GLORY TO JESUS CHRIST!
Welcome Back to Church!
This Sunday, the Feast of All Saints, is our first Divine Liturgy open for broader attendance. Please see the Welcome Back to Church link on the parish website for more information on what to expect on our first Sunday back together. A reminder to please go here as soon as possible to sign up as there are still some spaces available. We will continue to re-evaluate our plans and adjust the groups and bring more people into each Liturgy when we are able to safely do so. Please keep an eye on the parish website and email communications from Father as we continue our incremental return to church.
What to Expect on Sunday
- At 9:30am, at the conclusion of the Hours, we will proceed out of the church, led by altar server, priest and cantor, and on the way out of the Narthex, everyone will receive palms and willows to carry in procession.
- We will process around the church one time, singing the troparion from Palm Sunday (Tone 1):
By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your passion, You did confirm the universal Resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with the palms of victory, we cry out to You, O Vanquisher of death; Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!
- We will stop in front of the doors of the church as at the Paschal midnight rush service. Father will begin with the doxology as at the beginning of the Paschal Matins service and we will sing the Paschal troparion ("Christ is Risen from the dead...."). We will then open the doors and proceed into the church repeating the Paschal troparion until everyone is in. Everyone will take their places and we will begin the Divine Liturgy as usual. Everyone will continue to hold their palms and willows throughout the service.
- At the reading of the Holy Gospel, children are invited to approach with lighted candles as usual, and to venerate the Gospel book by bowing at the conclusion of the reading.
- Holy Communion wil be administered through standard practice, and greeters will be available to assist as needed.
- At the conclusion of the Liturgy, we will invite everyone to come forward in the customary manner, and instead of venerating (with a bow) the blessing cross, they will be anointed with the oil from the Holy Wednesday Unction Service (a sacrament), unto the healing of soul and body.
Confessions
A reminder to please sign up for a time for Father to hear your confession using the links below. As a courtesy to others, we ask that you please respect the times allocated and be on time for your slot. Father will wear a mask when hearing confessions.
Reminder: Apostles Fast Begins
A reminder that the Fast honoring the Twelve Holy Apostles begins on Monday 15 June. Go here to learn more about this fasting period, and the feast for which it prepares us.
St. Nicholas Live Streaming Services
Thank you to everyone who have been participating in the St. Nicholas Virtual Coffee Hour on Sundays. We are continuing to refine our efforts to make Sunday services as widely available as possible via streaming. Here are ways to connect:
Divine Liturgy: Live-streamed on YouTube, beginning with the 3rd and 6th Hours at 9:00am and the Liturgy at 9:30am (note new link): https://youtu.be/roSvsQLPw68
Virtual Coffee Hour: Connect via Zoom, beginning at 11:30am: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83508000853
Meeting ID: 835 0800 0853
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,83508000853# US (New York)
+13017158592,,83508000853# US (Germantown)
To protect privacy, all services live-streamed from the church will show only the priest, server(s) and cantor(s), and will be removed regularly from the site.
Opportunities to Serve Your Neighbor
As we celebrate the Lord's Resurrection, we must continue to remember the critical importance of loving our neighbor (Mt 22:34-40), as the Lord commanded us to do ( "my neighbor is my salvation"). Love is demonstrated both in prayer and deed. Please remember your neighbors in this time of acute need. Here are some specific ways to help:
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Virginia hospitals across the state are experiencing a severe shortage of blood, and the UVA Medical Center is encouraging healthy and eligible individuals to contact the American Red Cross to make an appointment to donate. Our Archbishop Daniel and our seminarians have already done so!
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Grace Grocery, our neighborhood food pantry at Crozet United Methodist Church, has several volunteer opportunities including set up, client help and clean up for food distributions, unloading food from truck, computer assistant, which are listed on the website. They provide training for first time volunteers. You can ask to be placed on their volunteer email list. Email: foodpantry@crozetunitedmethodist.org Phone: 434-823-4420
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Please also keep an eye on Support Charlottesville, which is a hub for opportunities to give (and receive) material support. This is a very good way to stay informed, get involved and help your neighbors in need.
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The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank needs healthy volunteers to assist them at multiple locations, as well as in-kind and monetary donations (even more critical as the needs increase). Our Bishops, seminarians and Consistory staff have all been involved in similar work to address food insecurity in New Jersey -- let us emulate their example, and get involved.
- Charlottesville Community Cares has published a resource guide with information on how to receive financial assistance, request for grocery/prescription delivery, COVID-19 hotline, emergency shelter, and Region Ten Emergency Services Hotline. Join the network: bit.ly/cvillecare2020. Donate: congregatecville.com. Email: cvillecares@gmail.com.
- Consider making masks for one of the following insitutions:
- Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital: 540-689-8545 rmh_rmhvol@sentara.com
- Augusta Health Hospital: 540-332-5174 ahfoundation@augustahealth.com
- UVA Hospital: 434-924-5251 volunteerservices@virginia.edu
Weekly Sermons from Father
Though sermons will be offered during the Divine Liturgy, audio sermons, written meditations and other resources will continue to be posted regularly to the parish website (see the Updates from Father section). Weekly bulletins and email communications will continue. Please use these resources to remain connected to your parish family.
Stewardship Reminder
Despite the current (temporary) modification to the parish's schedule of services, meetings, and events, all parishioners are reminded of the pledges they have made as part of their stewardship commitment of time, talent and treasure. Some parishioners may encounter financial hardship during this time of crisis, and we can only give as we are able. That said, the parish must continue to meet its budgetary obligations and operating expenses. Please continue sending your contributions by to the church via US Mail:
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
PO Box 6981
Charlottesville, VA 22906
Special Intentions, Needs and Requests
A reminder to contact Father directly (fr.charles@mailbox.org | 443-204-4542) with any special prayer requests, intentions or concerns/needs, and he will make sure these are addressed.
Recent Prayer Requests
+All who have reposed in the Lord this week due to the pandemic
The child +Andrew (newly-departed), and for his parents
Nicholas and Jennifer (preparing for holy marriage) and their families
Stanley and Elena (health and healing)
Ruth G. and her family
Karen (healing)
Elaine (healing)
Donald (healing)
Bill (mission work)
Elaine (mission work)
Fr. Robert and Pani Dobrodyka Christine (retirement)
All those working in defense of human dignity, justice and equality during this time of unrest
The hungry and the homeless, all children born and unborn and for their parents
All those struggling financially during the pandemic, and for those whose basic necessities are out of reach
All medical personnel, first responders and others ministering to the sick, and those rendering vital services to their neighbors
All those in high-risk populations during this pandemic