Food-To-Go Festival (September 11)
In memory of 9/11 and in appreciation of today’s first responders, Saint Anna will dedicate its next Greek Food To-Go event to honor those who put their own lives at risk in order to save others. May their service and sacrifice never be forgotten, and may their memories be eternal.
Order ahead by September 8 at http://festival.saintanna.org/sep-11-food-to-go and pick-up curbside on September 11 and Gift a Meal to a local hero in Roseville or on the frontlines of the Dixie Fire. We will deliver the gifted meals for you.
We are better together.
Fires in Northern California
We offer our continued prayers for all of the firefighting and medical personnel, (both local and from out of state), as well as for the residents who have been either fighting or fleeing from the Dixie Fire, the recently ignited Caldor Fire and other fires, most notably in Northern California. Thus far in the season, over 1,100,000 acres have burned and over 1,800 structures have been destroyed on account of all of the fires in our state. As of late, the Dixie Fire is 31% contained while the Caldor Fire is 0% contained. For more information, please visit:
Dixie Fire: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/7/14/dixie-fire/
Caldor Fire: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/8/14/caldor-fire/
We ask our families to 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. If the Parish can be of assistance to you or your family, please do not hesitate to contact Fr. Seraphim or Fr. Christopher. If the need arises and your family is open to hosting others from our Parish who have been evacuated from their homes, please let us know as well.
Finally, we ask that you include the following prayer 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.
PRAYER FOR PROTECTION FROM RAGING FIRES
(a modified version of a prayer by Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens of blessed memory, translated from the original Greek)
Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. At this hour of great trial which our world is undergoing due to the fires which are utterly burning our natural resources and destroying our properties, in northern California and elsewhere, we feel the need to flee unto You for help, asking for Your mercy and for our safekeeping.
You saved the three Holy Children from the fire and glorified many Holy Martyrs when You ordered that not the flames of the furnace nor the red-hot irons of their tormentors touch them.
Lord, still the strong winds which multiply the fire’s destructive power and strengthen those who are called to confront it.
To those who are impacted and have lost their properties grant the power to endure; to those who had victims within their families grant comfort.
Lord, we do not know the causes of these fires; and if they are due to the heatwave or to human negligence, forgive the negligent and rescue Your people and Your inheritance from this threat, from the possible continuation of the destruction and from rekindling of homes.
If, however, the fires are due to the deceitful action of arsonists, Lord, let them be aware of their crime that they have willfully perpetrated at the expense of our people and Your creation.
Yes, Lord, we are sinners and we confess our weaknesses. Yet, Your Church cries out to You: “Unto You alone have we sinned, but also You alone we worship.”
We recognize our mistakes and we repent, with tears. Forgive us sinners and teach us Your precepts.
At this difficult hour, with Your blessed hand, shelter us and protect our blessed land. Rescue us from every situation and give us, once again, the joy of prosperity and of safety.
We call upon Your most holy Mother the Theotokos and all Your saints to intercede on our behalf. Amen.
Prayers for Californians
We offer our continued prayers for all of the firefighting and medical personnel, (both local and from out of state), as well as for the residents who have been either fighting the Dixie Fire or have been fleeing from and/or having to deal with it in one shape or another. The fire to date is one of California's largest single fires, having burned 488,000 acres and is only 25% contained at this point. More information about the fire may be found here:
https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/7/14/dixie-fire/
We ask our families to 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. We 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.
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 Whoever 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.
Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry
Sunday July 25, 2021
Prison Ministry Awareness 2021
“Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name.” (Psalm 142:7)
To the Reverend Clergy, Monastics, and Pious Faithful of our Holy Orthodox Church in the
United States:
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings and blessings to you all!
The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States has blessed us to observe the
Sunday before the feast of St. Silas, the patron saint of prison ministry, as Prison Ministry
Awareness Sunday. This year we remember this sacred ministry on July 25, 2021.
After a year of isolation, we are experiencing the full joy of our freedom this summer. Many of us
are making up for lost time: taking trips, seeing our friends, and most importantly, returning to our
churches in person.
For our brothers and sisters in prison, it has been a hard year as well. Lockdowns meant many of
the 2.3 million men and women incarcerated in the United States were in truly deep isolation
without visitations from family, friends, and clergy. As restrictions now ease, we are called more
than ever to exercise our own freedoms to serve those who have suffered emotionally, physically,
and spiritually over these last months. Now is the moment to cherish our blessings by sharing them
with those who our Lord has commanded us to see Himself in.
Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food;
I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you
clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ (Matthew 25).
Along with those in prison right now, we can find the Lord in the faces of those who have been
released from prison and are seeking to find community in our parishes and rebuild their lives
through the Orthodox way of life. We can also visit the Lord in caring for the family members of
prisoners. Indeed, the staggering rates of incarceration in the US make it is difficult to find an
Orthodox parish in our country that does not have a parishioner deeply affected by the incarceration
of an immediate family member.
As the Episcopal Moderator of Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry, I respectfully request you
observe this day of awareness. The Holy Orthodox Church, through Orthodox Christian Prison
Ministry, brings the mercy, forgiveness, and love of Christ to those people who need hope and
healing living in the darkness of prison.
We humbly ask that after passing a tray for the ongoing work of your parish, you please pass a
second tray on Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday for the work of the Orthodox Christian Prison
Ministry.
As Saint Isaac the Syrian says, “A cruel and merciless heart is never purified. A merciful man is
the doctor of his own soul because as a strong wind from his heart, he drives out the darkness of
the passions.” Please show mercy to our brothers and sisters in jails and prisons across the
United States on July 25th.
With much love and thanks in our risen Lord,
†Archbishop Mark of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania, OCA
Information for your Homeschooling Parishioners (St. Raphael School)
St. Raphael School (SRS), is a live, online Orthodox school for homeschooled students in grades K–12. Through a few transitions, our beloved school is maturing and growing beyond our initial dreams. It has been a joy to see children across Orthodoxy throughout the world deepening their love for and knowledge of Christ and His Church through reading the writings of our Holy Fathers.
St. Raphael School offers more than catechism classes; it also has classical and liberal arts courses, as well as Greek, Byzantine chant, and iconography classes, all taught in the Orthodox tradition. St. Raphael operates as a “school within a school” as part of Scholé Academy, a division of Classical Academic Press, a larger online school that is committed to the revival of classical education—the educational model that the Holy Fathers were reared in themselves.
All the faculty of St. Raphael are Orthodox, and Scholé Academy also employs across its disciplines some Orthodox faculty. Classes are held via a live video-conferencing platform, which is ideal for homeschool parents looking to add just one or two online courses in subjects for which they lack expertise or would like to augment with their own curriculum.
St. Raphael School and Scholé Academy are also a Gold-level sponsor of St. Emmelia Ministries, the outreach arm of our Antiochian Diocese’s Department of Homeschooling.
Join our listserv to receive e-newsletters from SRS
Visit www.RaphaelSchool.org to learn more about SRS’s mission and courses.
Saint Vincent de Paul (A voluteer opportunity the second Tuesday of the month)
In Matthew 25 it is clear that we are to feed the hungry. ‘In as much as you do it to the least of one of my brethren, you have done it onto me’. Our SVdP ministry has been committed and active for some 15 years. Our efforts with this local ministry (503 Giuseppe Court, Suite 8 Roseville, https://www.placersvdp.com) include preparing a meal, serving the meal, and cleaning up dishes. You do not need experience, just a willing, and loving heart!
Our SVdP designated day to serve is the second Tuesday of each month. We arrive by 9:30 am and are usually finished by 11:30 am with COVID times (the guests cannot enter the building). Non-COVID times are 9:30-1:30.
We always welcome volunteers and are actively looking to build a consistent team of folks that we can rotate amongst. If you are over the age of 14 and would like to be involved in rolling up your sleeves and helping those less fortunate than ourselves, please contact Markella 916-599-6909. And, God-willing, once we have a regular team of regular volunteers, we can request an additional day to serve those in need. May our efforts continued to be blessed.
Iconographic Plan for the Shrine Church of Saint Anna (Video)
Since 1998, stewards of our community have hoped to build a Church. It was decided in 2001 that the sanctuary was to be dedicated to seeking the intercessions of St. Anna. Thanks be to God, each day we make more progress, bringing this vision to reality (visit and then scroll down on our homepage, www.saintanna.org to view the latest progress). At some point next year, we’ll be celebrating services in our beautiful Shrine Church.
I’ve included the word “Shrine” above because this was not part of our original vision; it was however a blessing that was bestowed upon us. It distinguishes our community. It distinguishes our ministry. It distinguishes our holy space.
In approximately 2008, we began studying how a Church honoring Saint Anna, that possessed her relics (and with those of St. Joachim), that was also dedicated to the sanctity of marriage and family, might communicate these blessings through sacred space and iconography. It was a lengthy study that included travel to several monasteries, included the input of theologians, clergy, laity, artisans, and some of you. Thanks be to God, we have a plan!
Thanks be to God, Massimo Melinni and his artisans, together with Francesca Lofaro, have brought this vision to reality. As you watch the video prepared for our parish, I would encourage you to:
Be prayerful! This is an offering to God that will inspire generations.
Be overwhelmed! The Church will be simply stunning!
Be humbled! It will cost a lot and may not get done for a generation, but that’s okay. Others may have to finish the work we begin.
Be joyful! God is good and our matron saint is worthy of our honor as she continues to intercede on our behalf.
Be trusting! God will provide through our prayers, through our efforts, and through our offerings.
Ultimately, our efforts are not simply about the structure or the iconography or any of the furnishings (the plan for the woodwork should be ready in about a month though), it’s about salvation! This project, like our stewardship, is an expression of our love for Christ, our hope in the Resurrection, and our willingness to offer His love to all those who come into our midst here in Roseville.
May God be well pleased with our efforts.
+fr. Christopher
Construction of the Holy Sanctuary (Time-lapsed Video, April-June)
follow this link or click on the image to enjoy our first time-lapsed video of construction: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V5hMNJ_qXuCH0-7V09FkSw9XZ8VyT4dq/view
