Sunday of Orthodoxy- Nedelja Pravoslavlja
Posted on: Monday, February 1st, 2010
Triumph of Orthodoxy – 2010
Our congregation hosted this year’s Triumph of Orthodoxy – Orthodox Sunday Vespers Service on February 21st. Even though the service was to begin at 7 p.m., people began arriving shortly after 6 p.m. By the time the doors of the Sanctuary were opened, the Church was full. Latecomers spilled into the side aisles and stood in the Vestibule! All had come to witness the Triumph of Orthodoxy – the right to possess and venerate our beloved icons. Many worshippers came clutching their own beloved icons to their breasts.
The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of Sacramento was the guest choir. With the singing of their first evening prayer, all the worshippers were transfixed! We were truly in a place where God was in our midst and we all felt His presence. The choir chose to sing the responses and prayers in three languages – Greek, Church Slavonic and English. They rotated amongst the three. It only took the worshippers one cycle of languages before they discovered the pattern and joined in the singing. How wonderful to worship surrounded by people of all backgrounds and all colors singing and worshipping Our God together. The service seemed to end too soon. How fitting that the final prayer for this Sunday service is our beautiful prayer “How Great Is Our God”.
We were blessed with the presence of 15 Priests. Our own Fr. Dane Popovic led the beautiful service as the host priest. With him were:
Fr. Miladin Garic – our retired Priest, now at St. Sava’s in Jackson
Fr. Dimitrius Dogias – retired Priest from Annunciation Greek Church – Sacramento
Fr. Andrew Jacobs – St. Suzanna – Sonora
Fr. Timothy Robinson – Annunciation Greek Church – Sacramento
Fr. Stephen Tumbas – St. Sava Serbian Church – Jackson
Fr. Paul Volmensky – Ascension Russian Church – Sacramento
Fr. James Retelas – Annunciation Greek Church – Sacramento
Fr. Thomas Zell – St. James Antiochian Church – Modesto
Fr. Polycarp Whitcomb – Antiochian Church – Sacramento
Fr. Ian Mackinnon – Holy Cross American Church – Sacramento
Fr. Christopher Flesoras – St. Anna Greek Church – Roseville
Fr. Stephen Howell
Fr. George Gulin – Holy Myrrhbearers Church – West Sacramento
Fr. William Weir – our Church
Our President, Miroslav Milovanovich became the love of the evening with his wonderful Lenten minestrone soup. The wafting smells that emanated from the kitchen made everyone want to eat! Our beloved Sisters baked and offered delicious Lenten desserts. The love felt during the service continued until after 10 p.m. as people sat and visited with each other. What a wonderful way to visit with our Brothers and Sisters from the other Orthodox Churches in the area. This is an opportunity we get too infrequently and many wanted to savor the experience.
Many thanks to the MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE who offered their helpful hands in preparing for this great event. Our Primary Thanks to Fr. Dane and Fr. William who guided us throughout all the preparations for the evening. Their prayers and guidance are our beacon to eternity. Thank you to those who cooked and baked; Thank you to those who cleaned the Church and the hall in preparation for the evening; Thank you to those who prepared the flower arrangements in the Church and in the hall; Thank you to those who fixed the lights outside; Thank you to those who set up the tables and chairs; Thank you to those who set the tables; Thank you to those who served the food; Thank you to those who cleaned up the kitchen and the hall till midnight; Thank you to those who attended and prayed; Thank you to those who could not be with us but thought of us as we prayed.
Thanks be to God for giving us such a wonderful evening as we begin our Second Week of Lent – 2010.
How Great A God Is Our God.
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Excerpts from Sermon offered by Fr. Timothy Robinson
Orthodox Sunday Vesper Service
Tonight we are celebrating the triumph of the Orthodox over threatening heresy. Some statistics about Orthodoxy in the United States today:
Less that 1% of U.S. citizens are Orthodox Christians – same as Muslims
We are living in the most religiously diverse country in the world
Our community has been the target of Jehovah Witnesses
One can see the diversity of “beliefs” at Barnes & Nobles: witchcraft, magic spells, etc.
Islam claims to be the fastest growing religion in the U.S. One of our Orthodox brethren decided to leave and went to a Baptist Church where he was told he needed to be ‘rebaptized’. (NOT PERMITTED IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH)
Only 1 in every 1,000 immigrants to the U.S. is Orthodox.
The American culture tells us everything and anything is okay to believe.
More than 50% (1/2) of children who go to a university do NOT attend Church after they graduate.
How do Orthodox Christians respond to the confusing pluralism of America? We need to educate ourselves AND our young people. We will not make progress if we do not discipline ourselves to follow our religious tradition. We need to take our religious practices seriously: fasting, praying, and repenting of our sins. We need to dedicate ourselves to preaching the Gospel.
We need to take the Medicine of Orthodoxy and share it with others.
Notes graciously taken by Elizabeth Denisova
One of our Orthodox brethren decided to leave and went to a Baptist Church where he was told he needed to be ‘rebaptized’. (NOT PERMITTED IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH)
Only 1 in every 1,000 immigrants to the U.S. is Orthodox.
The American culture tells us everything and anything is okay to believe.
More than 50% (1/2) of children who go to a university do NOT attend Church after they graduate.
How do Orthodox Christians respond to the confusing pluralism of America? We need to educate ourselves AND our young people. We will not make progress if we do not discipline ourselves to follow our religious tradition. We need to take our religious practices seriously: fasting, praying, and repenting of our sins. We need to dedicate ourselves to preaching the Gospel.
We need to take the Medicine of Orthodoxy and share it with others.
Notes graciously taken by Elizabeth Denisova
Sunday, Feb. 21st – Our Church will be hosting the evening Vesper Service for Orthodox Sunday. All the Orthodox churches in the Sacramento area will be invited to attend our Church that evening. This is an uplifting service. It is also a wonderful teaching moment for all of our children. They have the opportunity (as we all do) to meet the Priests from all the other Orthodox churches in town. More information will be forthcoming. Please plan to come and participate in this historic service. Orthodox Sunday
