On November 8, 2014, we lost our beloved spiritual Father, Melake Berhane Gabre Menfeskduse.  Although, he is no longer with us physically, he still remains with us spiritually.  There is so much we can learn from the life Melake Berhane lived.  He showed us the importance of education by earning his Bachelors of Science degree from Upsala College in 1984, and his Masters in Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2007. 

 

He also had a love and passion for the arts.  He played both the acoustic and electric guitar, performed in theater groups, choirs and bands.  Not only was he one of the first interns at MTV Studios in Manhattan in 1983-1984, he was also the lead guitarist for the reggae group Exodus Supreme.

 

Most importantly, he became a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo faith in 1984, when he was baptized, and given the baptism name Gabre Menfeskduse, meaning "servant of the Holy Spirit."  He went from being a laity of the Church, to being ordained a Deacon in 1989, then Priest on July 3, 1994 by our late Archbishop, H.E Abuna Yesehaq.  On November 25, 2012, he was given the rank of Melake Berhane, meaning "Angel of Light" by H.E. Abune Zakarias.

 

Melake Berhane Gabre Menfeskduse lead a life devoted to his Church and his family.  Our prayers will continue to be with his wife, Sister Askale Mariam (Adanetch/Marilyn Jacobs), sons, Caleb (Habte Gabriel) and Noah (Liqe Tiguhan Be'de Mariam) and their entire family.