The Hierarchs of the UOC of the USA Sent Letter of Support to the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine

~ Fr Gregory ~ Leave a comment

Council of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA Sent Letter of Support

to the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine: 

Human Dignity and Freedom Must be Preserved in Ukraine

His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine

Kyiv, Ukraine

Your Beatitude, 

(UOCUSA) As hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and Diaspora, we address you with the sentiments of profound prayerful support, as the nation – people of Ukraine face the actions of aggression of the Russian Federation.  The clergy and faithful of the UOC of the USA and Diaspora are truly united in spirit of prayer and action with our brethren in Ukraine and Ukrainians throughout the world.

The events of the last eight years that have led to the irresponsible behavior of political leaders of Russian Federation in the past few days have finally awoken the world-wide community to the crimes against the civilized society that politicians of Russian government have taken.

Throughout Ukraine’s history, millions of people have given their lives for freedom, dignity and human rights, in order to claim the right to peace and stability as any other nation enjoys in the world. The voice of the peace-loving people of Ukraine must be heard and respected and it cannot be silenced by the noise of ammunition and actions of those in political and spiritual leadership positions who choose to confuse and abuse by utilizing violence – war, against the people of Ukraine. 

The faithful of our Church in the USA and Diaspora are from the various parts of Ukraine. We all have family members and friends living in the East and West, North and South of Ukraine, and thus we are profoundly concerned for the wellbeing, stability, and security of the people of Ukraine that are threatened by the reports of the planned persecution and the crimes against humanity in Donbas region of Ukraine.

We join Your Beatitude, clergy and faithful of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in prayer for the peace in the ancestral homeland for so many of Ukrainian Christians in the United States of America and throughout the globe. We are standing with you and offer our assistance in the battle against the war crimes against the people of Ukraine. No physical force will ever succeed in eliminating the free will and the voice of the citizenry!

Embracing the gift of freedom with you, our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and throughout the world, and in the hope of moving forward, rather than backward in history, we beseech with awe and thanksgiving the Father of lights and every perfect gift, the Son of righteousness and the Spirit of truth to descend upon us all, embrace us, guiding and perfecting our every deed.

+Antony, Metropolitan

+Jeremiah, Archbishop

+Daniel, Archbishop

Appeal for Peace in Ukraine

~ Fr Gregory ~ Leave a comment

Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops

Saturday, February 26, 2022

(AOB) The recent geopolitical developments and aggression against Ukraine will inevitably bring suffering and death on innocent children, women and men of the country, who are – so many of them – our brothers and sisters in the Orthodox Christian faith.

As the Hierarchs of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA, we earnestly and urgently lift up our prayers for all the people of Ukraine, imploring God that peace and justice may be restored in accordance with the spirit of the Gospel reflected in the words of Saint Paul: “For Christ is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.” (Ephesians 2:14)

As we prepare ourselves to enter the prayerful time of Holy and Great Lent, a time of humility and repentance, we fervently and sincerely urge a change of heart, calling upon all parties and all people to refrain from further aggression, withdraw of all weapons and troops from sovereign lands, and instead to pursue de-escalation and the restoration of peace through dialogue and mutual respect.

Statement of the Council of Bishops of the UOC of the USA: Pray for Ukraine!

~ Fr Gregory ~ Leave a comment

GOD IS WITH US! CHRIST IS AMONGST US! HE IS AND ALWAYS SHALL BE!

(UOCUSA) These ancient Christian greetings are so necessary for us all to embrace in hope and love, with a sense of deep concern and an unfathomable desire for peace, as the world watches the news reports from Ukraine and around the world concerning yet another threat from Russian leadership. 

The scare and intimidation tactics with the presence of the armed vehicles and over a hundred thousand of soldiers around the borders of Ukraine combined with systematic cyber attacks at all levels of life in Ukraine can only be interpreted as terroristic threats that target innocent lives of Ukrainian citizens.  They seem to be instigated by an extremely low sense of self-esteem among the leadership of what has become the aggressor nation of modern times – which creates a very dangerous set of circumstances. 

Ukraine – the geographic reality – with its own sovereign borders has always been coveted by neighbors from anywhere beyond those borders because of the expanse of her natural resources, especially the incredibly rich black soil, which earned her the name “the Breadbasket of Europe”, which produced the abundance of wheat that was shared with the world. It was and is this land that so many other countries have attempted to annex, dominate, subordinate and benefit from not only in modern history, but throughout the early Kyivan-Rus’ history. 

It is no secret that Russia, under the guise of the “Soviet Union” wanted not only the rich natural resources, but just as importantly, a buffer zone between itself and the rest of the Western world. Further, Ukraine, as a blossoming democracy inspires surrounding nations. Therein lies the key to comprehending modern Russian and other earlier invasions.  In seeking to control the land, the resources and the political system, hardly a thought has ever been given to the real people who live in that land.  These people are the “nation” of Ukraine, and that nation possesses a self-identity that is impossible to annihilate. 

Through centuries of invasions the “nation” was unimportant to the invaders.  Thus, the “nation” bore the loss of millions and millions of victims to genocide, most atrociously under the former Soviet Union and its Holodomor.  Throughout all this history of terror, the self-identity of the “nation” survived – in the hearts, minds and souls of the people. It is with the people that we are desperately concerned as we write these words.  It is for the them, our brothers and sisters, that we ask you to join is in prayer

We must beseech God in the Holy Trinity to protect her people from the horrors that far too many of their ancestors knew and perished from.  We direct all our clergy to offer the following prayer during the Litany of Fervent Supplication of each Divine Liturgy.  Further, we ask you all to make this prayer part of your daily prayers in your home chapels.  May God hear our loving petition and soften the hearts and minds of all, within and without Ukraine during these dangerous times.

With prayers,

+Antony, Metropolitan

+Daniel, Archbishop

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Let us pray to the Lord!

LORD OUR GOD, GREAT AND ALMIGHTY, WE YOUR SINFUL CHILDREN TURN TO YOU WITH HUMILITY IN OUR HEARTS AND BOW OUR HEADS LOW BEFORE YOU.  WE BESEECH YOUR LOVING KINDNESS AND ABUNDANT BLESSINGS UPON THE NATION – THE PEOPLE – OF UKRAINE DURING THESE DAYS OF GREAT DANGER TO THEIR SAFETY AND WELL-BEING.

OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, LORD, ARE ONCE AGAIN THREATENED BY AGGRESSORS WHO SEE THEM ONLY AS OBSTACLES BLOCKING THE PATH TO THE COMPLETE DOMINATION OF THE PRECIOUS LAND AND RESOURCES OF THE COUNTRY OF UKRAINE.  STRENGTHEN THE PEOPLE AS THEY FACE THIS GREAT DANGER, TURNING TO YOU IN THE IMMEASURABLY DEEP FAITH, TRUST AND LOVE THEY HAVE PLACED IN YOU ALL THEIR LIVES.  SEND YOUR HEAVENLY LEGIONS, O LORD, COMMANDED BY THE PATRON OF KYIV, ARCHANGEL MICHAEL, TO CRUSH THE DESIRES OF THE AGGRESSOR WHOSE DESIRE IS TO ERADICATE OUR PEOPLE.

GRANT UNITY OF MIND, HEART AND SOUL, O LORD TO ALL LEADERS IN PUBLIC SERVICE WITH THOSE THEY SERVE.  UNITE THEM ALL INTO ONE, GREAT CHRISTIAN FAMILY, SO THAT TOGETHER, AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THEY MAY GLORIFY YOUR MAJESTIC NAME – GOD IN THE HOLY TRINITY – FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND EVER AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES.  AMEN!

This Week at Ss Cyril & Methodius

~ Fr Gregory ~ Leave a comment

Sunday, January 16 (OS January 3), 2022

Tone 5
30th Sunday after Pentecost

Forefeast of the Theophany of our Lord; Sunday before the Holy Theophany; Holy Prophet Malachias (400 B.C.); Martyr Gordius of Caesaria (4th c.); Ven. Genevieve of Paris (512); Ven. Abelard, abbot; A mother and her two children, who suffered death by fire.

From the Pastor:

Christ is Born!

Thank you to Katie Justin, Deb & Judith for putting the festal icons up in the altar!

This Tuesday, January 13 we’ll have Vespers at 4:00 pm for the feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and St Basil the Great.

Next Wednesday, January 19 is the Feast of Holy Theophany. On Tuesday, January 18, we’ll celebrate the Vesperal Liturgy of St Basil and Blessing of Water starting at 6:00 pm. This will be the only service for Holy Theophany.

Finally, we will have a parish assembly after Liturgy on Sunday, January 23. We have several matters to discuss but the meeting should be brief. Here is the proposed agenda:

Call to order (Katie)
Opening Prayer (Fr Gregory)
Priest’s Report
Treasurer’s Report (Judith)
Vote on By-laws (Katie; attached)
Discussion & Vote on changing to the new calendar (Fr Gregory )
New Building (Gregg)
New business
Adjournment (Katie)
Closing Prayer (Fr Gregory)

If you’d like other times included please contact me or Katie as the president of the Parish Board of Administration.

In Christ,

Fr Gregory

Hymns After the Small Entrance

Tone 5 Troparion (Resurrection)
Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word,
co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,
born for our salvation from the Virgin;
for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh,
to endure death,
and to raise the dead//
by His glorious Resurrection.

Tone 4 Troparion (Forefeast)
Prepare, O Zebulon,
and adorn thyself, O Naphtali!
River Jordan, cease flowing,
and receive with joy the Master coming to be baptized!
Adam, rejoice with our first Mother,
and do not hide yourselves as you did of old in Paradise;
for having seen you naked,
He has appeared to clothe you with the first garment.//
Christ has appeared to renew all creation.

Tone 4 Troparion (Ss Cyril & Methodius)
Divinely-wise Cyril and Methodius,
equals-to-the-apostles and teachers of the Slavs,
entreat the Master of all
to strengthen all nations in Orthodoxy and unity of mind,
to grant peace to the world and to save our souls.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Tone 3 Kontakion (Ss Cyril & Methodius)
Let us honor the sacred pair, who translated divine scripture
pouring forth a fountain of divine knowledge from which we still draw today.
Now as you stand before the throne of the Most-high
we call you blessed, Cyril and Methodius,
as you fervently pray for our souls.

Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Tone 4 Kontakion (Forefeast)
Today the Lord enters the Jordan and cries out to John:
“Do not be afraid to baptize Me.//
For I have come to save Adam, the first-formed man.”
Sunday Readings

Sunday Readings

January 16, 2022

Epistle: Mark 1:1-8

Timothy my son, be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Gospel: Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets:

“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.”
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ ”

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”