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Fr. Daniel would like to remind everyone that we substitute the Paschal Hours for morning and evening prayers during Bright Week.
Photos from Holy Week and Pascha are available here.
A total of over $27,000 has been raised through donations and fundraising for the building fund. Thank you to everyone who contributed toward this effort! A significant project in the future will be the church roof replacement with preliminary estimates of $26,000-$39,000. Please consider donating to the building fund to help us reach this goal. To donate specifically to this fund, please use the special blue envelopes that are available at the candle stand or otherwise designate your donation accordingly.
Gift card orders through the RaiseRight fundraiser program will be taken through Sunday, May 7, 2023, during coffee hour. Gift cards will be distributed on Sunday, May 14, 2023. The full list of current retailers and rebates is available here. Cash or checks only, please.
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.
The children's egg hunt will be held after Liturgy on Sunday, April 23 (St. Thomas Sunday) in the church yard (weather permitting). A luncheon will also be held. Pizza will be provided. If you are able to help, please bring a side dish or dessert for the luncheon.
The schedule of services for Holy Week and Pascha is available here.
A special collection will be taken on Sunday, April 2 at the end of Liturgy to support those in the community affected by the March 24, 2023, explosion in West Reading.
As Fr. Daniel mentioned last Sunday, please pray for Ukraine, the Kiev Caves Lavra, and the persecuted Ukrainian Orthodox Church:
Master, greatly merciful Lord Jesus Christ, our God, through the prayers of our All-Immaculate Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary; the Holy Equals-of-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir and Great Princess Olga; the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of our Church; our Holy and God bearing Fathers Anthony and Theodosius, Wonderworkers of the Kiev Caves; Sergius, abbot of Radonezh; Job of Pochaev, Seraphim of Sarov, and all the saints, make acceptable our prayer for the Church and for all Thy people. From the single baptismal font under the Holy Prince Vladimir, we, Thy children, received grace; confirm also in our hearts a spirit of brotherly love and peace unto the ages! By Thy grace, direct the governing authorities toward the doing of everything good, lead unto sanctuary those bereft of shelter, feed the hungry, strengthen and heal the ailing and suffering, grant good hope and consolation unto those in troubles and sorrows, and unto those deprived of life bestow forgiveness of sins and blessed repose. Fill us with the faith, hope, and love which are in Thee, that in all our lands we might with one mouth and one heart confess Thee, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, together with Thine Unoriginate Father, and Thy Most-Holy and Good and Life-Creating Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The children's egg hunt will be held after Liturgy on Sunday, April 23 (St. Thomas Sunday) in the church yard (weather permitting).
As Fr. Daniel mentioned last Sunday, he would provide a guide for self examination before confession which is available here. Hard copies will be available at the candle stand. Fr. Daniel also recommends a book called A Child's Guide to Confession which is available to purchase at our church kiosk or online. Children can be taught using this book if parents spend time working through it with them. It is also quite helpful for teens and adults.
A general church cleaning will be held after Liturgy on Saturday, April 8 (Lazarus Saturday) to prepare our church for Pascha. All volunteers are welcome.
A potluck luncheon will be held after Liturgy on Sunday, April 9 (Palm Sunday). Please come and enjoy some good food and fellowship! If you would like to bring food or drinks, please sign up here.
As most of you know, the Port Carbon house was sold on March 3. Fr. Daniel served a Thanksgiving Moleben last Sunday after Liturgy for this blessing received by our parish. Part of the proceeds from the sale was put into the general fund, part was put into the building fund, and the rest was put into a new rectory fund account to save for a future rectory closer to the vicinity of the church. To donate specifically to the rectory fund, please use the special yellow envelopes that will soon be available at the candle stand or otherwise designate your donation accordingly.
The 1st Sunday of Lent calls us to remember the Triumph of our faith at the 7th Ecumenical Council over the false teachings that encourage the disregarding and disdaining of holy images for the sake of worldly ideas. It's a day to celebrate how the Lord has given us the image of Himself, His Mother, and all the saints for us to kiss and bow before. The icons are the reminder and encouragement to us about our Savior's closeness and love, along with all of His favorites: the saints. On Sunday, March 5, 2023, we will sing and process with the holy icons around the church at the completion of the Divine Liturgy.
Parishioners can bring icons of their patron saints or other beloved icons from home. We should take care to wrap the icons in a towel or some other kind of protection so they are not damaged leading up to the procession. Children should be instructed in how to hold the icons and watched so as to prevent them from accidentally dropping the holy images.
Volunteers are needed to clean the church for these weeks:
- March 5 - March 11
- April 30 - May 6
- June 25 - July 1
If you are interested in cleaning the church during any of these weeks, please email or see Alexandra Salaneck.
A luncheon will be held on Sunday, March 12, 2023, following Liturgy. Please come and enjoy some good food and fellowship!
A memorial meal (light lunch) will be held following Liturgy on the Ancestral Saturdays on March 11, 18, and 25. If you are interested in helping, please contact Yelena Vdov.
A total of over $18,000 has been raised through donations and fundraising for the building fund. Thank you to everyone who contributed toward this effort! A significant project in the future will be the church roof replacement with preliminary estimates of $26,000-$39,000. Please consider donating to the building fund to help us reach this goal. To donate specifically to this fund, please use the special blue envelopes that are available at the candle stand or otherwise designate your donation accordingly.
Contribution statements were emailed to all those who donated in 2022. If you did not receive your statement, please check your junk folder or contact Irena Kaulback.
Fr. Daniel Meyer will be serving our parish starting on Sunday, February 12, 2023, through June 4, 2023 (Pentecost). Please join us for a luncheon following Liturgy on Sunday, February 12 to welcome Fr. Daniel and his family.
A potluck luncheon will be held after the services on Forgiveness/Cheesefare Sunday (February 26, 2023). If you would like to bring food or drinks, please sign up here.
If you purchased pastries, they can be picked up at the church on Sunday, January 29, 2023. The pastries will be frozen. If you have any questions, please see Anastasia Lutcza.
Christ is Born!
This is a reminder that our parish is selling Butter Braid pastries for $15 to raise funds for the roof replacement project. Orders can be placed here through January 15, 2023. The pastries can be picked up at the church on or after January 29, 2023. The pastries will be frozen. Please share this fundraiser with family and friends! If you have any questions, please see Anastasia Lutcza.
The Patriarchal Parishes is organizing pilgrimages to the Holy Land. A Russian speaking group will be led by Fr. Andrey Kovalev and will travel March 6-17, 2023 (2nd/3rd week of Lent). An English speaking group will be led by Fr. John Vass and will travel April 24-May 6, 2023 (2nd/3rd week of Pascha). To register for a pilgrimage and to receive important updates, sign up here.
