with whom he has one daughter, Cordelia.

Fr. Peter Robichau

Attached Priest

Father Peter Robichau, along with his wife, Christine, and two of his four children, joined St. John’s in 2021 after spending a decade as founding pastor of a now thriving mission parish (or “church plant”) in Wilmington, NC. While he considers himself a geographical wanderer, his roots in South Carolina go back to 1994 when he met Christine at Columbia International University. He is not an employee of the parish, but assists with parish ministries in various capacities. He serves alongside Fr. Marcus in the administration of the Diocese of the South as its Corporate Secretary and works full-time professionally as a management consultant.

Fr. John Dresko

Retired, Attached Priest

Father John Dresko has recently retired from active parish ministry and is enjoying life in retirement in Greenville. Prior to retirement he served as a priest for over 40 years, serving various parishes in the Midwest (MI, OH), New England (CT), and Western United States (NV). He also served as a Chaplain in the United States Air Force. He has served in various administrative and ministerial capacities, overseeing youth and adult programs, playing an active role in managing Diocesan and parish budgets, councils, and stewardship programs, and guest lecturing in Pastoral Theology at St Vladimir’s Seminary. He currently serves as President/CEO of the Orthodox Church Capital Improvement Fund and as a member of the OCA Pension Board. Fr John has been married to his wife, Mat. Elizabeth, for nearly 50 years, and is blessed with four children and seven grandchildren.

Hamilton Provonsha

Choir Director
Choir@stjohnoftheladder.org

Reader Romanos (Hamilton) Provonsha moved to Greenville shortly after his marriage to Mary Britt (McDonald), who attends medical school here. He studied jazz piano at Lee University in Cleveland, TN, where he had the opportunity to take choral conducting lessons from Cameron LaBarr, now director of choral activities at Missouri State University. He moved to Charleston, SC in 2016 to work at Saint Michael’s Anglican Church as an assistant to the organist, then worked for a short time as an organist at Old Saint Andrew’s Parish Church before converting to Orthodoxy. During his time in Charleston, he sang with professional choirs King’s Counterpoint and Taylor Festival choir, including three cathedral residencies in England. Not long after becoming Orthodox, he was asked to be the choir director at Holy Ascension Orthodox Church in Mount Pleasant, SC, his last post before moving to Greenville. He and Mary Britt are excited to be a part of the SJOTL community and hope to continue the work of growing and developing the choir.

Allison Nix

Parish Administrator
Office@stjohnoftheladder.org

Allison Nix is a native of South Carolina. She moved and traveled across the country with her parents and brother growing up and as an adult made numerous trips overseas, including multiple mission trips in Liberia West Africa, and Haiti. She began working in churches in 2005 and has a heart for outreach ministry. She has two grown sons, Jamie and Grayson, and a beloved dog named Dash.

St. John of the Ladder is a Parish of the Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of the South.