Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I hope this message finds you well, and that you all are coping as best as you can during this enforced time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During this trying time during the season of Great Lent, we are finding ways to “gather together” via alternative technologies, and I hope you can and will join me in our efforts.
- Saturday, April 4, 4:00 p.m., Vespers, on Facebook Live.
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Sunday, April 5, 5th Sunday of Great Lent, Commemorating St. Mary of Egypt:
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9:00 a.m. Liturgy of the Word, on Facebook Live;
- 10:00 a.m. Church School via Zoom—details will be emailed to participants; the Children’s Sermon been posted on our parish YouTube Channel);
- 11:00 a.m. Virtual Coffee Hour via GoToMeeting—details will be emailed to participants;
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12:00 noon Parish Council Executive Meeting via GoToMeeting—details will be emailed to participants.
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Additionally, you may reconnect through these resources:
- Liturgical services are archived on our church’s Facebook Page.
- Sunday and Feast Day Sermons are archived on our Church’s Website.
- Children’s Sermons are posted on our church’s YouTube Channel.
As you can see, there’s a lot going on! It will take some getting used to, but I continue to look forward to gathering with you in these new ways.
Also, the Orthodox Church in America’s (OCA) Holy Synod of Bishops and Metropolitan Council have issued a number of documents to guide our parishes during this pandemic, including a forceful communiqué, as well as the Holy Synod’s statement and directives to clergy and parishes. Click the links below to view the documents:
- March 31, 2020 Joint Communique of the Holy Synod of Bishops and the Metropolitan Council;
- March 30, 2020 Directives for the Clergy and the Parish, Mission, and Monastic Communities;
- March 30, 2020 Archpastoral Statement from the Holy Synod of Bishops.
Additionally, the OCA has provided links to numerous websites to help you to pray at home and to connect with live-streamed liturgical services. Find those resources here.
With God’s help we will get through this!
With love in Christ, Fr. John Jillions, Pastor
P.S. Metropolitan Tikhon, who currently acts as our diocesan bishop, recently gave a message of encouragement to the faithful at the mid-point of Great Lent. Listen on YouTube here.
He also participated in an 
interview regarding the pandemic on the “Ancient Faith Today Live” radio broadcast. If you missed the live show, you can still listen to the archived interview, “An Archpastoral Perspective on the Coronavirus,” here.
