Tommy Apostolos Fund Shopping Day

2020 will not stop spreading holiday cheer in our community! This year the annual Tommy Apostolos Shopping Day WILL take place just in a different way!  

Tommy Apostolos Fund is a local non-profit that provides clothes to students in need in the Roseville area.  Each year the organization takes over 450 children shopping for essential items (clothing, shoes, socks, etc.). Students are also provided a breakfast snack and a little treat bag. The organization also supports our kids by providing emergency kits to our schools for when kids have accidents.

We need your help this year! 

1. We are collecting the items for the treat bags. These bags this year are more important than others because they will give a couple of school supplies for everyone! This will support kids both in and out of the classroom. Please feel free to use this Amazon list (CLICK HERE) to help us meet our needs. (Link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3OJSY4Q54MN47?ref_=wl_share) You are welcome to use other vendors outside of Amazon (office supplies, Oriental Trading, Costco, Sams, etc.)- contact Michelle Hawe at michelle.hawe@saintanna.org for shipping/ pick up details. 

2. Shopping Experience: Each child gets $140 to go shopping in Kohls. This year volunteers will need to sign up for a specific day and time frame in the coming weeks. Registration link will be sent out soon! Volunteers will check in and receive a child's shopping list to shop for.  At the register a Tommy Apostolos Committee member who will pay for the purchase. Students and their families will be able to pick up their bag of goodies on the following Monday at the district office. Unfortunately, the kids will not be able to enjoy the shopping experience directly this year due to safety precautions with COVID-19. 

"Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home" begins this Saturday

As of late, most of our stewards should have received a complimentary copy of the book, Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home, by Fr. Anthony Coniaris, of blessed memory. If you did not receive a copy, my apologies. We purchased all of the available copies (about 200) through HCHC's Department of Religious Education. Fortunately though, there is a Kindle version available at: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Real-Orthodox-Christian-Home-ebook/dp/B008R1F9G4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

This book is a gift to the domestic churches that make up our Parish, so that we might labor together in order to make God more real in our homes. Although it’s been some years since this book was published, the lessons contained within its pages are just as true, important and relevant to us now as they were back when this book was first written.

As Fr. Anthony explains at one point in his book, “The most influential school in the world is not Oxford or Harvard or the Sorbonne or Yale or Cambridge. It is the home.” It would therefore seem most prudent for us to be spending more time prayerfully considering and building-up our domestic churches. Wherever the location may be, whatever its size, whether one room or multiple rooms, our homes are meant to promote godliness within us. It is with this thought in mind that we as a parish are about to embark upon a common study which will invite the Holy Spirit to come and to rest/abide in our homes, so that to paraphrase St. John Chrysostom, …all peace and harmony may surround us there unto a most blessed and holy end.

Our Parish Program will begin this Saturday, October 24 from 6-7PM. Additionally, it is with deep joy that I am able to share that during this first session, we will be joined by Dan and Patty Christopulos, the son-in-law and daughter of Fr. Anthony Coniaris, of blessed memory. They will be giving us an overview and personal insight into the life and ministry of Fr. Anthony, based upon their experiences with him. Following their introduction, we will then briefly discuss our program, and then discuss the first chapter of the book, entitled, “Who is Raising the Children?” (Pg. 15-18) and finally, we will finish off the evening with a question and answer session which will allow us all an opportunity to be able to address and reflect upon any questions, or insights or thoughts that may arisen through the evening’s blessed study.

Please ensure that you are using an identifiable name on the zoom call (click on “Settings", then click on your profile which is the image and email above “Meetings”, and then fill in the “Display Name” accordingly).

______________________

Topic: Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home

Time: Oct 24, 2020 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88400191188?pwd=c1pyaGlGVW9Ga3dYcnRyZWNoRUxlUT09

Meeting ID: 884 0019 1188

Passcode: 386171

One tap mobile

+16699009128,,88400191188#,,,,,,0#,,386171# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location

+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

Meeting ID: 884 0019 1188

Passcode: 386171

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcYaSIOvoc

An Orthodox Christian Election Prayer

Introducing Saint Anna Sunday School Video Series

Our dedicated team of Sunday school teachers is not going to let a pandemic keep them from communicating with their students!  We are excited to announce the launch of our own Saint Anna unlisted youtube videos.  Unlisted means that you can see them by following the link provided, but these videos are not promoted online, or shown to random youtube viewers.  It is not our intention to compete with some of the professionally produced Christian videos already available online.  Rather, we want our students to have at least a digital connection to adults in their own parish; people who are doing their best to follow the path of Orthodox Christianity, and who may potentially serve as local examples and mentors.  

Tim Burkhard, our 4th & 5th grade teacher, is our trailblazer in this effort, and has produced our inaugural video (link below).   Our next video will be produced by Lisa Jizrawi, our 1st to 3rd grade teacher.  Other teachers and videos will follow. We are truly blessed to have such dedicated and talented teachers!  

A Virtual Event in Support of the Girls' Secondary School in the Diocese of Nyeri and Mt. Kenya

His Grace Bishop Neofitos is a dear friend of our Parish.  As a community, we support the ministry at the Parish of Saint Anna on Mt. Kenya.   Many of us are also able to directly support the work and the projects of His Grace in his holy diocese.  In recent days, the Kenyan government has established additional requirements for at the Girls' Secondary School. The school must open in January, and they MUST have more dormitory space in order to have the bunks far enough apart to meet pandemic safety parameters. A word from His Grace about the mandates and the needs of the Diocese is found below.   You are therefore invited to attend a virtual event in support of the work of His Grace via the KC for Kenya Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kcforkenya. Please “like” the page, and plan on "coming" to the event. There is a direct donation link there http://secure.ocmc.org/KC-For-Kenya or you  can give through our Parish, https://saintanna.churchcenter.com/giving/to/kenya.  We’ll be sending our Parish commitment to support the work of St. Anna Parish PLUS an additional $3,000 toward the $55,000 (US dollars) needed to build the new dormitory space. 

Information concerning Youth Religious Education Program, Junior High School & High School Youth Groups

These days, “Sunday school” is a bit of a misnomer, since we are not actually having live classes on Sundays…yet.  We do however continue to pursue youth religious education.  In the spring, we tried offering Zoom Sunday school, but it turned out that the kids had more than enough Zoom with their secular activities.  Zoom Sunday school was discontinued for lack of attendance.  

Shortly thereafter, we tried a new approach.  Our teachers began and have continued to contribute to a weekly “grab bag” of items for various ages (Kindergarten through the end of high school), which can be used by parents and students throughout the week.  The grab bag includes links to youtube videos, craft projects, coloring pages, Gospel lessons and scriptural exercises, puzzles, a write up on the life of a saint or feast, explanations of Church holy days, and an exploration of basic Church practices.  The intention is to continue the grab bag until we are able to resume in person education.  

Beginning in October, we will also include short videos produced by our own parishioners.  These may be a bit “homemade” in appearance, but these will allow our students to have at least a digital connection to adults in their own parish; people who are doing their best to follow the path of Orthodox Christianity, and who may potentially serve as local examples and mentors.  

With regards to our Junior High School and High School Program, our youth would have been meeting for their youth religious education classes on Sundays and also for fellowship, food and activities as part of the youth groups. To best abide by both our Metropolis and regional guidelines with regards to social distancing requirements, we have reassessed our traditional practices.  Rather than ask them to spend even more time on Zoom for youth group, we have come up with a two part solution:

1. We will be combining religious education with youth groups together, in order to minimize screen time. 

2. Both groups will meet once a week, on Wednesday nights, beginning at 6:30pm, after Akathist and finishing up at 8pm. Initially, the groups will meet via Zoom, but our hope is that in time, by God's will, and with proper precautions and good social distancing procedures, our youth will be able to come to the parish to resume their study and fellowship. 

The Junior High School and High School Program will begin on Wednesday, October 7th at 6:30 via Zoom invitation that will be sent out next week. If you have any questions about these groups, please contact Fr. Seraphim at the Church Office, 916-772-9372 or frseraphim@saintanna.org 

Finally, we are in the process of updating our student rosters.  If you are new to Saint Anna Parish, or if you have not been receiving any emails directly from my email address, and if you have children under 18, please send me an email, annatsu@mac.com so that I can add your family to our Youth Religious Education list.  Include the names of the parents or guardians and their email addresses and phone numbers, the names of the students and their grade levels.  If you are not sure whether or not you are on the list, go ahead and send me the email anyway.

We thank you for flexibility, your patience, your long-suffering and your heartfelt support for the religious education and the youth ministries that take place here at St. Anna.  We continue to trust in the interesting opportunities that God has prepared for all of us in the year to come

In Christ, 

Anna Tsu, Director of St. Anna Youth Religious Education

In Preparation for Divine Services at the Parish this weekend

We are again blessed to celebrate our services inside our Sanctuary (we also continue to broadcast all of our services via Facebook). Please continue to follow the established guidelines to keep all of us healthy. Before signing-up for services at https://saintanna.churchcenter.com/home or on the Church Center App by clicking on “Events”  please self-screen at home for yourself and family members to ensure that your temperature is less than 100.4, you do not have a cough, sore throat, headache, or unusual fatigue. When you arrive at church please check in at the welcome table outside of the narthex to sanitize your hands and receive a face mask if you did not bring one. Face masks that cover one's mouth and nose are required, unless your health does not permit you to wear one (recent research indicates that when used with masks, goggles are also effective barriers against Covid-19). With the poor air quality due to the fires it is helpful to wear a mask even when outside. Please maintain social distancing of 6 feet from those not in your household and remember that we all have different risk/tolerance levels for socializing so avoid hugging (as much as we would ALL like to do that). Between the fires and the extraordinary heat it is indeed a blessing to be able to worship inside our sanctuary. Let's all do these small things to keep oursevels and our brothers and sisters in Christ healthy!

Prayer to include in personal devotions for California Fires & our Divine Service Schedule

O Virgin, we extol the great grace of your Protection, which you spread out like a bright cloud beyond all understanding; for you invisibly protect your people from the foe's every assault. Since we have you as our shelter and certain help, we cry to you with our whole soul: Glory to your great deeds, O most pure Maid. Glory to you shelter most divine. Glory to your care and providence for us, O spotless one.”  Apolytikion of Holy Protection of the Theotokos, First Tone

Stewards and Friends of St. Anna Parish-

After a week of extreme heat, wildfires now rage in the State; two continue to expand, the LNU Lightning Complex (Napa and Sonoma) and the SCU Lightning Complex (in Eastern San Francisco Bay), in addition to those burning in Nevada County.  These fires as well as others create extremely dangerous and even deadly conditions for our firefighters, first responders and residents of these regions, as well as all Californians on account of the poor air quality.

Please be mindful of your wellbeing: both the safety of you and your loved ones if you are in proximity to these fires, as well as your health from the air quality. I would also ask that you include the prayer at the close of this email in your private devotion.  Together, let us pray that God will keep safe those who fight the fires and that life and property will be preserved as the fires are extinguished.   

Thanks be to God, we’re back inside for Divine Services this weekend.  We will continue to follow established guidelines to ensure the wellbeing of our parishioners (please visit, https://www.saintanna.org/parish-news-1/2020/6/6/welcoming-our-faithful-back-to-communal-worship).  Our Service schedule is as follows:

Saturday, 5PM (Great Vespers)

Sunday,  7:30AM (Orthros)

8:30AM (First Liturgy)

10:00AM (Second Liturgy)

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). 

Finally, those of us who signed-up for the Festival that has since been postponed have received notices reminding us that our volunteering is right around the corner.  Our apologies for any confusion this may have caused.  

May our good God continue to keep our families, our communities and our State in His care.

_____________

Prayer for Protection from Raging Fires 

(by Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes)

O Gracious God Who created the earth and all that is in it, Thou didst give us so many blessings.  Indeed, Thou didst fill the world with so much beauty, bounty and no end of wonders!

We ask Thee now to save Thy people from nature’s furious fires.

Save those in California whose homes and families are in the path of the wildfires that are consuming the land.

Give courage to those who fight fires, who clean up and help others to rebuild after disasters strike.

Give strength to all survivors and peace to those whose lives are in danger.

Send down abundant rain showers to quench the flames in California. As Thou didst send to Noah of old, send also the rainbow of hope.

Nature may rage but Thou, O Lord, we know art a Loving God Who ever holds in Thy hand all Thou hast created.  Unto Thee do we give thanks for all things!

Grant us humility to repent of our negligence in tending Thy Creation & give us henceforth the will to serve Thee more faithfully. 

Protect homes and monasteries and all Thy people.  In all the days of our lives let us remember to honor and worship Thee as the Living God:  Father, Son, and All-Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Through the prayers of the holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on us and save us.

Services continue online and outside

To ensure the wellbeing of our clergy and stewards as well as respecting the directives of Placer County, we have moved our services outside. Thank you to those who so labored to prepare this space and to also continue broadcasting services for our faithful! We ask that Parishioners 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.

Our Feast Day in Review

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