RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ST. SERAPHIM OF SAROV
Sea Cliff, New York

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ARCHIVE OF PARISH NEWS
2006


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Àrchive 2005

JUNE/JULY


We call to your attention the latest Address of the Synod of Bishops, and the Act.

On July 12th, the feast day of Apostles Peter and Paul, our parishioners celebrated the namesday of protodeacon Pavel Wolkow. At the conclusion of Divine Liturgy, Father Serafim congratulated Father Pavel wishing him heavenly grace and guidance in his service to the glory of our Lord and St. Seraphim’s Parish. Following this our parish sisterhood headed by A.N. Ryl offered a celebratory luncheon in Father Pavel’s honor.

We congratulate Father Pavel and wish him continued happiness, health and many years!

 

 

June 11: Pentecost

MAY



 

PASCHAL GREETING FROM THE RECTOR
OF ST.SERAPHIM'S PARISH IN SEA CLIFF
NEW YORK


Dear In Christ Brothers and Sisters,
CHRIST IS RISEN!


Rejoicing in Christ Resurrected, Divine master and Creator of our salvation, I whole heartedly greet father protodeacon Pavel and the altar servers, church warden Mikhail Stanislavich, all the members of the parish council, the sisterhood and Alla Nikolaievna - head sister, Tamara Miloradovna and the entire choir, parishioners and all the worshippers in our St. Seraphim's of our Parish website; with the world saving EXULTED FEAST of HOLY PASCHA!

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Paschal joy is firstly a joy of the church. We co-experience Christ's Resurrection and know, that to celebrate Holy Pascha we need to be renewed spiritually in order to experience this feeling, because only in this way can we express our participation in this celebration; As Apostle Paul writes: "For our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed, even Christ. Let us therefore celebrate the feast, not with use of old yeast, certainly not with yeast of malice and vice, but with unfermented batches of purity and truth" (1 Corinth. 5, 7-8) these tidings of joy I wholeheartedly wish for all of you through the words of St. Gregory the Theologian "may your life be renewed, and may your paths of endeavors be renewed: This is how the day of Renew ness is celebrated."

One Russian bishop said that God created man as His friend, and this friendship becomes even more tightly bound in our baptism, when we join the Orthodox Church. Every person becomes a friend of God, as in the church psalms and glorifications of St. Lazarus The fourth day resurrected; and in all of us, once lived Christ our friend: lived through love, communion and friendship in Him. Whether in early childhood or later in life, in all of us at one time or another lived our friend the Creator, but as time goes by this friend departs.

Nevertheless, we do not lose faith and hope, and bowing down on these Holy Days of Pascha, we not only bow down to His never ending love, but to hope, of which he teaches us, for when it seemed that everything had ended and the tomb was sealed, It was then that Christ Resurrected. Our hope is in that there is no mortal person, that everyone of us will not only be resurrected in the future life, but here on this earth will resurrect from the trenches if sin to A NEW WAY OF LIVING ( Romans 6, 4) for the Lord is Stronger than death. He was triumphant over it not only through His Resurrection or in the resurrection of Lazarus, but even in our life the Lord can create the miracle of this desire and active aspiration.

"Therefore, Brethren" - saith St, Ambrose of Media, who wrote the glorious hymn "To You God We Praise" - let all rejoice on this Holy Day! Let no one exclude themselves from this common joy, being revealed by the conscience of personal sin; let no one exclude themselves from these festive services, being weighted down by the multitude of sins. This present day a sinner has to have good hope for forgiveness of sins; for he has a great commission in that, through Whom the thief attained salvation.

And how can a Christian not hope for forgiveness of sins? If Christ crucified was merciful to the thief, then how can He not be merciful to Christian upon His Resurrection? And if the humble Sufferer showed so much mercy and lone to a repenter, then what kind of mercy will Christ Resurrected in Glory show to a pleader."!

Let me conclude with the words of St. Abba Evagria, who teaches us thus: "Pascha is the transition from evil to good. Let us bring Him some beneficial gift." This gift is expressed through our self sacrifice, when we give our life to Christ, His Church and people, when we are revived, through the constant feat of self compulsion to good.

By achieving perfection in goodness, we preserve in our hearts our faith and devotion to God; for in the future life we will see God in His incredible Glory and our never ending joy.

INDEED CHRIST IS RISEN,

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord! Greeting you with the Paschal greeting and "Holiday of Holidays and celebration of celebrations".

With the Paschal Joy of Christ Resurrected and biddings for your enheartened prayers,

Priest Serafim Gan
Parish rector

Translated by Protodeacon Paul Wolkow

See pictures of our services during Passion Week

APRIL


 



April 9th: Professor Andrei Zubov speaks about the current religious situation in Russia.
See more pictures.


MARCH


March 19th: The blessing of the new parish house. See more photos.

 

FEBRUARY


February 26th: See pictures from our parish blini

See more photos

February 19th, liturgy was served by the Archbishop of Berlin and Germany Mark (standing), in co-service with several Synodal clerics, members of the Synodal committee for talks with the Moscow Patriarchate, and other clergy guests. After the service a commemorative lunch was served. Archbishop Mark shared his personal memories of Bishop Mitrophan, and together with Archimandrite Tikhon (left) answered questions on the current dialog of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad with the Moscow Patriarchate.


Mitred Protopriest Andrei Semianko (right), after being given the mitre of Bp. Mitrophan (+2002)

See more photos

After all-night vigil on February 14th Bishop of Boston Michael served a panikhida service for Bishop of Boston Mitrophan, the latter of whom was for many years the rector of our parish. The next morning on the Presentation of Our Lord a commemorative liturgy was served.

JANUARY


FEAST OF THE NATIVITY AND THEOPHANY

Dear Brothers, Sisters, and Children in Christ !

With feelings of spiritual rejoicing I greet you with the Great Feast of The Nativity of Our Lord and Son of God Jesus Christ!

I congratulate you all with this great joy. May the newly born Christ Child send all of you this happiness. May the feat and fruit of faith become the joy of these days. Raising our prayers to the Christ Child we ask Him to fulfill us with heavenly joy and send down upon us His help and good health in this new year of 2006.

In these holy days of the Nativity, we feel God's great love towards us sinners. Even though all of mankind has turned away from its creator, the creator has become a being. God Almighty has descended from the heavens to man, born a helpless infant in a pitiable, scanty Bethlehem manger. Christ was born so that this mysterious and wonderful meeting would take place between God and mankind. This meeting has to take part in our hearts where we should actively be searching for it.

Let us give thanks to God during these days. Let us cleanse our souls with deeds of mercy and love that will make us capable of accepting joy and gifts from God. Let us rush to do this while there is still time, from the bounty of our hearts.

I turn to all of you with a humble bidding: following the footsteps of the three Wise men and gift bearers, let us give our gift to God, our little Christmas gift, so that we can express our love to our St. Seraphim of Sarov Church.

This year we shall be venturing on many remodeling and building projects, and also some purchases. It was decided to purchase a brass gilded covering for our altar table. One parishioner has donated money for the purchase of a wooden carved oblation table. We would also like to purchase for this table an icon of the Theotokos - “Do Not Weep For Me”. This icon depicts Christ crucified and his Mother Our Virgin Mary standing at his feet. Before them we will be commemorating our living and departed from prosphora offerings made for the proskomedia.

I whole heartedly greet all with the joyous feast day of the Nativity and Theophany, and thank you all for your prayers and support for our church. I wish you continual spiritual peace and hope during these joyous days.

I ask for your heartfelt prayers for my unworthy self.

With Love in Christ Newborn,

Priest Serafim Gan
Rector

The proskomedia. Left: censing the diskos and chalice. Right: removing a piece from a prosphora in commemoration of the living or dead.

See a video of the blessing of the Holy Water (56k): Windows Media Player or Real Video

See a video of the proskomedia

Jan 9: Carolling for Christmas.


www.stseraphimschurch.org

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