following Divine Liturgy on 12/4, the Altar & Volunteer Society will decorate the church and hall for the Nativity Season. In addition, Fr. Elijah prepared fresh green swags for our sign posts. He will install them this week. A basic cleaning of the church will be necessary before St. Nicholas day. Thank you, in advance, for your help in decorating and cleaning the church.
we are pleased to announce several new and different opportunities this Nativity Season. This year, children and faculty advisors from the Student Evangelizers at Bishop Carroll High School will join us to learn about the Orthodox Divine Liturgy on St. Nicholas Day (Friday, 19 December). A light (fasting) luncheon will follow, and Fr. Elijah will host an open discussion on the Eastern Orthodox Tradition. Everyone is welcome. What do you have to do? Nothing, just attend and be a good resource for these young students. On 21 December, we will have our “in house” St. Nicholas Day celebration and dinner following Sunday Liturgy. Fasting pot luck dishes are appreciated. St. Nicholas will visit, and accordion player Ed Zablotney will perform traditional Eastern European Christmas Carols on his accordion. A great deal of effort is going into these events. Please support your church and priest by showing up and enjoying these opportunities!
the Birthright Giving Tree is here! Please pick an ornament and return the (unwrapped) gift in the bin located in the church vestibule. Act quickly, most of the ornaments are gone!
on Sunday, 12/21 we will make our 2026 church calendars available for parishioners. Thank you to all of our sponsors!
The Russian Orthodox Church observes the Nativity Fast from 28 November 2025 to 6 January 2026. During the Holy Nativity Fast, church guidelines exclude meat, dairy products and eggs on all days, and fish on Wednesdays and Fridays. The strictest abstinence is on January 6 (December 24), on Nativity Eve. According to pious tradition, on this day we do not eat until the first star, which marks the star of Bethlehem, is visible. Music changes for the fast, using the Alaskan Alleluia and the melody for O Kto Kto for the Cherubic Hymn.
in the past 13 years, we made remarkable progress in our churches. Thank you, all, for this blessing. We are all respectfully reminded that in conducting the business of the church, nothing takes place without following the proper protocols. When we have meetings (church-wide, or Altar & Volunteer Society), minutes are sent to Fr. Elijah for approval before they are distributed. When planning, cleaning, or decorating, nothing occurs unless Fr. Elijah is present. Food sales, including to the “outside” community must observe all fasting regulations, without compromise or exception. Finally, and most importantly, when a priest is unavailable, the Typica Service constitutes church for the faithful. Because of the clergy shortage, there are no available substitute priests or deacons. When Father is unable to serve, he celebrates in another church, or holds an Obednitsa with his family. There is no such thing as a “Sunday off.” With the upcoming Icon visit to Canonsburg, several parishioners are carpooling to St. John’s. We also cannot begin to have the laity dictate that church will be closed if no priest is present. Typika is church, whether 2 people come, or 20 people come. If you are not going to Canonsburg, please remember that you are not “excused” from attending church. St. John’s in Conemaugh serves @ 9:30 am; St. Nicholas Serbian in Johnstown serves @ 10:00 am; and St. Mary’s Antiochian serves @ 9:30 am. Because of the situation in world Orthodoxy, you are strongly advised to avoid parishes of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as long as other options are available (which they are). It takes work to be faithful. Are you up to the task?