Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!
March 2nd -- 14th
The Great Fast begins today and is our only focus as a community until Pascha on April 19th! If you could not attend Forgiveness Vespers yesterday, I bow before each of you and your families, asking your forgiveness and praying that all will be blessed with a fruitful fast so we may be accounted worthy of His Glorious Pascha!
Please note: Daylight Saving Time begins this coming Saturday night/Sunday morning. Before going to bed, change your clocks ahead one hour.
Divine Services
- For the whole of the Great Fast, we will be having Divine Services on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Saturdays and Sundays are as normal with Great Vespers and Confessions beginning at 5pm on Saturdays and Matins (8:50am) and St. Basil's Divine Liturgy (10am) on Sundays. Beginning the 2nd week of the fast (Monday, March 9th), we will be having combined Pan-Orthodox Divine Services on Mondays and Wednesdays with our brothers and sisters from Assumption and St. Nicholas Orthodox Churches.
- Tonight, we will be celebrating Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew beginning at 7pm. Next Monday, March 9th, we will celebrate Great Compline at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church (2143 South Center Road in Burton, 810-744-0700).
- On Wednesday, March 4th, we will be celebrating the Presanctified Liturgy followed by a Lenten Potluck coordinated by our Ladies Auxiliary beginning at 6pm. For those who are prepared, Holy Communion will be given. Please fast (no food or drink) from at least 12 Noon. On the following Wednesday, March 11th, we will celebrate the Presanctified Liturgy at St. Nicholas and afterwards break the fast with a Lenten Potluck.
- On Friday, March 6th, we will be celebrating the Supplication to the Virgin Mary (Madayeh or Akathist) beginning at 7pm.
- The Great Fast is the perfect time to have your confession heard in the Holy Sacrament of Repentance. The best time is on Saturdays after Great Vespers when we won't be rushed. Confessions can also be heard by appointment before or after many of the Lenten Divine Services. The Heavenly Banquet is there for all who are prepared and this Holy Sacrament is part of our preparation. Plan ahead so we can all participate in the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Tree of Life.
Fasting Discipline
- During the Great Fast, the traditional fasting discipline is vegetarian (we abstain from eating and drinking meat, poultry, cheese, milk, eggs, fish with backbones, wine, olive oil, and their by-products, Monday thru Fridays. On Saturdays and Sundays, we follow the same discipline except we may have wine and olive oil.
- will be having Divine Services on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Saturdays and Sundays are as normal with Great Vespers and Confessions beginning at 5pm on Saturdays and Matins (8:50am) and St. Basil's Divine Liturgy (10am) on Sundays. Beginning the 2nd week of the fast (Monday, March 9th), we will be having combined Pan-Orthodox Divine Services on Mondays and Wednesdays with our brothers and sisters from Assumption and St. Nicholas Orthodox Churches.
Announcements
- This coming Sunday, March 8th, we celebrate the Triumph of Orthodoxy (the Restoring of the Holy Icons). Our children will participate in the Procession of Holy Icons and are reminded to bring an icon from home. There will be a 40-day Memorial Service for the newly departed +George Farah before the procession.
- Our church secretary, Laura Nichols, will be on vacation from March 10th until March 18th..
God bless you and be with you always.
Love,
Fr. Joe
