Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Thank you to the many people who came for our prayer service last night, in hopes that God would send His protection and upon the innocent people in the war-torn areas of the Middle East, the Holy Land, and Ukraine. Lord have mercy on them!
As we are rounding into the month of November, please pay special attention to the Liturgical Calendar, for there are many Feasts commemorated in that month – literally from the first day to the last; with several in-between. Celebrating weekday services is a special blessing in our Orthodox tradition and I invite you to avail yourselves of these opportunities for Grace!
Also, please keep in your prayers our shipment of liturgical furnishings that should be leaving the Athenian Port of Piraeus this next week. Our construction schedule is still on track to get us into the new sanctuary by Christmas. Let’s pray that everything coming from Greece will make it across the sea and land, arriving safely at our doorstep.
The iconostasis, iconostasis icons, altar table, bishop’s throne, pulpit, chandeliers, sacrament table, narthex furnishings and lamps will all be the finishing touches that will complete the transformation of our sacred space. As unbelievable as it sounds, we are almost there! Years of prayers, goals, plans, and dreams are materializing right in front of us. I thank you for your prayerful dedication to our Savior, and for the peace and joy, which help define our community. What St. Anna’s has accomplished in a very short amount of time is testament to your faith, your love for one another, and your devotion to the One, Triune God. Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!
And as a repeated reminder, we are excited to host our Family Vacation Bible School in November. Children, grades K-5 and invited to come with their parents and siblings to learn about the immediately aforementioned Holy Trinity. This is something new we are trying, so please bring your families and enjoy a wonderful half day of fun and learning. See the attached flyer for more information.
With Blessings and Gratitude,
Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter