Great & Holy Lent

During the Service of Forgiveness, we prayed:

“Thy grace has shone forth, Oh Lord, it has shone forth and given light to our souls.  Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the season of repentance.  Let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, that having sailed across the great sea of the fast, we may reach the Third-day Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of our souls.”

The Great Lenten Season as well as the Great and Holy Week of Orthodox Christian Church are truly blessings to each of us.  It is assuredly a “great sea” on which to navigate, but the heavenly rewards are great!  Our disciplines of prayer, fasting, almsgiving and study prepare us for His Kingdom by rousing our souls to action, bettering our families, the Church, and our world that is too often shrouded in darkness.  

Making more time for personal prayer in our hectic lives can be trying.  Attending services in person will also be a re-adjustment for some.  Pace yourselves and acclimate accordingly to both, finding joy in your increased personal prayer and comfort in attending services at the Parish.  Our service schedule is attached and also found on our website (we will continue to broadcast all of our services on Facebook).  Some helpful prayers are found below for inclusion in your devotions. 

Fast with joy!  The Lord made it clear to us that we’re not to be dismal but find joy when we recenter ourselves in Him through abstaining from certain foods, sights, sounds and activities.  In actually, we’re really not giving anything up, rather we are taking-on the mantle of disciplined discipleship that is preparing us to celebrate the Holy and Life-giving Resurrection of our Lord!  

This season – the pandemic – has caused financial turmoil and uncertainty for many.  Thanks be to God, we continue to sustain our Parish through stewardship and we’re about to begin the construction of our Sanctuary.  As I encourage you to continue supporting both our ministries and our building program, Lent is NOT a stewardship drive nor a capital campaign, rather it’s the Season during which we discern ways to support our brothers and sisters in need, both inside and outside the Parish.  

·      Support the work of Philoptochos, including feeding families in need.

·      Donate to IOCC.

·      Offer a gift to the Diocese of Mount Kenya.

·      Donate on behalf of one of our stewards who has or will shave his head in support of childhood cancer research (Isaiah Mathew, Calvin Benson, Bill Alexiou, Fr. Seraphim Ivey, and me). 

If you are unable to give financially, then offer your prayers for each of these philanthropies.  If you’re struggling with your finances, then please let us know as we may be able to provide some assistance from our Benevolent Fund.

During this Great Lent, find time to study.  Thanks be to God, we offer two weekly Bible Studies, one in the morning and the other at lunch time.  A third Scripture Study is hosted every other week in the evening.  Our Study of the Orthodox Faith meets each week in the evenings.  Our Parish Study on “Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home” takes place every other Saturday evening.  And at this point, all of the classes are online, so it’s just a matter of joining us on zoom!  Links to our studies are sent out throughout the week.

In closing, I pray that this Lenten season is truly blessed for you, our Parish and the greater community.  If Fr. Seraphim, Dn. Joseph or I can be of assistance to you or your family as we navigate “this sea”, please do not hesitate to contact us through the Office.  If I have offended you or fallen short in my ministry, then I ask your forgiveness and your prayers.  And, as we prayed last evening at the close of services, “May God forgive us all.” 

A blessed Great and Holy Lent,

+fr. Christopher

Supporting a Youthful Steward fundraise for St. Baldrick's!

HI, I'm Calvin and I'm shaving my head in a virtual shave party with St Baldrick's on Sat, Mar 14th at 10a to help kids with cancer. There has been lots of people in my life and in our church who have suffered with cancer, including my own mom so this is really important to me. I know Fr Chris and Fr Seraphim as well as others at church have done this and I really want to help too. I created a team called The Bald Eagles and we have already raised over $600! If you would like to join our team and shave your head, please email me at notbbjet83@gmail.com or if you would just like to donate you can do that on the link to my page. Thank you!

Special General Assembly, February 28 after services

We are extremely thankful to announce that we will host a Special General Assembly this Sunday to discuss and then, God-willing, approve our Building Program.  After serval years of efforts - identifying a general contractor,  working with our architect, value engineering, and working with our lender -  we have a final plan and cost for construction.  Jason Jurrens, our Building Co-Chair as well as John Sobchak, who, has managed our finances and together with his wife, Susie, who has co-chaired our Capital Campaign will walk us through our project. At the close of our meeting, we will ask for a motion to accept our Building Program that comes to our General Assembly with unanimous support from our Building Committee and our Parish Council. 

The meeting will be hosted from our current sanctuary with additional seating outside.  We will broadcast the meeting on Facebook and also via Zoom to incorporate more of our faithful into this blessed assembly.  You’ll be able to ask questions via Facebook and Zoom and also to cast your vote on these platforms.  

May our time together be blessed and unto God’s glory as we prepare to build our Shrine, through the intercessions of Saint Anna.

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Philoptochos Kids n Cancer Bake Sale

Our new tent is set up for outside services

Prayers for the Christian Family

God our Redeemer, it pleased You to come under the roof of zacchaeus, bringing salvation to him and all his household. Keep from all harm and grant every blessing to us Your servants and bless our homes. Preserve our lives in peace, speak good into our hearts that we may continue to live peaceful and serene lives in all piety and holiness. Preserve marriages in peace and harmony; protect the unborn; nurture the infants; instruct the youth; strengthen the aged; give courage to the faint hearted; reunite those separated; defend the widows; and heal the sick and those in every kind of affliction, distress or need.  This we pray, through the intercessions of Ss. Joachim and Anna and in the company of all Your Holy Saints.  For to You belong all glory, honor, and worship to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.  Amen.

A Second Prayer

Lord, send down your mercy and your blessing upon us here and upon this house. May your angel of mercy watch over it and keep all who live here safe from anything that is evil. May he guide us into the fulfillment of your holy will, teaching us to observe what Christ has taught us. O Lord, grant us health and length of days, giving us from your generous hand all that we need to live well and wisely. Save all those who are in want or trouble of any kind. May this house be known as a place of joy and mercy, where the kindness of Christ becomes real for all who live here and who visit. Be merciful to us, Lord: For you are a merciful God, who loves mankind, and to you we ascribe glory:  to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages.  

A few final thoughts and a "thank you" for your faithfulness during this season

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

In Ecclesiastes, we read “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” I’m fairly confident that we would all agree, it has been quite a season! Yes, the learning curve was steep, but thanks to be God for His abiding goodness as well as our prayerful agility to traverse these days with Grace as Christians and as citizens.

There has been much uncertainty and sadness during this season. Some family members and friends have fallen ill while others have passed, be it from COVID-19, another ailment, a tragedy or advanced age. Employment has been altered for many, and in some cases, work has been lost. Some individuals/families rely on others for philanthropy while they wait for industry to open back up or until new employment is identified. Primary grades through university studies have shifted in format for a time or remain altered, which is an adjustment for students, parents, siblings and the extended family. Time with family and friends has been limited, which makes us weary, if not anxious or sad. How we engage in worship, study and fellowship has been affected, causing frustration, and at times confusion or even anger.

Let’s be honest, there really hasn’t been, nor will there ever be, any simple answer or quick solution to any of our woes. Of course we are entitled to muse on the state of humanity, the United States, the Church, etc., but if we don’t: 1) Put these matters to prayer, and then 2) Act with purpose and unto salvation, these musing, no matter how insightful we perceive them to be, remain but temptations that lead us away from Christ, His Church and one another. Put another way, the ego, the “I”, the “me” are self-deceiving and dangerous if not tempered by the Holy Spirit. Like St. Paul we ought to say, “It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me."

Balancing the directives of a collegial yet hierarchical Church as well as considering the mandates of a state and nation is trying to say the least. We’ve attempted to remain prayerful, thoughtful and intentional as clergy and Parish Council members, honoring the directives of our hierarchy and those in civic authority, while balancing the realities of our region and the needs of our faithful.

Have we compromised our Orthodox faith or fallen to apostasy at our Parish? No.

Have we been limited at times as to how we’ve been able to participate in services, studies, and fellowship at the Parish? Absolutely.

Would we make all of the same decisions, knowing what we know now? Probably not.

Do I take responsibility for my shortcomings as your priest as well as for our collective failures as parish leadership? Yes, without hesitation. And, for these failures and for others, I ask your forgiveness.

During this season though, there have also been many blessings for us to celebrate. Thanks be to God and for the intercessions of the Saints, as well as to His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos, Fr. Seraphim, Dn. Joseph, our Parish Council, Morfoula, Anna and our Religious Educators, our Philoptochos…and our stewards, we’ve gracefully, prayerfully and cleverly continued to live our lives in Christ, and I’d like to think, manifested a ministry that is well-pleasing to Him. In addition to praying services on our grounds (whether inside or outside), we now broadcast our services for those homebound. Our regular study classes transitioned online - I imagine will continue as a ministry for those unable to join us in person - we added a Parish book study and our Religious Educators even started providing a weekly grab bag for younger and older alike. Our junior high school and high school youth groups have been fellowshipping primarily online with their advisors for several months. Our philanthropy has increased; we met all of our budgetary obligations around the world and increased our giving to those inside and beyond the parish who have been in need. We exceeded our stewardship goal for 2020 and also received more donations to our Building Fund. We’ve sent our building plans with minor revisions back to the City of Roseville for approval and continue to work with our contractor and iconographer so that we can begin the construction of our Sanctuary in the Spring. And, thanks be to God, we’ve prayed Baptisms, Chrismations, Weddings, Holy Unction, the Rite of Confession and funerals, celebrated engagements and anniversaries and also been afforded the opportunity to receive the greatest of Gifts, the Holy Eucharist.

In closing, I express my heartfelt gratitude to Fr. Seraphim, Dn. Joseph, our Parish Council and to those of you who call Saint Anna Parish your spiritual home. Thank you for the resiliency, the faith, the hope, the dedication and the joy you bring to our Parish and her ministries. I also express my gratitude to you, our friends, who pray at and support the ministries of our sister parishes. It’s a blessing to witness our Orthodox Christian faith together, regardless of the locale or jurisdiction. May our Lord, through the intercessions of Ss. Joachim and Anna, grant you health, joy, prosperity and every good gift unto salvation in this new year.

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.

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______________________

Topic: Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home

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

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An Orthodox Christian Election Prayer