Bishop Gabriel will visit our parish this coming weekend and will serve Vigil on June 19th at 6 pm and Divine Liturgy on June 20th at 9:30 am.
Konstantine Nicholaevitch Dermid fell asleep in the Lord today. He was a great supporter of our parish and will be greatly missed.
There will be a panikhida on Tuesday at 6 pm, and the funeral service will be on Wedensday at 11 am. May God rest his soul.
Schedule of services for May and June has been posted.
His Grace, Bishop Gabriel visited the Parish of the Memorial Church of the Protection of the Holy Virgin from Friday March 12th to Sunday the 14th. On Friday evening about 95 people attended the service of Holy Unction.
On Sunday, after the Divine Liturgy, the children and youth of the parish hosted their 5th Annual Benefit Dinner for Poor and Underprivileged Children.
This year, children as young as 3 years old prepared a wonderful Lenten chili meal that was enjoyed by all. The total amount collected was $2,100, and will be sent again this year as last to the orphanage under the care of the Ascension Monastery, in Chernovitsa in the Ukraine. We are grateful to Fr. Victor Lochmatov, who came from Jordanville again this year to attend the services and support this worthy cause.
Over the past 5 years, the children have raised over $12,000 in support of those who have less than us.
The children would also like to express their thanks and gratitude to his Grace, Bishop Gabriel who is very supportive of their efforts, and everyone who attended and supported them. Guests came from London, Toronto, Jordanville, Montreal and other surrounding cities.
This Sunday, there will be a potluck lunch. The sisterhood is asking anyone who is able to please bring a side dish. The sisterhood will provide the main dish (fish).
Bishop Gabriel will be visiting our parish this coming weekend (March 12-14) and will serve Holy Unction on Friday evening at 6:30pm. A commemorative Liturgy will be served this Saturday at 9am (see schedule). On Sunday there will be a hierarchical Liturgy.
On Saturday March 20th after the Divine Liturgy there will be a general cleaning of the church in preparation for Pascha. Please come and help us!
On February 17th at 8:30am our Mr. Gregory N. Pjawka (father of Zhenya Pjawka) passed away at the age of 89 years.
His remains will be brought to our church in London, ON on Friday after service at 1:00pm and a service for the departed will be served.
After Matins Friday evening at approx. 8:30pm will be a Panihida.
The Divine Liturgy for Saturday morning will served earlier then scheduled starting at 8:00am.
The Funeral service will follow starting at approx. 9:45am.
After interment at Woodland Cemetery there will be a remembrance meal in the rectory.
Memory Eternal to the newly reposed Gregory!
The meeting will take place on 28 February 2010 at 12:00 PM.
in the parish hall at 99 Stonehurst Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario
THE AGENDA WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING:
1. Election of Assistant to the Chair of the Meeting
2. Election of two Secretaries for the meeting
3. Report by Rector*
4. Report by Warden
5. Report of Sisterhood
6. Report on St. Vladimir’s Residence
7. Report by Treasurer
8. Report by Audit Committee
9. Ratification of Treasurer and Audit Committee reports
10. Vote on Proposed Budget
11. Elections:
a) Selection of two counters of votes if necessary
b) Elections to new term
i. Treasurer (1-year term)
ii. Secretary (1-year term)
iii. Members of Church Committee (2 to 5 members) (1-year term)
iv. Members of Audit Committee (3 members and 1 alternate) (1-year term)
12. Other Matters
* Each report will be followed by an opportunity for relevant questions
Please note: Participation in this meeting is limited to voting members who have paid their dues and fulfilled all other membership obligations indicated in the Normal Parish By-Laws of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.
This Sunday we will be collecting money to help our Orthodox brothers and sisters in Haiti.
Please also consider donating through Fund for Assistance:
http://www.fundforassistance.org/ffa_site/eng/haiti_earthquake.html
In the grace-filled days of the Nativity of Christ our hearts are filled with a great gift of God: the gift of heartfelt love toward our neighbours, a special sense of spiritual comfort and peace. At the festive Nativity meal the faithful of a family, in their peaceful and joyful state, are in some way like unto the Holy Family, the Family of those who were close to Christ. This thought belongs to Most Blessed Metropolitan Anthony, the founder of our Russian Church Abroad. Who are these close ones to Christ? The first joy of the Born Saviour of the world was vouchsafed to just about the last people of that contemporary human society, to poor shepherds. They kept the watch then and therefore were deprived of the ability to sleep on that cold Palestinian night. Yet for more than two millennia the entire universe blesses them. History did not keep the names of the majority of the powerful in this world of that time. Even the learned specialists are at difficulty to give us an approximation of the way things were in the world in those years, as they argue with each other. Everything, or almost everything is forgotten, lost. However, the shepherds of Bethlehem, that were found worthy of the conversation with the Angels, who proclaimed to them the Birth of Christ, are remembered and known by all, even by those, who do not belong to the Church of Christ.
Beloved brothers and sisters, I would like to draw your attention to the fact, that the Nativity joy of those close to Christ could not be darkened by the malice and hatred that immediately began to rage around the Divine Infant, and by which the enemy of our salvation surrounded Him. As it always happens, to that end he used the weaknesses of the human race: the love of power, the love of honour, the inclination to be first at the gatherings of the people. The impious Herod is afraid of the true King and therefore seeks to kill Him. The soul of the unrighteous one is darkened because it is full of anxiety and trouble.
Let us, beloved brothers and sisters, entreat the Lord Who is coming to be born and His Most Pure Mother that They not let the evil one darken our souls in these days of the beginning of our Salvation. And may we be vouchsafed even a small part of the peaceful Nativity joy, being likened, even if only in part, to those, who were close to Christ.
Gabriel
Bishop of Montreal & Canada
Nativity of Christ, 2009.
Sisterhood is organizing the potluck lunch after Liturgy on Nativity, January 7th - we ask everyone to bring a dish.
Parents of children participating in Yolka are asked to bring a side dish, dessert, or drinks on January 10th. There is a sign-up sheet at the candle kiosk. The sisterhood will provide the main dish (pizza).
Church clean-up for Nativity will be on Saturday, January 2nd at 9am. Everyone is invited to come and help.
Our library has received new audio tape adaptation of stories by I.S. Shmelev "Pilgrimage" and 3 audio tapes for children.
We are always grateful for your donations. You can send your donation to us through United Way if your employer participates in it. Please don't forget to put our information in the application:
Protection of the Holy Virgin Memorial Church
99 Stonehurst Ave.
Ottawa, ON K1Y 4R6
Business Number: 107862112RR0001
This Sunday we will have a plate collection for the St. Herman’s Youth conference.
To All the Reverend Rectors of the Montreal & Canadian Diocese
This year, the St Herman’s Youth conference will be held, with God’s help, in the city of Methuen, USA. The
St Herman’s youth conference is now in it’s 30th year and continues it’s mission to provide a rare opportunity for all of our Orthodox youth to meet together, to become acquainted, to participate in group discussions and to listen to lectures of a purely Orthodox character, and finally and most importantly, to prepare for and receive communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ on the feastday of St Herman, 12/25 December.
In connection with this, I urgently request that all the reverend rectors take up a special collection this year in our parishes at the end of the Divine Liturgy to help defray the costs of organizing this conference. I would also ask that this be announced from the ambvon prior to the collection taking place.
The St Herman’s committee which is undertaking the organization of the conference is working very hard to contain the costs of attending these conferences to a minimum. As always, the outlays for food and lodging are the highest. For this reason we are appealing to each parish to make this conference accessible to as many of our Orthodox youth as possible.
The funds collected will help to cover the expenses of the conference and will also be used to make it possible for the St Herman’s organizing committee to assist young people from families of limited means. This year in particular with the difficult economic conditions the need is even greater to put forth that extra effort.
You may ask why support a conference in the USA when we have our own Canadian needs? To this I will
answer, last year when the conference was in Montreal we received most of our support from the USA parishes. We need to generously contribute to help as many of our Canadian youth to attend the conference this year.
This letter is to be taken as a formal directive to this effect.
I thank you in advance for your support. Please do not forget that our youth is our future. We must support it!
Please send cheques to St Herman’s Youth Conference.
c/o Rev George Lagodich
6783 32 Ave
Montreal, QC H1T 3C9
During our parish feast Fr. Vassily was elevated by Bp. Gabriel to the rank of protodeacon. This is is an honor and a confirmation of Fr. Vassily's tireless work for the Glory of God and for the welfare of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. We sincerely congratulate Fr. Vassily!
We received a letter from archimandrite Longine (in Russian), superior of the Holy Ascension mens monastery of Chernovtsy diocese, thanking our youth for collecting money for the Ukrainian orphan children.
We added new sections to the site:
Pokrov - history of the feast of Protection of the Holy Virgin
Bulletin board - community bulletin board
Resources - links to Orthodox resources on the Internet
We would like to draw your attention to the interesting and relevant interview with His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion A Unified Russian Church is a Great Spiritual Force
Please note that the Liturgy will now start at 9:30 am on Sundays.
The great treasure of the Orthodox world - the Pochaev icon of the Mother of God from Pochaev Lavra in Ukraine - is coming to our city.
Its veneration in Ottawa will take place at the Annunciation Cathedral (OCA) at 15 Lebreton Street North.
Everyone is invited to come for the Akathist to the icon on October 1st at 6:30 pm. The full itinerary of icon's visits in Canada can be found here.
You can read about the history of the icon here.
We invite everyone to our Parish feast on October 10th and 11th. On the morning of the 11th meeting of Bishop Gabriel will commense at 9:30am. The feast lunch will start after the Divine Liturgy.
We invite everyone to help clean our church for our Parish feast on Saturday, October 3rd, at 10am. Men are gathering at 8am in order to cut down overgrown trees on church grounds.
We would like to continue studies in our parish school and invite all parents to a meeting after the Liturgy this Sunday, September 27th.
It has been 3 years since the repose of Vladyka Vitaly and this Saturday, September 26th, at 5:30 pm we invite everyone to pray for him during the panikhida.
We invite everyone to support our Serbian brothers and visit Serbian festival that was organized by the St. Stefan's parish. Festival program is available at http://www.ottawafest.ca/
We also invite everyone to the concert of Serbian performers - Teofilovic Twins (http://www.teofilovici.rs/). The concert will take place on September 12th and 13th at 7:30 pm at the Library and Archives Canada at 395 Wellington st.
We invite everyone to the rummage sale to help raise funds for our parish. The sale will take place from noon to 7 pm on Friday, September 11th and from 8:30 am to 4 pm on Saturday, September 12th.
We are announcing new subscription to Orthodox magazine "Russkii Dom" for the coming year. The annual cost is CAN$45. In order to subscribe please contact our librarian Tatiana Blazhko.
We would like to sincerely thank everyone who donated books to our library! We would be grateful for any further donations.
In the Russian schedule of services for September there was an error - we missed the vigil on September 20th. Corrected schedule has been posted on the site.
Schedule of services for September and October has been posted.
Tonight at 6:30pm there will be a panikhida in the church.
Tomorrow (Thursday) there will be visitation at McEvoy Sheilds funeral home (1411 Hunt Club Road; (613) 737-7900) from 7pm to 9pm. A panikhida will be served at 7pm.
The funeral service will be Friday morning at 10am at the church.
Our parishioner Xenia Vartanova, daughter of Tatiana Vartanova, fell asleep in the Lord today.
Memory eternal!
Bishop Gabriel will visit our parish with Kursk Root icon on August 15th and 16th.
The official announcement from the Web site of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
The Kursk icon of the Theotokos will be in our parish again next week.
A molieben and akathist will be served on Friday, June 19th at 6:30pm.
This Saturday May 30th between 11am and 3pm we will clean our church and church grounds. We invite everyone to come and work with us, any help will be appreciated.
Invites you to a
GARAGE AND BAKE SALE
On Friday May 22 at 12 noon - 7pm
and
Saturday May 23 at 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
All money earned will go towards the beautification of our church.
Jordanville Monastery invites young Orthodox men and women, to spend Memorial Day weekend (May 23–25) in Jordanville, NY, and experiencing the life of Holy Trinity Monastery.
For more details visit the retreat site:
The Kursk icon of the Theotokos will be in our parish from Saturday May 9th to Tuesday May 12th.
Fr. Stelian will be visiting homes of parishioners with the icon on Sunday and Monday evenings. A sign up sheet is in the candle kiosk.
A molieben and Akathist will be served on Tuesday evening at 6:30pm.
To the clergy and the entire god-loving flock of the Canadian Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad
Christ is Risen!
Reverent fathers, beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord!
Which one of us does not know that out of all the feasts, given by the Lord to His Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, the most joyous, the most solemn is the Feast of the Pascha of the Lord, the Bright Resurrection of Christ. And this same Feast is the most mysterious, the most incomprehensible for the human mind. We cannot comprehend in what manner the most glorious Resurrection of Christ in the flesh, that is in the body, took place. That is only known by the Most Holy Trinity. As for us, according to the words of Bishop Innocent of Herson, we can only venerate the marks of God's glory, which appeared above the tomb of the Author and the Finisher of our salvation.
Yet the marks of the glory of God are visibly imprinted also in our hearts, and we feel that unmistakeably. On the night of Pascha, the joyful and all-forgiving mood comes upon the pious, upon the usually indifferent, upon the kind, and upon those, of whom in the Catechetical Homily of St. John Chrysostom it is said: "If any hath tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him not be fearful on account of his lateness!" That is the mark of God's glory: the gift of special mystical grace, given to the faithful without merits and feats. It is as though a foretaste of the eternal joys of heaven, received by a Christian from the Lord on Pascha of Christ. Let us listen attentively, beloved brothers and sisters, to the wondrous words of the Paschal service: "Now all things are filled with light; heaven and earth, and the nethermost parts of the earth; let all creation, therefore, celebrate the arising of Christ, whereby it is strengthened." The light of the Resurrection reaches Hades and we see that on the holy icons, depicting the Risen Lord Jesus. According to the belief of the Orthodox Russian people, from the first day of the Bright Resurrection of Christ the gates of heaven open and remain open until the leave-taking of Pascha. In ancient Russia there existed a touching tradition that in these days even the torments of hell are abated: it was thought that some rest is given to sinners in the other world from Great and Holy Thursday until the very Pentecost.
Such is the meaning of the greatest, life-changing world event: the Resurrection of Christ. It not only drew the creature closer to the Creator, the people to God, but by its grace-filled power it united the faithful into the Church of Christ. The feast of the Pascha of the Lord reminds us of that: those celebrating this day with a pure heart are filled with mutual forgiveness and alien to despondency because their entire being is captured by the love of the Risen Christ.
†Gabriel
Bishop of Montreal and Canada
Pascha of Christ, 2009.
Please note that on Sunday church will open at noon so that you could come to bless the baskets and light the candles. The service will start at 2 pm.
For more details see the full schedule.
Our parish always needs help, so if there are high school students that need to fulfill volunteer hours requirements, please contact Fr. Stelian.
Our Diocese will send two youths to participate in the Youth conference in Russia this summer. The candidates names need to be sent in no later than Friday, April 17th.
This year's trip will be expanded over last year's. The youth will be visiting such places as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Germany, and the trip will end with a visit to Kiev on St. Vladimir's day. All expenses will be covered with the exception of airfare to get to Moscow from Canada. At the end of the trip there will be a gala ball hosted in an 18th century mansion.
The criteria for selecting the candidates are as follows:
1. Must be at least 18 years old.
2. Russian speaking or at least be able to communicate in the language; youth will be expected to participate in small group presentations and everything will be hosted in Russian.
3. Ideally some church ustav knowledge and singing - youth will be participating in services.
4. Should be the first time visiting Russia.
If you have a candidate you want to be considered please contact Fr. Stelian.
Next Friday, March 27 at 6:30pm, Bishop Gabriel will be here and will serve Holy Unction.
We would like to remind everyone that the children and youth of our parish are hosting a lunch after liturgy on Sunday March 29 as a benefit for the poor children in Russia. Bishop Gabriel will be here with us for the weekend. Please come and support this worthy cause.
Saturday, April 4th at 10am will be the general cleaning of the church in preparation for Pascha. The sisterhood asks that everyone please come and help.
The sisterhood has kulichi for sale. If anyone is interested please speak to one of the sisters.
Concert of Sacred and Folk Russian Music
by Yale Russian Chorus
Kievan, Znamenny and Georgian chants
Works by: Bortniansky, Ippolitov-Ivanov, Kedrov, Kovalevsky, L’vovsky, Rachmaninov, Smolensky, Schvedov, Sviridov and Titov
Friday, March 13, 2009 at 8:00pm
At the Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Montreal
422 St Joseph Boulevard West (near Park Avenue)
Tickets: $ 15 (at the candle stand in the Cathedral)
Information & Reservations: (819) 842-4415
On Thursday Feb. 26 at about 5am, our long time parishioner and brother, Michael Vasilivich Korobow fell asleep in the Lord.
The services will be Friday evening at 5pm, the body will be brought to the church and a panikhida will be served. Following that, vespers and matins for the reposed will be served. On Saturday morning Liturgy will start at 9am and the funeral service will follow. Michael will be buried at Pinecrest cemetery. Afterwards, a remembrance meal will be held in the small hall in St. Vladimir's residence.
May God grant him the Kingdom of Heaven. Memory Eternal.
Mrs. Maria Lagodich, mother of Rev. George Lagodich, peacefully reposed to the Lord last night, February 22, 2009. Long time parishionner, Mrs. Lagodich was at one time at the head of the Sisterhood of St. Nicholas Cathedral.
A 1st Panihida service will take place this evening, February 23 at 07:00pm at the Cathedral.
A 2nd Panihida service will take place tomorrow evening, February 24, at 07:00pm.
The funeral service will be on Wednesday evening, February 25, at 07:00pm.
On Thursday, February 26, the body will be taken from the Cathedral at 09:00am to be brought to Rawdon for burial.
A wake luncheon will be then held at the cathedral at 12:30pm.
Eternal Memory!
Parish of the Protection of the Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
The meeting will take place on 15 March 2009 at 12:00 PM.
in the parish hall at 99 Stonehurst Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario
THE AGENDA WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING:
1. Election of Assistant to the Chair of the Meeting
2. Election of two Secretaries for the meeting
3. Report by Rector*
4. Report by Warden
5. Report of Sisterhood
6. Report on St. Vladimir’s Residence
7. Report by Treasurer
8. Report by Audit Committee
9. Ratification of Treasurer and Audit Committee reports
10. Proposed Amendment of Membership Dues
11. Vote on Proposed Budget
12. Elections:
a) Selection of two counters of votes if necessary
b) Elections to new term
i. Starosta (3-year term)
ii. Members of Church Committee (4 to 7 members) (1-year term)
iii. Members of Audit Committee (3 members and 1 alternate) (1-year term)
13. Other Matters
* Each report will be followed by an opportunity for relevant questions
Please note: Participation in this meeting is limited to voting members who have paid their dues and fulfilled all other membership obligations indicated in the Normal Parish By-Laws of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.
The Sisterhood invites everyone to BLINY next Sunday, February 22nd, after Liturgy.
Dear in the Lord, sacred ministers, the clergy of the Church, god-loving parishioners, brothers and sisters!
"Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, relating the present mystery… For the unchanging image of the Father, the image of His eternal being, receives the image of a servant, having come forth from the Mother who knew not wedlock", - cries out the Holy Church on this great Feast.
The Lord came to us from the Blameless Virgin, "He appeared on earth and lived among men", even as the prophet of God Baruch (3:38) foretold five hundred years prior to His coming.
This coming in the flesh, as a historical event, took place more than twenty centuries ago. Yet, every year during these sacred days our hearts visibly experience, or better to say, reflect that joy, that ascent of human souls toward heaven, which was experienced by the witnesses of the events in Bethlehem – first of all, by the Most Holy Virgin Mary and the righteous Joseph, by the shepherds, and by the magi, accompanied by the rejoicing and singing of the countless multitudes of the Holy Angels in heaven.
"What should we do in order to join today the rejoicing witnesses of the Nativity of Christ, join the rejoicing inhabitants of heaven and earth, who throughout the centuries call out to us: 'Come, let us rejoice in the Lord"'? – asks in one of his wondrous Nativity epistles the ever memorable Metropolitan Anthony, founder of the Russian Church Abroad. "Certainly, we cannot become angels; we also cannot imitate the holy parents of Christ. However, aside from these saints, two groups of simple people were vouchsafed to worship Him and to receive the grace of His coming, whom we can imitate fully at least in that we also can receive the joy of participating in the tender veneration of Christ's manger, Christ's dwelling place."
We understand, beloved brothers and sisters, that Most Blessed Anthony is speaking of the poor shepherds of Bethlehem, who kept watch over their flocks on that cold night, and the wise men from the east, who came from afar, from somewhere on the territory of the modern day Iran, in order to worship the Divine Infant – the true King, the Anointed of God.
What was it that united these people, completely different in their status, and allowed them to receive the revelation of the Lord about the coming of Christ the Saviour into the world?
Humility and obedience to the will of God.
Having heard the voice of the Angels, the shepherds, without any doubt, forsook their usual daily cares, having forgotten their wages, of which they could have, possibly, been deprived, "having made haste, came" (Luke 2:16) to Bethlehem, where they were not expected by the sight of kingly radiance and luxury, but – as is related in the canon of the Feast – "by the last poverty. For what is worse than the cave? What is more humble than the swaddling bands, in which the riches of Thy Divinity shone forth" (Nativity canon).
The Merciful Lord also condescended to the pious gentiles, who were sincerely seeking the will of God, and bestowed upon them according to the faith manifested by them. Having seen the star, which was calling upon them, they – in the words of Metropolitan Anthony – were not afraid to undertake a long journey to an unfriendly country, to its proud and hostile inhabitants. Instead of the joy and doxology, appropriate to the great event of the manifestation of the Promised Messiah to the world, they see the confusion of Herod and all the dwellers in Jerusalem. Finally, in a humble dwelling they find "the born King of the Jews"; "and having entered the house, they saw the Infant with Mary, His Mother, and having fallen, they worshipped Him; and having opened their treasures, they offered Him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:11).
Great humility and complete obedience to the will of God made up the very essence of the earthly life and ministry of the "more honourable than the Cherubim" Mother of God and Ever Virgin Mary and humble Joseph the Betrothed. The same gifts of grace were vouchsafed to those few people, who were allowed to witness the Nativity of Christ.
For this Feast is none other than the untold triumph of humility and obedience to the will of God.
Let us remember this, beloved brothers and sisters, and then, as Most Blessed Anthony says, not only personal sorrows, privations and offenses will not be able to draw us down into the depths of despondency, but also the public sorrows, abundant in our contemporary times, will not be able to deprive us of the peaceful assurance in Christ.
Christ is born – glorify Him!
+Bishop Gabriel
Of Montreal and Canada
Nativity of Christ, 2008/9.
Last year's Yolka was a tremendous success. Many children participated and presented a fantastic display of talent. This year's Yolka will be celebrated on Sunday, January 11 after the Divine Liturgy and again will be directed by matushka, Elena. Come and enjoy the talent and humour of our budding performers.
Panikhida for the 40th day since the repose of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Russia will be served on January 13th at 6:30pm.
On December 4th His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II served a moleben before the relics of St. Tikhon Patriarch and Confessor, in which he said the following:
"I am convinced", said the Patriarch, "that through the prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God, the Lord strengthened St. Tikhon in his Patriarchal service as a confessor. To his lot fell the most diffcult and trying time at the beginning of the persecution and of the repression. He appeared as an intercessor for all of us before the Throne of God. St. Tikhon, the new martyrs and the confessors of the Church of Christ pray for and aid in the restoration of Holy Orthodoxy in our Russian land."
Yolka practices for the children's Nativity play are being held every Sunday after church as well as a few special practices have been arranged. For details please contact Matushka Lena.
The St. Herman's youth conference will be held in Montreal this year from the 23rd to the 26th of December. Our parish collected $215 in order to help this worthy cause. The parish council decided to make the total amount $500 to help the youth which are the future of the church.
The treasurer would like to remind everyone that the end of the year is fast approaching and that all parishioners and members should make sure that their dues and other financial obligations are up to date. If anyone is not sure, they can ask at the candle kiosk.
Today, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Russia reposed in the Lord. Memory eternal!
http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2008/12enpatralexeideath.html
A panikhida will be served tonight at 6:30pm. Additional panikhidas will be served after service on Sunday, and on the 9th day, Saturday, December 13th at 5:30pm.
We ask everyone to please come on Saturday, October 11th, and help us get our church ready for the parish feast!
With the Blessing of the First Hierarch, the Fund for Assistance Makes an Appeal to Help the Orthodox Mission in Haiti:
http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2008/9enffahaiti.html
The 2008 St. Herman Russian Orthodox Youth Conference will be hosted by St. Nicholas Cathedral in the city of Montreal on December 23-27:
On Sunday August 31 following the Divine Liturgy, the sisterhood is hosting a pot luck barbeque. The sisters will be preparing sausages, and ask that everyone brings something for the table. Parishioners can contact Victoria Kovaleva for more information.
Next Sunday God willing we will have a visit from the nuns of the monastery of St. Elizabeth in Belarus. These nuns visited our parish last year, and were well received. Please come and support them by buying some of their handiwork.
From Thursday August 28th to Sunday August 31, our Orthodox brothers the Serbian community will be holding a Serbian festival. A poster is up in the church with details.
We remind all parishioners that the church library is open every Sunday after liturgy. The library has a good selection of spiritual literature for you to borrow, and is always looking for more.
We were sadened to hear that on August 6 Fr. George Skrinnikow fell asleep in the Lord. Fr. George was the rector at Pokrov for four years from 2002 to 2006. May God grant him the kingdom of heaven!
A panikhida will be served on Sunday following the Divine Liturgy
As many of you know Fr. Stelian and his family will be on holiday for the coming two weekends. Fr. Nicholas (Perekrestov) from Jordanville will be visiting the parish from the 11th to the 20th of July, staying at Fr. Stelian's house. Everyone is encouraged to invite Fr. Nicholas to their homes to show our hospitality as a parish.
