Photos from the celebration of our Patronal Feast are available on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/156499531@N04/albums/72157704803863675
Please join us to celebrate our Patronal Feast Day!
- Sunday, December 16, 2018
- 8:30 a.m. - Akaphist to St. Nicholas
- 9:00 a.m. - Divine Liturgy
- Following Liturgy - Dinner in the church hall
- Wednesday, December 19, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. - Divine Liturgy
Calendars and offering envelopes for 2019 are available at the candle stand.
Our parish is collecting donations of items and food for high school students in the Reading School District who are homeless or living in poverty. The students attend the school where Irena Kaulback teaches. There will be a collection bin in the church hall through December 23, 2018. Thank you for your participation in this charitable activity that supports our local community!
Here is the list of needed items:
- Clothing (new or gently used)
- Gloves
- Hats
- Men's undershirts (L, XL)
- Men's sweatshirts (L, XL, XXL)
- Men's socks
- Women's sweatshirts (L, XL, XXL)
- Women's socks
- Food (any ready-to-eat foods)
- Canned soups
- Canned spaghetti
- Ramen Cup Noodles
- Nutri-Grain bars
- Protein bars
- Hygiene products
- Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste
- Body wash
- Soap
- Loofahs
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Lotion
- Pads/tampons
- Miscellaneous
- Laundry detergent
- Dish soap
- Blankets
Our parish is organizing a Psalter prayer group again for the Nativity Fast. If you have not participated in the past, this is how it works. Each person is assigned a different kathisma to start. Each person reads one kathisma each day in sequential order, along with opening and closing prayers and prayers for the living and departed. Between the group, the entire Psalter is read each day.
If you are interested in participating, please see Svitlana Breniser. You will need to provide her with your baptismal name and 10 names for the prayer list (living or departed).
Please see two important decisions of the October 15, 2018, meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in Minsk, Belarus under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia:
On Thursday, September 20, 2018, following a lengthy illness, the pastor emeritus of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Philadelphia, Archpriest Vincent Saverino, reposed in the Lord. Fr. Vincent served our parish in the 1970s and served as a substitute priest for our parish many times throughout the years.
The funeral and burial arrangements on Tuesday, September 25, 2018, are as follows:
- 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Viewing at St. Michael the Archangel Russian Orthodox Church, 335 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19123
- 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy
- Approximately 11:30 a.m. Funeral Service
- Approximately 1:00 p.m. Burial Service at Oakland Cemetery, Adams Ave. & Ramona Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19124
- Approximately 2:00 p.m. Remembrance luncheon at St. Michael the Archangel Russian Orthodox Church
The sidewalk project in front of the church and the north side lot was completed this week. Before and after photos are available on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/156499531@N04/albums/72157670552118697
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this project!
The work on replacing the sidewalk in front of the church and the north side lot began today. Here are some photos of the progress.
Please consider donating toward this much needed project. Thank you!
Some photos from Liturgy on the feast of the Transfiguration are available on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/156499531@N04/albums/72157672492540358
Another building project was recently completed at the church. New carpeting in the choir was installed this week. Before and after photos are available on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/156499531@N04/albums/72157700352199975
Thank you to everyone who contributed time and donations for this project!
The annual church picnic will be held following Liturgy on Sunday, September 23, 2018, at Red Bridge Recreation Area, 2141 Tulpehocken Road, Wyomissing, PA 19610. If you are able to donate food or drinks, please sign up at the candle stand.
We have some new arrivals at the church kiosk: the story of the the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers, the Romanovs. The book is available in English and Russian versions. This beautifully illustrated book is written for children aged 7-12 and for parents to read to their children of a younger age. For this and other summer reading, stop by the church kiosk to browse the selection!
Sunday school lessons for the 2018-2019 school year will resume on September 9, 2018.
Classes
Lessons for children who are 4 to 10 years old are held between the Gospel reading and Communion. For children who are older than 10 years old and Altar Boys, Fr. Sylvester has offered to hold a session once a month after Liturgy to speak about different topics. If you are interested in this for your child(ren), please email us, so that this can be organized.
New Students
All children ages 4-10 are welcome to participate in the Sunday School lessons. Please email us by July 21, 2018, to enroll your child(ren) so that materials can be ordered.
Current Students
Children who participated in the 2017-2018 school year will be considered enrolled for the upcoming school year.
Teachers
Please consider volunteering your time to teach the children, even if you cannot commit to volunteering every Sunday. We plan to set up a schedule to alternate teachers each Sunday. If you are interested in volunteering to teach Sunday school lessons, please email us.
Please see Anastasia Salaneck with any questions. We look forward to continuing the Sunday school program at our parish!
Before and after photos of the choir ceiling repair recently completed by Iconographer Kostas Theodorou are available on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/156499531@N04/albums/72157696669497061
Thank you to everyone who contributed time and donations for this project!
Some photos from Liturgy on the feast of Pentecost are available on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/156499531@N04/albums/72157697325026905
A lesson on baking prosphora will be given by Fr. George in our church hall on Saturday, June 23, 2018, starting at 9:30 a.m. Anyone who is interested in learning this skill to help our parish is welcome and encouraged to attend.
Sharing this information and invitation from Fr. Gregory of St. Michael the Archangel Russian Orthodox Church in Philadelphia, PA:
https://stnicholasberks.org/files/June-16-2018-Frederica-Mathewes-Green.pdf
Passing along this information from Fr. Demetri:
On Saturday, May 12, 2018, at 12:00 p.m. the wonderworking, myrrh-streaming Kardiotissa icon of the Theotokos from Taylor, PA will be visiting St. Matthew Greek Orthodox Church in Blandon, PA.
Our parish is participating again in the annual Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends fundraiser. The shopping passes are $5 and are good for 25% off almost all purchases made on Tuesday, October 16, 2018, at all Boscov’s locations. If you would like to purchase a discount shopping pass or help sell them, please see Jean Salaneck.
Holy Week and Pascha photos are available on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/156499531@N04/albums/72157695463146275
The egg hunt for children will be held on Sunday, April 15, 2018, in the church yard following Liturgy. We are asking for parents to please give a small monetary donation or donation of candy (in plastic eggs, if possible) by Sunday, April 1, 2018. Please see Svitlana Breniser.
All are invited to attend Hierarchal Divine Liturgy served by His Grace, Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk and clergy of the Patriarchal Parishes on Bright Saturday, April 14, 2018, starting at 10:00 a.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Russian Orthodox Church in Philadelphia. A festive reception/luncheon hosted by St. Michael Church will be held in their church hall following Liturgy.
All are welcome to attend a picnic on Pascha starting at 2:00 p.m. at Greenview Bible Camp (Cedar Lodge), 520 Chapel Lane, Denver, PA 17517. If you are able to donate food or drinks, please sign up at the candle stand. We are asking for monetary donations to defray the cost of the facility rental. Volunteers are also needed to help with setup and cleanup. Please see Yelena Vdov for more information.
Thank you to everyone who donated items and helped to assemble the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) health kits! A total of 50 health kits were assembled after Liturgy today. The kits were shipped to the IOCC to support their mission to provide emergency relief to those in need.
Our parish is now participating in the ShopWithScrip fundraiser program. This is how the program works: Our parish purchases gift cards at a discount, sells them at face value, and then keeps the difference. For example, our parish purchases a $100 grocery store gift card at a discount for $95, a parishioner purchases the gift card for $100, and our parish keeps the $5 difference.
The gift cards can be purchased for gifts or everyday purchases such as groceries, gas, and restaurants. Click here for the current list of retailers and discounts offered.
If you would like to place an order, please see Alexandra Salaneck or Anastasia Salaneck, or email an order. Checks should be made payable to “St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church.” The first order is due on March 25, 2018. To start, the orders will be due the last Sunday of each month. The orders will be available for pick up at the church on the Sunday following the order due date.
Please join us for Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m. on Forgiveness/Cheesefare Sunday (February 18, 2018), followed immediately by Vespers with Rite of Forgiveness. A fundraiser luncheon will be held after the services. If you are able to donate, please bring blini, cheeses, milk, jams, etc.
Our parish will be will be assembling and sending health kits to the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) organization. The kits are sent internationally for disasters and for ongoing development. For more information on IOCC and this program, see: https://www.iocc.org/take- action/assemble-emergency- kits/hygiene
Our goal is to send 50 kits to the IOCC. See the Health Kit Checklist for details on what items are needed.
If you are able to purchase and donate items for the kits, please sign up here. A volunteer may sign up for more than one slot. If you sign up, please bring your items to church no later than Sunday, March 4, 2018. We will assemble the kits after Liturgy on Sunday, March 18, 2018.
Thank you for your participation in this charitable activity!
Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend Pan-Orthodox Vespers for the Sunday of Orthodoxy on Saturday, February 24, 2018, at 4:00 p.m. at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 64 Hershey Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603. Please see this flyer with additional information.
The children's Nativity concert will be held on Sunday, January 14, 2018, following Divine Liturgy.
