the Liturgy for every Sunday of the Great Fast is that of St. Basil the Great. This liturgy begins on page 101 of our pew books, and contains the older, more penitential prayers suited for the Lenten Season. Confessions are heard before every Sunday Liturgy and every Friday Presanctified Liturgy. Please make your canonically required confession during the Lenten Season, but preferably before Wednesday of Holy Week. Please don’t wait till the last minute! Confessions should be occurring on a semi-regular basis, anyway. To those few people who habitually contact Fr. Elijah and want to go to confession on Good Friday or Holy Saturday, pay attention: the answer is no—you have time, get it done before then!
for the duration of the Great Fast, we use alternate melodies for major parts of the Divine Liturgy. This includes the Alaskan Alleluia, the alternate Cherubic Hymn, the alternate music for the Creed, and a simple melody for “Let My Prayer Arise” during the Presanctified Liturgy. If you need (or would like) a copy of the music, please ask Fr. Elijah or Sue. Thank you!
if you are looking for a devotional practice for this fasting season, consider reading the scripture passages for the day listed on the annual church calendar. If you want to do more, consider reading one Psalm, one chapter from the Old Testament, One Epistle reading, and one reading from the Gospels, daily. This is a manageable approach to the scriptures and can be very edifying if practiced consistently!
this year, we will donate the contents of our “poor box” to the scholarship fund at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. This includes the contents from every Sunday, and from every Friday. Also, we will put a collection box in the foyer for cat and kitten supplies for a local foster/adoption agency, the Johnstown Animal Welfare Society. Please consider a small contribution to both projects! Thank you, and may God bless you!
Please continue to publicize locally the annual Vespers Service on Sunday, March 15 - 5 PM taking place at the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Allison Park (8290 Thompson Run Road). A Lenten meal will be served downstairs in the church hall immediately following the 5 PM service.
on 3/13, there will be a fasting social following Liturgy. We are anticipating a few visitors, so please join us and bring a dish to share!