We had a beautiful Feast celebrating the Dormition of Saint Anna, marked by several days of services, beginning with the Feast of St. Christina on Friday morning, then the Feast of our Parish, the Feast of St. Paraskevi and then the feast of St. Panteleimon. We transitioned our services outside, enjoyed a lecture, and had the opportunity to spend time together in greater number, thanks be to God. Here are a few photos from our Feast
Summer 2020 Update from Jennifer Rice OCMC Missionary
Summer 2020 Update
"Love is a fruit in season at all times and within reach of every hand.“
- Mother Teresa
Since I last wrote, I was preparing to visit so many of you on the West Coast, which unfortunately did not come to fruition as planned. I am sorry that circumstances related to the coronavirus prevented this.The coronavirus pandemic has brought many changes to our routines and plans, some negative and some unexpectedly positive. At this point, I would like to share with you all one recent change in my life that reflects both aspects.
Read more from Jennifer at https://www.saintanna.org/long-term-missionary-to-guatemala-jennifer-rice
In Response to the recent State mandated Roll Back of Religious Service Attendance
Earlier in the week, Governor Newsom called for more restrictions within our State, restrictions which include faith-based organizations as well. Of course, this directive was frustrating as the Church has from its very beginning remained a place of solace, a place of hope and a place of healing. As early as the fourth century, it was the Church that gathered and then nurtured orphans. It was the Church that gathered and addressed the physical and spiritual needs of the sick (this was the impetus of the modern hospital).
I write this not to trivialize what is taking place in our world, but to remind each of you that Christians are not “of” the world. This doesn’t mean that we deny the recent spike in Covid-19 cases occurring in California. On the contrary, we acknowledge that some individuals have gotten careless whether it be in fellowship, in protests and riots or even simply, in their daily routines. Having just concluded a phone call with a dear friend who works in one of our local hospitals in which patients who are COVID positive has tripled, this is truly lamentable. We therefore continue to offer our prayers for those who are ailing of any disease or affliction as well as medical workers, researchers, and every other essential service. May God’s Grace be in abundance and sufficient for us all.
In an areligious society that boasts of religious pluralism and truth as being relative, it’s no wonder that religious services aren’t considered to be an essential service. Although I can’t speak for our sister parishes or other faith-based traditions, for the most part, we have made every effort to be responsible. We often meet or exceed the standards of this world, because our eyes are fixed not upon this world, but upon the Kingdom that is to come. “If” we love God, “if” we love humanity, “if” we love His Creation, then we hold ourselves accountable to a higher standard, and that is namely, God’s standard.
It is important for us to celebrate the services of the Church that are life-giving and essential for they can only take place in the Church. These services or Sacraments are the following, but not limited to:
Holy Baptism initiates a life in Christ. Holy Chrismation enlivens and animates a person with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Holy Marriage brings a man and woman together into a relationship that mirrors Christ and His Bride, the Church. Holy Unction brings healing and forgiveness to the faithful. Holy Confession affords healing of soul and body. Holy Eucharist - the Body and Blood of Christ - brings healing, remission of sins and we pray, salvation to those who receive. Holy Ordination, takes men, unworthy though they be, and gives them the Rites (not rights) to serve, to love, to provide counsel, to comfort, and to assist us all as we walk on the Royal Road to the Kingdom.
I purposely used the word “Holy” before each of these Mysteries in order to remind us that these Mysteries or Sacraments, are not of this world. These Sacraments are in fact of the Kingdom of Heaven. And if they are of the Kingdom of Heaven, then they are non-negotiable, for they have and they will always be the means by which God expresses His love for His people and brings about the healing of souls and bodies of His people as well. Simply put, the Sacraments and by extension, our time in services, spent in prayer is non-negotiable.
Please understand me: This is not a call to arms as some may suggest, rather it is a reminder that we as Christians are to remain steadfast to the tenets of our Faith, all the while, remaining flexible to the needs that present pandemic circumstances requires of us. (Always with the thought being: not going too far to the left, nor too far to the right, but staying in the center of the path.) We will therefore respect the State’s mandates by limiting the access inside of our sanctuary of our faithful and visitors to our chapel at this time. Instead, we will place seats out in our courtyard for the faithful to gather for Services. At the appropriate time, priests will come out through the opened doors in order to: bless, commune and/or anoint the faithful.
We will continue to:
Follow Our Guidelines - while our guidelines may seem burdensome or even unnecessary to some, they are in fact very reasonable, responsible and respective of others and are in sync with our greater Orthodox Christian community as well with regards on how to mitigate the risk for our faithful. Additionally, we presently follow the best practices as directed by the CDC for all Houses of Worship.
Ask you to review the symptoms of COVID-19, sanitize your hands before joining us for worship and asking you to refrain from coming if you or your family member has a fever. S
Utilize the ChurchCenter App. It is a convenient and practical tool for us to use so that parishioners may sign-up for services online and in advance. It is not used for tracking attendance. It’s also a way by which many of us can continue to actively support the ministries of our parish.
Live-stream our services and broadcast them to our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/saintanna so that more of our faithful will be able to virtually attend. Shortly after the service is prayed, the video is deleted, it is not archived.
If you are unable or uncomfortable coming to worship, please coordinate with Fr. Seraphim to set a time to pray at your home or at the parish. We will continue to meet our faithful wherever they might be, and from that place, we will walk closer with one another towards Christ together.
In closing, I thank you for your steadfast faith. I thank you for your love for Christ and His Church. I thank you for attempting to preserve the health of others through responsible and respectful measures. I thank you for supporting the work of the Church. And, I thank you for accommodating our changes that are in obedience to both the Kingdom and our State. May our efforts be well-pleasing to Him and unto the healing of our souls and bodies.
Steadfast yet flexible in faith
As many of us have become aware of the news, Governor Newsom has called for more restrictions within our State, restrictions which include faith-based organizations as well. The spike in Covid-19 cases occurring in California reminds us of what we need to know about the virus, as well as our need to attempt to limit its spreading within the community. We do so by remaining prayerful for those who have been exposed to the virus (and other ailments), mitigating the spread of the virus and also remaining thankful for those who research and bring healing to those who are ailing.
In our Church, we believe in the power of prayer and beseech our Lord to protect His creation; that He may enlighten the minds of those entrusted to find a cure for Covid-19 and that He may bring about healing to our world from ALL of its many afflictions. Taking into consideration recent directives yet recognizing our responsibility to our Lord and the Body of Christ, the people of God, the Church, we will, beginning tomorrow morning modify our current practices.
We will ask our faithful as well as visitors to our parish, to sit outside the chapel in chairs that will be placed in our courtyard. We will have a widescreen monitor and speakers outside broadcasting the service and at the appropriate time, the priests will come out through the opened doors bless, commune or anoint the faithful.
Additionally, we will continue to live-stream our services and broadcast them to our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/saintanna
The Church in Her wisdom knows that She is the agent of health and healing for both the bodies and the souls of the faithful. We must therefore prayerfully and gracefully remain steadfast, but also adaptable. It is important that we take every precaution to protect ourselves and to follow the guidelines that have been provided to help restrict the spread of the coronavirus. Anyone with health concerns or anyone feeling “under the weather” should not come to Divine Services. The Church, in Her wisdom and love for us, also knows that there are times when there is “good cause” to be absent from the Divine Services.
At the parish, we will be continue doing the following:
• providing alcohol-based hand sanitizer outside to help maintain good hand hygiene.
• sanitizing surfaces outside the Church (the chairs that people sit on)
• providing masks outside
Thankfully, young children are much less likely to get severe illness from COVID-19. They can, however, pass the infection to others even if they themselves may have mild illness. Since young people may not cover their mouths when they cough or wear masks with ease, I want to remind that you that if a child is sick, consider keeping him/her at home out of respect for those who are older and/or with weakened immune systems.
In closing, I pray that our Lord will ever bless you, strengthen you, protect you and grant you every good gift unto salvation. And, I do thank you for understanding and also for accommodating our changes that we pray are well pleasing to God and respectful of His Creation.
“And wherever the Spirt of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)
On the fourth of July, we celebrate our country’s independence. Although it remains a secular holiday, there is assuredly an underlining spirituality of the day. The courage and the wisdom of our forefathers has afforded each and every generation of Americans the freedom to seek the Spirit of the Lord.
Will all seek Him? The obvious answer to this question is “No.” Sadly, there are even some who will go so far as to wage war against Him. Although this might sadden us as Orthodox Christians, our Constitution allows us to seek the Lord in our homes, in our churches, and in the marketplace…or not.
Yes, it has become all the more to difficult to live out our faith in this society, but it’s not impossible. Thanks be to God, we can still choose to seek the Lord. Even with all of her shortcomings, there is still something special or unique about America; this right is a testament to her blessings.
We must not forget that Orthodox Christianity is still new to this region of the world. I find great comfort in knowing that our presence has yet to be fully realized. We’re a young body of believers who continue to plant parishes and establish monasteries. And, it is from these spiritual centers that Saints will be nurtured to transfigure the landscape or to endure the harsh realities of a fallen world…all unto salvation.
When it comes to COVID-19, there are a host of opinions and ever-changing directives for us to consider. Personally, I’m thankful for the reminders to maintain good hygiene and if need to be wear a mask so that I don’t get sick or spread an ailment to others. I did so joyfully for three months supporting the work of Soldiers and Airmen in food banks, in medical warehouses and in clinics without a worry and, by God’s Grace, I will continue to do so.
Having said this though, I am worried that we’re becoming all the more isolated from one another and in some instances from our faith. Yes, we can preserve some of our relationships via technology but no App can take the place of a shared meal or an embrace; we are meant to be fully present with others. Similarly, we can practice elements of our faith in our homes, but the parish, the Cathedral and the monastery are super essential for us to live our lives in Christ. It is in these spiritual centers that we gather for corporate prayer and to partake of the sacraments, most profoundly the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Freedom allow us to navigate these uncertain days by Grace. We need not be fearful of death, nor should we be aggressive with our words or actions. What is “right” isn’t determined for us by what political party we identify with or by the news channel we watch. Our activity in this world is determined by the standard-bearers of the Kingdom - the Saints - all of whom were reflections of Christ within their communities. Although they didn’t fear death, they weren’t careless with their lives; they valued the blessings of this life while also anticipating the life that was to come.
This my brothers and sisters in Christ is freedom. Freedom is not only seeking the Spirit, it’s also living by the Spirit. This is the opportunity that we have in America thanks be to the divinely inspired forefathers, the valiant and self-sacrificing men and women of our Armed Forces, and all of those who labor to preserve our God-given rights here in America.
President Ronald Reagan once said that “All are free to believe or not believe, all are free to practice a faith or not, but those who believe must be free to speak of and act on their belief, to apply moral teaching to public questions. Tolerant society is open to and encouraging of all religions, and this does not weaken us; it strengthens us. Without God, there is no virtue, because there's no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we're mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society and without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure.”
As my koumbaro wrote to his community, “With prayer and praise, let us commit ourselves to ensuring that our beloved country will always have the wisdom to recognize God’s presence, the willingness to do His Will and the fortitude to confront every challenge according to His Word.” I would only add that this is what it means to be an Orthodox Christian in America.
I encourage you to enjoy this blessed day with your family and or friends as best you are able. Maintain your prayers and also seek opportunities to attend services so that you can partake of the Holy Sacraments. And, when you come to the Church, respect and follow the directives of our hierarchs (wear a mask and maintain degrees of physical distancing); seeking the Spirit is done with conviction, but it’s also accomplished by Grace and in obedience!
Finally, with regards to signing in services, per direction from the Metropolis and a legal opinion that was offered, we will continue to have one or two chanters sing the responses for us. The Governor’s directive was a recommendation and not a mandate.
God bless our parish and may God bless America!
+fr. christopher
A few thoughts as we continue to integrate back into communal worship
As we continue to refine our processes of receiving and welcoming you, our beloved parishioners, back into parish life and communal worship, I wanted to take a moment to not only extend my gratitude to our Parish leadership for their hard work, love and devotion, but to offer a few midweek notes and thoughts to you as well:
1. While our guidelines may seem burdensome or even unnecessary to some, they are in fact very reasonable,responsible and respective of others and are in sync with our greater Orthodox Christian community as well with regards on how to mitigate the risk for our faithful. Additionally, we presently follow the best practices as directed by the CDC for all Houses of Worship.
2. Nothing is to be signed by parishioners when coming to the church. We simply ask that you review the symptoms of COVID-19, sanitize your hands before entering and don’t enter the church if you or your family member has a fever. Similar measures are in place for those of us who are serving out in the world as part of the COVID-19 Joint Task Force to ensure the wellbeing of our families and co-workers, so I would expect nothing less from our churchesas well!
3. The ChurchCenter application is a convenient and practical tool for us to use so that parishioners may sign-up for services online and in advance. It is not used for tracking attendance. It’s also a way by which many of us can continue to actively support the ministries of our parish.
4. As we come back together to worship together in person, we will continue to broadcast services when they are prayed; so that more of our faithful will be able to virtually attend. Shortly after the service is prayed, the video is deleted, it is not archived.
5. If you are unable or uncomfortable coming to worship (there are now multiple opportunities throughout the week), please coordinate with Fr. Seraphim to set a time to pray at your home or at the parish.
I would also like to add, that in times of crisis, there are always those individuals who will attempt to exploit individuals by attempting to gather their personal information. Please DO NOT provide any financial information, or any social security numbers or any personal information to anyone who is calling or texting or emailing you saying that they are part of “Contract Tracing” group or organization. THIS IS A SCAM. No personal information is ever gathered by a reputable organization, or by the State or by the Federal Government in this manner.
Welcoming our Faithful back to Communal Worship
Beloved in Christ,
Our parish has since her inception remained ever committed to worship, to study, to fellowship and to service. We, “…worship Him in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). We, “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). We fellowship, ever-mindful that “…truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1-3). We serve one another, “…as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). We do all of this, heeding the admonition of our Lord to: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has certainly tried our parish, as well as the world around us too. Thankfully, though there has been uncertainty, isolation, illness and in some cases death, these things have been countered by steadfastness, prayerful petitions, consolation, and hope in the Resurrection. These affects and responses though aren’t unique to a pandemic; they are simply the realities of a fallen world in which Christians, who navigated the days of the Great Fast, commemorated the Passion, celebrated the Resurrection, and anticipate the sending of the Holy Spirit, live in.
As clergy then, we have deliberately attempted to define this season not as pandemic in nature, but rather as a season unto salvation. Yes, it was and it remains an adjustment, but nonetheless we have adjusted. Services were broadcast so that we could worship; study classes were put online so that we could study; young and old alike were invited into fellowship or contacted to inquire about their wellness; and the means by which we could not only support our ministries, but also serve those in and beyond our parish were identified. Thanks be to God for all things!
Throughout this season, we have prayed in each and every service for our civic leaders, as well as our researchers and our medical personnel. We have also remained both thankful for and obedient to the directives of our Holy Metropolis and Archdiocese. Now, we take an intentional, thoughtful and prayerful step together, Church and State, towards the welcoming back of our faithful to their spiritual home.
Therefore, in accordance with the ongoing and diligent efforts being put forth by the Metropolis of San Francisco, as well as with the direction of Placer County, we are putting forth the following instructions:
We will continue to live broadcast our services for those who are unable or uncomfortable in coming back to the Parish at this present time.
Our worship spaces, the narthex and the bathrooms will be sanitized prior to and after services.
We will limit the number of parishioners attending services. Parishioners will be asked to sign-up for services at https://saintanna.churchcenter.com/home or on the Church Center App by clicking on “Events” (please register each individual in your immediate family who will be attending). We will be pleased to assist you with downloading this software.
Once we reach our occupancy limit, some parishioners might be turned away from services. Therefore, if you are registered to attend, but your plans change, please contact the Church Office so that we can adjust our list accordingly.
We encourage you to download the “Digital Chant Stand” App on your phone/tablet for the hymnography of Vespers and Orthros as liturgical books will not be available. We will be pleased to assist you with downloading this software if need be.
Two Liturgies will be prayed on Sunday to accommodate more of our faithful: the first Liturgy will begin at 8:30am, while the second liturgy will begin at 10:00am.
A Wednesday liturgy service will also be offered at 10:00am, for a limited number of parishioners who are considered to be higher risk:
People aged 65 years and older.
Those parishioners with Chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma, serious heart conditions, immunocompromised including cancer treatment, severe obesity, or other medical conditions such as diabetes, renal failure or liver disease.
Parishioners who are signed up for services are asked to arrive 15 minutes (at minimum) before service starts, so that they may go through screening process and be seated.
So that we may express our respect for the sanctity of the divine services being prayed in the church; whether Vespers, Orthros, or Divine Liturgy, once services have begun, parishioners who arrive late, will not be admitted.
We ask that you self-diagnose you / your family members health levels prior to coming to church.
There will be a designated tent set up outside the Narthex to receive our parishioners. A greeter will ask you to review a list of questions regarding your health and also take your temperature. If you have a fever (100.4 or above) when your temperature is taken or if you are symptomatic, we will ask that you not come into services. Instead we ask that you please follow-up with your health care provider.
Sanitizer for your hands will be available for you to use prior to entering the Church. You are encouraged to bring your own as well.
We strongly recommend that a mask be worn during worship. Masks will be made available for those who arrive at the parish without proper PPE.
Please have your offering in an envelope before you come to church and place it in the tray in the Narthex (there will be no passing of the tray in church). You may also wish to purchase candles and make your stewardship offering online via our Church Center App.
Veneration of icons and Holy Relics should be done by bowing before the Holy Icon or Holy Relics and making the sign of the Cross.
Physical distancing (6’ from people not in your immediate family) should be maintained while in the Church.
Parishioners from an immediate household (mother, father, and children only – people living in the same space and who arrived in the same vehicle) may sit together (parents, please keep your children with you during services). Please limit your movement in the Church.
Parishioners should refrain from singing since singing this aerosolizes the virus and accelerates its transmission by propelling it further than the 6-foot social distancing requirement.
We ask that if a parishioner needs to cough, he/she does so into their arm.
We ask that you refrain from all: handshaking, hugging, and/or having physical contact with your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Parishioners who are prepared to receive the Holy Eucharist are asked to:
Follow the instructions of our ushers.
Remain 6 feet away from the next person (not a part of your immediate family) as you come forward.
Not grab onto the Communion cloth. Instead, it will be held under for you, but not touching your chin as you offer your Baptismal or Chrismated name.
Lean your head back and open your mouth wide so that the priest may administer the Holy Eucharist.
The clergy will offer antidoron at the end of the Divine Liturgy (please do not reverence the hand of the clergy at this time). At the close of services, we ask that you depart Church grounds so that we may prepare the church for our next service. Coffee fellowship is postponed until further notice.
As our faithful prepare to return to the Parish for services, parishioners are also reminded to:
Stay at home if they or any member of their household is sick or feeling unwell
Maintain appropriate physical distancing.
Practice good hygiene:
Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;
Use hand sanitizers when soap and water are not readily available;
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or your cough/sneeze into your elbow;
Teach and reinforce health hygiene practices;
Ensure adequate supplies (e.g., soap, paper towels, hand sanitizer, within your home and work place) to support health hygiene practices.
Routinely (at least once per day, if possible) clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that are frequently touched within your household or workplace e.g., doorknobs, light switches, sink handles, countertops, etc.).
Once again, our Parish leadership is attentive to the spiritual and physical well-being of our parishioners. We will continue to respect the directives of His Eminence, Metropolitan Gerasimos, as well as monitoring Placer County’s regulations and guidelines, so that we may effectively meet the needs of our Parish. We remain most confident and hopeful in our efforts knowing that “with God, all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
We are ever grateful that we have had our Divine Services livestreaming via Facebook and we will continue to host opportunities for study and fellowship online via Zoom. We encourage you to reach out to your brothers and sisters in Christ, to help them to stay connected, whether it be on the phone, via a social-media platform or in person with the appropriate physical distancing. We ask also that you please continue your financial support of our ministries, philanthropy and our Building Program (an update is coming shortly).
As we continue to pray for you, we ask that you please pray for us as well. May God’s Grace continue to be sufficient for us, through the intercessions of Saint Anna. Welcome back to your spiritual home!
Most Resp.,
Rev. Dr. Christopher Flesoras
Rev. Fr. Seraphim Ivey
Rev. Dn. Joseph Ruocco Brown
A reflection on our state of affairs
For the past several months we had to battle covid-19 (we are actually still doing so). Now, sadly, after months of isolation from the threat of this disease, we are again confronted with another isolating disease that has to one degree or another plagued humanity, almost from its beginning.
As His Eminence clearly stated in His pastoral writing, it is the disease and sin of racism. Thanks be to God, it’s not inherent to our personhood, yet at times it does plague humanity. For this reason we must never forget that as Christians we too proclaim as did St. Paul, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Logically although sadly, there are times that we might need to be reminded that all of us were created in God’s image; there isn’t one individual upon the face of the earth who wasn’t created so. Moreover, those of us who were baptized in His name become brothers and sisters in Christ - we proclaim the same Orthodox faith; we gather in the same churches and; we receive from the same chalice. And let us not forget that together we commemorate and petition His Holy ones, the Saints, who in each and every generation were well pleasing to Him - young and older, male and female, those who persevered in virginity and those who married, those who died naturally and those who were martyred, those who were poor and those who were wealthy, all of whom were of particular lands and spoke various tongues yet embraced the same Orthodox Christian Faith.
It is therefore fitting for us to begin the erinika (the first set of petitions) with the petition “In peace let us pray to the Lord.” In this first of the eleven petitions, we beseech the Prince of Peace for peace in the world, not a peace of this world. The peace we long for is an internal peace. It is a peace which reaches the depths of the human heart and cleanses it from evil passions, making each of us truly free and joyful as citizens of the Kingdom that is here and now, but also not yet.
As the world (and each of us living in it) may continue to struggle with a myriad of sins, may we never cease from gazing upon the Holy and Life-giving Cross. For it was upon this Cross, His Cross, that the peace from above was sealed for us once and for all and that we find healing from every disease.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will towards all!”
+fr. Christopher
The Art of Dying (an insightful talk by fr. Josiah Trenham)
Father Josiah Trenham of Patristic Nectar Publications offers an insightful talk titled, “The Art of Dying”,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgHJYV2pqVQ&feature=youtu.be
A Christian Ending to Our Lives: Death, Funeral, Burial, and Memorials in the Orthodox Christian Tradition: https://www.patristicnectar.org/books...
Thank you to the Stewards of our Parish
Christ is Risen!
Continued gratitude to Fr. Seraphim, Dn, Joseph, our Parish Council, Morfoula and all of our stewards for the blessings of our Saint Anna Parish. Thanks be to God, even in the midst of a pandemic, we gather for prayer (granted, online), minister to one another through phone calls and social media, continue to study our Faith, bring our youth together in virtual fellowship, provide benevolence/funding for those in need - fellow parishioners, individuals within our region - and support the work of our Metropolis, our Archdiocese and our beneficiaries, all unto the glory of God.
Thank you for your acclimating to this reality (which, thanks be to God is only temporary)!
Thank you for your faithfulness and for your prayers!
Thank you for creativity ministering unto others!
Thank you for supporting the ministries of our Parish, Metropolis and Archdiocese!
Thank you for your love of Christ and His Church!
Thank you for the joys that are realized in being attached to this blessed Parish!
May God, keep each of you in His care,
Christ is Risen!
+fr. christopher