Christ is among us!
This week’s vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Halia Lodynsky and family in memory of Stefan Jurchak.
All donations and contributions must be received by Wednesday, December 25th to be recorded on the annual statement for the year 2019.
PHILIP’S FAST, ПИЛИПІВКА, the pre-Christmas fast which began on November 15, the day after the feast of St. Philip, is a 40 day period of spiritual preparation for the celebration of the Nativity/Theophany cycle of the church year. Once a period of strict fasting, it has now been changed to a period of voluntary fasting and works of penance.
Prior to today’s Divine Liturgy, at 8:30 a.m. the Sestrechi will be the reading of the Akathist Hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The regular monthly meeting will be held after the Divine Liturgy, in classroom 1.
The re-scheduled meeting of Knights of Columbus Blessed Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Ukrainian Council will be held tomorrow, December 9, 7:00 p.m. in the Holy Name Room. All men of the parish are invited to attend.
Our next Pyrohy Project will be December14, 2019. We need your help to peel potatoes on Friday, December 13, and more help on Saturday, December 14, 2019. Please come and help.
The Ukrainian Ridna Shkola invites children young and old to its annual St. Nicholas pageant on Sunday, December 29th at 12:30 p.m. in St. Michael’s church hall, 569 George Street. Come greet St. Nicholas on the eve of the Christmas holidays. Refreshments and gifts for all. Meet our teachers and visit our classrooms during our open house.
Ukrainian Women’s League of New Haven, Branch 108 will be holding their annual Christmas Bazaar, Sunday, December 8, Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. On December 14 and 15 we will have baked goods. Pshenytsia (wheat) for kutia will also be available (new source, more tender). Donations of Ukrainian items would be greatly welcome. (please bring to church hall.) For more information, contact Anna Salemme (203) 934-6520 or Larissa S. (203) 248-9767.
PARISH MAINTENANCE UPDATE NOTICE: Please take note of the fact that there is various concrete repair work being conducted around the Parish on all five buildings. This includes repointing the Church stairs, repairing walkways and concrete areas. Your care in walking around and avoiding the work areas for your safety is appreciated.
REMINDER: Please don’t forget to donate to the Charities Appeal. Kindly make checks payable to the Byzantine Rite Eparchy of Stamford. DO NOT MAIL THIS FORM TO THE CHANCERY OFFICE. We sincerely ask all parishioners to make generous contributions.
STAMFORD CHARITIES APPEAL
REMINDER: Please don’t forget to donate to the Charities Appeal. Kindly make checks payable to the Byzantine Rite Eparchy of Stamford. DO NOT MAIL THIS FORM TO THE CHANCERY OFFICE. We sincerely ask all parishioners to make generous contributions.
Adult Faith Formation
The Conception of Saint Anne —The Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God (Theotokos)
“Today the world celebrates the conception of Anne which was provided by the work of God, for she will give birth to the One who will give birth to the Word in a manner which defies human understanding.” (From the Kondak of the Feast)
Saint Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary, was the youngest daughter of the priest Nathan from Bethlehem, descended from the tribe of Levi. She married Saint Joachim who was a native of Galilee.
The righteous Joachim and Anne were childless for fifty years of their married life. In their old age the Archangel Gabriel appeared to each one of them separately, telling them that God had heard their prayers and that they would give birth to a daughter, Mary. Then Saint Anne conceived by her husband and after nine months bore a daughter blessed by God and by all generations of men: the Most Holy Virgin Mary, the Theotokos. Mary would bring blessings to the whole human race.