By the grace of God, and the call of the Great Church of Christ, our Metropolis Chancellor, His Grace Bishop-elect Ioannis of Phocaea will be ordained to the Holy Episcopacy by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America on Saturday, December 19 at Saint George Greek Orthdox Church in Piscataway, NJ at 10am ET, 7am PT. You can view the Livestream at: www.gocnj.org/media/broadcasting-services
Faith and Light This month we are sharing our Faith and Light with our community. Fifty percent of all Faith and Light donations made through Christmas will be offered as a gift to St. Vincent Food Pantry. This is being done in lieu of our annual food drive which will not take place this year due to pandemic restrictions. Saint Vincent's is the largest food panty in northern Nevada and has been the recipient of our annual food barrel donations in years past. Use the link below to donate today! (Be sure to select the "Faith and Light" option).
Saint Anthony Christmas Ornaments. As an expression of our gratitude for your love and support, donors who contribute to Faith and Light between Nov 25 – Dec 25 will receive a beautiful customized Saint Anthony glass Christmas ornament while supplies last. They are also available for sale in the church office at $20 each.
Our 2021 Stewardship Campaign is underway. With much love, faith, and light in your hearts, we ask that you prayerfully consider making your commitment to 2021. Useful stewardship links can be found below.
Donations Team Recruiting. We are still looking for parishioners to assist with Faith and Light outreach. This can be done from the comfort of your own home and should only involve one to two hours of your time, periodically. If you interested in helping in this way, please contact the church office.
Visit our website to learn more or Faith & Light efforts (http://saintanthonyreno.org/faith-light-for-all-generations/) Here you can find an overview of our plan, past emails, our Town Hall presentation video, and more. Check this page often as more information will be added as we progress!
We understand this time is impacting everyone in many ways and, therefore, all expressions of love for our parish are deeply appreciated. It is your love that keeps alive the Faith and Light of our church, now and for generations to come! May you have health and God’s blessing! Ygeía kai evlogía Theoú na éhete! +
Church Capacity is currently set at 25 people Governor Sisolak's "Stay at Home 2.0" plan is still in effect, which asks all Nevadans to shelter in place as much as possible. The limit of 25 people is in line with the Washoe County Health Department’s recommendations for public gatherings. The sign-up process for Sunday Services remains the same, as does the approach to weekday services (no reservation needed). See links below for more information.
Please note that over the next two weeks, the church office will be closed for 'in-person' visitors, however, we will remain available to support you by phone or email. Father Stephen will continue to be available as usual via phone and email, and by appointment for in-person meetings.
Let us continue to pray for those impacted, for our front-line health care workers, and for the health and well-being of our entire community. God willing, these additional restrictions will only be with us for a limited time.
Here is the link for the Children's Word bulletin for this Sunday, December 20th.
Bible Study Online is currently on break until after the first of the year. When it resumes, class will meet each Thursday morning at 11am. To receive a ZOOM invite please contact Father Stephen at fatherstephen@att.net.
Quick Reminders A reservation is required for Sunday Services Click Here for Sign Up Procedures You do not need to sign up for services held Monday-Saturday. These are open on a first-come first-seated basis until capacity is reached. Please do not congregate in the Narthex or Small Hall after church.
o Face masks/coverings are required for everyone 10 years of age and older.
o Children ages 2-9 are strongly encouraged to wear a mask/covering.
Pastoral Visits & Holy Communion For setting dates, sacraments, memorial services, personal counseling, confessions, sick calls and personal visitations that may include receiving Holy Communion, please call the church office (775-825-5365) and speak with Father Stephen or e-mail at fatherstephen@att.net. You may also contact Maria at the church office or email saintanthonychurch@sbcglobal.net
Please make sure you are receiving regular email updates from the parish. Get on our list by emailing saintanthonychurch@sbcglobal.net All authorized emails and messages regarding church and church-related business are sent from Father Stephen or the Church Office. Emails and messages received from other sources that reference church matters are considered unauthorized and are asked to be forwarded to the church office.
Live Streaming All scheduled services are being live-streamed on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/saintanthonychurchreno/.We have seen great improvement with the quality of our streaming, but we are still learning. We now have someone at church monitoring the live-streaming and correcting issues as they arise. If your video freezes or disconnects, please refresh your screen. Sometimes you will need to look for a new post to pick up on services where they cut out. Thank you for your continued patience and support as we learn and grow with this capability. It is a blessing to be able to connect with those at home in this way.
Online Giving Portal for Stewardship & Donation Offerings The Online Giving Portal can be accessed through our Church Website by clicking the new “Donations & Stewardship” tab. This functionality is secured for your protection and gives you the opportunity to make a one-time contribution or set up a recurring offering.
Our traditional ways of accepting offerings remain the same – the portal has been added for those who prefer the convenience of online giving. It also helps to mitigate the risks associated with handling cash. Our office remains open during weekdays and at services a collection tray will be placed in the Narthex (as a health and safety precaution it will not be passed).
Also be reminded it is still important to fill out a Stewardship Pledge card each year - this helps us to plan and budget effectively. If you have not completed one yet, please view and print a 2020 Stewardship Commitment Card by clicking on this address: http://www.saintanthonyreno.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Pledge-Card-PDF.pdf
Click here for more info on FAITH & LIGHT FOR ALL GENERATIONS
Christmas Service Schedule
Please note that there will be FOUR Divine Liturgies scheduled throughout the weekend of Christmas. However, due to COVID-19 constraints, we are limited to 25 parishioners at each service. You must reserve your spot for Christmas Divine Liturgies for the 24th, 25th, 26th & 27th. See details below.
Wednesday, December 23, Paraklesis (Supplication and Healing) 6p
Thursday, December 24, Christmas Eve, Royal Hours of Christmas 9a; Great Vespers with the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil 6p
Friday, December 25, Holy Nativity, Orthros 8a; Divine Liturgy 9a
Saturday, December 26, Synaxis of the Theotokos, Orthros 8a; Divine Liturgy 9a; Vespers 6p
Sunday. December 27, Protomartyr Stephen, Orthros 9a; Divine Liturgy 10a
Thursday, December 31, New Year’s Eve, Great Vespers for St. Basil 6p
How to reserve your spot at a Divine Liturgy schedule for the 24th, 25th, 26th & 27th:
1. Email the church office on Monday, Dec. 21 only at saintanthonychurch@sbcglobal.net. Please include your name, the names of those attending with you and a contact phone number for each person (if you do not all live in the same household).
• Sign-ups will be taken in order according to when emails are received until our capacity is reached. (The email timestamp will be used as reference.)
• Exceptions will be made for our few parishioners who do not have email – they may call the church office to sign up for services (also on Monday only).
2. Confirmation will be sent to you via email.